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El Al canceled a flight from New York to Israel on Friday after delays made it impossible for the aircraft to reach Eretz Yisroel before the onset of Shabbos, with passengers already aboard the plane when the decision was made.

Flight LY8 had been scheduled to depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport, but a series of delays pushed back its departure. Eventually, airline officials determined that even if the plane took off, it would no longer be able to land in Israel before shkiah on Friday.

Rather than risk operating the flight on Shabbos, El Al canceled the flight altogether in keeping with the airline’s longstanding policy of not flying on Shabbos.

Passengers, who had already boarded the aircraft and taken their seats, were informed that the flight would not be departing. The plane returned to the gate, the passengers were asked to disembark, and their luggage was unloaded.

As of Friday morning, El Al had not announced when the stranded passengers would be placed on another flight or what arrangements would be made for them in the meantime.

El Al, Israel’s national carrier, operates under Jewish ownership and has long maintained a policy of Shabbos observance. Its aircraft do not operate from Friday evening through Motzoei Shabbos, and the airline’s schedules are generally structured to ensure that flights arrive before Shabbos begins.

Under Israeli aviation law, an airline may, under certain circumstances, cancel a flight when necessary to avoid landing after the onset of Shabbos. In such cases, the carrier may also be exempt from the usual financial compensation requirements that apply to canceled flights, depending on the circumstances and applicable provisions of the law.

That exemption, however, does not mean that passengers lose their other rights following a cancellation. Travelers whose flights are canceled are generally entitled to choose between being placed on an alternative flight or receiving a full refund, in accordance with Israeli law.

Passengers who face extended delays may also be entitled to assistance from the airline, including food and beverages. Where necessary, those obligations can also include hotel accommodations and transportation between the airport and the hotel.

It remains unclear whether El Al will place the LY8 passengers aboard regularly scheduled flights after Shabbos or arrange a special replacement flight.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio performed slightly better than Vice President JD Vance across most of a series of hypothetical 2028 general-election contests, according to a new national poll testing the two leading Republicans against several potential Democrat presidential candidates.

The Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey examined how Rubio and Vance would fare against five possible Democrat nominees. Rubio posted stronger numbers than Vance in four of the five hypothetical races included in the poll.

The largest gap between the two Republicans emerged in a matchup with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris defeated Vance 49% to 45% in the hypothetical contest, while Rubio turned the result around and held a five-point lead over her.

Rubio also performed more strongly than Vance when paired against California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia, although both Democrats maintained leads in those matchups.

Newsom held a five-point advantage over Vance, but his lead dropped to two points when matched against Rubio. Ossoff likewise led Vance by five points, compared with a three-point advantage over Rubio.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was the only potential Democrat candidate against whom Rubio did not improve upon Vance’s showing. Buttigieg led each Republican by five percentage points.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was the lone Democrat in the survey who lost hypothetical matchups against both Republican contenders.

Vance led Ocasio-Cortez by two points, while Rubio’s advantage over the progressive New York congresswoman stood at five points.

A significant number of voters remain uncommitted at this extremely early stage of the 2028 presidential cycle. At least 6% of respondents said they were undecided in every matchup tested, leaving substantial potential for the numbers to shift before the election.

The Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey questioned 1,000 likely voters from Aug. 16 through Aug. 17 and reported a credibility interval of plus or minus three percentage points.

Neither Rubio nor Vance has formally declared his candidacy for president in 2028.

Both men, however, have increasingly been viewed as leading potential contenders to eventually succeed President Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s presidential standard-bearer.

Previous Emerson polling has shown an extraordinarily close contest between them among Republican primary voters. A national survey conducted in July placed Vance at 39% and Rubio at 38%.

The same pattern appeared in an Emerson survey released in May, when Vance received 36% support among Republican primary voters and Rubio followed at 35%.

Rubio, who previously competed for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, has indicated that he would step aside for Vance if the vice president ultimately decides to seek the presidency.

Vance, meanwhile, has said he intends to discuss the possibility of a 2028 campaign with his wife following the November midterm elections.

Trump has spoken favorably about both potential successors and has previously floated the possibility of the two eventually joining forces, saying a Vance-Rubio pairing would make “a great team.”

While the polling provides an early snapshot of Rubio and Vance’s prominent positions within the Republican Party, the large number of undecided voters and the more than two years remaining before the 2028 election leave both the GOP succession battle and the eventual general-election contest far from settled.

[Video below.] Torrential rain and powerful thunderstorms battered Brooklyn on Thursday evening, flooding streets and sending water pouring into basements, businesses and other low-lying locations, including the main bais medrash at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.

Photos and videos from the 770 building showed substantial flooding inside the Main Shul after the intense downpour overwhelmed drainage in and around the heavily trafficked synagogue.

As conditions rapidly deteriorated, the National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for Brooklyn and Manhattan shortly before 5:40 p.m. The warning was scheduled to remain in effect through 7:45 p.m., while additional flood warnings were posted for other sections of New York City as the storm system crossed the region.

A Flood Watch was also put into effect for New York City through 2 a.m. Friday. Officials cautioned that intense rainfall could cause water to accumulate rapidly on streets and highways and in underpasses, basements and other areas particularly susceptible to flooding.

Thursday evening’s severe weather was part of a broader storm system moving across the Tri-State Area, producing thunderstorms and periods of torrential rain during the evening commute. Forecasters said some sections of the city could experience rainfall rates approaching two inches per hour.

New York City Emergency Management specifically warned residents living in basement apartments to remain alert and be prepared to relocate to higher ground if conditions worsen. Officials noted that basement flooding can develop with little warning during intense rainfall and also urged residents never to attempt to walk or drive through flooded streets.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A yeshiva bochur who is the grandson of a prominent rosh yeshiva was arrested near Ben Shemen Forest late Thursday night and subsequently transferred to the Military Police after authorities determined that he was classified as an army deserter, triggering protests and clashes near the Maccabim checkpoint.

The bochur was identified as Motti Mishkovsky, a talmid at Yeshivas Nesivos Yitzchok in Tel Aviv, headed by Rav Lau. Mishkovsky previously learned at Yeshivas Bais Mattisyahu.

Mishkovsky is a grandson of Rav Nosson Zochovsky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Gaon Yaakov and chairman of the spiritual committee of the Israeli Yated Ne’eman.

According to the report, Mishkovsky was initially detained by Israel Police near Ben Shemen Forest. After authorities discovered that he was listed as a military deserter, he was turned over to the Military Police for his failure to report for army service.

News of the arrest prompted an alert through the “Tzeva Shachor” system, which is used to mobilize protesters following arrests of yeshiva bochurim over the draft issue. Because the arrest took place near Ben Shemen Forest, however, protesters were unable to quickly gather at the location itself.

Instead, the protest shifted to the Maccabim checkpoint, where demonstrations escalated into disturbances and confrontations with police.

The latest arrest comes amid an intensification of enforcement efforts against those who have failed to report for military service, with the status of yeshiva bochurim remaining at the center of the ongoing confrontation over Israel’s draft policies.

Just two days earlier, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara called for the IDF and Israel Police to resume proactive enforcement operations and arrests against draft evaders from all sectors of the population, citing the principle of equal enforcement.

In a response submitted to the High Court, the attorney general’s office also acknowledged the particular difficulties authorities face when conducting planned arrests of Chareidi draft evaders because such operations frequently lead to large demonstrations and public disturbances.

The filing cited military and police officials as pointing to “the significant difficulty that currently exists in carrying out proactive operations and arresting draft evaders from the Chareidi public, in light of the large-scale disturbances that accompany them.”

{Matzav.com}

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is publicly urging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to concentrate on the day-to-day responsibilities of governing the nation’s largest city rather than continuing to focus attention on Israel, as his rhetoric and policies toward the Jewish state remain a source of controversy.

In an interview with The New York Times published Thursday, Hochul was questioned about Mamdani’s approach to Israel and, in particular, a video the mayor released last month addressing his repeated campaign pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

In the video, which generated hundreds of millions of views, Mamdani acknowledged that he does not possess the legal authority to order Netanyahu’s arrest despite having repeatedly promised to do so. The mayor also leveled accusations against Israel, including describing Netanyahu as a war criminal.

The episode was the latest in a lengthy series of controversies surrounding Mamdani’s views on Israel. While campaigning for mayor, Mamdani refused to disavow the slogan “globalize the intifada.” He also faced fierce criticism over remarks he made about Israel on October 8, 2023, just one day after Hamas terrorists carried out the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.

Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of committing war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. His stance toward Israel continued to generate controversy immediately after he entered City Hall, when, on his first day as mayor, he revoked executive orders related to Israel that had been enacted by his predecessor, Eric Adams.

The criticism has persisted during Mamdani’s tenure. He became the first New York City mayor to boycott the city’s annual Israel Day Parade, a decision that further strained his relationship with portions of New York’s Jewish community.

Mamdani’s rhetoric and policies have caused particular unease among Jewish New Yorkers at a time when the community has been confronting an increase in antisemitic incidents.

Asked by the Times whether Mamdani’s statements about Israel could leave Jewish residents feeling uncomfortable, Hochul suggested that the mayor would be better served by directing his attention toward the responsibilities awaiting him at City Hall.

“I encourage him to – ‘Let’s focus on blocking and tackling of city government,’” Hochul said, using the football metaphor to emphasize the basic work of managing the city.

The governor cited housing and child care as two major areas where she and Mamdani have common ground and where she believes the mayor’s attention would be more productively directed.

“That’s where I believe the main focus should be,” she added.

Hochul also emphasized that she remains firmly opposed to antisemitism and vowed to confront it whenever necessary, saying she would “throw my body against any antisemitism.”

“I have, and I will,” Hochul said.

The governor has previously broken with Mamdani over his rhetoric toward Netanyahu. When Mamdani’s pledge to arrest the Israeli prime minister became an issue late last year, Hochul dismissed the proposal as beyond the authority of a municipal government.

“The New York City mayor does not have the power to do that,” Hochul said at the time, while also distancing herself from other anti-Israel positions taken by Mamdani.

{Matzav.com}

The Belzer Rebbe has introduced a new practice for Belzer chassidim worldwide, calling on families — and particularly women lighting Shabbos candles — to add an additional candle each Shabbos and Yom Tov as a zechus for Jewish souls who have drifted away from Yiddishkeit, with a tefillah that they return to their roots.

The special initiative was announced Wednesday evening during a gathering at the Belzer Rebbe’s residence in Kiryat Belz in Yerushalayim, attended by leading Belzer rabbonim. The Rebbe expressed his desire that those who are able to do so without undue difficulty add one candle each week when lighting Shabbos candles. Along with the tefillos traditionally offered at that special time for one’s own children, families are being asked to daven for fellow Jews who have strayed, that they merit to return beneath the wings of the Shechinah and that Klal Yisroel merit the complete geulah soon.

Rav Pinchos Friedman and Rav Menachem Yisroel Reisman addressed the gathering in the presence of the Rebbe, speaking at length about the Rebbe’s longstanding devotion to bringing Jewish souls closer to Yiddishkeit. They expressed the hope and tefillah that the day will soon come when all of Klal Yisroel will be united in serving Hashem wholeheartedly.

At the beginning of his remarks, Rav Friedman formally announced the new practice on behalf of the Rebbe.

“By the holy instruction of the Rebbe, in the presence of the distinguished rabbonim and morei hora’ah, we hereby announce a practice requested by the Rebbe: Every Erev Shabbos, each person should add one candle for all the distant souls who, unfortunately, are far from Yiddishkeit, that they should merit to draw closer to kedushah, in the spirit of ‘For a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light.’”

Rav Friedman then related that the Rebbe had asked, “What will be with Zeide’s candle?”

The Rebbe was referring to a well-known story from Belz concerning his grandfather, Rav Yissachar Dov Rokeach, the Mahari”d of Belz. In earlier generations of Belz, candles were prepared on the day of the Yud-Gimmel Middos on behalf of Jewish souls. One year, after the Mahari”d had completed preparing the candles, he took another wick and explained that he was preparing that candle for Jewish soldiers who were unable to properly observe the holy day.

The Mahari”d then took yet another candle and said that it was being prepared for Jews scattered throughout the farthest reaches of the world, “from Bohemia to San Francisco,” who did not even know that it was the holy day.

Rav Friedman also quoted the Belzer Rebbe as invoking the teaching that one who davens for another person while needing the same thing himself is answered first. By davening for Jews who have strayed from Yiddishkeit, he said, families can hope to merit that their own children continue along the path of Torah and yiras Shomayim.

The rabbonim further recalled a tradition dating back to the Sar Shalom of Belz that the preparation of the Shabbos candles is an especially auspicious time for bringing about yeshuos and refuos. They expressed the hope that the Rebbe’s new initiative — lighting an additional candle on behalf of Jewish souls — should bring blessing and salvation to Belzer chassidim and particularly to the Rebbe himself, with the tefillah that he continue leading his chassidim until the arrival of Moshiach.

At the conclusion of the gathering, the Belzer Rebbe personally emphasized that the practice should not become an undue burden.

“Adding a candle is certainly a great matter, and for someone who can light it without difficulty, it is a good thing!”

The Rebbe then requested one candle for himself and sent another to his son, Rav Aharon Mordechai Rokeach.

The European Union is reportedly preparing a package of sanctions against Israel that could affect trade, academic ties, security cooperation and diplomatic relations if Israel moves forward with construction in the strategic E1 corridor between Yerushalayim and Ma’ale Adumim.

According to a Channel 13 News report Thursday, two Western diplomats said European officials have already assembled a list of possible punitive measures. The diplomats also claimed that the United States is not opposed to the potential steps being considered by the EU.

Among the options reportedly being discussed are requirements to label Israeli goods, potentially including products manufactured within Israel rather than only in Judea and Samaria. Other possibilities include scaling back academic cooperation with Israel and freezing certain security and diplomatic partnerships.

The threatened European action comes after the Israeli government issued a tender Tuesday covering seven residential compounds and 1,234 housing units in E1. Those homes are part of approximately 3,400 housing units whose construction was approved in August 2025.

Britain has separately intensified its pressure on Israel over the project, with Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband demanding Wednesday that the tender be withdrawn.

“This Israeli Government’s publication of a tender for the E1 settlement project is an unacceptable and destructive act. E1 would cut across the heart of Palestine and risks separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem, which would endanger the viability of a two-state solution,” Miliband said in a statement condemning the move.

Miliband argued that the British government has repeatedly made its opposition to E1 construction known to Israel and remains committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

“The UK has been clear privately and publicly in our opposition to E1 and our support for a two-state solution as the only way to ensure long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. All settlements damage that prospect and are a flagrant breach of international law,” he claimed.

The British foreign secretary said he personally raised the matter with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. Britain also summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires to formally protest the construction plans.

“Today, I made clear to the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar that the Israeli Government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion. In addition, the Israeli Chargé d’Affaires has been summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where we set out the UK’s profound objection to this move by the Netanyahu government and demanded an immediate reversal,” said Miliband.

Miliband further warned that London intends to announce additional measures targeting Israeli government policies in the coming weeks.

“Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two-state solution. In the coming weeks we will set out a comprehensive set of measures to respond to Israeli government policies, protect the viability of the Palestinian state, target sanctions at those who participate in illegal settlement expansion and support a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” the UK Foreign Secretary declared.

Sa’ar responded Thursday by flatly rejecting the British demands and accusing Miliband of adopting a patronizing attitude toward Israel and the Jewish people.

“I reject outright the statement of the UK Foreign Secretary and the patronizing tone of his words,” Sa’ar wrote on social media.

Sa’ar argued that Jews have a historic right to reside throughout Eretz Yisroel and invoked Britain’s own role in recognizing the Jewish people’s right to reestablish their national home more than a century ago.

“The Jewish people have the right to live throughout the Land of Israel, just as the British have the right to live in London and throughout the United Kingdom. More than a century ago, the Balfour Declaration formally recognized the historic right of the Jewish people to re-establish their national home in the Land of Israel – including in the area in question.”

The foreign minister also accused Britain of applying a hypocritical standard to Israel while maintaining territories far beyond the British mainland.

“Britain itself still controls colonial territories thousands of miles from its shores. It is absurd for Britain to lecture the Jewish people about where they may live in their historic tiny homeland, when the Jewish people’s connection and right to this land is the most extensively documented of any people in human history.”

Sa’ar additionally challenged the portrayal of the E1 tender as representing a newly adopted Israeli policy, saying the underlying government decision had already been made last year and that the tender process had been progressing for months.

“There have been no new decisions regarding development in E1. The decision was made in 2025. The tender process has been underway for several months, with certain tender documents published only in recent days. The British Foreign Secretary’s statement is entirely one-sided.”

Later Thursday, Britain joined France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway in issuing a coordinated statement condemning the E1 tender, further increasing international pressure on the Israeli government.

The seven governments characterized the construction plans as “unacceptable” and demanded that Israel reverse course, saying they have repeatedly objected to the continued expansion of Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

“The E1 settlement will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories,” the statement said.

The countries also reiterated their longstanding position that Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria violate international law, citing a position they said has previously been reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.

“We urge the Government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements,” the statement said.

The seven governments concluded by warning that continued Israeli construction in the area would further undermine prospects for a negotiated peace agreement while also inflicting additional damage on Israel’s international standing.

{Matzav.com}

R’ Dovid Walder z”l, a longtime Magen David Adom volunteer and former chairman of the organization’s Rechovot branch committee, passed away at his home in Rechovot at the age of 82, concluding a lifetime marked by decades of lifesaving work and quiet chesed.

Colleagues at Magen David Adom remembered R’ Dovid as “a humble person who did much and spoke little. A man of kindness.”

R’ Dovid was born in Yerushalayim on the first night of Chanukah, the 25th of Kislev, in 1944. After completing his studies in yeshiva, he joined the IDF and served as a combat soldier in the Nachal Brigade. He later served in the reserves during Israel’s wars. Following his marriage to Chana, the couple moved to Rechovot, where they established their home and raised their family.

His involvement with Magen David Adom began approximately four decades ago, when he volunteered as an emergency medical technician and ambulance driver at the organization’s Rechovot station.

Over the years, R’ Dovid became chairman of the local branch committee and devoted considerable effort to expanding its volunteer network. According to MDA, during his tenure he succeeded in doubling the number of volunteers, bringing both adults and teenagers into the organization and enabling a substantial increase in the number of ambulance shifts staffed by volunteers.

Beyond his emergency medical work, R’ Dovid played an important role in developing social and humanitarian initiatives throughout Rechovot and the surrounding communities.

He was among the earliest and most prominent MDA figures involved in establishing a Kimcha D’Pischa project for struggling families in the Rechovot area. What began as an effort to provide food assistance ahead of Pesach grew over the years into an established tradition, eventually expanding to provide assistance ahead of other Yomim Tovim as well.

R’ Dovid’s dedication to chesed extended far beyond Magen David Adom. For decades, he operated an organization that distributed food to families in need, contributing both his personal time and his own money to the effort.

Those who knew him said he became a dependable address for people facing hardship, quietly stepping forward whenever assistance was needed. His MDA colleagues emphasized that despite the enormous amount he accomplished for others, he consistently avoided attention and never sought recognition for his work.

R’ Dovid z”l is survived by his wife, Chana, five children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and two sisters.

He was laid to rest at the main cemetery in Rechovot, accompanied on his final journey by his family, friends and many others whose lives he touched during decades devoted to saving lives and helping those in need.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

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Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur says his party remains firmly aligned with Israel’s right-wing bloc and sees little chance of joining a left-wing government after the upcoming elections, while declaring that passage of a law protecting the status of yeshiva bochurim will be Shas’ first condition before entering a new coalition.

Speaking Thursday evening in an interview with Avi Blum on Kol Chai’s Central Edition, Ben Tzur addressed speculation that Shas could return to its historic approach of considering partnerships with parties across the political spectrum, particularly if a different coalition offered an acceptable solution to the ongoing draft crisis affecting bnei yeshivos.

“Shas is a party that is mostly a right-wing party,” Ben Tzur said. “We are with the public and the people in the field, and the people in the field who are with us believe in the values of the right. It does not seem to me that today, in the current reality and constellation, there is any kind of chance that we would go with a left-wing government.”

Asked whether Shas would follow Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu into the opposition if the right-wing bloc fails to secure the 61 Knesset seats needed to form a government, Ben Tzur declined to make such a commitment.

He characterized that possibility as a “hypothetical situation,” saying Shas expects the election results ultimately to produce enough seats for Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc to establish the next government.

Ben Tzur also focused heavily on the draft law, which has emerged as one of the most consequential issues facing the chareidi parties ahead of the elections.

According to Ben Tzur, he understands there to be an agreement between Shas and Degel HaTorah that following the election, the two parties will work together to advance legislation establishing the status of those learning Torah. He acknowledged that the eventual legislation may fall short of what the chareidi parties originally sought but said it must nevertheless provide a workable solution to the current situation.

“I think there is an agreement between the two chareidi factions, Degel HaTorah and Shas, to definitely lead a move that will ultimately provide a solution,” Ben Tzur said. “Not the best solution that we wanted, but still a solution in order to restore fairness and reasonableness to the reality in which we find ourselves.”

Ben Tzur made clear that Shas intends to demand passage of the draft legislation before allowing the next coalition to proceed with the rest of its agenda.

“This will be the first condition. As Rabbi Aryeh Deri said – before a government is established and there is a coalition, first they will pass the draft law, and afterward the rest of the things.”

Ben Tzur also addressed recent comments by Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchok Yosef regarding IDF soldiers and bnei yeshivos, saying the remarks reflected the same approach championed by his father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.

“On the one hand, it is possible to support the yeshiva bochurim, who are our Sayeret Matkal, and on the other hand, we have tremendous appreciation and great love for the IDF soldiers who risk their lives to protect the Jewish people.”

{Matzav.com}

Bill de Blasio is throwing his support behind the growing socialist wing of the Democratic Party, arguing that its leading figures are succeeding because they are offering an agenda that many Americans increasingly want.

“There are specific leaders who have emerged out of DSA who are providing a vision that actually a lot of people in this country are hungry for,” de Blasio said Tuesday on “The Ingraham Angle.”

The New York City mayor pointed to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as examples of politicians who, in his view, have capitalized on public dissatisfaction with the political establishment by emphasizing issues such as the cost of living.

“It is about the leaders that are emerging, like Bernie Sanders, AOC, Mamdani, some of the folks who won primaries lately,” he said.

“They are pointing in a specific direction, and there’s a reason they’re winning.”

Although de Blasio has said that he does not consider himself a socialist and does not belong to the Democratic Socialists of America, he voiced agreement with significant portions of the movement’s economic and social platform during his interview with host Laura Ingraham.

Among the policies de Blasio endorsed were ending the war with Iran, establishing Medicare for All and increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans. He argued that such proposals resonate because voters are deeply concerned about the affordability of everyday life.

“These progressive candidates are winning because they’re talking about how to raise wages, how to lower health care costs, how to get out of the war in Iran that is shooting up gasoline prices,” he said, while also making clear that he does not agree with the socialist movement on every issue.

De Blasio went beyond economic policy in outlining areas where he favors major changes, calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be eliminated and replaced by a newly created federal agency.

“We need a secure border, but we should abolish ICE because it’s a broken agency and start over with a different kind of agency that can secure our border without creating so much violence in our cities,” he said.

De Blasio also said illegal immigrants who have not been convicted of violent or other serious crimes should be offered a “path to legalization.”

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is escalating her clash with the Trump administration over the state’s voter-registration debacle, even as New Jersey officials work to remove thousands of registrations that were improperly created because of a Motor Vehicle Commission software problem.

Sherrill criticized the administration Wednesday while announcing new findings from her investigation into the registration of thousands of people who were not eligible to vote. Her report said roughly 5,100 registrations have now been placed in deleted status, while additional cases remain subject to review.

Her attack on Washington came just one day after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin publicly thanked Sherrill for what he characterized as her agreement to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security. A Democratic source familiar with the situation, however, disputed that any such cooperation agreement exists.

The controversy has followed Sherrill since mid-July, when she disclosed that thousands of noncitizens had been improperly placed on New Jersey’s voter rolls because of a “software error” involving the MVC’s automatic voter-registration system, often referred to as “motor voter.”

“My administration has continued to move aggressively to fix the error at the Motor Vehicle Commission under the previous (Trenton) administration, to correct our voter rolls, and to protect the voting rights of eligible New Jerseyans,” Sherrill said Wednesday, adding that her probe is “what accountable government looks like.”

Sherrill then turned her criticism toward President Trump and Republicans, accusing them of exploiting the registration problem for partisan purposes.

“That stands in contrast to the Trump Administration and Republicans, whose only interest has been in trying to use this issue for political gain,” Sherrill said.

Mullin offered a dramatically different account Tuesday, saying Sherrill had agreed to work with DHS in “stopping aliens from illegally voting in your state.” He pointed to correspondence involving attorneys for New Jersey’s top elections official, Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell.

“Thank you, Governor Sherrill. We got news from your Secretary of State that New Jersey will participate with DHS in STOPPING aliens from illegally voting in your state,” Mullin tweeted.

“The 35,000 potential registered aliens [DHS] identified may only be the beginning. [I] look forward to helping NJ identify illegal voters and ensure election integrity.”

But a source familiar with the matter challenged Mullin’s characterization, saying there is no formal cooperation agreement between the Sherrill administration and either DHS or the broader Trump administration.

According to that source, the only communication sent from Trenton to Washington was Caldwell’s office responding to a letter from House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., and New Jersey Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew. The source suggested Mullin may have been referring to that exchange.

Fox News Digital contacted DHS seeking clarification but had not received a response by the time the report was published.

Sherrill spokesman Darwin Pham, responding to the controversy, said the governor “remains focused on safe and secure elections in New Jersey, in contrast to Trump and Republicans, who have consistently tried to use this issue for political gain.”

“We will continue working to fully remediate the issue left behind by the previous (Trenton) administration, and ensure the voting rights of every eligible New Jerseyan are protected.”

The White House fired back, accusing Sherrill and other Democrats of having spent years dismissing concerns that noncitizens could be registering or participating in American elections.

“It’s laughable for Governor Sherrill to criticize the Trump Administration on election integrity…” White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said.

As part of Wednesday’s announcement, Sherrill said approximately 5,100 registrations in New Jersey’s voter database were “placed in deleted status” because officials found no additional eligibility “attestations” beyond the original registrations that the state says were created improperly.

Those individuals had no subsequent declarations confirming their eligibility to vote. Sherrill previously disclosed that the software problem resulted in people being added to the voter rolls even after they answered “no” when asked whether they were U.S. citizens.

Another 1,450 registrations were switched to “rejected” status and will remain there while county election officials examine documentation to determine whether those individuals are eligible to vote. According to Sherrill’s report, just under 400 people who had been improperly registered subsequently cast ballots in recent elections.

“These individuals have been removed from New Jersey voter rolls because they were placed on the rolls in error,” Sherrill’s office said Wednesday.

Republicans responded by arguing that the governor’s findings have not settled the controversy and instead have generated additional questions about the integrity of New Jersey’s voter-registration system and whether other problems remain undiscovered.

“New Jerseyans deserve to know exactly what happened, how it happened, and whether there are other problems we have yet to uncover,” state Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco, R-Boonton, told Fox News Digital.

“Restoring confidence in our elections will require complete transparency from the state, cooperation from all necessary parties, and a commitment to leaving no stone unturned.”

Bucco has already called for the creation of a bipartisan legislative select committee equipped with subpoena authority. Under his proposal, the committee would also coordinate with federal officials as it investigates what went wrong.

State Senate Majority Leader Nicholas Scutari, D-Scotch Plains, previously said lawmakers intend to allow Sherrill’s investigation to conclude before determining “any necessary next steps.”

Bucco countered that the governor’s latest disclosure still fails to resolve what he described as “many serious questions” concerning both the scope of the investigation and what safeguards will ultimately be implemented.

“Like, why is the investigation limited, and how can anyone say with confidence that only 6,600 non-citizens were improperly registered? New Jerseyans deserve to know exactly what happened, how it happened, and whether there are other problems we have yet to uncover,” Bucco told Fox News Digital.

Sherrill has directed county election officials to continue examining the registrations referred to them, with the review taking place ahead of the start of early voting for November’s midterm elections.

Mullin’s office, meanwhile, said it has separately identified four noncitizens accused of illegally voting in recent elections. According to his office, the individuals are nationals of Israel, Jamaica, Liberia and India, and each is facing criminal charges.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has formally declared an American academic being held in China to be wrongfully detained, intensifying pressure on Beijing to release him just weeks before President Donald Trump is expected to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Min Zin, a U.S. citizen and scholar, is “wrongfully detained” following a State Department examination of the circumstances surrounding his June 3 detention in China’s Yunnan province, the department announced Thursday.

According to the State Department, Zin had traveled to China to participate in an academic conference after receiving an invitation from the Chinese government.

The designation makes Zin one of two Americans whom the State Department currently considers wrongfully detained in China. The other is Dr. Youlin Chen, a Chinese-born American seismologist from Boston.

“The safety and security of U.S. citizens is the State Department’s top priority,” Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson said in a statement. “We will continue to advocate for Mr. Zin and call for the release of all U.S. citizens who are arbitrarily detained or exit banned in China.”

Zin was taken into custody at the airport shortly after entering China and has spent nearly 11 weeks detained, during which he has repeatedly been questioned and kept in isolation, a senior State Department official told Reuters.

“One minute his colleagues and family were engaging with him on the phone – exchanging updates on his arrival time and plans in China – and the next minute communication was lost,” the official said.

For approximately two days after Zin disappeared, relatives and colleagues had no information about his whereabouts, whether he was safe or even which authorities had taken him into custody, according to the official.

Chinese authorities in Yunnan subsequently informed the U.S. Embassy that Zin was the subject of a criminal investigation involving allegations that he had endangered China’s national security, Reuters reported.

China’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged Zin’s arrest in June, saying he was suspected of espionage and activities threatening Chinese national security.

Chinese officials have rejected U.S. accusations that Beijing engages in wrongful detention, maintaining that criminal cases involving foreigners are handled in accordance with Chinese law.

The State Department’s wrongful-detention designation could significantly raise the profile of Zin’s case and allow additional U.S. government attention and resources to be directed toward efforts to secure his freedom.

The move also places the dispute squarely on the U.S.-China diplomatic agenda ahead of Xi’s anticipated Sept. 24 visit to the White House, where he is expected to meet with President Trump.

Zin is known for his work on Burma and Chinese foreign policy and heads the Institute for Strategy and Policy, a think tank specializing in Burma. He participated in Burma’s 1988 pro-democracy uprising before eventually obtaining asylum in the United States.

The State Department said Washington will continue pressing Beijing to release Zin while also advocating for other Americans whom the U.S. says are being arbitrarily detained in China or subjected to restrictions preventing them from leaving the country.

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The Trump administration is planning to prevent Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from traveling to New York next month to address the United Nations General Assembly, despite an effort by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to persuade President Trump to reverse the decision, according to a report.

A U.S. official told The Times of Israel that Washington intends to deny Abbas entry to the United States for the annual gathering, marking the second consecutive year that the Palestinian leader would be barred from attending the General Assembly in person.

The United States refused to grant Abbas a visa last year, arguing that the Palestinian Authority had taken steps that undermined prospects for peace.

Washington did not publicly detail its specific accusations against Ramallah at the time. The decision was widely viewed as part of an American effort to undercut a conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia that sought to advance a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

While no similar conference is planned on the sidelines of this year’s UN General Assembly, the U.S. official said the Trump administration intends to maintain the precedent it established last year regarding Abbas.

Abbas reportedly sought help from Erdogan in an attempt to overturn the decision.

A Palestinian official told The Times of Israel that Abbas asked the Turkish president to personally raise the matter with Trump, apparently hoping Erdogan’s relationship with the president could convince Washington to allow him to travel to New York.

The effort was unsuccessful, however, with Erdogan reportedly failing to persuade Trump to reverse the State Department’s decision.

The expected move could trigger another dispute between Washington and the United Nations over America’s responsibilities as the host country of the world body.

Asked about the matter, a UN official expressed hope that the United States would honor its obligations under its agreement as host of the United Nations and permit delegation leaders scheduled to address the General Assembly to enter the country.

“We hope that the United States will honor its commitment as the host country and allow speakers at the General Assembly to attend,” the official said.

If the decision stands, Abbas will once again be unable to personally address world leaders gathered in New York, despite his position as head of the Palestinian Authority.

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A personalized cancer vaccine developed by Merck and Moderna significantly lowered the risk that dangerous melanoma would return or spread following surgery, according to results from a major late-stage clinical trial that could represent an important advance in cancer treatment.

The companies said the findings represent the first successful Phase 3 trial involving a personalized cancer treatment based on mRNA technology.

The global study, known as INTerpath-001, included 1,137 patients who had undergone surgery for high-risk melanoma ranging from Stage IIB through Stage IV. Participants were randomly divided between those receiving the immunotherapy drug Keytruda together with the individualized cancer vaccine and those receiving Keytruda with a placebo.

Patients treated with the vaccine-Keytruda combination achieved significantly better “recurrence-free survival,” indicating that their melanoma was less likely to come back compared with patients treated with Keytruda alone.

Researchers also found a significant improvement in “distant metastasis-free survival,” which measures how long patients survive without their cancer spreading to distant areas of the body.

“These phase 3 findings represent a pivotal moment for the field of cancer research,” Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said in the press release. “For many years, the idea of creating an mRNA treatment designed specifically for an individual patient’s cancer was aspirational. We are now helping turn that vision into a reality.”

How the Personalized Vaccine Works

Rather than functioning like conventional vaccines designed to protect people from outside viruses, the personalized mRNA treatment, known as intismeran autogene, is a therapeutic vaccine administered after cancer surgery. Its purpose is to teach the patient’s immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells that may remain behind.

Following removal of a patient’s tumor, doctors collect samples of both the malignant tissue and healthy cells. Sophisticated algorithms then examine the genetic characteristics of the tumor and identify as many as 34 tumor-specific neoantigens that can be incorporated into a vaccine created specifically for that individual.

Dr. Murad Alam, chief of dermatology at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, explained that melanoma can vary significantly from one patient to another, making individualized treatment particularly promising.

“They’re slightly different in every patient, which is why traditional chemotherapies often stop working or don’t work in a particular patient,” he told Fox News Digital. “This is almost individualized immunotherapy, where you’re finding specific issues in a particular patient.”

The strategy is intended to focus the immune system directly on the unique characteristics of a patient’s tumor rather than broadly attacking cells throughout the body.

“It doesn’t hit normal cells, and it hits the cancer cells very effectively because it’s not just a generic vaccine. It’s one that specifically knows the signs of your cancer and can find it,” he said.

Alam said the treatment is aimed primarily at prolonging the lives of patients who “already have a bad case of the disease.”

The vaccine is not designed to protect healthy individuals from developing melanoma, including people whose family history places them at elevated risk. It also is not intended for patients diagnosed with very small melanomas.

“This is designed for people where the melanoma has grown to the point where it’s threatening not just the local area of the skin, but their whole lives,” Alam said.

The Role of AI

Artificial intelligence plays an important part in creating the personalized vaccine, helping researchers determine which antigens should be selected to produce the strongest possible response against each patient’s cancer.

“These things are difficult, and, historically, [they] took a lot of time, and it just wouldn’t be feasible to do this for every individual patient without the power of AI,” he said. “And I’m sure that will become better and better in the future.

“Here, AI is a tool that allows you in a reasonable amount of time, with a reasonable amount of resources … to come up with a vaccine for that individual person.”

What Comes Next

Following the positive Phase 3 results, Merck and Moderna said they intend to begin discussions with regulatory agencies around the world, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, regarding possible regulatory submissions for the treatment.

Researchers are also preparing to investigate whether the same personalized vaccine technology can be used against other difficult cancers, including cancers of the lung, bladder and kidney.

“I think the underlying concept of targeting a particular tumor with the specific markers on that tumor is generalizable, meaning you could do this with different kinds of skin cancer or different kinds of cancer in general,” Alam agreed. “It’s very exciting.”

Despite the encouraging findings, significant questions remain. The companies described the trial results as statistically significant and clinically meaningful, but the announcement did not disclose how long participating patients remained free of cancer.

The Phase 3 findings also did not determine whether patients receiving the personalized vaccine ultimately live longer than those treated with Keytruda alone.

In addition, the recurrence-free survival findings were determined through assessments by study investigators rather than through an independent central review, according to the announcement.

The trial was limited to patients with particular stages of melanoma who had undergone surgery and had not previously received drug treatment. As a result, the findings cannot necessarily be applied to patients with other forms of cancer or melanoma at different stages.

Merck said the safety profile observed during the latest trial was consistent with previous studies and that researchers did not identify any new safety concerns.

Alam said the treatment appears to combine a “tremendous benefit [and] good side effect profile.”

He noted that traditional powerful cancer treatments can sometimes exact a significant physical price even when they successfully attack the disease.

“When you’re getting very strong cancer medications, even when they work, the toll on the patient is often terrible,” he said. “It alters their life during the course of treatment where there’s tremendous suffering.

“The nice thing about this, because it’s so targeted, it doesn’t damage many of your normal cells … so the side effects are really mild — a little fatigue, a little chills, some injection side pain.”

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The Trump administration is moving to increase gasoline supplies and bring down soaring prices at the pump by ending federal summer-blend fuel requirements roughly two weeks ahead of schedule, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday.

Under the change, the EPA will permit the sale of E10 gasoline — fuel containing 10% ethanol — with a higher Reid Vapor Pressure beginning September 1 rather than waiting until the normal mid-September transition.

Federal regulations generally require lower-volatility summer gasoline through September 15 as part of an effort to reduce air pollution during warmer months. The specialized blends have a lower Reid Vapor Pressure, which reduces evaporation that can contribute to the formation of smog.

The administration’s move comes as American motorists face sharply higher fuel costs amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has pushed gasoline prices significantly above their levels from a year ago.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at $4.10 on Thursday, according to AAA data. That represents a jump of nearly $1 per gallon from approximately $3.13 at the same point last year.

The surge in fuel costs has also emerged as a political concern for President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans as the party seeks to maintain control of both the House and Senate in November’s midterm elections.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright signaled earlier this week that additional action could be coming. Wright, who met with oil refiners in Midland, Texas, said the administration would take steps in the coming days aimed at getting fuel prices under control.

The EPA said Thursday’s action will also override state-level restrictions in Texas, Arizona and California that would otherwise keep certain summer fuel requirements in effect beyond September 15. The waivers will initially remain in place for the maximum allowable period of 20 days.

The agency indicated that it is prepared to keep the emergency flexibility in place if gasoline supplies remain tight.

“As the EPA ‌has done all summer, we ‌will be monitoring gasoline supplies in those states and will be prepared to extend the waiver through a subsequent action as long as necessary to ensure adequate supplies of gasoline to consumers,” the EPA said.

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The surprise strike that plunged Ben Gurion Airport into chaos may have cost Israel’s economy as much as NIS 30 million in a single day, while senior airport officials are now claiming that Transportation Minister Miri Regev was originally the intended target of the labor action.

According to a report by Channel 12 News, Finance Ministry officials estimate that the disruptions caused between NIS 25 million and NIS 30 million in economic damage, including losses to airlines, airport operations and Israel’s tourism industry.

Beyond the enormous financial cost, however, senior officials at the Israel Airports Authority are alleging that the strike had initially been planned for a day earlier in an effort to disrupt Regev’s flight to Rabat, Morocco.

According to those officials, the plan changed when Regev and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at Ben Gurion Airport together.

The officials claimed that Workers’ Committee Chairman Pinchas Idan decided that interfering with the flight under those circumstances would be too extreme and could embarrass Netanyahu. The planned disruption of the flight itself was therefore reportedly called off.

However, those same officials alleged that instructions were still issued to interfere with the handling and transfer of baggage aboard Regev’s flight.

In practice, the flight to Rabat experienced only a minor delay and ultimately departed Ben Gurion Airport as scheduled.

Idan flatly denied the allegations, dismissing the claims that Regev’s flight had been deliberately targeted.

“Those senior officials would be better off dealing with the manpower shortage instead of making assumptions. It never happened,” Idan said.

The allegations have added a new political dimension to the turmoil that unfolded at Israel’s main international airport, where the sudden labor action caused widespread delays and severe disruptions for thousands of travelers.

While airport officials and the workers’ committee remain sharply divided over what triggered the action and whether Regev was deliberately targeted, the financial fallout appears to have been substantial. According to the Finance Ministry estimate, the disruption may have cost the Israeli economy as much as NIS 30 million in just one day.

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Teaneck fashion designer Ari Ladino, the owner of Luana Rose Modestly on West Englewood Avenue, and his mother, who worked alongside him at the store, have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a report by the Jewish Link. Their sudden disappearance initially left customers desperately trying to retrieve gowns for upcoming weddings and simchos before it became clear that the two had been taken into immigration custody.

Elie Y. Katz, Ladino’s landlord, said he first realized something was wrong while attending a wedding, when he began receiving urgent calls from a woman whose daughter’s wedding gown was inside the locked store. With the wedding rapidly approaching and Ladino unreachable, Katz met the customer at the shop along with police. Packages had accumulated outside the storefront, further indicating that the business had unexpectedly stopped operating. They eventually entered the store and recovered the completed gown. The following day, Katz returned after another customer contacted him seeking a dress she also needed to retrieve.

The situation was particularly alarming because Ladino and his mother were ordinarily a constant presence at the business, where they routinely put in long hours. Ladino specializes in designing custom and semi-custom gowns for weddings, simchos and other special occasions, making their unexplained absence highly unusual.

Trying to determine what had happened, Katz contacted Ladino’s former business partner, who supplied several possible contacts. Among them was one of Ladino’s cousins, who asked to be allowed into the store, but Katz said he would not grant access without first receiving authorization from Ladino. Katz also asked police to check the address listed on Ladino’s driver’s license, but no one was found there. Ladino and his mother are originally from Colombia, although Katz said he had no knowledge of their immigration status.

The mystery was finally resolved the following day when Katz received a telephone call from a detention facility and found Ladino on the other end of the line. Given only a few minutes to speak, Ladino authorized Katz to allow his cousin into the shop and to provide access to customers who had gowns waiting for pickup. Ladino also told Katz that his mother had been transferred to a separate detention facility. When a woman traveled from Westchester to collect a dress for an upcoming simcha and Katz explained what had happened, she immediately offered to contribute toward Ladino’s expenses and left a check.

Ladino was also able to contact a woman who has been working with him as a business partner and instructed her to retrieve his phone from the store. The woman, who asked that her identity not be published, said Ladino directed her to organize a sale of the gowns remaining in the shop, with the proceeds intended to help finance his legal defense.

Michael Wildes, managing partner of immigration law firm Wildes & Weinberg, P.C. and a former federal prosecutor, said after learning about Ladino’s detention that the case illustrates what he described as the broader consequences that aggressive immigration enforcement can have on businesses and communities. “The president promised to rid us of hardened criminals, which no one would object to. We find now that the administration’s policies are intruding on some of the finest families and businesses throughout our nation. This is disappointing to hear and see firsthand from a businessman president.”

After being told that a sale of the store’s gowns could be held to help cover Ladino’s legal expenses, Wildes said the episode should serve as a warning to others who could face immigration-related legal problems. “It would be smart for your readership to make sure that they shore up any exposure that they, their family members, employees and co-workers may have with a competent attorney to preempt the harm that we see unfolding throughout the nation.”

A special gathering marking the opening of a new kollel devoted to in-depth study of the Chofetz Chaim was held at the home of Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and rov of Ramat Elchanan, featuring remarkable stories about shemiras halashon and the ability to see the good in every Jew.

The new kollel was established at the Chanichei Hayeshivos–Kerem Yisroel shul in the Kiryat Herzog neighborhood, under the leadership of the local rov, Rav Eliezer Roth, a son-in-law of Rav Zilberstein.

Among the prominent rabbonim participating were Rav Mordechai Shmuel Edelstein, nosi of the kollel network; Rav Itamar Garbuz, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Orchos Torah; and Rav Yisroel Menachem Alter, a son of the Gerer Rebbe and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Beis Nechemia in Bnei Brak.

The gathering included an extraordinary account from Rav Zilberstein’s childhood in Bendin, Poland, as well as a striking revelation from his son-in-law about the secret behind Rav Zilberstein’s teeth remaining intact.

‘If You Love Every Jew, It’s Impossible to Speak Lashon Hara About Him’

Rav Eliezer Roth opened the event by relating a story he had heard several years earlier.

“There is a precious Jew who is close to my father-in-law, named Rav Yitzchok Geller. He used to live here in the neighborhood, and he lectures in various places. Before every lecture, he comes to our kollel — ‘Nesivos Hamishpat’ — and prepares his speeches. A few years ago, he came to the kollel, so I asked him to tell the avreichim what he was planning to say.

“So he related the following: ‘There is a Chareidi dentist, Dr. Zohar Assur, who lived nearby for eight years and is also a great talmid of my father-in-law, the rov. He related that Rav Zilberstein once came to him for dental treatment. The doctor turned to the rov and asked him: “I have a question. I see that, bli ayin hara, all of the rov’s teeth are intact, but according to the birth date on the identification card, it doesn’t add up”… So Rav Zilberstein answered him that these teeth had never spoken lashon hara!’

“That is what Rav Geller related in his speech. I told him that it was a beautiful story, and indeed I have never heard lashon hara from my shver, but I would ask him personally whether it was true. On Leil Shabbos Kodesh, I said to my father-in-law: ‘I feel uncomfortable asking this question. Rav Geller relates in the name of Dr. Assur that the rov testified about himself that he had never spoken lashon hara, so I have two questions. First: Is it true? And second: How can it be true?’

“My father-in-law grabbed his teeth and said to me: ‘These teeth have never spoken lashon hara, but I don’t understand your question. If you love every Jew, it is impossible to speak lashon hara about him. I love every Jew, no matter who he is. If I love every Jew, then it is impossible to speak lashon hara about him.’”

Shemiras Halashon Means Looking for the Good

Rav Zilberstein then delivered the main address, sharing a remarkable story from his childhood in Poland.

“I was born in the town of Bendin in Poland, and my parents were very close to him. The mara d’asra there was the Bendiner Rov, Rav Chanoch Tzvi Hakohen Levin zt”l. There was a terrible incident in the town: A chossid came in to daven and removed his jacket, and inside it was the entire dowry he had prepared for his daughter’s marriage. He left, finished davening, and saw that all of the money had been stolen from him, and he immediately fainted.

“They revived him, and he fainted again, and then fainted yet again. So they called the Bendiner Rov, and he said the following: ‘I will place a small box here, and I want to announce publicly: If the thief returns it, I will bless him. But if he does not return it, I will curse him and say to him, “May your name and memory be erased.”’

“This was something that the Bendiner Rov had never done — to say about a Jew, ‘May his name be erased.’ And, of course, within an hour everything was returned. The Bendiner Rov then went and said the following: ‘He fulfilled the positive Torah commandment of “and he shall return the stolen item that he stole,” which is a mitzvah that not everyone merits to fulfill, and also the mitzvah of “and you shall live by them,” because the owner of the money was in grave danger. And I want to bless him that he should have everything good, that his name should be blessed, and that he should become renowned and glorious among Yisroel. And I have one request: Do not investigate who the thief was.’

“And all the people answered amen. Five thousand people shouted ‘amen,’ an amen that pierced the heavens. That is the story I wanted to tell. What is the story here? I do not believe that the Bendiner Rov, who was a holy man of G-d, ever cursed a Jew even once in his life. I do not believe it. More accurately, I do believe that he never cursed anyone except that one time. He was an oheiv Yisroel on the highest level that we can comprehend, and his seforim, ‘Yechahen Pe’er,’ are truly wonderful. Here, he did what he did in order to save the person whose money had been stolen, and there are many lessons to learn from this incident.”

Rav Zilberstein explained that he deliberately chose the story because it contains a profound lesson for the laws and spirit of shemiras halashon: A person should train himself to look at others favorably and judge them l’chaf zechus.

The Bendiner Rov’s insistence that no one investigate the identity of the thief offered another lesson. Even after the money had been returned, he refused to allow natural curiosity to lead to the culprit being exposed and publicly humiliated.

The story also demonstrates the importance of looking at someone who has done something wrong and recognizing the positive step he is taking now. The thief had returned the dowry and, in doing so, may have saved a life. Instead of pursuing and shaming him, the Bendiner Rov chose to focus on his act of correction and even bless him.

The message, Rav Zilberstein explained, is not to define a person permanently by his failure, but rather to recognize and encourage the positive step he takes to repair what he has done.

Imrei Emes: ‘The Chofetz Chaim’s Seforim Had a Positive Effect on Me’

Rav Yisroel Menachem Alter, son of the Gerer Rebbe and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Beis Nechemia in Bnei Brak, then addressed the gathering.

During his remarks, Rav Alter revealed that his great-grandfather, the Imrei Emes of Ger zt”l, had called upon Gerer chassidim to establish regular learning sessions in the seforim Chofetz Chaim and Shemiras Halashon. The Imrei Emes also testified about himself that studying the Chofetz Chaim’s works had personally changed him for the better.

Rav Mordechai Shmuel Edelstein and Rav Itamar Garbuz also delivered remarks at the gathering.

The event concluded with those assembled singing “Tehei hasha’ah hazos she’as rachamim v’eis ratzon milfanecha,” after which Rav Zilberstein offered a bracha to all those present.

“Baruch Hashem, some of the great talmidei chachamim of the generation are here now. Let us ask HaKadosh Baruch Hu to have mercy upon us and save us, that we should merit to increase Torah and glorify it. And chas v’shalom, now that we face great dangers from the Arabs, that they should not rule over us, but rather the opposite — that the Jews should rule over their enemies, amen.”

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