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Incoming Shas Knesset member Erez Malul declared that the chareidi parties will refuse to join any future coalition unless legislation guaranteeing the legal status of yeshiva students is fully secured, setting the stage for a major confrontation in the next round of coalition negotiations.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Kol Chai, Malul drew a firm line regarding the ongoing battle over the draft status of bnei yeshiva and made clear that the issue would determine whether chareidi parties enter a government at all.

“We will not form a coalition and we will not enter any government until the status of yeshiva students is resolved once and for all through a fortified and robust law,” Malul said.

Malul also painted a grim picture of the current political atmosphere in the Knesset, describing the sense that the government may be nearing collapse.

“It is the end of an era,” he said, adding that “inside the coalition, everyone is talking about dissolving the Knesset.”

Addressing the recent arrests of yeshiva students, Malul accused authorities and political opponents of waging an aggressive campaign against the Torah world under the guise of military concerns.

“There is a wild persecution happening here. People in this country simply want to dismantle the Torah world – they don’t care about the army or security; their sole objective is to ensure there are no Torah scholars here,” he said.

Malul also blasted efforts to impose financial penalties and economic sanctions on yeshiva students, arguing that the measures are designed to pressure avreichim into abandoning Torah learning.

“They think that if they suffocate the married yeshiva students financially, they will abandon the yeshivas and forget their identity. The tighter they squeeze, the louder the charedi public will cry out, and the more they will flock to the ballot boxes,” Malul said.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration filed lawsuits Thursday against four Democrat-led states after they refused to provide confidential license plates to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, escalating a growing battle over cooperation with the federal government’s immigration enforcement efforts.

The Department of Justice announced legal action against Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington, accusing the states of unlawfully blocking ICE agents from obtaining undercover vehicle registrations commonly used by law enforcement agencies during sensitive operations.

According to the lawsuits, the states declined to reverse policies denying ICE access to the confidential plates, which the administration says are necessary for agents carrying out arrests as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Officials in Maine and Massachusetts had previously defended their stance by pointing to what they described as aggressive ICE enforcement tactics, arguing that state resources should not be used to assist covert civil immigration operations.

The lawsuits follow warnings issued earlier this month by Assistant U.S. Attorney General Brett Shumate, who sent letters to state officials threatening legal action if the policies remained unchanged.

The Justice Department argues that the states are violating the Constitution by discriminating against federal agencies, specifically ICE and other branches of the Department of Homeland Security, while continuing to cooperate with other law enforcement entities engaged in undercover investigations.

Federal officials also contend that denying the confidential plates places immigration agents at risk by making them more vulnerable to identification, tracking, harassment, and possible attacks while performing arrests.

“Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep Americans safe and must be able to carry out their ⁠duties effectively,” Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.

Representatives for the governors of Maine, Oregon, and Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the announcement of the lawsuits.

A spokesperson for Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey instead referred reporters to a letter her administration sent to the Justice Department last week defending the state’s policy.

In that letter, Healey’s administration argued that the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles applies the policy broadly and does not single out federal immigration authorities. The state maintained that confidential license plates are restricted not only for federal agencies, but also for state and local law enforcement unless the request involves criminal investigations.

The Justice Department disputed that claim in its lawsuit, asserting that until recently — including as late as 2025 — federal agencies such as ICE and Customs and Border Protection routinely received confidential vehicle registrations and plates in Massachusetts.

According to the complaint, the policy shifted earlier this year after Healey’s administration announced it would no longer assist ICE operations in that manner.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has pushed back the criminal trial of former FBI Director James Comey until October as his legal team prepares a broad constitutional challenge to charges accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump through a controversial Instagram post featuring the phrase “86 47.”

The case centers on a 2025 social media image posted by Comey showing seashells arranged on a beach to form the numbers “86 47,” a message prosecutors claim constituted a threat against Trump, the nation’s 47th president.

Comey’s attorneys requested additional time to prepare what they described in court filings as “multiple motions on constitutional grounds,” arguing the case may ultimately be dismissed entirely before ever reaching a jury.

The trial had originally been scheduled for July, but federal prosecutors did not oppose delaying proceedings until Oct. 21.

The postponement gives Comey’s defense team several additional months to argue that the Instagram post represented protected political expression under the First Amendment rather than a criminal threat.

The legal fight is expected to center heavily on free speech issues and could become a major constitutional test case before trial proceedings formally begin.

Comey has remained one of the most polarizing figures connected to the Trump years dating back to the 2016 election cycle. He drew national attention over his handling of Hillary Clinton’s private email investigation and later became a central player in the early stages of the Russia probe before being dismissed by Trump in 2017.

The indictment stems from the now-deleted Instagram post Comey published in May 2025 featuring the phrase “86 47.”

Federal prosecutors argue the message carried threatening implications. The term “86” is commonly used slang meaning to remove, discard, or eliminate something, while “47” was interpreted as a reference to Trump’s presidency.

After intense backlash erupted online last year, Comey removed the image and publicly denied intending any threat toward Trump. He said at the time that he was unaware the phrase “86” could be interpreted as advocating violence.

The decision to postpone the trial was issued by U.S. District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan, who was appointed to the federal bench in 2003 by President George W. Bush.

The prosecution has also fueled broader political debate, with critics accusing the Trump administration of using the justice system to target political adversaries.

“Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to turn our justice system into a weapon for punishing and silencing his critics,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat, said of the indictment after it was announced. “Our system depends on prosecutors making decisions based on evidence and the law, not on the personal grudges of a politician determined to settle scores.”

Supporters of the charges, however, argue that Comey crossed a legal line and that threatening language directed toward a sitting president cannot be shielded as political speech.

“It’s not a very difficult line to look at, and it’s not, in my mind, a difficult line for one to cross over, one way or the other,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said of the case in March. “We cannot, you are not allowed to threaten the President of the United States of America. That’s not my decision. That’s Congress’s decision, and a statute that they passed that we charge multiple times a year.”

{Matzav.com}

Denver International Airport is preparing to give travelers access to portions of its long-rumored underground tunnel network, transforming areas once surrounded by conspiracy theories into public pedestrian walkways connecting the airport’s concourses.

Airport officials announced this week that sections of the subterranean baggage tunnel system will eventually be opened for foot traffic, allowing passengers to walk between concourses A, B, and C instead of relying solely on the airport’s underground train.

For decades, the tunnels beneath Denver International Airport have fueled speculation involving secret military compounds, underground bunkers, hidden government facilities, and the airport’s infamous “lizard people” conspiracy theories.

Now, some of those same passageways are set to become part of the airport’s public infrastructure.

At present, most travelers move between terminals using the airport’s automated underground rail system. The new project would create an alternate route for passengers navigating the massive airport complex.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston directly referenced the airport’s bizarre reputation while discussing the plan.

“Maybe along the way, travelers will finally get a closer look at the underground tunnels and decide for themselves what’s fact and what’s fiction,” Johnston said in a statement released by the airport.

According to airport officials, the pedestrian tunnels are part of Denver International Airport’s larger “Vision 100” development initiative, a long-term expansion effort designed to accommodate growing passenger traffic in the years ahead.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2027.

Officials estimate the cost will fall somewhere between $300 million and $700 million.

Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington told CBS News that the expansion will be financed through airport-generated revenue rather than taxpayer funding.

The airport has attracted conspiracy theories almost since the day it opened, with attention focusing on its underground tunnel network, unusual murals and artwork, and the giant blue horse statue with glowing red eyes known to many travelers as “Blucifer.”

Public fascination intensified after the airport’s 1995 opening suffered major delays and ballooned billions of dollars over budget, further fueling speculation about what might actually exist beneath the property.

In recent years, the airport has already poured substantial funding into modernization efforts, including upgrades to its train system, terminal renovations, and expanded gate capacity at the Jeppesen Terminal.

News of the tunnel project immediately ignited reactions online, where social media users revived many of the airport’s famous conspiracy theories with humor.

“Be prepared to fight the lizard people along the way,” one Reddit user wrote.

Others joked about the airport’s towering blue horse statue.

“Praise Blucifer,” another commenter joked.

Some travelers, meanwhile, focused less on the conspiracies and more on the convenience of finally having another way to move between terminals.

“We’ve only been asking for this since before the airport opened,” one Reddit user wrote.

{Matzav.com}

Authorities in Israel have identified thousands of balconies in Bnei Brak that may pose safety risks, following a sweeping inspection campaign launched over concerns about potential danger to residents and passersby.

The Lands Enforcement and Supervision Authority carried out an extensive survey throughout the city, focusing on balconies attached to residential buildings in one of the country’s most densely populated urban areas.

During the operation, inspectors examined roughly 6,500 balconies across Bnei Brak. In the initial phase of the review, approximately 2,500 balconies located in about 1,250 buildings were flagged as potentially hazardous.

The findings were forwarded to the Bnei Brak Local Planning and Building Committee, which is now tasked with determining whether the structures received the necessary building permits and engineering safety approvals.

Once that review is completed, the Enforcement Authority will determine how to proceed. Possible actions under consideration include enforcement proceedings and even demolition orders for balconies deemed unsafe or illegally constructed.

Officials said the survey was initiated in response to the widespread phenomenon of unauthorized construction in crowded cities, particularly in Bnei Brak, where residents have frequently expanded apartments or added balconies without proper oversight.

Several balcony collapses reported in different cities in recent years intensified concerns and prompted authorities to begin a more systematic investigation into potentially dangerous structures.

According to experts involved in the matter, many balconies were added over the years without engineering supervision or formal safety inspections. Professionals warn that aging buildings, combined with added structural weight that was never included in the original planning, could create a serious risk to human life.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday that it has secured a major long-term partnership with DHL eCommerce valued at more than $10 billion, a deal expected to significantly expand package delivery operations across the United States while providing a critical financial boost to the struggling postal agency.

Under the multiyear agreement, USPS will handle final-mile delivery services for DHL eCommerce shipments throughout the country, leveraging the Postal Service’s enormous nationwide delivery network.

DHL eCommerce, a division of Germany-based DHL Group, said the arrangement is expected to accelerate its expansion efforts in the American market over the coming years.

Postmaster General David Steiner said the Postal Service’s unmatched reach made it the obvious partner for DHL as the company seeks to strengthen its foothold in the United States.

“No one else delivers to 170 million U.S. households six days a week,” Steiner said, adding that the agreement gives DHL “the opportunity to play in the largest market in the world.”

Steiner explained that DHL faced two options if it wanted to dramatically grow its U.S. operations: either invest enormous sums building its own nationwide delivery infrastructure or work with an organization that already possesses the necessary network.

He said DHL either had “to invest a ton of capital to build out an end-to-end network, or they need to partner with someone that has that last mile capability” like USPS.

Under the deal, DHL eCommerce will continue managing package pickup and sorting operations through its 19 American distribution hubs, while USPS carriers will complete the final delivery stage to customers.

DHL eCommerce Americas CEO Scott Ashbaugh said the agreement positions the company for substantial long-term growth in the U.S. shipping market, particularly in handling somewhat heavier packages than it traditionally has focused on.

Ashbaugh also indicated that DHL may expand its physical footprint in the United States by opening additional hubs.

“We expect to roughly double our business by the 2030 horizon,” Ashbaugh said.

The agreement arrives at a crucial moment for the Postal Service, which has faced mounting financial strain and previously warned that it could exhaust its cash reserves as early as February.

The DHL partnership follows another significant development for USPS. Last month, Amazon reached a separate package delivery agreement with the Postal Service as the agency continues seeking major commercial partnerships to stabilize its finances.

{Matzav.com}

Drivers in New York who accumulate 16 or more speed camera violations within a single year will soon be forced to install technology that physically prevents their vehicles from exceeding the speed limit.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the new legislation Wednesday, unveiling what state officials are calling a major crackdown on habitual reckless drivers.

“We have to protect people and if someone is so flagrantly violating the laws that there’s a callous disregard of human life-that’s the only way I can describe it-there have to be consequences have to be,” Hochul said.

Under the new “Super Speeder Crackdown” law, repeat offenders caught by school zone speed cameras or red-light cameras will be required to place Intelligent Speed Limiter devices in their vehicles once they reach 16 violations over a 12-month period.

The technology works by connecting directly to a vehicle’s onboard computer system while using GPS data to determine local speed limits. Once activated, the device prevents the car from traveling faster than the posted limit.

Officials say drivers who fail to comply with the requirement within 45 days could lose their vehicle registration entirely.

“If you don’t install it after 45 days, you lose your registration and you should not be on the roads if you don’t care about whether or not you’re going to kill somebody,” Hochul said.

With the measure now signed into law, New York joins a small but growing number of jurisdictions adopting similar policies, including Washington State, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

The concept has already been tested on a smaller scale in New York. Four years ago, the city launched a pilot initiative that equipped 50 municipal vehicles with the speed-limiting systems.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF restored full routine Thursday night in and around Beit El after hours of alarm and military activity sparked by what was initially believed to be a drone infiltration over the Binyamin region, but later turned out to be a dramatic case of mistaken identity involving commercial aircraft.

The scare began after the military activated the “Air Hammer” emergency procedure across the Binyamin area following reports that several drones had allegedly been spotted flying above Beit El and near the adjacent Arab village of Jalazone.

Large numbers of IDF forces were rushed to the scene as security personnel launched extensive searches for the suspected drone operators. Early field assessments indicated that roughly five unidentified aerial objects had been seen moving through the area, raising fears of a potential security incident.

As tensions mounted, troops and local emergency teams heightened their readiness, while nearby communities were instructed to remain alert amid concerns that hostile aircraft may have penetrated the sector.

Later in the evening, however, Kan 11 News reported that the suspected “drones” were most likely commercial airplanes approaching Ben Gurion Airport after flight paths had temporarily been redirected eastward. According to the report, aircraft descending for landing passed approximately four kilometers from Beit El at an altitude of about 1,500 meters, leading residents and security personnel to mistakenly identify them as low-flying drones.

The confusion triggered widespread alarm throughout the region and ultimately led to the large-scale military response before authorities issued an all-clear.

Before the situation became fully understood, security officials carried out an initial evaluation and determined that the objects in question did not appear to be explosive drones, but rather a category of aircraft or drones forbidden from operating in Judea and Samaria.

In response to the reports, the IDF raised the threat level in the area, while local response squads in surrounding communities prepared for the possibility of a serious security incident.

Officials at the scene reportedly examined several theories regarding what caused the mistaken identification.

One assessment suggested that earlier in the day, the IDF had received notice about police aerial operations in the Ramallah region, and investigators believe lights from a police helicopter may also have contributed to the confusion.

The incident nearly escalated into disaster after soldiers in the area reportedly opened fire at what they believed was a hostile drone. No injuries or damage were reported.

The Airports Authority later confirmed that authorization had been granted for an aircraft to operate in the area overnight. Even so, security forces continued operating in the region as investigators worked to fully determine what occurred and ensure that no actual threat remained.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.) 

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE Shas, Rashi & Tosfos IN JUST ONE YEAR!

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact. 

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own. 

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden. 

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

Beyond the Grave

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory. 

ShasYiden.com

As the summer starts rolling in, there is no better time to bring more quality reading material into your home, your shul, students, and your family.

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From weekday inspiration to Yom Tov preparation, from the Shabbos table to the beis midrash, these are the sets that educate, uplift, and inspire year after year.

With this year’s sale featuring newly-completed sets — Schottenstein Edition Rashi Elucidated, Kleinman Edition Midrash Rabbah, Haas Family Edition Pele Yoeitz and Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah and even a set of Dinner Done cookbooks —  you’ll have even more ways to expand your library with fresh titles and beautiful new collections.

One short article cannot list everything included in this remarkable sale. With over 100 sets to choose from, this is your chance to get the ArtScroll sets you have been waiting for — at 25% off.

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{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yosef Dov Winternitz zt”l of Ramat Ungvar–Tel Tzion at the age of 61.

An outstanding masmid and talmid chochom who immersed himself in Torah day and night, Rav Winternitz was widely known for his deep mastery of Toras Hanistar and particularly for spreading the teachings of the Leshem.

Rav Yosef Dov zt”l was the son of Rav Asher Menachem zt”l and the son-in-law of Rav Yehuda Samet, the longtime mashgiach of Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Kiryat Mattersdorf, Yerushalayim.

Known for his extraordinary diligence in Torah study, Rav Winternitz devoted every possible moment to learning. During the years he lived in the Ramot Polin neighborhood of Yerushalayim, he mortgaged his home and personal assets in order to help build the large Ohel Yosef shul. He became one of the central and most beloved figures in the beis medrash, where he spent countless hours each day immersed in learning.

His home was renowned for its warmth, generosity, and open-door hospitality. Alongside the fourteen children he merited to raise, many broken and needy individuals also found refuge in his home. Several housing units attached to the property were often occupied by struggling families or individuals who paid no rent at all, as Rav Winternitz made clear that the apartments existed solely for acts of chesed.

Rav Winternitz delved deeply into the teachings of the Arizal and became especially renowned for his remarkable expertise in the writings of the Leshem, author of Leshem Shevo V’Achlama. He authored an extensive commentary on Etz Chaim based on the approach of the Leshem, a manuscript that remains unpublished.

Over the years, he influenced and guided many talmidim, among them the mekubal Rav Yechezkel Bing, author of Nekudos Hakesef.

The heavy financial burden of marrying off his children eventually forced Rav Winternitz to sell his apartment and move into a rented home in Tel Tzion. From that point, his health steadily declined, and he endured tremendous physical and emotional suffering. In his later years, doctors were forced to amputate several of his toes. Despite the pain, he continued making his way daily to shul for vasikin and would sit in the beis medrash learning for long stretches, greeting every person with unusual warmth and kindness.

About two years ago, tragedy struck when his daughter a”h suddenly collapsed at home and lost consciousness. After two weeks in the hospital, she passed away. Since her petirah, Rav Winternitz became the regular chazzan for Mincha and Maariv almost every day, constantly speaking about her and reciting Kaddish in her memory. He remained deeply involved in the life of the shul and was cherished far beyond what words can describe.

During the final year of his life, his influence expanded significantly as he began publicly delivering profound shiurim and divrei Torah across many areas of Torah. From the depths of his broken heart, he passionately warned about the dangers facing yeshiva bochurim due to the draft crisis, and about breaches in standards of tznius that had begun entering the camp.

In recent months, he spent much time davening at the kever of Rashbi in Meron and at the Kosel Hama’aravi, telling those close to him that he felt a deep spiritual connection to the Shechinah at the Kosel.

On the final Shabbos of his life, Rav Winternitz davened at Shaarei Yosef in Tel Tzion, led by Harav Nissim Yitzchok Ohana. He received shevii during Krias HaTorah and later spoke briefly during a kiddush held in honor of a chosson who was a ger tzedek. Those would become his final public words.

He thanked the mispallelim warmly and told them that he loved every one of them.

He then spoke passionately about the importance of marrying young, explaining: “Why does the Shulchan Aruch in Even HaEzer (Siman 1) use such unusually strong language, stating that anyone who does not engage in pru u’rvu is considered as if he diminishes the Divine image, sheds blood, and causes the Shechinah to depart from Klal Yisroel? There is no other wording this severe anywhere else in the Shulchan Aruch. Rather, the meaning is that one must hasten to marry and not delay beyond the age of eighteen, and because of the gravity of the matter, the Shulchan Aruch expressed itself with exceptional sharpness.”

Those remarks were delivered at approximately 11 a.m. Just several hours later, around 3:30 in the afternoon, during the holy moments of raava d’raavin on Shabbos, Rav Winternitz returned his pure neshamah to its Creator.

His widow relates that only minutes earlier, while feeling entirely well, he unusually asked her mechilah for anything he may ever have done to hurt her. Feeling a special eis ratzon, she wholeheartedly forgave him and asked forgiveness from him as well. Moments later, he suddenly began coughing and lost consciousness. Despite prolonged resuscitation efforts, he could not be revived, and those close to him gathered to recite Krias Shema as his neshamah departed, to the heartbreak of all present.

Rav Winternitz is survived by his widow and two daughters who have not yet married.

Tehei nishmaso tzerurah b’tzror hachaim.

{Matzav.com}

Police have arrested an Israeli-Arab suspect in the killing of Olga and Ruslan Prikhodko, the Rishon Letzion couple who were found shot to death inside their vehicle over the weekend in an open area between Moshav Mishmar Ayalon and Karmei Yosef in Shefelah. Following a partial lifting of the gag order surrounding the investigation, authorities revealed Thursday that the suspect is being investigated for carrying out a double murder believed to have been motivated by nationalist motives.

The development marks a dramatic turn in the case, which initially moved in an entirely different direction. In the early hours of the investigation, authorities examined the possibility that the incident may have involved a murder-suicide, partly because Ruslan legally owned a handgun.

As investigators dug deeper into the case, however, evidence began to undermine that theory. One major issue was that Ruslan’s personal firearm was not found at the scene.

According to reports, investigators later searched the couple’s home and discovered the licensed handgun locked inside a safe. In addition, no gunshot residue was found on Ruslan’s hands. Those findings strengthened suspicions that the couple had been murdered by another individual who then fled the area.

The Shin Bet became involved in the investigation during its early stages, and responsibility for the case was later transferred to the Central District Major Crimes Unit.

Several individuals were initially detained for questioning, but were later released after investigators determined they had no connection to the killings. Following additional breakthroughs in the investigation, police arrested the main suspect now believed to be tied to the murders.

Olga, 44, and Ruslan, 46, are survived by their 14-year-old only son. The couple was laid to rest yesterday at the cemetery in Rishon Letzion, accompanied by relatives, friends, and acquaintances.

Family members had insisted from the outset that the couple had not taken their own lives and were not involved in any domestic incident, maintaining instead that they had been murdered.

Relatives described Olga and Ruslan as a devoted couple whose son was the center of their world. According to family members, the three had recently been planning a trip to Austria to celebrate Olga’s birthday.

The investigation remains ongoing under partial gag-order restrictions as police continue examining all aspects of the case and attempting to determine the precise motive behind the killings.

{Matzav.com}

Demonstrations erupted Thursday evening in Yerushalayim and at the entrance to Bnei Brak following the arrest of yeshiva bochurim accused of draft evasion, with major roads blocked, violent confrontations reported, and police moving in to disperse protesters.

The most significant protest began near the Geha Junction, where demonstrators blocked Route 4 in both directions, shutting down traffic from the Aluf Sadeh Interchange to Em HaMoshavos. Rechov Bar-Ilan in Yerushalayim was also closed as protesters flooded the area.

Police declared the demonstrations illegal and said rioters were obstructing traffic and disrupting public order. Senior officers at both protest sites announced that force would be used to disperse the crowds.

Authorities closed Route 4 in both directions between the Aluf Sadeh and Em HaMoshavos interchanges. In addition, Jabotinsky Street and Hashomer Street in Bnei Brak, extending toward Yetzirah Street in Petach Tikvah, were shut down to traffic.

At the Yerushalayim protest, demonstrators blocked vehicles and reportedly acted violently toward chareidi drivers, shouting harsh insults and damaging cars.

Police said Border Police forces and Yerushalayim District officers were preparing to disperse protesters at the Bar-Ilan intersection in an effort to restore traffic flow and public order.

Videos from the scene in Bnei Brak showed protesters surrounding buses while chanting, “Prisoners of the Torah world, the great ones of the nation.”

Following the unrest, Netivei Yisroel announced additional road closures, including Route 4 northbound from the Mesubim Interchange to Em HaMoshavos, as well as localized closures near the Yavneh Interchange. Southbound traffic on Route 4 was blocked from Em HaMoshavos to the Bar-Ilan Interchange.

Protesters at the Geha and Bar-Ilan junctions carried signs bearing slogans including “We will die and not enlist,” “Better to die as a chareidi than enlist,” and “We will not abandon a single bochur.”

Police began making arrests as clashes intensified between demonstrators and security forces.

{Matzav.com}

A rare albino buffalo nicknamed “Donald Trump” was dramatically spared from ritual slaughter in Bangladesh after the country’s interior minister personally intervened and ordered the animal transferred to the national zoo.

The unusual buffalo, which recently went viral online because of its striking appearance, had originally been slated for slaughter during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday before the government abruptly halted the sale.

Bangladesh Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed reportedly ordered officials to save the animal’s life, cancel the planned sacrifice, and immediately relocate it to permanent quarters at the national zoo in the capital city of Dhaka.

Authorities said the decision came after massive crowds began gathering around the farm where the buffalo was being kept, drawing visitors from across the country and creating growing security concerns ahead of the holiday.

“At the last moment, the decision was made to spare the buffalo from slaughter because of security concerns and the extraordinary level of public interest,” a senior Bangladeshi Interior Ministry official explained.

The buffalo weighs nearly 700 kilograms and had already been sold to a private buyer before the government intervened. Authorities later compensated the purchaser after confiscating the animal to prevent the sacrifice from taking place.

Farm owner Ziauddin Merida said the buffalo received the nickname “Donald Trump” from his younger brother because of the animal’s unusual blond tuft of hair, which stands out prominently against its pale skin.

Merida described the buffalo as exceptionally calm and gentle, adding that caring for the rare animal requires intensive maintenance, including frequent feeding throughout the day and regular washing to preserve its health.

Albino buffaloes are considered extremely rare in Bangladesh, where most cattle have dark coloring. Public fascination with the animal surged after videos showcasing its unusual appearance spread widely across social media platforms.

It remains unclear whether the United States made any direct appeal to Bangladesh regarding the animal, though the buffalo’s popularity and nickname fueled widespread speculation online after the government stepped in to save it.

{Matzav.com}

The Treasury Department office charged with producing America’s paper currency has begun preliminary planning tied to proposed legislation that would place President Donald Trump on a commemorative $250 bill.

According to a Thursday report by The Washington Post, officials inside the Trump administration have been urging the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to develop sample concepts for a new bank note bearing Trump’s image — a historic move that would make him the first living person featured on US paper money in well over a century.

The effort is connected to preparations for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration next July and is part of a broader campaign by Trump allies to cement the President’s legacy through patriotic projects and national institutions.

The Post reported that US Treasurer Brandon Beach and senior adviser Mike Brown repeatedly pressed bureau officials to proceed with draft designs despite federal statutes that currently prohibit living individuals from appearing on American currency.

One concept obtained by the newspaper reportedly features a large portrait of Trump in the center of the note alongside the signatures of both Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

British artist Iain Alexander, who said he worked on the design after discussions with Trump, told the newspaper the President personally approved several revisions, including the addition of red, white, and blue patriotic styling as well as imagery tied to America’s semiquincentennial celebration.

“He absolutely loved it,” Alexander said of Trump’s reaction.

Existing law, however, remains a major obstacle to the proposal.

The Thayer Amendment of 1866 prohibits living people from appearing on US currency after a Treasury official during the Civil War era controversially inserted his own likeness onto a bank note.

The ban also reflected America’s historic opposition to the European custom of placing reigning monarchs on national currency.

Still, Congress has the authority to change those rules through legislation.

Earlier this year, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., introduced legislation instructing the Treasury Department to issue a $250 Federal Reserve note carrying Trump’s portrait, although the bill has not yet moved forward in Congress.

Treasury officials stressed that no currency would be produced unless lawmakers formally approve the measure.

“Should this legislative mandate be signed into law, the BEP is moving proactively to produce a $250 commemorative note which will appropriately recognize the 250th Anniversary of our great nation,” a Treasury spokesperson said.

The discussion comes as the administration is also preparing for Trump’s signature to appear on American paper money for the first time.

The New York Times reported in March that US currency issued later this year would carry Trump’s signature alongside that of Bessent.

Backers of the proposal say the effort is a fitting tribute to Trump’s leadership during what supporters describe as America’s “Golden Age economic revival.” Opponents, meanwhile, argue the move would inject politics into one of the country’s most recognizable national symbols.

Financial and currency specialists warn that even if Congress approves the plan, implementation could take years because of anti-counterfeiting measures, Federal Reserve coordination, and the need to ensure compatibility with ATMs and other banking systems.

Despite those logistical hurdles, administration officials reportedly remain determined to advance the project ahead of next year’s major anniversary celebrations.

{Matzav.com}

A 14-year-old Toronto girl who had been missing for more than a week has been found safe, bringing an emotional end to an intensive citywide search effort.

Toronto police announced this afternoon that Esther had been located safely after days of mounting concern and widespread public attention.

Authorities said additional information would be released at a media briefing at the command post established in Earl Bales Park near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West.

Before she was found, investigators said Esther had last been seen shortly after midnight on May 16 near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road, just south of Highway 401. Earlier police updates had indicated she was also seen in Earl Bales Park on May 15.

As the search escalated, police elevated the case to a Level 1 investigation, the highest level available, enabling the department to deploy specialized resources including canine teams, mounted officers, and marine units.

Police also created a dedicated hotline and distributed a QR code to collect information from the public as the search intensified. Esther’s parents made emotional appeals asking the community to assist in locating their daughter.

Throughout the investigation, police released very few details about the circumstances surrounding Esther’s disappearance and did not indicate that they believed she had been abducted.

Authorities have not yet revealed where Esther was found or how police ultimately located her.

Earlier this week, a spokesperson for Esther’s family announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

{Matzav.com}

Israel announced Thursday that it is suspending all contact with the office of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres after the UN placed Israeli entities on a blacklist connected to sexual violence in conflict zones.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said the Israeli Mission to the United Nations will no longer maintain relations with the Secretary-General’s office for as long as Guterres remains in charge of the organization.

The move follows Guterres’ decision to add Israeli entities to the controversial blacklist, a step Israeli officials sharply condemned as politically motivated and morally indefensible.

According to Israeli officials, the Israeli delegation and Ambassador Danon spent months engaging with UN representatives, supplying documentation, statistics, and detailed responses addressing every allegation raised against Israel over the past year.

Despite those efforts, Israeli officials said the Secretary-General chose to move ahead with the designation, placing Israel in the same category as Hamas and other terror groups.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said: “We are done with this UN Secretary-General. Guterres has put Israel on the same blacklist along with Hamas, ISIS and the most depraved terrorist organizations in the world. This is a moral disgrace that proves that Guterres has lost all credibility.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Iran have reached the outline of a possible agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and launch fresh negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, the White House confirmed Thursday, signaling a possible diplomatic breakthrough even as tensions remain dangerously high in the region.

Any final arrangement would still require President Trump’s approval. The administration pushed back sharply against reports that surfaced Wednesday claiming a deal had already been finalized, dismissing those accounts as “propaganda.” The developing framework emerged even after Iran reportedly violated the cease-fire Thursday by firing toward a U.S. military installation in Kuwait, according to US Central Command.

Even after that reported attack, Washington has continued to observe the cease-fire and has not yet resumed broader military operations against Iran.

Under the proposed framework, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports in return for Tehran restoring “unrestricted” maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, White House officials said. The arrangement would also trigger a 60-day diplomatic window during which American and Iranian officials would begin negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

As part of the deal, Iran would reportedly be prohibited from charging transit fees on vessels passing through the strategic waterway. Tehran would also be obligated to clear naval mines from the strait within 30 days.

The proposal further includes American commitments to discuss easing sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets during the negotiation process. In exchange, Iran would agree to discussions concerning the disposal of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and future limits on uranium enrichment.

An Iranian source told The Post that the framework largely mirrors details leaked Thursday to Iranian media — despite the White House Rapid Response 47 account on X dismissing those reports as a “complete fabrication.”

According to the leaked version, the United States would remove military forces positioned around Iran and end the naval blockade surrounding Iranian ports. In return, Iran would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore civilian maritime activity to levels seen before the conflict within 30 days.

The leaked report also claimed the United States had agreed to permit Iran and Oman to jointly “manage” the strait after reopening it — a provision that appears to contradict longstanding American and international insistence that the waterway remain an international passage not controlled by any single country.

At the same time, senior Iranian officials appeared to publicly reject several principles reportedly included in the American proposal.

Ebrahim Azizi, who chairs the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, outlined what he described as Tehran’s non-negotiable demands for any future agreement.

“Iran will not be pushed back by Trump’s rhetoric from its red lines: the right to enrich uranium, possession of enriched uranium, authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and the removal of sanctions,” Azizi said on X.

“It is obvious Trump, seeking a way out of this strategic deadlock, alternates between issuing threats and appealing for an agreement,” he added.

Still, regional officials suggested the proposed American framework could create room for compromise on some of the most contentious issues dividing the two sides. One possibility under discussion, according to a regional source, would involve degrading Iran’s highly enriched uranium inside Iran itself rather than removing it entirely from the country.

“If I were in Trump’s position, I would want the enriched material degraded on Iranian soil in the presence of American/international experts with structured mechanisms and benchmarks put in place,” one person said.

“Giving it to Russians, Chinese or Pakistanis doesn’t suit US interests,” the person added, referring to previously floated options of what to do with Iran’s uranium.

{Matzav.com}

Amid the growing wave of arrests of yeshiva bochurim and their transfer to military detention facilities, former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef delivered a forceful message of encouragement to yeshiva students and young kollel yungerleit, urging them not to fear Israeli law enforcement authorities acting against the Torah world.

Speaking during the Keser Shel Torah gathering organized by the Bukharian Jewish Congress before thousands of yeshiva students and avreichim, Rav Yosef invoked the pasuk “Kol kli yutzar alayich lo yitzlach” and directly addressed the ongoing crackdown.

“‘Kol kli yutzar alayich lo yitzlach,’ do not fear the attorney general and the police commissioner, all the people who drive on Shabbos and eat neveilos, do not fear them,” Rav Yosef declared.

The former chief rabbi then turned directly to the yeshiva students with additional words of encouragement.

“You are the guardians of the holy watch. Fortunate are you and fortunate is your portion.”

His remarks come as police and military authorities continue carrying out what many in the chareidi community describe as an unprecedented campaign of arrests against yeshiva bochurim, with detainees being transferred to military police custody under a new policy associated with Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy.

Rav Yosef’s comments also revived attention to controversial remarks he made last year regarding IDF draft notices sent to yeshiva students.

At the time, he instructed bochurim to tear up and discard the enlistment orders.

“I said that if a draft order arrives — tear it up. Do you have a toilet in your house? There is no house without a bathroom. Tear it up, throw it into the toilet, and flush the water. Nothing. Do not take it into consideration at all,” he said at the time.

The renewed statements come after more than a year of repeated warnings by Rav Yosef regarding the government’s handling of the draft law crisis and his skepticism that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would ultimately pass legislation protecting yeshiva students from military service despite promises made to chareidi parties.

“The draft decree is a decree that pains all of us. If we had gone with the left, it would have been much better,” Rav Yosef said roughly a year ago during one of his weekly shiurim.

“If Maran father had been alive with us, he would never have allowed this to happen. Before the government was formed, before the first budget was passed, he would have demanded that the draft law be passed.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli lawmaker Yuli Edelstein that the IDF may ultimately be satisfied if chareidim who are not seriously engaged in Torah learning enlist for military service, while reaffirming that he never intended to dismantle the Torah world through draft legislation.

Speaking in a lengthy interview with Kikar HaShabbat’s Yishai Cohen amid renewed political turmoil surrounding the draft law crisis and the expected dissolution of the Knesset, Edelstein addressed the security situation, coalition tensions, the possibility of forming a new political party, and the future of efforts to regulate the status of yeshiva students.

Edelstein, who was removed from his position as chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over disagreements surrounding the draft law, said the debate has become increasingly polarized heading into new elections.

“At this point in the election campaign, things will swing between ‘there is no need for any draft law at all’ and ‘strip voting rights and grant zero exemptions,’” Edelstein said. “But precisely if there is a government without chareidi parties and it becomes possible to pass any law you want, as long as they listen to me I will oppose all this populism. It may be good for election campaigns, but not beyond that.”

Edelstein emphasized that his goal has always been to advance what he described as a realistic and enforceable draft law rather than political slogans.

“What interests me is a real draft law, and that is exactly how I behaved,” he said. “I had no doubt that parts of the opposition only wanted to bring down the government no matter what.”

He also revealed that two opposition lawmakers privately promised to support him if he succeeded in bringing forward what they considered a serious proposal.

“I’ll reveal something that was never published: there were two righteous people in the opposition who wrote to me, ‘Yuli, if you bring a real law — we’ll go with you and support you.’ At least there were good intentions from those two people. As for everyone else, I have no doubt they would have voted to bring everything down.”

Addressing the core issue of exemptions for Torah learners, Edelstein made clear that he supports a framework that would still allow at least some yeshiva students to continue learning full-time without military service.

“Of course,” he said when asked whether he supports exemptions for a number of Torah learners. “I said this every time. I say it unequivocally. Rabbonim spoke with me privately. I never came with the intention of destroying the Torah world. If all those who are not learning enlist, it could be that the IDF itself will say that this already satisfies its needs.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Edelstein described the security situation in northern Israel as “horrific” and suggested Israel may ultimately have no choice but to significantly expand military operations in Lebanon.

“It’s shocking. I was there recently — the situation is terrible,” he said. “Given the current reality, people there do not have many options. There are American interests involved. We are certainly supported by the current administration, but that does not mean everything we want happens. I think there will ultimately be no choice but to expand operations in Lebanon.”

Discussing the growing drone threat facing Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, Edelstein said Israel should have prepared more effectively.

“The issue of drone threats came up many times in discussions with us,” he said. “There were ways to prepare somewhat better. It’s not that there is some magic solution now — there isn’t. We should have been more prepared. I proposed things, but the proposals were not accepted because of a combination of unwillingness from the political echelon and a bit of arrogance from relevant systems in the IDF.”

Edelstein also expressed concern about the emerging understandings between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran.

“This is neither a complete victory nor a complete failure,” he said. “On one hand there are incredible achievements and the whole world is looking at it with admiration. But on the other hand, the political leadership has still not succeeded in translating this into any strategic achievement.”

“If things end the way they are currently being discussed — with a ballistic missile threat, continuation of the nuclear program, and support for organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas — then we are facing a major challenge. The war pushed them backward, but we too will have to return to the competition of rebuilding strength.”

Turning to Israeli politics, Edelstein acknowledged deep disappointment with fellow members of the Likud party and hinted at ongoing discussions regarding a possible new political framework.

“I still don’t know what will happen in Likud,” he said. “I won’t tell you I’m not disappointed by the behavior patterns of my colleagues in the faction — friends who, aside from one or two, did not have the courage to speak about the draft law, friends who all ran away from the sovereignty vote.”

“No decision has been made yet. There are discussions. Everyone is talking to everyone. People understand there is a need. There are tens if not hundreds of thousands of votes that are currently politically orphaned. Every pollster says so. There is a real need here, and if it proves viable, it will likely happen.”

At the same time, Edelstein insisted he has no intention of joining camps defined solely by support for or opposition to Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

“I am not going to join parties of ‘only Bibi’ or ‘only not Bibi.’ That is not what the country needs. The people will decide who receives the mandate.”

Looking ahead to the next coalition negotiations, Edelstein said his goal would be to prevent either political bloc from governing with a narrow majority.

“We will do everything possible to prevent a government of 61 seats for either side,” he declared. “We will make every effort to connect parties from both camps. Life is more interesting than just ‘yes Bibi’ or ‘no Bibi.’”

{Matzav.com}