Feed aggregator

Mortgage rates continued their upward march this week, with the average rate on the most widely used U.S. home loan reaching its highest point in 13 months and adding further pressure to an already sluggish housing market.

Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage increased to 6.71%, up from 6.66% a week earlier. At the same point last year, the average stood at 6.50%.

The increase translates into potentially hundreds of dollars in additional monthly expenses for some borrowers, reducing how much prospective buyers can afford to spend on a home. Rising financing costs can also convince would-be buyers to remain on the sidelines, contributing to the persistent weakness in home sales this year.

At 6.71%, the average 30-year rate is now at its highest level since July 31, 2025, when it reached 6.72%.

Rates also moved higher for 15-year fixed mortgages, which are frequently used by homeowners seeking to refinance. The average increased from 5.98% last week to 6.04% this week, compared with 5.60% one year ago.

A variety of economic forces influence mortgage rates, including inflation, Federal Reserve interest-rate policy and investors’ expectations about the economy. Home-loan rates tend to move in the same general direction as the yield on the 10-year Treasury, a key benchmark used by lenders when determining mortgage pricing.

The war between the United States and Iran has been a major factor pushing both mortgage rates and bond yields upward this year. Surging crude oil prices have heightened fears of additional inflation, while long-term Treasury yields have remained significantly above the levels seen before the conflict erupted in late February.

Those concerns intensified over the past week as renewed fighting between American and Iranian forces put additional pressure on global oil markets and sent crude prices higher. Rising energy prices can contribute to broader inflation, which in turn tends to push bond yields upward.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury stood at 4.74% around midday Thursday, compared with 4.67% the previous Thursday. In late February, before the Iran war began, the yield was just 3.97%.

Another source of upward pressure on long-term Treasury yields has been mounting concern over the size and growth of the federal government’s debt. Those worries became significant enough to prompt intervention by the U.S. Treasury Department last month.

With inflation remaining stubbornly elevated, attention is increasingly turning toward the Federal Reserve and whether policymakers will take additional steps to bring price increases under control.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh signaled last week that policymakers remain concerned about the inflation outlook. Speaking at the central bank’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Warsh said inflation had not improved sufficiently and suggested the Fed could have “more work to do,” raising the possibility of an interest-rate increase when policymakers meet Sept. 15-16.

Investors on Wall Street generally expect the Fed to increase interest rates before the end of the year in an attempt to restrain inflation, which continues to run well above 3%. The central bank’s stated inflation target is 2%.

While the Federal Reserve does not directly determine mortgage rates, its decisions on short-term interest rates can influence expectations in the bond market and ultimately affect 10-year Treasury yields, which in turn help determine borrowing costs for homebuyers.

“We don’t expect any real mortgage rate relief this fall, but if inflation isn’t tamed, the pain will be real,” said Jiayi Xu, senior economist at Realtor.com. “Higher inflation would simultaneously erode paychecks and real income growth while keeping mortgage rates elevated for longer. That’s a squeeze on housing from both sides: what people can afford, and what they’re willing to buy into.”

The latest increase adds another obstacle for a U.S. housing market that has struggled since mortgage rates began climbing from their pandemic-era lows in 2022. Sales of previously owned homes were essentially unchanged last year and remained near a 30-year low, while sales weakened again in July.

{Matzav.com}

Diesel prices in the United States surged to an all-time high Friday, reaching a national average of $5.85 per gallon as the six-month war with Iran continues to squeeze global fuel supplies and send energy costs sharply higher.

The record is likely to be felt far beyond truck stops and filling stations. Diesel powers much of the nation’s freight and delivery system, meaning rising fuel costs are increasing the expense of moving everything from groceries to furniture. Businesses across numerous industries are facing larger transportation bills, with some already imposing additional charges on deliveries and online purchases. Consumers could increasingly see those costs reflected in prices on store shelves.

The growing burden could also become a political issue ahead of November’s midterm elections, when inflation, energy costs, and the broader economy are expected to weigh heavily on voters.

Among the areas most vulnerable to higher diesel prices is the food industry. Produce, meat, and other perishable products require frequent transportation and restocking, while farms themselves rely heavily on diesel-powered machinery for harvesting and other operations. Although those added expenses do not necessarily reach consumers immediately, they can gradually work their way through the supply chain.

Economists and industry specialists say the longer diesel remains at elevated levels, the greater the likelihood that businesses will have to pass along more of their costs. Diesel is also essential for transporting clothing, cosmetics, furniture, and countless other products by truck, rail, and ship.

Regular gasoline has climbed as well, though its increase has been less dramatic. AAA reported that the national average for regular gasoline stood at $4.15 per gallon Friday, compared with $3.20 at the same point last year.

Diesel was averaging roughly $3.76 per gallon before the United States and Israel began their war against Iran in late February, according to AAA. Prices surged soon afterward as crude oil — the primary raw material used to produce both diesel and gasoline — jumped amid production cuts and disruptions throughout the Middle East. The situation has been compounded by severe restrictions on tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.

Fuel markets eased somewhat earlier in the summer amid hopes that the conflict could move toward a resolution. Those gains have since been reversed as fighting between the United States and Iran intensified again. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, was trading above $95 per barrel Friday, compared with approximately $70 before the war began. Changes in crude prices typically make their way to retail fuel prices soon afterward.

The previous period of extraordinarily high fuel prices came in June 2022, when average diesel prices approached $5.82 per gallon. That spike occurred several months after the war in Ukraine began and governments around the world imposed sanctions on Russia, one of the world’s largest oil-producing countries.

In inflation-adjusted terms, however, today’s diesel price is still below some previous peaks. Diesel reached approximately $4.74 per gallon before the 2008 financial crisis, which would equal about $7.20 in 2026 dollars, according to government figures. Similarly, the nearly $5.82 average recorded in 2022 would amount to roughly $6.56 today after adjusting for inflation.

That historical comparison offers little relief to consumers and businesses currently paying record nominal prices, particularly as the impact spreads through the broader economy. Motorists who use gasoline are also facing substantially higher expenses each time they visit the pump.

The current $4.15 national average for regular unleaded gasoline is sharply higher than the $2.98 average recorded before the Iran war began, though it remains below the nationwide record of nearly $5.02 reached in 2022.

Diesel has generally cost more than gasoline for decades and has tended to experience sharper increases during recent energy crises. Analysts attribute the difference to factors including tighter supplies, less flexibility in demand, and diesel’s critical role in international trade and transportation.

Consumers can respond to expensive gasoline by cutting unnecessary trips or driving fewer miles. Businesses that depend on diesel-powered trucks, trains, ships, and machinery have far fewer short-term alternatives when they need to produce and transport goods.

That dependence is particularly pronounced in the food industry. Diesel powers tractors and other agricultural machinery, fishing vessels, freight trains, cargo ships, and the trucks responsible for delivering food to supermarkets.

Fuel expenses represent approximately 15% to 30% of the overall cost of food, according to the Independent Grocers Alliance, which represents 7,500 supermarkets around the world. As a result, higher diesel prices frequently contribute to rising grocery bills, although the effects of an energy shock can take time to move through production and distribution networks.

Refrigerated foods are often among the products that experience increases earliest because of the additional energy needed during transportation, according to David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University. Overall U.S. grocery prices in July were 2.7% higher than a year earlier, while seafood prices climbed 7% and fresh fruit increased 4.9%.

Ortega noted that transportation expenses are only one of many forces affecting food prices. Lettuce growers and distributors, for example, faced higher shipping expenses in July, but reduced consumer demand connected to the cyclospora outbreak pushed prices lower.

The longer diesel remains expensive, however, the greater the likelihood that households will ultimately bear more of those additional transportation costs.

“Early on, much of the cost increase gets absorbed along the supply chain through existing freight contracts and retailer margins,” Ortega said. “But as contracts reprice and fuel surcharges take hold, more of that cost makes its way to the grocery store.”

Major shipping and e-commerce companies have already responded to the energy crunch. Amazon introduced a temporary 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge in April affecting some third-party sellers. United Parcel Service, FedEx, and the United States Postal Service also added charges to certain shipments earlier in the conflict, pointing to rising fuel-related operating expenses.

Ajesh Kapoor, founder and CEO of trucking technology company SemiCab, said transportation companies have some ability to adjust their operations as diesel becomes more expensive, but there are limits to how much of the increase they can absorb.

“Diesel price has a very, very direct impact on everything that moves on pretty much any mode,” Kapoor said.

The impact is not confined to consumer merchandise and commercial shipping. Some buses and trains in public transportation systems rely on diesel, while diesel-powered generators remain an important source of emergency and backup electricity. In some remote regions around the world, those generators are also a primary source of power.

The economic consequences could become particularly severe in parts of Africa and Asia. Many countries in those regions depend heavily on Middle Eastern energy imports and have already suffered some of the most significant effects of the supply disruptions caused by the war.

Neil Atkinson, an energy analyst and senior fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics, warned that the problem now extends beyond high prices. Supplies of refined petroleum products such as diesel are also becoming increasingly strained.

“This is gradually becoming a major crisis because A) the prices themselves are very high — but the physical stocks of these products are dwindling,” he said during a weekly briefing with maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, citing growing pressure on the global refining system. “This cannot go on forever.”

{Matzav.com}

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri pushed back against demands that political leaders urge young Chareidi men to join the IDF, arguing that it is the military’s responsibility to create an acceptable path for enlistment and claiming that the army has little genuine interest in accommodating soldiers who remain committed to the authority of rabbonim.

In an interview with Kol Barama Radio, Deri said the IDF has demonstrated that it is capable of handling extraordinarily complex challenges and should therefore be able to address the enlistment issue without politicians calling on Chareidim to serve.

“I don’t need to call for enlistment,” he told Kol Barama Radio in an interview. “An army that knows how to bomb Iran can deal with this as well. The army doesn’t really want haredim. It’s a major headache for them. They want a secular army, not soldiers who listen to rabbis.”

Deri argued that the current uproar surrounding Chareidi enlistment emerged only after the IDF’s longstanding reliance on a smaller, technologically advanced military came under scrutiny.

According to Deri, the demand for Chareidi enlistment “was a deception all these years, and there was no problem. Now, after the failure of the concept of ‘a small, technological army was exposed,’ a storm has erupted.”

Turning to the question of which Chareidi men should be permitted to remain in yeshiva, Deri rejected the premise that authorities can determine which individuals are sufficiently accomplished in Torah learning to qualify for an exemption. He maintained that the right to devote oneself to Torah cannot be restricted to those deemed exceptionally gifted.

Regarding whether Chareidim should be allowed to remain in yeshiva, he asked, “Who is the Sanhedrin that will decide which young man should study and which should go to the army? Do we know how to determine who is a prodigy and who isn’t? The Torah was given to anyone who wishes to sit and learn it. Our struggle is for anyone who wishes to study Torah to be able to do so.”

Deri acknowledged that a separate question exists regarding young men who are not actually learning, but said that issue cannot properly be addressed until the IDF establishes frameworks approved by leading gedolei Torah and the legal status of those learning Torah is resolved.

“[What about] someone who doesn’t want to learn? As long as the army does not have genuine frameworks approved by the leading Torah sages and the status of Torah scholars has not been regulated, there is a problem.

Deri said only after those fundamental issues are settled and rabbinic leaders determine that appropriate conditions are in place should discussion turn to the status of those who are not learning.

“When the rabbis decide, after the status of those who study Torah has been regulated, then it will be possible to discuss what happens with those who are not studying,” Deri concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Excavation is expected to begin within the next two weeks for the Trump administration’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., moving the ambitious monument toward construction even as opponents challenge the project in federal court.

The arch is among several high-profile projects being advanced by President Donald Trump. Other initiatives include renovations and a new name for the Kennedy Center, construction of a new White House ballroom, improvements to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the reconstruction of a golf course at East Potomac Park.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum celebrated the planned monument Thursday, predicting that it will become a major architectural landmark in the nation’s capital.

“This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture,” Burgum wrote on X, “befitting the most powerful Capital in the World.”

Burgum accompanied his announcement with artistic renderings depicting the enormous arch, which is planned for a location between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

The images portray a massive white structure accented with gold and bearing the inscription “ONE NATION UNDER GOD.” At the top is a gold, winged figure resembling Lady Liberty and holding a torch, flanked by gold eagles with outstretched wings.

The National Park Service endorsed the proposal in a report released Friday, while also acknowledging that construction of the arch would negatively affect some of the carefully established sightlines connecting several of Washington’s best-known landmarks.

The visual relationships between Washington’s monuments, historic sites and government buildings have been deliberately developed over many decades. Their locations and sightlines were designed both to commemorate important chapters in American history and to create symbolic connections among the capital’s landmarks.

The project is nevertheless facing a legal challenge from three military veterans and an architectural historian. Their lawsuit contends that the administration cannot proceed with construction without approval from Congress.

“congressional authorization is necessary and lacking for this project,” said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group representing the plaintiffs.

Sansone indicated that the plaintiffs are prepared to seek further court intervention as the administration moves closer to beginning work at the site.

“We believe that construction cannot and should not proceed apace, and we are prepared to inform the court that it needs to, at this juncture, needs to step in,” he said. Sansone did not reveal what specific filing the plaintiffs intend to make next, but said he is “very confident” that they’ll find success.

Burgum defended the project in several posts on X, pointing to historical proposals for a monument at the location and saying the concept stretches back more than a century. He cited previous congressional discussions and attempts to place a monument in the traffic circle.

“Despite Congress’ intent, the site became and remains today a barren traffic circle lacking any monumental treatment and significant historic value,” he wrote.

Burgum also noted that more than 70 cities around the world have “beautiful arches” and predicted that the United States will soon possess the “most spectacular and beautiful arch of them all!”

The legal battle remains unresolved. The Justice Department filed a new court document Thursday seeking dismissal of the lawsuit as the administration prepares to begin excavation work.

{Matzav.com}

The owner of 1800-Eichler’s in Boro Park is distancing his store from several aspects of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s controversial visit this week, saying the Judaica retailer neither invited the mayor nor participated in distributing gifts to him.

Hirsch Meir Traube released a video Thursday night seeking to clarify what occurred during Mamdani’s Wednesday appearance at the 13th Avenue store, after footage of the visit generated widespread discussion and criticism on social media.

“We did not invite Mayor Mamdani,” Traube said. “None of our staff were involved in any of the gift giving. It was all from independent influencers.”

Traube also rejected suggestions that Eichler’s personnel were responsible for removing individuals from the premises during Mamdani’s appearance.

“We weren’t involved in kicking anyone out of the store,” he said.

The clarification followed the widespread circulation of videos showing Mamdani visiting the store as part of his outreach to the Jewish community ahead of Rosh Hashanah. During the stop, the mayor spoke with community figures and was introduced to various aspects of the upcoming Yom Tov.

Among those at the store during Mamdani’s visit were Boro Park Jewish Community Council CEO Avi Greenstein, Rav Yaakov Landau and Traube. Other members of the local community also greeted the mayor during his appearance.

Uri Fraenkel, the mayor’s director of special projects, blew the shofar during the event. Mamdani was also presented with honey in connection with the traditional Rosh Hashanah wish for a sweet new year.

Mamdani greeted those gathered at the store with a “Shana Tovah.”

The otherwise cordial appearance became contentious when Stephanie Benshimol, who identified herself as a Jewish advocate, confronted Mamdani inside the store over antisemitism.

“Stop the antisemitism! You have all the power to stop the antisemitism. I’m begging you to do it,” Benshimol shouted.

Benshimol also challenged Mamdani over his repeated focus on Israel, arguing that the mayor’s positions were helping fuel an atmosphere of hostility toward Jews.

Menachem Gindi, an employee of Eichler’s who witnessed the encounter, subsequently told CBS New York that the confrontation created an uncomfortable situation, although he said he believed Benshimol’s concerns had merit.

The controversy comes amid continued concern over antisemitism in New York City. According to NYPD figures, anti-Jewish hate crimes have risen 8% year-to-date compared with the same period last year, with incidents targeting Jews accounting for more than half of all reported hate crimes in the city.

Mamdani’s relationship with segments of the Jewish community has been strained by his positions and rhetoric concerning Israel. Among the remarks that have drawn criticism was his description of Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu as a “war criminal” in a video released in July.

The mayor has maintained that his criticism of Israel and its government should be distinguished from hostility toward Jews or Judaism.

“When we make criticisms of a nation-state or policies, we have to remember that those are criticisms of exactly that — never of a people, never of a faith,” Mamdani told CBS New York following an earlier discussion concerning antisemitism.

Wednesday’s stop in Boro Park was one element of Mamdani’s outreach to Jewish New Yorkers in advance of the Yomim Noraim. In August, he also participated in a private meeting with rabbonim focused on antisemitism and the growing number of anti-Jewish incidents.

The Mamdani administration has said it wants Jewish residents of New York City to be able to “live openly, proudly and safely.” City Hall has also pledged additional funding for efforts to prevent hate crimes and an expansion of the mayoral office devoted to combating antisemitism.

Meanwhile, the NYPD is increasing its preparations ahead of the Yomim Noraim. A citywide security briefing with Jewish communal leaders is scheduled for next week, while Brooklyn South police officials met with Jewish leaders on Monday to discuss security measures for the coming weeks.

Traube concluded his video by emphasizing his own and the store’s support for Israel.

“We do support Israel,” he said. “Am Yisroel Chai.”

The controversy has also created some confusion because two separate Judaica stores in Brooklyn operate under the Eichler’s name.

Mamdani visited 1800 Eichler’s, also known as 1-800 Eichler’s and previously known as The New Eichler’s, located at 5004 13th Avenue in Boro Park. The store is independently owned by Traube, who acquired the business around 2024.

Eichler’s of Flatbush, located at 1401 Coney Island Avenue, is a separate business. That store remains owned by the Eichler family and has been operating since 1977.

The two retailers are independently owned and operated, and Eichler’s of Flatbush was not involved in Mamdani’s Boro Park visit.

{Matzav.com}

[Photos below.] As reported on extensively here on Matzav.com, a delegation of leading Chassidic Rebbes, rabbonim and roshei yeshiva met with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, D.C., for extensive discussions on issues facing the Chareidi community in the United States and Eretz Yisroel. The extraordinary gathering included a private 15-minute meeting between the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, and Trump, a prayer for the president recited in the Oval Office, and discussions concerning pidyon shvuyim and the drafting of yeshiva students in Israel.

Among those participating were the two Satmar Rebbes, the Bobover Rebbe, Rav Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel Twersky, son of the Skverer Rebbe. Rep. Mike Lawler, who was instrumental in arranging the historic White House visit, was also present.

The gathering opened with remarks from Reb Yoel Rosenfeld, a prominent Bobover community activist, who introduced several of the subjects that the delegation hoped to raise with administration officials.

Others who spoke during the discussions included the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum; the Satmar dayan of Williamsburg; Reb Gedaliah Segedin; New Square Mayor Yisroel Moshe Spitzer; Reb Moshe Dovid Niederman; Reb Yehuda Leib Zorger; and Reb Moshe Margareten. The participants raised a range of concerns affecting the broader Chareidi community, with particular attention devoted to matters involving Jewish residents of New York and New Jersey where assistance from the federal government could prove significant.

Segedin specifically presented the needs of the more than 50,000 residents of Kiryas Joel, outlining several areas in which the federal government could assist the rapidly growing community.

Vice President JD Vance joined the gathering after it was underway, warmly greeting the rabbonim and community representatives and speaking with them about several issues currently facing their communities.

A particularly significant portion of the visit occurred when the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, accompanied by Segedin, was invited to meet privately with President Trump. The approximately 15-minute discussion centered primarily on matters of pidyon shvuyim. The Rebbe warmly blessed Trump and personally raised several pressing concerns, while the president listened and discussed the matters with him at length.

Following the private conversation, the remainder of the rabbinic delegation and community representatives, including New Square Mayor Yisroel Moshe Spitzer and Reb Moshe Dovid Niederman, were brought into the Oval Office to meet with Trump.

Rav Aharon, who was already in the room following his private meeting, waited as each of the other rabbonim personally greeted and blessed the president.

A remarkable scene then unfolded as Rav Aharon, seated at the center of the table directly opposite Trump, rose from his chair. The other rabbonim surrounding the table stood with him, and the Rebbe emotionally recited the traditional prayer for the welfare of the government, Hanosein Teshuah LaMelachim. He then asked Segedin to translate the prayer into English for the president.

Trump was visibly moved by the moment and immediately asked that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, be summoned to the room, saying, “He must be here when such distinguished guests are present.”

After the prayer, Rav Aharon addressed Trump briefly and expressed his gratitude for what he described as the president’s historic directive allowing batei medrash and Jewish institutions to reopen during the COVID-era restrictions. The conversation then continued with additional issues of importance to the Chareidi community.

The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, expressed his appreciation to Trump for his strong support of the Jewish people and for standing alongside “our Jewish brethren.” Rav Zalman Leib also raised the contentious issue of the drafting of yeshiva students in Eretz Yisroel.

Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel Twersky, son of the Skverer Rebbe, then spoke for several minutes and presented Trump with a personal letter from his father. The president inquired about the Skverer Rebbe and asked that his regards be conveyed to him.

The discussion continued as the Rebbes and other members of the delegation spoke with Trump about a broad range of matters affecting Chareidi Jews both in the United States and Eretz Yisroel.

At one point, Rav Aharon asked Rav Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, to address the president. Rav Malkiel instead chose to give Trump a private letter dealing with several matters.

Another unusual moment came during the meeting when Trump asked Rav Aharon for the handwritten note on which the Rebbe had recorded the points discussed during their earlier private conversation. Rav Aharon handed it to the president, who placed the note inside his personal desk drawer.

After approximately half an hour with Trump, the delegation concluded the Oval Office meeting. The rabbonim thanked the president for the exceptionally warm reception before taking their leave on friendly terms.

As the Rebbes departed the White House gathering, they exchanged warm wishes for the approaching Rosh Hashanah, offering one another blessings for a good year and for a kesivah vachasimah tovah.

{Matzav.com}

The growing movement to begin the first night of Selichos with Torah learning continues to spread, with the Five Towns and Kew Gardens Hills becoming the latest communities to organize coordinated pre-Selichos sedarim this Motzoei Shabbos.

The new initiatives follow the community-wide programs announced in Flatbush and Passaic-Clifton, as the idea of entering the first Selichos directly from a seder of Torah learning gains momentum across the region.

Under the banner “Join the Hisorerus,” participating shuls in the Five Towns and Kew Gardens Hills are encouraging mispallelim to arrive well before Selichos and devote that time to learning. The message accompanying the initiative is: “Elevate Your Selichos! Stand before Hashem with the z’chus of Torah.”

In the Greater Five Towns, 26 shuls have joined the initiative, representing a broad cross-section of the community. Participating shuls include Agudath Israel of Long Island, led by Rabbi Meir Braunstein; Bais Medrash Ateres Yisroel, led by Rabbi Yisroel Meir Blumenkrantz; Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid, led by Rabbi Mordechai Stern; Cong. Anshei Chesed, led by Rabbi Isaac Rice; Cong. Shaary Tefila, led by Rabbi Uri Orlian; Kahal Beis Imrei Gavriel, led by Rabbi Yoni Levin; Kehilas Beis Yisroel, led by Rabbi Elysha Sandler; Kehillas Tiferes Mordechai, led by Rabbi Daniel Glatstein; and K’Hal Nesiv Hatorah, led by Rabbi Binyamin Forst.

Also participating are Agudath Israel of the Five Towns, led by Rabbi Yitzchok Frankel; Bais Tefila of Inwood, led by Rabbi Pinchos Weinberger; Beis Medrash of Harborview, led by Rabbi Yisroel Ephrati; Cong. Beis Ephraim Yitzchok, led by Rabbi Zvi Ralbag; Congregation Eitz Chaim, led by Rabbi Gedaliah Oppen; Kahal Zichron Moshe Dov, led by Rabbi Aaron Stein; Kehillas Nishmas Hatorah, led by Rabbi Yissachar Blinder; Khal Bnei Hayeshivos, led by Rabbi Shmuel Witkin; and Mishkan Yisroel of Woodmere, led by Rabbi Daniel Rosen.

Rounding out the Five Towns participants are Agudath Israel of West Lawrence, led by Rabbi Moshe Brown; Beis Knesses North Woodmere, led by Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz; Beis Medrash of Woodmere, led by Rabbi Akiva Willig; Cong. Kneseth Israel, led by Rabbi Eytan Feiner; Ishei Yisroel Woodmere, led by Rav Naftoli Weitz; Kehilas Bais Avraham Zev, led by Rabbi Asher Stern; Kehilas Yagdil Torah, led by Rabbi Ariel Edelstein; and Khal Chassidim, led by Rabbi Teddy Newman.

The Five Towns program calls for a seder limud b’chavrusa beginning at 12:00 a.m., followed by Selichos at 12:55 a.m., although individual shul schedules may vary. Those without a chavrusa will be assisted in finding one.

Kew Gardens Hills has now joined the movement as well, with six shuls taking part. They are Beis Medrash Zichron Shalom, led by Rabbi Eitan Tanenbaum; Beis Yosef D’Ulem, led by Rabbi Yaakov Friedman; Chevrah Bais Dovid D’Lantzut, led by Rabbi Naftoli Rubin; Kehillas KGH, led by Rabbi Ilan Feder and Rabbi Yisroel Kramer; Kehillas Torah Temima, led by Rabbi Yehudah Davis; and Beis Medrash of KGH, led by Rabbi Yaakov Bergman.

The Kew Gardens Hills program is scheduled to begin with a seder limud b’chavrusa at 12:10 a.m., with individual shul schedules varying. Organizers will also arrange chavrusas for those who need them.

The expansion into the Five Towns and Kew Gardens Hills follows the earlier announcements from Flatbush and Passaic-Clifton, turning the concept into an increasingly widespread pre-Selichos initiative.

Across all four communities, the idea is the same: to utilize the time before the first Selichos for Torah learning and to approach the opening Selichos of the year carrying the zechus haTorah and with a heightened sense of hisorerus ahead of the Yemei Hadin.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump delivered a stark assessment of Britain’s direction Thursday, warning that the country is approaching a crisis because of mass immigration and soaring energy costs tied to its environmental policies.

During an interview with GB News, Trump said Britain faces major domestic challenges despite reiterating his personal affection for the country and his admiration for King Charles.

Relations between Washington and London have become increasingly strained in recent years. The warm atmosphere surrounding Trump’s elaborate 2025 state visit has given way to increasingly sharp disagreements over several British domestic and foreign policies.

Trump nevertheless emphasized his longstanding fondness for Britain before turning his attention to the government of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, which he said must confront serious problems.

“Your country’s in trouble. You’re on ⁠the edge of disaster,” he said.

Trump singled out immigration and energy prices as two of the most pressing threats facing the country, arguing that British consumers are paying far more for energy than they should.

“You have a tremendous immigration problem, and you have a tremendous energy problem. Your energy is three, four times higher than it should be.”

Trump, a longtime critic of climate-change policies, has repeatedly urged Britain to reverse its move away from fossil fuels and make greater use of the oil and natural gas resources available in the North Sea.

Burnham’s government is currently considering whether to approve two major North Sea energy projects. While the prime minister has pledged to take a pragmatic approach to the transition, his government continues to support moving Britain toward cleaner sources of electricity.

Immigration was another major focus of Trump’s criticism, with the president warning that continued large-scale migration risks fundamentally transforming the country.

“If you don’t stop people pouring into ⁠your country ⁠from all over the world, you’re not going to have a country left,” he said.

The immigration debate has become one of Britain’s most politically potent issues, particularly over migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats from continental Europe. Public frustration over the issue has contributed to growing support for Nigel Farage’s right-leaning Reform party.

Burnham has continued the commitment made by his predecessor, Keir Starmer, to curb the illegal Channel crossings. His government said earlier this week that the number of crossings had fallen significantly, attributing the decline in part to efforts aimed at stopping boat launches and disrupting the criminal organizations responsible for smuggling migrants into Britain.

{Matzav.com}

The Pentagon instructed military officials last month to stop referring to current U.S. operations against Iran as “Operation Epic Fury,” even as American and Iranian forces continue exchanging attacks, according to an internal Air Force email obtained by CBS News.

The Aug. 7 directive, which CBS News first reported Tuesday, instructed senior public affairs personnel to describe the continuing military activity instead as “overseas operations in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility.”

According to CBS, the instruction originated with War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s central public affairs office, headed by chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. Officials were also reminded that public statements concerning the Iran conflict require approval from U.S. Central Command.

After CBS sought clarification, the Pentagon said Wednesday that “Operation Epic Fury” had officially concluded on May 5. The campaign had begun Feb. 28 with coordinated American and Israeli strikes against Iran, meaning the Pentagon’s August instruction came approximately three months after the operation was officially deemed over.

Until the Pentagon’s disclosure this week, both the department and U.S. Central Command had repeatedly declined for months to publicly provide an official date marking the conclusion of the operation.

The May 5 date corresponds with remarks made that day by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, when he announced that the military campaign bearing the “Epic Fury” name had concluded and that U.S. efforts were moving into another phase.

“The operation is over. ‘Epic Fury’ is, the president notified Congress, we’re done with that stage of it. We’re now on to this ‘Project Freedom,'” Rubio told reporters, referring to a defensive maritime operation intended to safeguard commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump had informed congressional leaders four days earlier that hostilities with Iran had “terminated.” That notification came as the administration confronted the 60-day limit established under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which was enacted after the Vietnam War to constrain prolonged military action undertaken without congressional authorization.

The precise end date for “Epic Fury” has implications extending beyond what the military calls the campaign, particularly when it comes to how American casualties are officially recorded.

According to CBS, four U.S. service members who died in mid-July were originally classified in the Defense Casualty Analysis System as casualties of “Epic Fury.” Three of those troops were killed at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base after an Iranian missile struck their barracks. Several days later, the four deaths were reassigned to a newly created “overseas operations” category, which technically lowered the official “Epic Fury” death toll from 18 to 14.

At the time of those changes, Parnell said they resulted from a “temporary data disruption,” according to CBS.

A War Department official subsequently told the network that because “Epic Fury” is considered finished, casualties occurring afterward are being categorized as part of overseas operations within CENTCOM’s area of responsibility.

Questions remain, however, about the consistency of those classifications. CBS reported that the Pentagon’s publicly accessible casualty database continues to categorize five troops wounded in June and one service member killed in July under “Epic Fury,” while the database does not list an official end date for the operation.

The conflict itself has continued despite the administration’s designation that the original operation ended in May. On July 7, Trump formally informed Congress that U.S. military action against Iran had resumed. The administration maintains that the renewed action began a new 60-day period under the War Powers Resolution.

Since that notification, Iranian and American forces have continued exchanging attacks. The latest escalation this week included two rounds of U.S. strikes followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks.

The Pentagon has not explained why officials waited until August to circulate instructions telling senior military personnel to stop using the “Operation Epic Fury” name when, according to the department’s newly disclosed timeline, the operation had officially ended three months earlier.

{Matzav.com}

Travelers hoping to bring peanut butter aboard their next flight may want to pay attention to an easily overlooked TSA regulation: The popular spread is treated as a liquid and is therefore subject to the same 3.4-ounce restriction as other liquids, gels and aerosols carried through airport security, Fox News reports.

The Transportation Security Administration recently reiterated the rule in a post on X, making clear that peanut butter falls under its restrictions for carry-on luggage.

“Peanut butter is a liquid… we said what we said… this time with receipts,” the agency wrote.

To bolster its point, the TSA shared a screenshot of a Google AI Overview explaining why peanut butter can be classified as a liquid.

Under the agency’s rules, passengers may carry liquids, gels and aerosols through security only in containers holding 3.4 ounces or less, with the containers required to fit inside a single quart-sized bag.

Passengers who want to travel with a larger container of peanut butter can still do so, but it must be placed in checked baggage rather than carried through the security checkpoint.

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert who writes the “View From the Wing” blog, told Fox News Digital that peanut butter’s physical consistency is the reason it is covered by the TSA’s liquids restrictions.

“You can’t bring peanut butter, [as] the TSA considers that to be a liquid because it conforms to the shape of its container rather than retaining its shape on its own,” Leff said.

Despite the peanut butter restriction, Leff noted that passengers are permitted to bring a wide variety of other foods through security checkpoints.

“There are more things you can bring through security than you might even realize,” Leff said.

Leff recommended that passengers either eat before arriving at the airport or pack foods that can legally pass through security, noting that travelers often face limited choices and higher prices once they reach the terminal.

“Wherever you go that’s not the airport is going to have better food at the same price,” Leff said.

Fox News Digital contacted the TSA seeking additional comment on the policy.

The classification of peanut butter as a liquid has prompted plenty of discussion online, where travelers have questioned the logic of treating the thick spread the same way as more conventional liquids.

“I would invite TSA to drink a pint of peanut butter, then,” one Reddit user joked.

Another commenter offered travelers a straightforward way of avoiding the issue altogether.

“So make your sandwich first,” the commenter said.

The peanut butter discussion is not the first time a TSA social media post has generated debate among travelers. Fox News Digital previously reported on another unusual suggestion from the agency concerning what passengers can do while waiting at airports.

In July, the TSA told travelers that bringing a hammock to the airport could be an option during an extended layover, writing on social media, “Nobody said you couldn’t bring a hammock to the airport.”

The agency cautioned, however, that passengers should check the policies of the particular airport before attempting to set one up, since regulations governing where hammocks may be used differ among airports.

That advice also produced sharply different reactions online.

Some travelers argued that hammocks could become an annoyance or obstruction in already crowded terminals, while others welcomed the suggestion as a potentially comfortable way to endure a lengthy airport wait.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

LISTEN:

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

LISTEN:

Israeli security forces thwarted an attempted stabbing attack near Shaar Shechem in Yerushalayim’s Old City early Friday morning, shooting and killing a terrorist who police said tried to stab Border Police officers. No members of the Israeli security forces were injured.

According to police, the attacker was a 33-year-old resident of eastern Yerushalayim who approached security personnel stationed in the Shaar Shechem area while armed with a knife. He then attempted to stab Border Police officers at the scene.

The officers responded by opening fire at the terrorist, neutralizing him before he could injure anyone. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Yerushalayim District Police Commander Maj. Gen. Avshalom Peled subsequently arrived at the location and conducted a special situational assessment following the attempted attack.

The incident occurred only hours after more than 50,000 people gathered at the Kosel for the traditional Selichos ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

The massive turnout for the central Selichos gathering resulted in unprecedented crowding around the Kosel plaza. To accommodate the thousands who could not gain access to the plaza itself, the Selichos were broadcast live on the walls of Yerushalayim’s Old City and at Shaar Yaffo, enabling additional participants to join the tefillos from areas near the entrances to the Old City.

President Donald Trump said Iran was just weeks away from producing a nuclear weapon before U.S. forces struck its nuclear facilities, declaring that Tehran’s capabilities have since been devastated and that the regime is now facing mounting military and economic pressure.

Speaking in an interview with British journalist Bev Turner on GB News that aired Thursday, Trump said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains the central objective of the U.S. campaign. He said three known Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and indicated that Washington is closely watching activity at another location known as Pickaxe Mountain.

“Well, they had three sites and now they may have Pickaxe Mountain. But the three sites have been obliterated. But we have a thing called Space Force, which is very effective, that I started in my first term. Very effective. And we have cameras on every major area of the first three. And we also have cameras on Pickaxe Mountain. And we know everybody that walks in and walks out. We can read the name…so we know everything that’s going on. So we’re very certain.”

.@POTUS: We have to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon, and we've done that. We've defeated their navy, their air force, their leadership structure. We have control over the Hormuz Strait. Their money is valueless. They're in big trouble. pic.twitter.com/BXYgpNqsJR

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 3, 2026

Trump told Turner that the U.S. military action was also protecting Britain and other European countries, contending that an Iranian nuclear weapon could pose an even more immediate danger to Europe because Tehran possesses missiles capable of reaching European targets.

“I’m saving your country from the threat, too, because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, they’re more likely to use it in Europe, where they do have missile capability, than they are to America where they don’t. And I’m saving your country from a problem because they would use it.”

According to Trump, Iran had come within as little as two to four weeks of obtaining a nuclear weapon. He also pointed to his withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action during his first term, saying that abandoning the Obama-era nuclear agreement prevented Iran from reaching that point years earlier.

“They were two weeks, maybe four weeks away from having a nuclear weapon. And we attacked them with the bombers. I also did something else in my first term. I ended the Obama, the JCPOA – that’s the agreement, the Obama nuclear disaster, where it was basically a short road to a nuclear weapon. And they would have had a nuclear weapon five years ago if I didn’t terminate that. I terminated the deal. But then, very importantly, a year and a couple of months ago, we attacked them at those three big sites where they had lots of nuclear dust, I call it. It’s material that will could easily be turned into a nuclear weapon. It went through the whole process and it’s now buried under millions of tons of mountain, and will be very hard to get to.”

Addressing the broader conflict in the Middle East, Trump said his primary concern is ensuring that Tehran never acquires nuclear weapons. He also claimed that Iran’s conventional military capabilities and leadership have suffered enormous damage.

“The Middle East has “been a problem for 2,000 years. They’ve been fighting. Look, I’m there because we have to stop them from having a nuclear weapon. And it is the Middle East. And we’ve done that. We’ve defeated their Navy. We defeated their Air Force. We’ve defeated them. Their leaders are gone. Everything is gone.”

Trump also discussed the latest round of American strikes against Iran, saying U.S. forces had targeted Iranian radar systems while maintaining control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. He portrayed Tehran as facing severe economic deterioration alongside its battlefield losses.

“We took out their radar. They just put new radar in,” Trump said when referencing the strikes. “We control the Hormuz Strait.We have great control over the Hormuz Strait. We’re taking out 30, 40 boats a night and a lot of oil is coming out of there. So we control the Hormuz Strait and their economy is crashing. Their inflation could be 300 percent. Their money is valueless. It’s two million to one or something like that. And it’s going up every day. So they’re in big trouble.”

Trump’s comments to GB News aired one day after he told reporters that he believes the latest phase of the confrontation with Iran may be approaching its conclusion.

When asked how much longer he expected the renewed fighting to continue, Trump replied, “Not too long”.

He then questioned how much longer Tehran could withstand the intensity of the American military campaign.

“I don’t think it will be very much longer. I don’t know how much more they can take,” Trump said of Iran.

At the same time, the president made clear that Washington is prepared to continue striking Iranian targets if circumstances warrant additional military action.

“It was a very heavy attack last night, and we are prepared to do another one anytime we want,” he stressed.

Trump returned to the subject during an event in the Rose Garden later Wednesday, where he said the latest American operations had inflicted substantial losses on Iran and significantly weakened its ability to continue fighting.

The president said the U.S. campaign is intended to protect Israel, the broader Middle East and the United States from the threat posed by Iran, warning that Tehran’s ambitions would extend far beyond Israel if left unchecked.

“We’re doing it to help the Middle East, we’re doing it to help Israel, we’re doing it to help ourselves, because after they annihilate Israel, which they would’ve done very gladly, and then the Middle East, then they come after Europe and they come after some of our cities before we put them away.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] President Donald Trump used a White House dinner to address a question that has followed him for years, insisting that his famous hair is entirely his own and pointing to a brutally windy 2024 campaign rally as proof.

Speaking during a Rose Garden dinner, Trump recalled campaigning for Republican Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno in 2024 under extraordinarily harsh weather conditions, which he described as “the worst weather I think I’ve ever experienced outside of maybe a hurricane we had in Florida one time.”

“I went up to the speaker, and it was blowing so hard,” he said. “You know, for years, I had to suffer with people saying, ‘He wears a wig.’”

Trump said the powerful gusts that night should have put any lingering speculation about his hair to rest.

“I don’t wear a wig. But that night, they found out I did not wear a wig because if you did, it was not going to be on your head very long,” Trump continued.

The president recalled that the conditions were so severe that even the teleprompters were blown from the stage as he made his way to the podium.

Contemporary accounts of the March 2024 rally backed up Trump’s recollection of the weather. The Associated Press described the campaign event in Vandalia, Ohio, as taking place on a “wind-whipped airfield.”

The subject of Trump’s hair resurfaced recently amid his long-running feud with comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who claimed during an August appearance as a guest host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that the president wears a wig.

“You’ve got to realize it’s time to hang up your wig and let Natalie tuck you in,” she said during her third night filling in for Jimmy Kimmel.

The Natalie mentioned by O’Donnell was White House aide Natalie Harp.

O’Donnell also took another swipe at Trump’s hair while performing a song during her guest-hosting stint, which included the line, “Your wig’s a mess.”

Trump’s insistence that his hair is real stretches back more than a decade. During his 2015 presidential campaign, he publicly rejected claims that he wore a hairpiece, telling an audience, “I don’t wear a toupee; it’s my hair, I swear.”

“This is getting crazy,” he said as he pulled on his hair.

To further make his case, Trump invited a woman from the audience onto the stage to inspect his hair herself. After doing so, she confirmed the future president’s assertion that it was real.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Matzav.com has obtained photos released by the White House documenting President Donald Trump’s meeting in the Oval Office with several rabbonim representing some Jewish communities in the United States.

The delegation included the Satmar Rebbes, the Bobover Rebbe, the Vizhnitz-Monsey Rebbe, representatives of the Skverer community, and R’ Malkiel Kotler.

President Trump hosted the delegation for approximately 30 minutes in the Oval Office. During the meeting, the president conveyed warm wishes to the Jewish community ahead of Rosh Hashanah and discussed a range of matters affecting Orthodox Jewish communities across the United States.

According to sources, it was the first such joint gathering since 1979.

In addition to their Oval Office meeting with President Trump, members of the delegation met with Vice President JD Vance and Rep. Mike Lawler.

{Matzav.com}

Kamala Harris said Thursday that she supports Democratic candidates who believe keeping her away from their campaigns will improve their chances in November, responding to reports that several Democrats running in states won by President Donald Trump do not want the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee campaigning alongside them.

During an interview with MS NOW’s Peter Alexander, Harris was shown a Politico headline that read, “Kamala Harris is wading into the midterms. Red state Dems want her to stay away,” and was asked to address the apparent reluctance among some members of her own party to have her involved in their races.

“Politico reports that you are wading into some of the midterms and that red state, not blue or purple state, but red state Democrats in states that Donald Trump won are encouraging you to stay away for fear it could impact their races there. Your response to some of that reporting?”

Harris responded that winning control in the midterms was more important than whether individual candidates wanted her assistance. She pointed to her experience campaigning for local, statewide and national office and said candidates themselves are best positioned to determine what will help them politically.

“Listen, Peter, we need to win, OK? Bottom line, we need to win. I have run locally, I’ve run for statewide office and, obviously, nationally. And these candidates know what they need to do to win, and I would expect nothing less.

“I look forward to being on the trail and helping folks where I can be helpful, but we have got to put a check on this lawless administration and deliver what Americans need and deserve. Lower costs, affordable healthcare, affordable childcare, you name it. So, I support them in doing whatever they need to do to win.”

Harris was also pressed on whether her campaign appearances this year could eventually lead to another presidential bid in 2028. She declined to engage the question directly, saying, “I’m focused on ’26,” adding, “’28 doesn’t matter if we don’t win ’26.'”

Politico reported that the resistance to Harris appearing on the campaign trail extends to several closely watched races. According to the outlet, “Iowa’s two most prominent Democratic candidates have said they do not want Harris to campaign for them. Alaska’s Democratic Senate nominee rejected a fundraising solicitation Harris sent on her behalf. And a swing-district Democrat in Wisconsin and a long-shot Senate hopeful in Kansas both told Politico they would prefer Harris keep her distance.”

Among the Democrats distancing themselves from Harris is Rebecca Cooke, who is challenging Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in western Wisconsin. Cooke has sought to appeal to working-class and conservative-leaning voters and emphasized that she performed better than Harris in her district during the 2024 election.

“I received 9,000 more votes than Harris in 2024,” said Democrat Rebecca Cooke, who is running against Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden in western Wisconsin. “I don’t need anyone to come and campaign with me in my district. I do the work of building relationships — including across the aisle — on my own.”

The unease over Harris’ involvement in competitive races comes as Democrats continue debating the party’s direction following the 2024 election and how best to appeal to swing voters. Democratic consultant Julian Epstein told Fox News Digital that the tensions surrounding Harris reflect a broader problem within the party.

“The problem with postmodern Democrats is that they lack self-awareness, especially when it comes to swing voters needed to win most elections,” Epstein said.

Epstein argued that centrist Democrats view Harris as both politically ineffective and ideologically too liberal to help candidates competing in more conservative areas.

“Moderate Democrats don’t want Kamala because they think she’s an empty suit who can’t answer tough questions. They also think she’s way too far left. When confronted, Democrats have this reflex of deflecting, saying what’s really important is doubling down on a bloated welfare state, the same welfare state expansionism that failed us during the Biden years.”

Elizabeth Pipko, a former national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said the fact that Democratic candidates are publicly distancing themselves from Harris underscores the political difficulties surrounding her record and future role in the party.

“It’s a sad state of affairs when the former vice president is asked to remain off of the campaign trail because so many Democrats believe her record and unpopularity will hurt their chances in their own races. Harris’ answer was extremely weak and awkward considering she is now publicly both toying with the idea of running for president again and being rejected by members of her own party,” she said.

Pipko also pointed to Harris’ unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign, which ended before voting began in the Democratic primaries.

“We can’t forget that when Kamala Harris did in fact run for president, and her fate was left in the hands of the voters, she ended up dropping out of the 2020 Democratic primary before a single vote was cast,” she added further.

Pipko argued that Harris’ path to national prominence came through her selection as Joe Biden’s running mate in 2020 and her elevation to the top of the Democratic ticket after Biden withdrew from the 2024 race.

“Kamala Harris was never chosen by the American public to represent them nationally. She was picked by Joe Biden in 2020 after he committed to picking a woman as his vice president. And then she was handed the top of the ticket again when Biden dropped out before the 2024 election. Not only does she carry that baggage, but she knows that the American people have continuously rejected her.

“All of this also highlights the lack of leadership in the Democrat party today. Considering Biden’s age and health, she should be the obvious choice to lead the party, and yet it seems Democrats want to avoid that at all costs.”

{Matzav.com}

Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni charged Thursday that senior Finance Ministry officials had repeatedly threatened to withhold funding from yeshivos and the olam haTorah in an effort to pressure him into abandoning his support for Israel’s regional councils and agricultural sector.

Gafni leveled the accusation during a gathering of regional council heads and political party leaders at the Regional Government Center, where he stressed that he has consistently backed local authorities and agricultural communities, including on occasions when their interests conflicted with positions taken by Finance Ministry officials.

Addressing those gathered, Gafni rejected any suggestion that his political decisions were dictated exclusively by the interests of the Chareidi community and said he had faced direct pressure because of positions he took on behalf of other sectors.

“I have never been bought off by sectoral interests, and make no mistake about that,” Gafni declared. “There were many times when Finance Ministry officials directly threatened me that if I supported the regional councils, agriculture, and issues important to you, they would freeze funding for yeshivas and the Torah world.”

Gafni said those threats did not cause him to change course and vowed that similar pressure would not influence his decisions going forward.

“I stood up to them. I did not give in then, and no one should think I will give in in the future.”

The veteran Degel HaTorah leader went on to describe the strengthening of Israel’s peripheral communities and agricultural sector as an important national priority, pledging to continue advocating for the regional councils.

“I have always supported you and will continue to help you with all my strength. The regional councils and Israeli agriculture are a critical and central pillar of the State of Israel’s resilience.”

Looking ahead to the government that will be formed following the upcoming elections, Gafni said regional authorities should receive greater attention and resources, including reforms designed to give local councils the ability to properly carry out their responsibilities.

“The next government to be formed will need to prioritize strengthening regional government, and advance genuine reforms that provide the councils with all the tools and resources they need to function, and I will be there to make sure that happens.”

FBI Director Kash Patel has sharply expanded the bureau’s efforts to capture fugitives overseas and return them to the United States, with the agency carrying out 157 extraditions and 86 foreign transfers of custody during Patel’s first 18 months in charge.

FBI figures obtained by Fox News Digital show that Patel personally made 100 calls to international partners during that period as part of the push to strengthen cooperation with foreign governments. By comparison, his predecessor, Christopher Wray, made nine such calls during the final 18 months of the Biden administration.

The FBI said extraditions have risen 65% compared with the final 18 months of the Biden administration. Foreign transfers of custody, known as FTOCs, increased by 54%. Such transfers involve suspects or fugitives apprehended outside the United States and subsequently placed in American custody.

Patel credited the increased activity to closer relationships between the Trump administration and foreign governments, as well as cooperation between the FBI and Justice Department.

“When I became FBI Director, I made clear that we would relentlessly manhunt high-value targets from overseas, and we’ve delivered,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital. “It’s a direct result of President [Donald] Trump’s relationships with foreign governments, which allow us to work in spaces where we were never permitted to before — and Attorney General Todd Blanche’s leadership giving us the legal tools we need to return these subjects back to America to face charges.”

“These targets are literally the worst of the worst and we will give them no sanctuary,” Patel added.

One of the most recent high-profile cases involved Alexis Flores, a Honduran national who had previously appeared on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Flores was extradited to Philadelphia on Monday after spending approximately 25 years on the run in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl.

Flores was arrested in Honduras in February, and authorities there subsequently approved his extradition to the United States. According to the FBI, he had been removed from the Ten Most Wanted list in March 2025 because the previous Honduran government would not extradite him for the alleged crimes, citing restrictions under the country’s laws.

Patel said at the time Flores was returned to the United States that the FBI had completed more than 70 extraditions since June alone.

Another case highlighted by the bureau involved Zobaidul Amin, a Bangladeshi national who was extradited from Malaysia in March to face federal charges stemming from what authorities have described as an extensive online child exploitation operation.

Federal prosecutors allege that Amin impersonated a teenager on Instagram and Snapchat to target hundreds of minors, including children as young as 11, and pressure them into creating explicit images and videos. Authorities allege that he then threatened to distribute the material to victims’ relatives, friends and classmates unless they provided additional images.

The FBI has also pointed to the case of Abdullah Anwar, a 28-year-old Texas resident who was returned from Qatar to face fraud charges. Authorities say Anwar fled the United States for Pakistan before being arrested in Qatar, whose government subsequently agreed to send him back to Texas.

The bureau has made overseas apprehensions and extraditions a major priority under Patel, with the director significantly increasing his direct contacts with international law enforcement and government officials.

According to FBI figures, Wray made 20 calls to foreign partners between 2022 and 2025, including nine during his final 18 months under the Biden administration. Patel, by comparison, logged 100 such calls during his first 18 months as director — 400% more than Wray made during the cited four-year period and a 1,011% increase compared with Wray’s final 18 months.

International extradition cases generally require extensive coordination between the FBI, Justice Department and foreign authorities. The FBI typically works with overseas law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend suspects who have fled the United States or are otherwise wanted on American charges.

After a fugitive is taken into custody overseas, the Justice Department can formally seek the suspect’s extradition under applicable treaties and agreements. If the foreign government approves the request, FBI personnel travel to the country, assume custody of the suspect and transport the individual back to the United States to face prosecution.

{Matzav.com}