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Watch the atmosphere of Haschalas Zman as the Beis Medrash comes alive with the קול התורה at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.

A glimpse into the excitement and renewed hasmadah as talmidim begin a new zman and prepare for the days ahead.

Israeli airline Israir announced Tuesday that it will launch flights to New York by October.

The much-anticipated move comes as service on the highly lucrative transatlantic route remains limited, with only Israeli carriers currently flying nonstop to and from the United States after all three U.S. legacy carriers froze their flights due to the war with Iran.

While American carriers, led by Delta and United, are scheduled to resume service to Tel Aviv next month, airfares remain stubbornly high throughout the fall due to heavy postwar demand.

Israel’s second-largest carrier said it plans to start its New York flights by Oct. 19 pending final FAA approval, with tickets set to go on sale from next week. It will bring forward the launch date if the final authorization comes in sooner.

Israir did not cite a starting price for the route on Tuesday, but plans on offering economy, premium and business fares.

It is expected to run a daily flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport this fall, joining competing service by El Al, Arkia United and Delta.

Travel consultants said that the entry of an additional Israeli carrier on the top international route out of Tel Aviv was “significant news” for consumers and is expected to bring down airfares.

“We anticipate that as the supply of direct flights to New York grows, we will see a positive impact on pricing and availability, particularly during periods of high demand,” Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS. “The fact that it is an Israeli carrier offers an additional advantage, especially given how much importance Israeli travelers place on flight continuity and certainty.”

“We have been waiting for quite some time for an additional Israeli airline to compete directly with El Al in flying nonstop to New York,” said Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours. “If Israir wants to gain market share, they will need to aggressively market – and not match – El Al prices, and then the Israeli public will jump at this option.”

Israir operated transatlantic flights to New York from 2004 to 2008, when rising fuel prices forced it to suspend the route. JNS

The IDF carried out an airstrike Tuesday evening targeting several Hamas commanders gathered at a café in the Gaza City port area, saying the operatives were planning imminent attacks against Israeli troops operating in the Strip.

The strike took place in the Shati area of northern Gaza. According to reports from Gaza, the target was the “Bitter and Sweet” café located inside the port complex. Palestinian channels reported that at least six people were killed and another 10 wounded in the attack.

An Israeli security official said the operation targeted four Hamas terrorists who had gathered at the café, all of whom held command positions within the terror organization. The official said the group included one company commander and three platoon commanders.

The strike was carried out after the threat posed by the Hamas commanders was assessed by the IDF as immediate. The military said the operatives had been preparing attacks against Israeli forces currently deployed inside Gaza.

“The terrorists planned to carry out terror attacks against IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip. The terrorists were struck from the air in order to remove the threat to the forces,” the IDF said.

Palestinian reports claimed the impact of the strike at the café was particularly powerful and that some of those killed were thrown into the sea by the blast. Israeli authorities have not confirmed those claims.

The IDF stressed that Southern Command forces remain deployed throughout Gaza in accordance with the existing agreement and will continue taking action against immediate threats to Israeli soldiers.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the operation reflected Israel’s standing policy in Gaza, as established by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and himself.

“Israel’s policy in Gaza, as clarified to the IDF by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and by me, is clear: We remove threats, eliminate terrorists, and settle accounts with anyone who took part in the October 7 massacre,” Katz said.

“That is how the IDF acted today in eliminating the Hamas terrorists, and that is how it will continue to act with force to protect our soldiers and ensure quiet for the communities of the south — from within the security zone.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox, 

A Choshen Mishpat PSA: The Torah prohibition against delaying a person’s wages is far more serious—and far more common—than many people realize.

I work in the Choshen Mishpat world in the tristate area. I’m not formally a dayan, but as a Rabbi with Yadin Yadin, people do come to me with their shailos. Of course, I don’t pasken as a yachid, but I do help clarify the issues, present relevant views from the poskim, and guide people toward a clearer understanding of the situation.

I’ve been involved in this for a while, and I hate to say that there is one issue that is extremely serious and consistently keeps coming up. I feel the need to bring it to public attention as a PSA:

PAY YOUR WORKERS ON TIME.

This, more or less, includes anyone you hire to do work for you in any capacity—babysitters, doctors, dentists, architects, gardeners, tutors, cleaners, contractors, freelancers, and anyone else providing a service. If someone did a job for you, the halachic obligation to pay them properly and on time applies fully, regardless of the type of work or how “informal” the arrangement may feel.

There is an explicit prohibition in the Torah against delaying a worker’s wages. In fact, the Gemara counts five lavin and one asei that can be involved in this area, underscoring its seriousness. While not all of them apply in every single case, ביומו תתן שכרו is an asei, and לא תלין פעולת שכיר is a lav gamur, and these apply with almost every worker.

This is not a joke. The Torah itself explains the seriousness of the mitzvah with the words ואליו הוא נושא את נפשו—he is “carrying his life.” Chazal explain that when you withhold a worker’s wages, you are, in a sense, taking his life from him. Although the lav applies regardless of the worker’s bank account, this is especially real when a poor person is struggling to put food on the table—and you would be surprised how often that is unfortunately the case. I promise you, you have no idea how bad it can get. People who seem like regular workers are often really struggling because they are not being paid.

Of course, this is not an easy mitzvah. Bills are annoying. Life is expensive. Everyone is stretched, everyone is juggling, and most people are genuinely trying their best. It is not easy to keep up with everything, and financial pressure is real. But at the end of the day, none of that changes the basic responsibility: You hired a worker, he did the job, and you are obligated to pay him. Period.

Your worker never asked to be your lender to help you with your cash-flow issues.

To be mekayem the mitzvah, you need to pay right away. The exact details of “right away” vary depending on the type of worker and the terms of employment, but in ordinary contemporary arrangements, the practical rule is: Don’t wait.

There are other important details regarding the timing. For example, halacha takes customary billing and accounting arrangements into account, and בל תלין is triggered when the worker demands payment. But once the bill comes in and payment is due, it becomes an actual aveira. Things get very serious, very quickly.

Pay the worker on time. I can’t say it enough. Before you spend money on a beautiful, upgraded esrog, make sure the person who worked for you has been paid.

This is a very serious matter, and although it should be obvious anyway, I’m afraid it simply isn’t known well enough.

Hence this PSA.

The number of stories I hear is insane. People are literally struggling to put food on their tables, unable to pay their credit card bills, or unable to pay their own workers because they are waiting for money that they honestly earned from people they worked for. These are people who did a good job and helped their clients—their clients are thrilled with the work—but are now being left hanging for weeks or months.

Recently, someone came to me in an absolute mess. More than 50 people had failed to pay him. Some owed him close to $50,000, others closer to “just” $7,000, and altogether he was owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. They were all frum clients.

And now this person was taking tzedakah to pay for a chasunah, for Shabbos, and for Yom Tov—because he had to fight to collect money that was already rightfully his. If two or three more people had followed halacha, he wouldn’t have had to take out a loan to pay for the chasunah!

Of course, he has since become much more careful about things like retainers and payment arrangements. He could have protected himself better. But that does not excuse the people who simply did not pay him. If you hire someone, PAY HIM.

And I don’t mean eventually. I mean pay him on time—on the day his work is completed, when halacha requires it.

If there is a genuine dispute about part of the bill, don’t use the disputed amount as an excuse to hold up money that you clearly owe. Pay the undisputed amount and resolve the remaining issue promptly. Don’t use a dispute over $500 to hold up $5,000 that you know you owe.

I also must add that even if someone already missed the halachic deadline, that does not mean the money is now “okay to owe.” He is still obligated to pay immediately, and continued delay is itself prohibited. Missing the deadline is not a free pass to let the bill sit for another week or month.

None of this is some minor technical halacha buried in Choshen Mishpat. It is a pasuk in the Torah. (Which happens to be in this week’s parsha…)

The Yom HaDin is coming quickly. Having an unpaid worker’s money sitting on your head is not something anyone should want to take with them into Din.

If someone works for you, pay him. Pay him on time. It’s the halacha.

(Sources for those who want: Bava Metzia 110b–112a; Shulchan Aruch CM 339)

M.

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President Trump issued an urgent warning to Alaska voters Tuesday morning, urging them to make certain they cast their ballots for incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan amid an unusual primary featuring another candidate with nearly the identical name.

“ALASKA: Be careful, VOTE FOR THE REAL DAN SULLIVAN TODAY,” Trump posted on Truth Social, once again throwing his support behind Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, who is campaigning for a third term in Washington.

Trump alleged that Democrats were attempting to mislead voters by having another Dan Sullivan appear on the ballot. The second candidate, Dan J. Sullivan, is a retired fifth-grade teacher who describes himself as a pragmatic Republican.

“The Dumocrats know how good he is and have put up an imposter of the same name,” Trump wrote. “Vote for the ‘INCUMBENT SENATOR.’ Don’t let these Fraudsters get away with this HOAX.”

The president also praised Sen. Sullivan’s record representing Alaska, crediting him with helping bring “HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS” to the state.

Trump had delivered a similar message Friday, accusing Democrats of engaging in “trickery” and instructing his supporters to vote for “SULLIVAN, DAN S. — REGISTERED REPUBLICAN/INCUMBENT.”

The Alaska Democratic Party and the campaign of ex-Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola, who is viewed as Sen. Sullivan’s leading opponent in the race, have both denied having any involvement in Dan J. Sullivan’s decision to run.

Despite those denials, Republicans have continued raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Dan J. Sullivan’s campaign.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has cited people associated with his campaign, including adviser Amber Lee and representative Alan Harris, in arguing that the candidacy has connections to Democrats.

Harris previously appeared in an advertisement produced by Majority Forward, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Democratic-aligned Senate Majority PAC, that attacked Sen. Dan S. Sullivan.

Senate Majority PAC has denied having any communication with Dan J. Sullivan or encouraging him to enter the contest. Dan J. Sullivan has likewise denied coordinating his campaign with Peltola.

Alaska election authorities initially removed Dan J. Sullivan from the ballot after determining that he had not filed his candidacy in good faith and that his campaign was intended to cause confusion among voters.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews subsequently overturned that determination. Matthews ruled that state election officials did not have the authority to create an additional “good-faith” requirement for candidates and concluded that the state had failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that Dan J. Sullivan entered the race with the intention of confusing voters.

The Alaska Supreme Court upheld Matthews’ decision, clearing the way for Dan J. Sullivan’s name to appear on Tuesday’s primary ballot.

Alaska uses a nonpartisan primary system in which the four candidates receiving the most votes advance to the ranked-choice general election in November.

With 16 candidates competing for Alaska’s U.S. Senate seat in Tuesday’s primary, it remains possible for both candidates named Dan Sullivan to finish among the top four and advance to the November election.

{Matzav.com}

Summer travel congestion at Ben Gurion Airport has reached extraordinary levels, with fewer than one in 10 flights departing on time or within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure during the past week.

According to a report by Hofit Cohen Olai in Calcalist, Ben Gurion Airport recorded 31% more departures last week than the weekly average over the previous three months. At the same time, delays surged by 24%.

A total of 1,847 flights departed from Ben Gurion Airport during the week, but just 9.8% took off on schedule or no more than 15 minutes late. The average delay at Terminal 3 reached 69 minutes, while passengers departing from Terminal 1 faced an average delay of 66 minutes.

The congestion extended well beyond the runways. Travelers reported lengthy lines at check-in counters and security checkpoints, while some passengers on Friday said they waited as long as two and a half hours for their luggage.

Red Wings posted the worst average performance among the airlines examined. Although the carrier operated only 17 flights, its average delay was a staggering 207 minutes.

Blue Bird Airways followed with an average delay of 128 minutes across 189 departures, while TUS recorded an average delay of 114 minutes on its 69 flights.

At the other end of the rankings, Flydubai posted the shortest average delay at 22 minutes. Azerbaijan Airlines averaged 28 minutes, while Emirates recorded an average delay of 29 minutes.

Significant differences were also seen among Israel’s airlines. El Al operated 598 flights and recorded an average delay of 42 minutes. Israir’s 282 flights were delayed by an average of 59 minutes, while Arkia posted an average delay of 100 minutes across 284 departures.

Certain destinations proved particularly vulnerable to disruptions. Flights to Heraklion were delayed by an average of 104 minutes, while Mykonos-bound flights averaged 103 minutes late and Barcelona flights were delayed by an average of 101 minutes.

The Israel Airports Authority attributed some of the problems to heavy congestion in European airspace, particularly over Greece, as well as disruptions involving assigned takeoff and landing windows. Calcalist also reported that the activity of American refueling aircraft in the region has affected available flight slots.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the current congestion is that Ben Gurion Airport is operating with dramatically fewer airlines than during a typical summer. Only 47 carriers are currently serving the airport, compared with approximately 100 during a normal summer season.

Despite that reduced number, the airport has struggled to handle the summer traffic. Infrastructure limitations, insufficient security-screening positions, shortages of aircraft parking spaces and staffing constraints have all contributed to the difficulties.

Israel’s Transportation Ministry told Calcalist that the delays reflect a combination of normal summer travel congestion, the complicated security situation and substantial pressure on European airspace.

The ministry said efforts are being made to maintain continuous operations at Ben Gurion Airport while minimizing flight cancellations as much as possible.

{Matzav.com}

Syria has acknowledged for the first time that it possesses nuclear material, with the country’s foreign minister declaring that the material will remain under Syrian control while being subject to international oversight.

The Syrian foreign minister addressed the status of the nuclear material held by Damascus, saying it would remain in the country under guarantees and supervision from the International Atomic Energy Agency. He said Syria would provide the necessary conditions for its safe storage while maintaining its right to pursue nuclear energy for civilian and peaceful purposes.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of an airstrike attributed to Israel at the Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria’s Idlib province. The strike reportedly damaged a runway and abandoned storage facilities, with no casualties reported.

According to Syrian sources, the attack took place one day after a Turkish military delegation visited the facility to examine plans for rehabilitating the airport and potentially transforming it into a joint Syrian-Turkish military base.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike, describing it as “unjustified aggression and a blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty.”

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack sharply criticized the attack, calling it an “unnecessary escalation.” Barrack said the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has demonstrated an interest in reducing tensions and urged the parties to pursue dialogue rather than further military action.

Israel, however, suggested that the strike was connected to highly sensitive intelligence. A senior Israeli official told Fox News that “highly sensitive intelligence was provided to the United States in advance.”

The Israeli official further indicated that al-Sharaa could not be permitted to operate through proxy forces in the manner of Syria’s previous regime, while raising the possibility that the Syrian leader himself may not have been aware of the activity that prompted the Israeli action.

Likud Minister Dudi Amsalem received an unexpected boost in the middle of the party’s primary election after radio host Menachem Toker informed him that he had finished first in a WhatsApp poll of the program’s followers regarding which Likud figure is most closely associated with supporting tradition, Judaism, Torah and the Chareidi community.

Toker spoke with Amsalem during his “Zman Avir” program on Kol Chai as Likud members were casting their ballots in the party primaries. The poll asked listeners and followers which Likud politician they believed showed the greatest concern for Jewish tradition, religious issues, Torah and Chareidim.

Toker broke the results to Amsalem on air, telling him that he had won by a wide margin.

“Our listeners and followers love you. We asked who cares about tradition, Judaism, religion, Torah, the Chareidim. On the values and social issues, they liked you. First place by a wide margin,” Toker said.

Amsalem welcomed the news, saying the result was particularly meaningful to him.

“First of all, I’m proud of it. It really gives me nachas. That’s the most important thing to me,” Amsalem replied.

Toker then asked the minister how he believed he would fare in the actual Likud primaries and whether he expected to secure a high position on the party’s Knesset slate.

Amsalem said he was not spending his time calculating his prospects or attempting to predict the final results.

“I have no idea, Menachem, and I don’t deal with it either, honestly. I do my part,” he said.

Amsalem then explained his approach in terms of emunah, saying that the ultimate result had already been determined long before primary day.

“On Rosh Hashanah, even before that, my position was already determined. I’m just doing the hishtadlus,” he said.

Toker reacted enthusiastically to the comment.

“What a man of faith. That’s a man of faith, a real one,” Toker said.

“Everything is for the good,” Amsalem responded.

Asked for his number on the Likud primary ballot, Amsalem said he was listed as candidate 103. Toker noted that Amsalem had finished fifth in the previous Likud primaries and said he hoped the minister would climb even higher this time.

Toward the end of the interview, Toker openly endorsed Amsalem and urged eligible Likud members listening to the program to cast their votes for him.

“I call on everyone who has [the right to vote] and can vote, choose 103, Dudi Amsalem. Such a man of faith, a person who really is like this, a public servant, should be advanced,” Toker said.

“Thank you very much, Menachem,” Amsalem replied.

After the conversation ended, Toker continued discussing the Likud primaries and mentioned several other party figures whom he admires. Among them was Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi.

“I very, very much appreciate what he’s doing here. For example, Kol Chai, the fact that we can be heard in the north, that’s him,” Toker said.

The program then shifted back to the regular musical atmosphere of “Zman Avir,” featuring songs reflecting themes of emunah and the month of Elul.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump dramatically escalated his claims over the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, posting a map that labeled the strategically vital waterway “new US territory” while declaring that Iranian mines had been cleared and that no additional negotiations with Tehran were currently scheduled.

Trump shared the altered map on Truth Social, reinforcing his recent suggestion that the United States could establish a permanent presence in the strait. In subsequent posts, the president said the crucial shipping route had been de-mined and was operating again, while indicating that Washington had no new talks with the Islamic Republic on its calendar.

The president had first publicly floated the prospect of the United States maintaining permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz during a political appearance on Long Island on Friday.

The map circulated by Trump depicted the waterway between Iran and Oman as “new US territory,” marking a significant rhetorical escalation in his statements about the strategically critical passage.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime routes, with ships traveling through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

Speaking Friday while campaigning for Republican candidates running in New York’s gubernatorial and congressional races, Trump suggested that an official declaration concerning the strait could come after Iran’s defeat.

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said while stumping for Republican candidates in New York’s gubernatorial and congressional elections.

During the same Long Island appearance, Trump defended the economic consequences of his campaign against Iran, arguing that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons justified Americans temporarily facing higher fuel costs.

The president said accomplishing that objective was worth paying “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline,” adding: “I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing.”

{Matzav.com}

Energy Minister Eli Cohen emerged as the decisive winner of the Likud primaries, capturing first place as the final count reshaped the party’s prospective Knesset slate and left several veteran ministers and lawmakers facing the possibility of losing their seats.

Cohen finished more than 3,000 votes ahead of Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who secured second place. Justice Minister Yariv Levin took third, followed by Transportation Minister Miri Regev in fourth and Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz in fifth.

Education Minister Yoav Kisch placed sixth, with Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar immediately behind him. Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, making his first run in a Likud primary after departing Otzma Yehudit, made a strong debut in eighth place. Ministers Amichai Chikli and Dudi Amsalem rounded out the top 10.

MK Moshe Saada captured the 11th position, while MK Tally Gotliv landed in 12th — a significantly weaker showing than projections that had suggested she could finish among the leading candidates.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi made a late move past MK David Bitan to claim 13th place, pushing Bitan to 14th. Boaz Bismuth finished 15th, followed by Ministers Nir Barkat, Ze’ev Elkin and Gila Gamliel. Gamliel edged out Eti Hava Atia to secure the third position designated for a woman.

Once the party’s reserved slots are factored into the final Knesset lineup, a number of sitting ministers and MKs are expected to fall outside positions considered realistic for entering the next Knesset. Among them are Ministers Ze’ev Elkin, May Golan, Avi Dichter and Idit Silman, along with MKs Nissim Vaturi, Keti Shitrit, Hanoch Milwidsky and Ariel Kallner.

Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu also scored victories in the regional contests, with all three candidates he endorsed winning their races. Erez Tadmor prevailed in the district encompassing Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Shfela; Shlomo Lerner won the Dan and Tel Aviv district; and Yehoshua Shuki Ohana captured the Galilee and Valleys district. Two other Netanyahu-backed candidates, Osnat Zohar and Dr. Ruth Kabbesa Abramson, did not win positions on the slate.

Netanyahu, who serves as Likud chairman, welcomed the outcome and said he was “very pleased.”

“The new Likud slate reflects renewal and the integration of new figures at the top of the list. Together with the reserved candidates to be appointed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who will further strengthen the slate, the Likud team led by Netanyahu will achieve a major victory and establish a broad national government immediately after the elections. This is the only way to prevent a left-wing government led by Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Lieberman, and the Arab parties,” Netanyahu said.

Likud issued its own statement after the results, saying: “Prime Minister Netanyahu thanks the Likud members who voted based on common sense and not political deals. Prime Minister Netanyahu also deeply appreciates those who did not secure a place on the slate, thanks them for their contribution, and intends to involve them in efforts to secure a Likud victory.”

The counting process began after polls closed Monday evening at 107 voting locations used by Likud members nationwide. After ballots were initially tallied at the individual polling sites, the boxes were slated to be transported to the Bloomfield Stadium complex in Tel Aviv for an additional count. Party officials had said the definitive results were not expected until the morning.

Likud reported that 75,177 members participated in the primary, producing a turnout of 53.5%. That represented a decline of approximately five percentage points compared with participation in the party’s previous primary election.

The voting was also accompanied by allegations of irregularities. Earlier in the process, Minister May Golan and MK Amit Halevi filed complaints with Likud’s Central Election Committee and called for counting at the Yeruham polling station to be stopped immediately. They alleged that votes were repeatedly erased, changed or recorded differently from the candidate names announced aloud, with corrections allegedly made only after a local observer objected and demanded that the records be fixed.

Regev, meanwhile, alleged Monday that the El Al workers’ union had mounted an effort to hurt her performance in the primary because of her move to allow expanded Wizz Air operations in Israel.

“Anyone who tells you ‘Miri Regev is secure’ wants to weaken me,” Regev said. “You know the El Al union decided to drop me from their slates. It’s all because I decided to bring in Wizz.”

Regev said the opposition would not cause her to reverse course on her plans for Israel’s aviation market. “I said I would lower flight prices, and that is what will happen,” she declared.

The transportation minister insisted that pressure from organized labor would not alter her position. “No union will intimidate me or extort me,” she added. “The citizens of the State of Israel come first.”

{Matzav.com}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has prepared a broad enforcement plan for Yehuda and Shomron that would take effect following the transfer of civilian enforcement authority, Border Police operations and administrative-order powers in the region to the Israel Police.

According to a report by Channel 14, the plan calls for a significant expansion of police and Border Police activity across Yehuda and Shomron, including administrative orders against far-left activists, renewed weapons searches in Chevron, the relocation of Border Police bases into Areas A and B, and joint training exercises with local emergency response teams.

One of the most significant elements of the proposal is the issuance of approximately 20 administrative orders against far-left activists, particularly those operating in the southern Chevron Hills. The report identified Guy Hirschfeld and Yonatan Pollak among those who could potentially be targeted by the orders.

The move would represent an expansion of the use of administrative enforcement measures to include activists on the political left.

Ben Gvir is also seeking to restore a more substantial Border Police presence in Palestinian cities as part of an effort to increase Israeli enforcement and operational activity. The plan reportedly calls for Border Police personnel to resume proactive operations, including searches of homes in Chevron for illegal weapons.

Another provision would permit individuals to enter the Me’aras Hamachpeilah while carrying firearms.

Under the plan, Border Police bases in Yehuda and Shomron would also be relocated into Areas A and B. The move is intended to shorten response times and give forces greater operational control and faster access to areas where incidents occur.

Ben Gvir’s proposal additionally calls for expanded cooperation between Border Police forces and emergency response teams in Jewish communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

According to the report, Border Police personnel would conduct joint exercises with the local teams, focusing particularly on scenarios involving terrorist infiltrations into communities and preparations for the possibility of a large-scale assault.

The training is intended to improve readiness for extreme security scenarios and prevent a repeat of the type of catastrophic infiltration and mass attack carried out on October 7.

If fully implemented, Ben Gvir’s plan would represent a significant change in both the distribution of enforcement authority and the nature of Israeli police and Border Police operations throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

{Matzav.com}

The remains of IDF soldier Yehuda Katz, who disappeared during the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yaqub and remained missing for more than four decades, have been located, the IDF announced Tuesday.

Military representatives informed Katz’s family that his remains had been identified, bringing an end to one of Israel’s longest-running cases involving a soldier missing in action.

Katz had been the final soldier from the Battle of Sultan Yaqub whose fate had remained unresolved. He disappeared during the fierce fighting in Lebanon 44 years ago and had been listed as missing ever since.

The discovery concludes a decades-long effort by Israel’s military and intelligence agencies to determine the fate of the three soldiers who vanished during the battle. In 2019, the remains of Zechariah Baumel were brought back to Israel in an operation facilitated with Russian assistance.

Six years later, in 2025, the Mossad carried out a classified operation that succeeded in recovering the remains of Zvi Feldman and returning them to Israel.

Katz, Baumel and Feldman all disappeared following the Battle of Sultan Yaqub on June 11, 1982. The fighting took place near a strategic crossroads south of the Lebanese village of Sultan Yaqub in the Bekaa Valley during the First Lebanon War.

The unresolved status of the three soldiers remained a painful national issue for decades. In 2004, then-IDF Chief Military Rabbi Rabbi Yisrael Weiss determined that the three should be officially designated as “fallen soldiers whose place of burial is unknown.”

Their families challenged that determination, however, petitioning against the ruling. The decision was subsequently withdrawn, leaving the three officially classified as missing as efforts to locate them continued.

Thousands of Breslover chassidim preparing to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah 5787 are facing steep increases in transportation costs, with fares from European airports, border crossings and Ukrainian train stations rising by tens of percentage points compared with last year.

An examination by Emess comparing official price lists from the previous two years with newly published rates for Rosh Hashanah 5787 found substantial increases across nearly every major route and vehicle category. The report also found that the two primary transportation companies serving Uman travelers, Paichele and Uman Express, are advertising completely identical prices this year.

For travel from Chisinau, Moldova, to Uman, the cost of a private car increased from $500 to $550, a 10% rise. A VIP SUV climbed from $650 to $750, an increase of approximately 15.4%, while a five- to seven-passenger minivan jumped from $700 to $900, or roughly 28.5%. An 18-seat Sprinter rose from $1,400 to $1,500, approximately 7.1%.

Travel from Iasi, Romania, saw even sharper increases. A private car now costs $650, compared with $500 last year, representing a 30% jump. A VIP SUV rose from $650 to $800, approximately 23%, while a minivan climbed from $700 to $1,000 — an increase of approximately 42.8%. An 18-seat Sprinter increased from $1,400 to $1,700, or roughly 21.4%.

The journey from Bucharest to Uman has also become significantly more expensive. A private car increased from $950 to $1,100, approximately 15.8%, while a VIP SUV jumped from $1,100 to $1,400, or roughly 27.2%. Minivan prices surged from $1,200 to $1,700, an increase of approximately 41.6%, and Sprinter transportation rose from $2,300 to $2,800, or approximately 21.7%.

Travelers arriving through Poland are seeing similar increases. A private car from Rzeszow to Uman has risen from $800 to $1,000, a 25% increase. Minivans from Warsaw or Katowice, previously priced between $1,400 and $1,500, now cost $2,000, representing increases ranging from approximately 33% to 42%. Sprinter transportation from those cities has increased from roughly $2,700-$2,750 to $3,200, approximately 17%.

Prices have also climbed for travelers continuing to Uman from Ukrainian railway stations. A private car from Vinnytsia, previously costing between $150 and $180, now costs $210. Minivan service from Vinnytsia has jumped from approximately $210-$250 to $350, while a minivan from Khmelnytskyi now costs $600, compared with $400-$480 previously.

Perhaps the most striking finding in the new price lists is that Paichele and Uman Express are advertising precisely the same rates for every vehicle category, destination, border crossing and surcharge examined in the report, without even a one-dollar difference between the two companies.

A senior Breslov community activist sharply criticized the situation, raising concerns about possible price coordination in a market where travelers have few alternatives.

“It is simply terrible to see how prices are skyrocketing in such an extreme and unprecedented manner from year to year, placing an unbearably heavy financial burden on the chassidim. But even more serious is that the only two companies currently providing transportation services are matching their price lists and presenting completely identical prices. There is a serious concern of price coordination in a closed market. When there are only two options on the ground and they are completely coordinated, the public becomes captive and has no alternative or opportunity for free competition on the way to Rabbeinu.”

The transportation companies rejected the implication that the higher rates were arbitrary, pointing instead to sharply rising operating costs caused by the continuing war in Ukraine, fuel prices, infrastructure problems and shortages of available drivers.

Paichele told Emess: “The increase in prices is an unavoidable reality resulting directly from the war in Ukraine and Russia’s bombardment of power stations and fuel infrastructure in the country. Fuel prices have nearly tripled and continue to rise consistently, and last winter there was almost no electricity in the country. In addition, there has been a sharp increase in all cost-of-living indexes and logistical expenses in Ukraine, making it extremely difficult to operate the transportation system.”

Uman Express offered a similar explanation, saying its rates reflect significantly higher costs on the ground.

“It is important for us to clarify that the prices were determined according to actual costs, which have risen very significantly this year. The main factor is the sharp increase in fuel prices in Ukraine, and in addition, there is a significant shortage of drivers who are able and permitted to leave Ukraine, which makes it very difficult to find available drivers and increases operating costs. Beyond that, prices throughout the Ukrainian market have risen considerably, not only for pilgrims but also for the local population. We were forced to adjust prices to the existing reality, and we are making every effort to maintain fair prices without compromising service, safety and reliability.”

{Matzav.com}

Attorneys representing Ponevezh Yeshiva have moved swiftly following the court ruling in the long-running dispute over the yeshiva campus, sending a formal demand letter calling on the opposing side to fully comply with the decision.

The letter, sent Monday by attorneys Ehud Artzi, Rivka Ariel, Ran Feldman and S. Horowitz, was addressed to attorney Eyal Rozovsky, who represents Rav Shmuel Markowitz and the Mesores HaTorah association. It came just one day after Judge Yehudit Shevach issued her ruling upholding the arbitration decision governing the future of the Ponevezh campus.

The brief and pointed letter demands that the ruling be implemented in full, beginning with the requirement to “vacate the Ponevezh Yeshiva property” by the deadline established by the court.

Under Judge Shevach’s ruling, the buildings occupied by Rav Markowitz’s yeshiva are to be vacated during Chol Hamoed Sukkos 5787, two days before Simchas Torah.

Ponevezh’s attorneys also demanded that the buildings be returned in proper condition and that all financial penalties imposed in the arbitration ruling by retired Judge David Cheshin be paid in full, together with applicable linkage adjustments.

The letter further calls for Mesores HaTorah and “Eim HaYeshivos” to immediately stop using the Ponevezh Yeshiva name and trademarks in any form. That demand applies to the yeshiva’s logos, official documents, advertisements, fundraising websites and other platforms.

In addition, the attorneys demanded that Rav Shmuel Markowitz immediately cease using the title “Rosh Yeshivas Ponevezh.”

The letter followed Sunday’s sweeping District Court decision in favor of Ponevezh Yeshiva and its president, Rav Eliezer Kahaneman. Judge Shevach essentially upheld the full arbitration ruling issued by retired Judge David Cheshin, who was appointed to adjudicate the bitter dispute in 2021.

The ruling represents a potentially decisive turning point in a decades-long conflict that resulted in two rival yeshivos operating on the same Ponevezh campus and was repeatedly accompanied by bitter confrontations and, at times, violence.

In her decision, Judge Shevach leveled particularly severe criticism at Rav Markowitz, placing responsibility on his side for the violence and turmoil that plagued the campus during the dispute.

Attention is now turning to Simchas Torah, which is expected to mark the first Yom Tov after the deadline by which the entire Ponevezh campus is supposed to be under the exclusive control of Ponevezh Yeshiva.

Officials at the yeshiva are reportedly awaiting that date with considerable anticipation, although Rav Markowitz’s side has indicated that it intends to pursue an appeal of the ruling.

[COMMUNICATED]

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British-manufactured long-range drones have reportedly been used by Ukrainian forces to attack targets deep inside Russia for the first time, marking another expansion in Western-supplied weaponry being employed against Russian military and economic infrastructure and prompting renewed warnings from Moscow.

The Sunday Times reported, citing British and Ukrainian government sources, that drones produced by two British companies have successfully carried out long-range missions against targets well beyond the front lines in recent months. Among the systems reportedly supplied to Ukraine is the Callen-Lenz/BAE Systems-developed Nyan drone, which has allegedly been involved in attacks on “oil refineries in Volgograd, southwest Russia, and Yaroslavl, near Moscow”.

The Nyan is a carbon-fiber, jet-powered aircraft built around a compound delta-wing design. Also described as a “One-Way Effector (OWE) Uncrewed Air System (UAS),” the weapon is intended to perform missions similar to those of a cruise missile while costing substantially less. The drone incorporates some stealth characteristics and backup navigation capabilities that allow it to continue toward its target when GPS and other guidance systems are disrupted by electronic warfare. Its design is also intended to permit rapid, relatively inexpensive mass production.

The system has previously undergone testing with the British military, including launches from Royal Navy vessels using a catapult rail. Britain is reportedly planning to provide Ukraine with “over 150,000” drones this year, though most of those aircraft are expected to be cheaper, shorter-range systems rather than the British-built long-range strike drones that have reportedly entered Ukrainian combat operations in recent months.

Moscow responded to reports of the British weapons being used against targets inside Russia with another round of warnings directed at the West, including references to the possibility of nuclear escalation. Russian state media ran the headline “UK moves toward nuclear war by allowing Ukraine to launch British-made UAVs against Russia” while circulating comments from a Norwegian academic discussing the development. The Russian Embassy in London issued its own warning to Britain.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the embassy accused the British government of hypocrisy for publicly supporting peace efforts while continuing to arm Ukraine. Moscow also alleged that London had become complicit in Ukrainian “terrorist attacks” — terminology rejected by Western governments, which regard Ukrainian strikes against military and war-related targets as part of Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s invasion.

The Russian Embassy did not specify what retaliation Britain could face but warned that continued British involvement in the conflict would carry consequences.

“London’s actions will inevitably have consequences, for which it will have to answer. The deeper its involvement in this conflict and the greater its support for the terrorist machine of Kyiv, the higher the price will be.”

Russia has repeatedly issued severe warnings over Western military assistance to Ukraine, while Britain has steadily supplied Kyiv with increasingly sophisticated equipment. British support has included tactical weapons, armored vehicles, artillery and long-range cruise missiles.

British officials are also increasingly concerned about a different form of Russian retaliation. The Times reported that sources fear factories producing drones for Ukraine could become priority targets for sabotage as Moscow intensifies what Western governments describe as “hybrid warfare” operations across Europe.

Such concerns are heightened by the relative ease with which individuals or small groups could potentially attack defense-related industrial facilities without sophisticated weapons or training — and, in some cases, without necessarily knowing that they were acting at Moscow’s direction.

British defense-related sites have already faced attacks by anti-Israel activists in recent years. Some incidents involved little more than protesters equipped with paint and sledgehammers, while others were significantly more aggressive.

In one particularly serious incident, activists rammed the entrance of a defense-related facility using a prison van before entering the property and damaging equipment. Prosecutors alleged that security personnel and responding police officers were also attacked with hammers. A jury later failed to reach a verdict in the case, after which pro-Palestinian activists declared “victory.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly released emails show that a senior FDA official raised concerns with Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins in May 2021 about reports of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, prompting Fauci to suggest consulting other federal health officials and cautioning that they could not “ignore” the matter.

Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the correspondence over the weekend. The email was written by Dr. Janet Woodcock, who was serving as acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration at the time, and sent to Fauci and Collins, then director of the National Institutes of Health.

“I have been contacted by a number of people who have experienced adverse events post COVID-19 vaccination (from all three of the current vaccines). Many are healthcare professionals, some of whom I know. The symptoms do not fit together into a distinctive syndrome and most are not easily quantifiable or evaluated with standard laboratory testing,” she wrote.

Woodcock acknowledged that a nationwide vaccination campaign would inevitably produce reports that could have different explanations, but she expressed concern that people reporting symptoms felt they were being dismissed.

“Clearly during mass vaccination you will get a lot of psychological reactions and it is hard to sort these things out. But the people’s main complaint is that no one takes them seriously, no one knows how to treat them, and there is no effort to study this,” she said, encouraging them to do a study and evaluate a “cohort of these individuals.”

Woodcock suggested that properly investigating the reports would require both funding and a researcher willing to examine unusual medical cases.

“But of course $$ need to be made available, and you would need an investigator who is interested in ‘medical mysteries,’” she wrote, noting, “I doubt the industry would support, for obvious reasons.”

She also warned that failing to investigate a potential problem early could create greater difficulties later.

“But my experience is, that if you let a problem fester, then it will come back to bite you later and you are not prepared,” she said, asking, “What do you think of this? Jw,” the email concluded with Janet Woodcock’s initials.

Rather than immediately answering Woodcock, Fauci forwarded her message to Collins the following day. According to Johnson’s office, Fauci wrote:

“Janet [Woodcock] asks what we think of this? We cannot ignore her. We should probably bring in CDC and see what Rochelle [Walensky] thinks.”

It remains unclear from the records released thus far whether Rochelle Walensky, who was then director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was subsequently consulted about Woodcock’s concerns.

Johnson’s office also pointed to contemporaneous reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS. According to the senator’s office, when Woodcock sent the email, the database contained “440,025 worldwide adverse events and 8,650 deaths associated with the COVID injection reported to VAERS, with 3,350 (39 percent) of 0those deaths occurring within 2 days of injection.” VAERS reports by themselves do not establish that a vaccine caused a reported medical event or death.

“What they knew in private they never said to the public,” Sen. Paul remarked.

Fauci continued publicly urging Americans to receive COVID-19 vaccines throughout 2021, particularly as new variants emerged. He repeatedly warned that unvaccinated Americans faced substantially greater risks from the virus and at one point spoke of “almost two types of America” developing between vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.

“They’re going to be very vulnerable. That’s why I worry about the people who refuse to get vaccinated. When you’re dealing with any COVID virus, when you’re dealing with one that spreads so rapidly, and you’re unvaccinated, the virus is going to find you,” he warned in December 2021.

“And I know there will be a lot of people that will get seriously ill if you are unvaccinated. That’s the reason why despite the recalcitrance on the part of so many people to get vaccinated, we continue to encourage them, particularly in the context of this new variant, to please get vaccinated. If you have been vaccinated, make sure you get your booster in time,” he said.

COVID-19 vaccines were ultimately shown not to completely prevent infection or transmission, particularly as newer variants emerged, although studies found that vaccination reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death, with effectiveness varying over time, by variant and by vaccine dose.

The newly disclosed Woodcock correspondence comes after Johnson and Paul released another set of communications last week involving Fauci. That release included a text sent from Fauci’s government-issued cellphone in which he discussed whether a COVID-19 vaccination administered during the first trimester of pregnancy could “theoretically” be associated with miscarriage.

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new series of federal initiatives Monday aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, alpha-gal syndrome and other illnesses transmitted by ticks, appearing alongside actor and patient advocate Dennis Quaid.

Kennedy detailed the effort in a video posted on X, saying the department is seeking to shorten the often lengthy process patients face before receiving an accurate diagnosis while expanding access to effective treatment.

“Millions of Americans need faster diagnoses, better care, and real answers,” Kennedy wrote in the post.

Kennedy said large numbers of patients suffering from tick-borne illnesses are either incorrectly diagnosed or left without treatment. Noting that nearly half a million Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually, he said HHS is putting millions of dollars toward new technologies, including AI-powered tools designed to detect illnesses sooner, improve patient care and advance research.

“HHS has worked with the LymeX community to help bring two improved FDA-cleared Lyme diagnostics to market, giving clinicians better tools and helping more patients get an accurate diagnosis sooner,” Kennedy said.

Quaid joined Kennedy for the announcement and highlighted the experience of his late friend, singer and actor Kris Kristofferson, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease for years before doctors determined that he was suffering from Lyme disease.

“But Alzheimer’s wasn’t the problem,” Quaid said. “He actually had Lyme disease and when the doctors finally diagnosed him correctly in 2016 and started the right treatment, his symptoms did improve.”

Kennedy also called on patients who have recovered, as well as those who continue experiencing symptoms, to share information about their treatments through Cure ID, a free FDA and National Institutes of Health app that gathers real-world patient data. For people who do not have a trusted medical provider, Kennedy said an HHS clinician-locator service allows patients to search by ZIP code for doctors experienced in treating Lyme disease.

Monday’s announcement expands on a broader campaign Kennedy unveiled in May at the New Hampshire State House. At the time, he said more than 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year and announced several initiatives aimed at reducing the prevalence and impact of the illness.

Those measures included a multimillion-dollar Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pilot program focused on tick control, as much as $2.5 million for LymeX innovation challenges and a public-private partnership establishing a clinician locator. HHS has set a target of reducing Lyme disease cases by 25 percent by 2035 compared with 2022 levels.

Kennedy has incorporated the effort into his wider “Take Back Your Health” tour and the Make America Healthy Again agenda, which has included a series of policy changes involving food, nutrition and other public-health issues during the year.

Most Lyme infections detected early can be successfully treated with antibiotics. However, according to the Washington Examiner, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of patients who undergo treatment continue experiencing symptoms for years afterward.

The White House is considering an unusual approach to handling press briefings following Karoline Leavitt’s departure, with cabinet officials potentially rotating behind the podium until President Donald Trump chooses a permanent replacement, according to a report Monday.

Semafor White House correspondent Shelby Talcott reported that administration officials are discussing reviving the arrangement used during Leavitt’s recent maternity leave, when senior members of the administration periodically conducted briefings rather than having a designated interim press secretary.

“It’s a temporary practice that satisfied Trump during the period that Leavitt was off for maternity leave, and a White House official told Semafor that it’s once again under discussion until a new permanent press secretary is named,” Talcott wrote.

While Leavitt was away on maternity leave, the administration opted against appointing someone to formally serve as acting press secretary. Instead, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz were among the officials who appeared at the White House podium.

Should the administration return to that system, some of those same officials could again conduct briefings, along with other senior administration figures considered capable of handling the reporters gathered in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

The search for Leavitt’s successor may also carry less urgency than a press secretary vacancy would have in previous administrations, largely because Trump himself maintains an unusually frequent dialogue with the media. The president regularly answers questions from reporters several times during a typical week.

According to figures previously reported by Breitbart News, Trump appeared at nearly 500 transcribed events during 2025 and interacted with reporters at approximately three-quarters of those appearances.

Those interactions included questions at 134 press sprays, each of his 15 general rallies and 14 formal press conferences. Trump also fielded questions during 31 Marine One gaggles, 41 exchanges with reporters aboard Air Force One and 28 gaggles outside the presidential aircraft, effectively making the president one of the administration’s most prominent and frequently heard spokesmen.

Trump, meanwhile, recently praised Leavitt during an interview with Fox News reporter Alexis McAdams, saying that replacing her would not be easy.

Asked whether Leavitt was replaceable, Trump replied, “No, she’s not. She really isn’t. She’s standing right over there, and she’s done a great job.”

“I found out she likes her children more than she likes Trump. I’m very concerned about that,” he jokingly added.

The U.S. diesel crack surged to an all-time high on Monday, briefly reaching $102.20 a barrel as disruptions tied to the wars in Iran and Ukraine collided with heavy seasonal demand from the agricultural sector.

The benchmark, which measures the premium of U.S. diesel futures over West Texas Intermediate crude futures and is closely watched as an indicator of refining profitability, was trading at $99.82 a barrel as of 11:56 a.m. EDT, up 2.4% from Friday. Intraday records have now been set in five of the past six trading sessions, with new attacks on Middle Eastern refineries adding to already severe concerns over global fuel supplies.

The International Energy Agency reported last week that worldwide refinery crude throughput averaged 80.9 million barrels per day in July, approximately 5 million barrels per day below the level recorded a year earlier.

Farmers are among those facing the most immediate consequences of the soaring diesel market. Diesel is essential for operating tractors, combines and other agricultural machinery, with the Northern Hemisphere currently in harvest season while farmers in the Southern Hemisphere are planting crops.

If the shortage persists, however, the economic consequences could extend far beyond agriculture. Diesel plays an essential role in manufacturing, trucking and other heavy transportation and is also widely used for electricity generation in parts of the world.

Global diesel inventories have already been squeezed by the ongoing conflicts, particularly because Russia and the Middle East are major suppliers. Middle Eastern shipments have been severely disrupted by problems moving cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, while Russia has halted international diesel sales through January following Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries.

American refiners have responded to the extraordinary margins by increasing diesel output, but domestic inventories continue to fall because of robust demand from overseas buyers, according to Shohruh Zukhritdinov, chief executive of oil trading firm NitrolOil.

U.S. inventories of distillate fuels, a category that includes both diesel and heating oil, stood at 107.1 million barrels as of August 7, according to Energy Information Administration figures released last week. That marked the lowest inventory level for this point in the calendar year since 1996.

“The U.S. is ‌producing more diesel, not less, and yet the crack is still above $100. That tells you this is not a refinery incentive problem anymore — it is a refinery capacity and global replacement-barrel problem,” Zukhritdinov said.

Additional pressure could be coming as Washington intensifies its efforts to restrict Iranian energy exports and threatens penalties against China over its purchases of Iranian crude, according to Scott Shelton, an energy specialist at TP ICAP.

“The U.S.’s new policy could make it even harder for [China] to keep refinery run rates where they are and could make the diesel crisis worse,” Shelton said in a note to clients.

China is already processing substantially less crude than it was a year ago. Figures released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Chinese crude oil throughput in July had fallen nearly 16% compared with the same month last year.

{Matzav.com}