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“Even the most elegant celebration must bow to the sanctity of Shabbos — for beauty without Halachah is an illusion, but observance brings true splendor.”

It was a lavish affair — a Shabbos Bar Mitzvah held in an elegant Connecticut hotel, where fine linens gleamed under crystal chandeliers and every detail had been orchestrated by a professional party planner. The atmosphere was refined, the décor impeccable — but for the host, a yirei Shamayim, there was one priority above all: that every moment of Shabbos be conducted with kedushah and halachic precision.

To ensure this, an experienced mashgiach was hired to supervise the entire weekend. From the moment he arrived, he worked with quiet precision, overseeing every preparation — from the kitchen’s eiruv tavshilin to the careful handling of the hot plates and the sealing of the refrigerators before Shabbos.

The planner, however, had never worked under such rigorous religious supervision. To her, timing was everything, presentation was everything — and the Mashgiach’s insistence on halachic boundaries felt like interference.

By the time the Friday night seudah began, tension filled the air behind the scenes. The planner approached the host, visibly flustered. “I can’t work like this,” she whispered urgently. “He’s stopping everything — even simple things that I need done to serve your guests properly!”

The host looked at her calmly, understanding both her frustration and the Mashgiach’s role. “Please,” he said softly but firmly, “whatever the Mashgiach says — that’s how it must be. It’s not personal; it’s Shabbos. This is not like any weekday event. He carries the responsibility before Heaven for every detail.”

The planner hesitated, her professional pride warring with unfamiliar reverence. “But I’ve never been told I couldn’t adjust the lighting or reheat something before,” she said.The host’s voice was kind, but resolute. “On Shabbos, we adjust ourselves — not the lights.”

There was silence. Slowly, the tension dissipated. The planner nodded, humbled, and the event continued smoothly. The food was served with grace, the songs of zemiros filled the hall, and the atmosphere became one of quiet holiness rather than glittering showmanship.

In the following week, reflecting on the experience, the host and the Mashgiach consulted Rav Dovid Feinstein zt”l, seeking his wisdom about whether hashgachos should be provided for events managed by secular or non-religious planners. Rav Dovid listened carefully, then gave his clear and measured response.

“It is best not to give Hashgocha at all,” he said. “A party planner’s goal is to please guests — but Shabbos is not about convenience. When the one running the event does not understand hilchos Shabbos, chillul Shabbos is almost inevitable — even without intent.” His words carried weight — calm, simple, and absolute. The lesson was clear: Shabbos cannot be managed by those who do not live it.

From that point onward, the Mashgiach and others who heard of the incident followed Rav Dovid’s advice with conviction. If the planner did not live by Shabbos, there would be no Hashgachah. Better to lose a contract than to compromise the sanctity of Heaven’s gift.

Yehuda Shain

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Jewish billionaire Robert Kraft’s Blue Square Alliance has unveiled an ad targeting Jew-hatred that will be aired during the Superbowl this upcoming weekend.

U.S. Central Command said it carried out five strikes against multiple ISIS targets across Syria between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2. •⁠ ⁠CENTCOM said U.S. forces destroyed an ISIS communications site, logistics node, and weapons storage facilities, using 50 precision munitions delivered by manned and unmanned aircraft. •⁠ ⁠The strikes are part of Operation Hawkeye […]

Federal authorities say a man living in the United States illegally, who was already under a standing deportation order, was hired by the New Orleans Police Department and issued a firearm while training to become an officer.

The individual, Larry Temah, 46, a migrant from Cameroon, was arrested by ICE at his residence on January 26, just days before he was scheduled to complete police academy training.

“This illegal alien from Cameroon, Larry Temah, is not only breaking the law with every step he takes in this country illegally, but the New Orleans Police Department hired him and issued him in a firearm — what kind of law enforcement department gives criminal illegal aliens guns and badges?” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

“It’s a felony for illegal aliens to even possess a firearm.”

According to ICE, Temah initially entered the United States lawfully in 2015 on a visitor visa. The following year, he received conditional permanent residency after marrying a U.S. citizen.

Federal officials say that arrangement later came under scrutiny. In 2022, Temah’s green card application was denied after authorities raised concerns that the marriage was not legitimate.

ICE said Temah was ordered to appear in immigration court but failed to attend hearings on three separate occasions.

An immigration judge later issued a formal deportation order against him.

The Trump administration has accused the New Orleans Police Department of recruiting Temah and providing him with a firearm despite his immigration status and the active removal order.

Police department officials strongly rejected those allegations, saying the claims mischaracterize the facts.

“The New Orleans Police Department verified Mr. Temah’s employment eligibility through ICE’s E-Verify system prior to hiring and was never notified of any ICE detainer,” a department spokesperson said.

“New Orleans is not a sanctuary city, and NOPD does not control jail operations or detainer decisions, which fall under the Sheriff’s Office.”

“Any claim that NOPD knowingly violated the law is false,” the spokesperson added.

{Matzav.com}

Fulton County has filed a motion in federal court seeking the return of all documents from the 2020 election that were seized last week from a warehouse near Atlanta by the FBI, officials in the Georgia county said Wednesday. The motion also asks for the unsealing of a law enforcement agent’s sworn statement that was […]

IDF forces apprehended two terrorists involved in terrorist activity throughout the war in the Al- Amari area. The suspects were transferred to security forces for further questioning.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will immediately reduce its on-the-ground presence by 700 agents and place Customs and Border Protection officers under a single command structure led by ICE, border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday, describing the move as a shift toward a more efficient and safer enforcement model.

“I have announced, effective immediately, we will draw down 700 people — effective today — 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan said during a press conference broadcast live on Newsmax and Newsmax2.

He said the reorganization also folds CBP personnel directly into ICE’s operational framework. “We have also fully integrated CBP personnel into the ICE team structure under one unified chain of command, not two chains of command. There’ll be one chain of command here.”

According to Homan, the reduction is possible because local and county jails in Minnesota have dramatically increased their cooperation with federal immigration authorities, routinely alerting ICE before inmates are released.

With advance notice, federal agents can assume custody inside secure jail facilities instead of making arrests in neighborhoods, a change Homan said cuts down on manpower needs and risk.

“That requires one or two officers instead of eight or 10 going into neighborhoods,” he said, calling the method safer and more efficient for civilians, officers, and detainees alike.

After the drawdown, Homan said roughly 2,000 agents will remain assigned, compared with a much smaller footprint before the current operation began. He estimated that initial staffing levels were around 150 people.

He also clarified that agents temporarily assigned to conduct fraud investigations are not part of the reduction. “We’ve got to remember that we’ve got special agents on detail here doing the fraud investigation,” he said. “They’re not going anywhere. They’re going to finish their job.”

Personnel responsible for officer protection and security will also remain in place, Homan said, stressing that safety considerations will determine whether any additional reductions occur. He cited ongoing threats and confrontations targeting federal agents.

“We will not draw down on personnel providing security for our officers,” Homan said, adding that authorities would continue to respond forcefully to hostile incidents.

Homan attributed the operational shift to growing cooperation from state and local officials, including sheriffs and jail administrators, saying that coordination has expanded rapidly in recent weeks.

“We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets,” he said.

He underscored that local agencies are not being asked to detain inmates beyond their scheduled release times or to carry out immigration enforcement themselves.

“We are not requiring jails to hold people past their normal release time,” he said, adding, “We’re not asking anyone to be an immigration officer.”

Under the new system, ICE agents take custody immediately upon an inmate’s release, a process Homan said lowers public safety risks while allowing federal officers to concentrate on higher-priority cases.

Homan said the changes fit within the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement approach, which he said focuses on public safety and national security while continuing to enforce immigration law nationwide.

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Embassy Official Seeks Asylum in Switzerland   •⁠ ⁠Iranian authorities are reportedly concerned after Gholamreza Derikhvand, an official responsible for relations at Iran’s embassy in Vienna, sought political asylum in Switzerland.   •⁠ ⁠Derikhvand is described as a senior diplomatic figure who handled sensitive contacts and internal coordination for the Iranian mission.   •⁠ […]

Israeli police have begun testing a new crowd-control method that mixes pepper spray into water cannons, replacing the controversial “skunk” liquid that has drawn years of public criticism and legal challenges. The move is being examined as a possible permanent policy change, according to a report by Ynet.

In recent weeks, police have conducted trials of the new measure at several hafganah events. Police sources say the pepper-spray-infused water has proven more effective at dispersing gatherings and that there is growing momentum within the force to adopt it as a standard alternative. The tests are part of a broader reassessment of crowd-control tactics.

Internal discussions were prompted by sustained criticism of the skunk liquid—a foul-smelling substance sprayed from water cannons that leaves an intense odor lingering for days. The skunk agent was first introduced in 2008 by the Border Police to address violent disturbances, but opposition to its use has mounted over time.

In recent months, dozens of chareidi residents of Yerushalayim, together with Deputy Mayor Tzachi Berr, petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice against the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and the Israel Police, demanding an end to the use of the skunk liquid. The petition argued that the substance poses health and environmental risks, has never undergone a formal safety review, and lacks approval from the Health Ministry.

Petitioners further claimed that the liquid has been deployed during hafganah activity in densely populated areas and narrow streets, causing respiratory and skin irritation, endangering children, the elderly, and pregnant women, and resulting in property damage and persistent odors that can linger for days.

At the time, police responded that their contract with the skunk liquid’s manufacturer was nearing its end and that alternative methods for dispersing hafganah events were under review. The current trials involving pepper spray mixed into water cannons now appear to be the first concrete step in that transition.

{Matzav.com}

A man has been arrested by the FBI for doxxing and threatening a federal agent and his child using information stolen from a government vehicle in Minneapolis during recent anti-ICE protests.

French Court Rejects Lawsuit Over Baghdad Embassy Property •⁠ ⁠A Paris administrative court ruled it is not competent to hear a lawsuit by descendants of Iraqi Jewish owners of a building used by France’s embassy in Baghdad. •⁠ ⁠The families are seeking over €21 million in unpaid rent and moral damages, saying France stopped paying […]

The Trump administration wants to create a critical minerals trading bloc with its allies that will use tariffs to maintain price floors and defend against China’s tactic of flooding the market to undermine any potential competitors. Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the trade war over the past year exposed how dependent most countries […]

In his will, the Chofetz Chaim, with his characteristic humility, composes an emotional summary of his life — an autobiography — and gives thanks to Hashem for the merit of his activities on behalf of the public.

The IDF released drone footage it says shows armed Hamas terrorists using ambulances to transport weapons in Jabalia, northern Gaza. The IDF said routine drone activity near the Gaza ceasefire line revealed systematic use of ambulances to move terrorists and weapons from a hospital to a school.

Israel’s cost-of-living squeeze continues to hit households hard, and a new price comparison shows just how steep the gaps can be between supermarket chains—even for identical items. A recent survey aired on the consumer-affairs program Ossim Seder examined a focused basket of dairy products and uncovered a price difference of more than 25 percent between retailers.

The comparison, presented by journalist Tzvi Tessler, analyzed a standardized basket of basic dairy staples commonly found in Israeli refrigerators. The findings paint a stark picture of competition in the retail market and reveal just how much shoppers can save—or overspend—depending on where they buy.

Among large-format supermarkets typically located in industrial zones and requiring a dedicated trip, the race at the top was exceptionally tight. Osher Ad narrowly edged out rival Rami Levy by just a few shekels, with both chains significantly undercutting the rest of the field. By contrast, other retailers often marketed as “discount” options posted considerably higher prices, with a gap of nearly NIS 100 between the cheapest and most expensive stores in this category.

Dairy Basket Prices at Large Chains:

• Osher Ad – NIS 370.50

• Rami Levy – NIS 372.90

• Netto Savings – NIS 416.60

• Yesh Chesed – NIS 418.40

• Shefa Birkas Hashem – NIS 420.80

• Shuk Ha’ir – NIS 461.90

The picture changes—but not necessarily for the better—when shoppers opt for convenience and buy close to home. The data show that neighborhood shopping often comes at a premium, though there are notable exceptions. Some local groceries manage to stay competitive with the big chains, while others charge significantly more for the same products. At the bottom of the list this week was Maayan 2000, which recorded the highest price for the basket.

Dairy Basket Prices at Neighborhood and Small Stores:

• KT Market (Mishnas Yosef) – NIS 416.20

• Machsaney Hashuk Mehadrin – NIS 430.50

• Netto Savings (Neighborhood) – NIS 439.30

• Yesh Bashchuna – NIS 444.50

• Shira Market – NIS 446.70

• Good Market – NIS 451.50

• Carrefour Market (Mehadrin certifications) – NIS 453.00

• Shefa Birkas Hashem – Near Home – NIS 454.30

• Zol U’Begadol – NIS 456.40

• Maayan 2000 – NIS 464.80

What the Gaps Mean

The data reveal a striking difference of NIS 94.30—about 25.5 percent—between the cheapest basket at Osher Ad (NIS 370.50) and the most expensive at Maayan 2000 (NIS 464.80). In practical terms, a shopper who doesn’t compare prices could pay nearly NIS 100 extra for the exact same dairy items simply by choosing the wrong store. Over the course of a year, that gap can add up to thousands of shekels for an average family.

Another takeaway is that “neighborhood” does not automatically mean overpriced. The fact that KT Market’s basket (NIS 416.20) came in cheaper than some large discount chains demonstrates that reasonable prices are possible without a long drive, provided consumers stay vigilant, compare options, and shop strategically.

{Matzav.com}

Talks between Iran and the United States will be held Friday in Oman, Iranian media reported as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month. The semiofficial ISNA and Tasnim news agencies and the Student News Network reported on Wednesday that the talks would take place in Oman, […]

Israel’s Supreme Court Orders Netanyahu to Explain Why Ben Gvir Has Not Been Fired •⁠ ⁠Israel’s Supreme Court ordered Netanyahu to explain why he has not removed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from office. •⁠ ⁠The ruling follows a filing by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who said Ben Gvir has systematically abused his powers. […]

VP Vance invites allies to form a critical minerals trading bloc: “For those of you who join, we offer you a necessary foundation for private financing, and secure access to the critical mineral supplies your nation would require in an emergency or some other contingency.”