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Matzav.com regrets to inform you of the petirah of Rebbetzin Devorah Marcus a”h, wife of Hagaon Rav Mordechai Marcus zt”l, longtime rov of the Lakewood Minyan in Flatbush. Rebbetzin Marcus was niftar on Thursday, before Yom Tov.

For decades, Rebbetzin Marcus stood faithfully at the side of her illustrious husband, enabling him to devote his life to limud haTorah and harbotzas haTorah. Behind the extraordinary Torah accomplishments for which Rav Marcus was renowned was a devoted eishes chayil who built a home centered entirely around Torah and created the environment in which his remarkable aliyah and accomplishments could flourish.

Rav Marcus zt”l, who was niftar in 2020 at the age of 78, was regarded by those who knew him as one of the exceptional Torah minds of his time. He possessed an extraordinary command of Shas, Shulchan Aruch and poskim, combined with an analytical brilliance that made an impression on distinguished talmidei chachomim and rabbonim who learned with him and attended his shiurim. In his younger years, Rav Marcus learned at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yaakov Yosef, RJJ, where his unusual abilities were already evident. Even as a young ben Torah, his brilliance was recognized by his rabbeim, who respected the incisiveness with which he approached a sugya. He could identify a weakness in a sevara almost immediately and possessed an uncommon ability to penetrate to the heart of a difficult Torah discussion.

Over the years, Rav Marcus acquired a breathtaking breadth of yedios haTorah. His mastery extended across virtually every area of Shas and halacha, yet his knowledge was accompanied by the ability to analyze difficult questions with remarkable depth and clarity.

Despite what he knew and what he had accomplished, there was little outward indication that one was speaking with a man of such extraordinary stature. His middos, simplicity and respect for every person were as memorable to those around him as his brilliance in Torah.

Throughout that life of Torah, Rebbetzin Marcus was his steadfast partner.

She understood what her husband possessed and what his Torah could mean for others, and she devoted herself to allowing that Torah to grow unhindered. The demands of raising a large family and maintaining a home were carried with dedication and strength, while Rav Marcus was able to spend his days and years immersed in learning, teaching, writing and answering difficult shailos.

But Rebbetzin Marcus’s contribution was far greater than simply making room for her husband’s Torah. Together, Rav and Rebbetzin Marcus built a magnificent family. Torah was the center around which family life revolved, and the fruits of that partnership can be seen in the generations they raised.

Rebbetzin Marcus is survived by her children, all devoted bnei Torah and marbitzei Torah: R’ Shloimy Marcus, R’ Shaya Marcus, R’ Michoel Marcus, R’ Aharon Marcus, R’ Avrumi Marcus, R’ Moshe Marcus, R’ Aryeh Marcus, Mrs. Miriam Hendler and Mrs. Rochel Hamaoui, as well as numerous grandchildren.

The levayah was held Thursday night at the Congregation Sons of Israel Memorial Chapel on Ramsey Avenue in Lakewood.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com}

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New details have emerged about the extraordinary measures Israel reportedly took to prevent Hezbollah from discovering the booby-trapped pager operation before thousands of the devices were detonated in September 2024, including the targeted killing of a suspicious Hezbollah operative and an airstrike that destroyed equipment sent from Iran to test the pagers.
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The previously undisclosed details are featured in “Paging Hezbollah,” a documentary directed by Justin Falk that is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 30. The film examines the Israeli operation and the tense period leading up to its activation, when officials feared Hezbollah might uncover the plot.
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According to information being disclosed ahead of the documentary’s release, Israeli officials took covert action on multiple occasions after indications emerged that Hezbollah was getting dangerously close to discovering what had been done to the communications devices.
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One of the most serious concerns arose in early August 2024, when Israel’s security establishment learned that a Hezbollah operative had become suspicious of the pagers that had been distributed among members of the organization and was preparing to inspect them.
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Israeli officials responded by targeting and killing the operative before he could carry out the examination. But because his sudden elimination could itself have alerted Hezbollah that his suspicions were well-founded, the strike was reportedly designed to create the impression that another person who was nearby had actually been the intended target.
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Israeli intelligence later identified another potential threat to the operation when Iran dispatched an unusual shipment of advanced mirror machines to Lebanon. The equipment was reportedly intended to examine the pagers and determine their reliability and authenticity.
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The Israeli Air Force subsequently attacked the shipment, destroying the testing equipment before it could be used. As with the earlier targeted killing, Israel reportedly sought to conceal the actual reason for the strike, portraying it instead as an ordinary intelligence-based operation against Hezbollah.
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The documentary includes interviews with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, former Mossad chief David Barnea, former Northern Command commander Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin and other officials and figures involved in the events.
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The filmmakers also detail the methods Israel reportedly used to penetrate Hezbollah’s supposedly secure communications infrastructure, combining sophisticated engineering with extensive infiltration of the terror group’s international supply chain to place the compromised devices into Hezbollah’s hands.

{Matzav.com}

​The IDF and Shin Bet have raised their level of alert in the Gaza Strip following specific intelligence indicating that Hamas may attempt to carry out an attack aimed at kidnapping an Israeli soldier in the near future.
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In response to the intelligence warning, heightened security measures have been introduced across Israeli forces operating inside Gaza, with particular attention being given to preventing Hamas terrorists from exploiting vulnerabilities in IDF positions or troop movements.
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According to a report by Ynet, the alert status has been increased in both operational divisions currently deployed in the Gaza Strip — the territorial division and the 99th Division.
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As part of the heightened readiness, senior commanders from all units operating in the Gaza sector were instructed several days ago to remain in the area until further notice.
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Commanders have also been ordered to carry out ongoing readiness assessments, review and drill emergency procedures, and reinforce vigilance among the soldiers serving under their command.
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Israeli forces are presently positioned at approximately 40 outposts within the area of the “Yellow Line,” while another 10 IDF outposts are situated beyond the security fence.
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Security precautions have been tightened at each of those positions in light of the intelligence warning. Patrols have been increased, defensive zones surrounding the positions have undergone additional inspections, and soldiers have received more stringent orders governing their movements.
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The new directives also place particular emphasis on preventing soldiers from moving alone and prohibit troops from unnecessarily remaining in exposed locations, as the IDF and Shin Bet seek to minimize opportunities for a potential kidnapping attack.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Tens of thousands of mispallelim packed the Kosel plaza in Yerushalayim on Monday morning for the first mass Birchas Kohanim of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, with hundreds of kohanim raising their hands together to bentch the enormous crowd during Shacharis and Mussaf.
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The traditional gathering, now in its 56th year, was originally established by Rav Menachem Mendel Gefner zt”l and has for many years been organized by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation during Chol Hamoed Pesach and Sukkos.
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Among those attending were the Rishon Letzion, Rav Dovid Yosef; Chief Rabbi Rav Kalman Ber; Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rav of the Kosel and Holy Sites; Defense Minister Yisrael Katz; National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir; Minister Yitzchak Wasserlauf; Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion; Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy; Yerushalayim District Police Commander Avshalom Peled; former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman; Western Wall Heritage Foundation director Mordechai “Soli” Eliav; Religious Services Ministry director-general Yehuda Avidan; former hostage Bar Kuperstein; and Motti Wieder, father of Sgt. Maj. Elishiv Eitan Wieder Hy”d.
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Rav Rabinowitz led the tefillos as shliach tzibbur. During Birchas Kohanim, Defense Minister Katz, who is a kohen, joined the hundreds of other kohanim in duchening.
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Following davening, a kabbolas pnei rabo gathering was held with the Chief Rabbis and Rav Rabinowitz, with thousands of people passing by to receive their brachos for Yom Tov.
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Particularly emotional moments took place during the gathering when former hostage Bar Kuperstein joined the tens of thousands in a tefillas hoda’ah, expressing gratitude for the return of the hostages a year ago.
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Motti Wieder, whose son Sgt. Maj. Elishiv Eitan Wieder Hy”d fell in battle in southern Lebanon on Erev Sukkos two years ago, recited Kaddish in memory of his son.
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A second mass Birchas Kohanim gathering is scheduled to take place at the Kosel on Thursday, giving those unable to attend Monday’s event another opportunity to participate. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said the event will be broadcast beginning at 8:45 a.m.
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The foundation urged those planning to visit the Kosel throughout Sukkos to follow instructions from Israel Police and event personnel, who will regulate the flow of visitors into the plaza during the heavily attended Yom Tov period.
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The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said: “The gathering was dedicated with heartfelt prayers for the welfare of IDF soldiers, the recovery of the wounded, and the peace and unity of Israel. The Foundation prepared in advance for the arrival of tens of thousands of visitors and worshippers during Sukkos to commemorate the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and we invite the public to participate in the second gathering, which will take place this coming Thursday.”
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Meanwhile, the foundation apologized to hundreds of visitors seeking tickets for tours of the Kosel tunnels during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, saying tickets had already sold out in advance. Only a small number of spaces remain for the new “Gate of Heaven” presentation that recently opened to Kosel visitors.

WATCH:



{Matzav.com}

The Torah community of Ramat Shlomo in Yerushalayim is mourning the sudden petirah of Rav Shmuel Shmelka Klein zt”l, one of the neighborhood’s respected talmidei chachomim, who was niftar at the age of 70.
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Rav Shmuel Shmelka was born on 26 Sivan 5716/1956 to his father, Rav Yaakov Yisroel Klein zt”l of Bnei Brak.
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Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, the daughter of Rav Nochum Tzvi Kaztzkow zt”l.
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Throughout his life, Rav Shmuel Shmelka devoted himself with exceptional diligence to limud haTorah. Those who knew him describe a person whose life revolved around Torah and avodas Hashem, and who was beloved by those around him for the warmth and pleasant countenance with which he greeted others.
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Friends and acquaintances recalled an elevated personality who continued serving Hashem faithfully despite considerable yissurim that he endured over the years. He accepted his suffering with emunah and without complaint, while continuing his dedication to Torah and avodas Hashem.
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His sudden petirah during Chol Hamoed Sukkos came as a profound shock to his family, friends and the many people who knew him in the Ramat Shlomo community.
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The levayah was held today, the second day of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, at 3:30 p.m. from his home at 3 Lopian Street in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Yerushalayim. From there, the levayah proceeded to Har Hazeisim for kevurah.
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Rav Shmuel Shmelka leaves behind his grieving family, including members of the Klein, Broide, Stenger, Heiman and Zaritzky families.
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The family will sit shivah at his home following Yom Tov.
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Yehi zichro boruch.

​The decades-long legal battle surrounding the Ponevezh Yeshiva has now reached Israel’s Supreme Court, with Rav Shmuel Markowitz, the Mesores HaTorah organization and Rebbetzin Tziporah Markovitz seeking to overturn a lower-court ruling that upheld an arbitration decision requiring their faction to vacate portions of the yeshiva campus. They are also seeking an emergency stay of the eviction, currently scheduled for September 30, and of the financial obligations imposed upon them.
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At the heart of the appeal is the contention that a final arbitration ruling issued more than 25 years ago, in 2000, has effectively been rewritten retroactively. According to the petitioners, that original ruling granted Rav Markovitz substantive, independent and permanent rights within the yeshiva, even describing him as a “king in his domain” with regard to the area placed under his authority. A subsequent arbitration ruling issued in 2025, however, determined that those rights had effectively expired around 2007.
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The petitioners argue that this is the central legal flaw in the latest decision. They say the 2000 ruling contained no provision under which those rights would expire. Instead, they contend, the later arbitrator created an “implied condition” that did not appear in the original ruling and, according to the appeal, had never even been asserted by either party.
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The appeal maintains that a final and binding ruling cannot be revisited years later by inserting a condition that was never part of the original decision and then using that newly created condition to extinguish rights expressly established by the earlier ruling. The petitioners argue that what occurred was therefore not merely an interpretation of the 2000 ruling, but a substantive alteration — and perhaps effective nullification — of its outcome under the guise of interpretation.
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They also point to what they describe as an consequence of the 2025 decision: individuals who had occupied and used the premises for years based on rights they say were established by a binding arbitration ruling were retroactively deemed to have become “trespassers” as far back as 2007. According to the petitioners, no ruling at the time declared that their rights had expired, and the later decision did not establish a precise date on which the alleged expiration occurred.
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A separate component of the appeal challenges the Tel Aviv District Court’s reasoning in approving the arbitration award. The petitioners say one of the central grounds for rejecting their request to overturn the award was the conclusion that Rav Markovitz was now barred from relying upon the 2000 ruling because of positions he had taken in earlier legal proceedings.
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The petitioners counter that the specific argument of legal preclusion ultimately relied upon by the court was never presented against them in a manner that gave them a proper opportunity to address or rebut it.
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Their Supreme Court filing describes the result as a legal “trap.” They note that an earlier court ruling in 2015 held that the 2000 arbitration decision was final and could not be changed. The petitioners say they were consequently required to conduct themselves in accordance with that determination, yet their reliance upon that same final ruling is now being invoked against them as grounds for preventing them from asserting their rights. They characterize this as a miscarriage of justice and a violation of their right to present their arguments.
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According to the petitioners, the legal ramifications extend far beyond the longstanding dispute within Ponevezh. They argue that if a final arbitration ruling can later be interpreted by adding an unwritten “implied condition,” and that condition can then be used retroactively to eliminate rights expressly granted in the original ruling, the case raises fundamental questions about the finality of court judgments and arbitration awards generally.
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The appeal therefore asks the Supreme Court to address what the petitioners describe as a precedent-setting legal question: where the boundary lies between interpreting a final ruling and effectively changing or overturning it, and how much authority a subsequent arbitrator possesses to alter the practical consequences of an earlier binding decision.
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Alongside those broader legal arguments, the petitioners are warning of severe and immediate consequences if the eviction is carried out before the Supreme Court considers the case. The current ruling sets September 30, 2026, as the deadline to vacate the premises.
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According to the application, the affected Ponevezh campus currently serves approximately 1,266 talmidim and avreichim. That number includes 226 minors, while approximately 837 of the talmidim live in the yeshiva’s dormitory facilities.
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The petitioners say there is presently no alternative campus capable of accommodating an institution of that size. Their request for a stay states that a replacement complex would require approximately 18,000 to 25,000 square meters of space, including batei medrash, classrooms, dormitories, a kitchen, dining rooms and the necessary supporting infrastructure.
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Even under an optimistic timetable, they contend, preparing an alternative campus and securing all necessary permits and approvals would take at least two years. They estimate that such a move would cost no less than NIS 200 million.
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The petitioners further note that the arbitrator himself acknowledged the enormous practical difficulties involved in an eviction. According to their filing, the arbitrator recognized that relocating Rav Markovitz’s yeshiva framework would require extensive resources and that finding a solution for such a large number of talmidim would be no simple undertaking. At the same time, they say, the arbitrator determined that transferring the property to the opposing side was not necessary for that side’s current operations.
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That finding, the petitioners argue, strengthens their request to preserve the existing situation until the Supreme Court rules on the appeal. They maintain that once the yeshiva is evacuated, restoring the previous situation would be virtually impossible, whereas temporarily postponing the eviction would, in their view, cause no substantial harm to the respondents.
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In a statement accompanying the filing, the petitioners said:
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“What was placed before the Supreme Court today is not another chapter in the Ponevezh dispute. This is a fundamental question of the rule of law: Is a final judgment truly final, or can it be rewritten 25 years later, an ‘implied condition’ that was never written in it invented, and then it can be retroactively determined that rights that were defined as permanent simply disappeared.
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“The result that was reached is absurd: In 2025, an entire community was told that it had effectively been a ‘trespasser’ since 2007 – even though throughout all those years it was never told that its rights had expired, it was never determined when they expired, and the basis for their expiration did not appear at all in the final ruling under which it operated.
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“More seriously, the judgment that approved the arbitration relies, in our view, on an argument of preclusion that was not raised against the petitioners in a manner that allowed them to address it. Substantive rights cannot be denied on the basis of an argument to which the party harmed by it was not given a genuine opportunity to respond.
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“Now they are seeking to carry out the irreversible even before the Supreme Court has had its say: to evict 1,266 students and avreichim, hundreds of them minors and dormitory students, and dismantle a campus and a way of life that were built over decades – when even the arbitration ruling itself determined that the other side does not need the property for its current operations. First it must be determined whether the ruling can stand legally, and only afterward should a result be implemented that cannot be reversed. A final ruling is not a draft that can be rewritten after a quarter of a century.”

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of the Djerka Rebbe, Rav Aharon Brizel zt”l, who was niftar in New York at the age of 73 following a serious medical condition.

​The Rebbe had grown increasingly weak in recent weeks, with his condition fluctuating. Over the last several days, his health deteriorated significantly and he was hospitalized in New York in serious condition. His chassidim, family members and admirers throughout the world davened fervently for the refuah of Rav Aharon ben Chana Yuta, and a major atzeres tefillah was held at his bais medrash in Boro Park. Sadly, the Rebbe was niftar surrounded by members of his family and those close to him.
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The Rebbe was born in Yerushalayim on 27 Nissan 5713/1953 to his father, Rav Pinchas Brizel zt”l, a prominent Karlin chossid and a member of the distinguished Brizel family, which has long been associated with the old Yerushalmi community. His mother, Chana Yuta a”h, was a daughter of Rav Chaim Hy”d, who served as a dayan in Kleinwardein.
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Growing up in Yerushalayim, Rav Aharon absorbed Torah and yiras Shomayim from an early age. He became a close talmid of the Birkas Shalom of Ashlag, Rav Baruch Shalom Ashlag zt”l, the eldest son of the Baal HaSulam, Rav Yehuda Leib Ashlag zt”l. From his rebbe, Rav Aharon absorbed a distinctive approach to avodas Hashem, pnimiyus haTorah and chassidus, with particular emphasis on middos, compassion and love for other Yidden.
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Rav Aharon eventually established his home in the United States and founded the Djerka chassidus. His batei medrash in Boro Park and Yerushalayim became known not only as places of Torah and tefillah, but as addresses for extraordinary hachnosas orchim and chessed.
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The Rebbe’s path toward becoming an Admor was itself unusual. He initially established his following not as a Rebbe, but as a mekubal teaching Kabbalah according to the approach of Ashlag. A group of devoted talmidim gradually gathered around him, eventually becoming his chassidim.
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Over the years, he established his home and bais medrash on Lapidot Street in Yerushalayim’s Bais Yisroel neighborhood. His home became particularly renowned for its open doors, with dozens of bochurim regularly joining him at his table every Shabbos.
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Indeed, hachnosas orchim became one of the defining features of the Rebbe’s life. His doors and his heart were open to people from every background, particularly those who were struggling, lonely or simply needed somewhere to go. Whether in Eretz Yisroel or America, visitors knew that they could find a warm meal, a welcoming face and a place where they would be made to feel at home.
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Those who knew the Rebbe related that his hachnosas orchim was never merely something delegated to gabbaim or followers. Despite the people surrounding him and his position as a Rebbe, Rav Aharon personally involved himself in caring for those who came through his doors.
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Following a path reminiscent of Rav Shayele of Kerestir zy”a, the Rebbe would enter the kitchen himself, prepare food and personally distribute meals to hungry and needy Yidden. He performed these acts with simplicity and warmth, sharing in the pain and difficulties of those who turned to him for assistance.
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At the same time, his bais medrash became a gathering place for chassidim, talmidei chachomim and Yidden seeking greater closeness to Hashem. Rav Aharon was known for his fiery avodas hatefillah, his warm words of encouragement and his unusual ability to combine depth in pnimiyus haTorah with simplicity, accessibility and a welcoming chassidishe warmth that drew people toward him.
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The Rebbe endured a particularly painful personal tragedy during the past year with the untimely petirah of his granddaughter, Mrs. Miriam Sarah Bard a”h, daughter of Rav Moshe Shmuel Rottenberg, director of the Rav Lehoshia chessed organization. She was just 24 years old when she was niftar following a serious illness.
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Despite the profound pain of that loss, the Rebbe accepted the decree with emunah and continued leading and strengthening those around him with tremendous devotion, even as he himself endured considerable suffering.
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The Rebbe leaves behind a distinguished family of sons, daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren, including marbitzei Torah and yirah, who continue the Torah, avodah and chessed that characterized his life and his leadership in the chassidishe communities of Eretz Yisroel and the United States.
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Details regarding the levayah will be announced when they become available.
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Yehi zichro boruch.

Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, issued an unusually forceful warning Sunday about what he described as an existential battle confronting the Olam HaTorah, amid increased pressure on yeshiva bochurim to enlist in the IDF.

Rav Landau delivered the remarks during a special Chol Hamoed Sukkos shiur at the new Slabodka bais medrash in Elad. Following the shiur, the Rosh Yeshiva addressed the hundreds of bochurim and others in attendance with brief but pointed words of chizuk concerning the current situation.

“May Hashem help us, together with all the multitudes of Your nation, Klal Yisroel, that all evil decrees against us should be nullified,” Rav Landau began.

He then spoke directly about the challenges currently confronting the yeshiva world, warning that the issue should not be regarded as merely another political or governmental dispute.

“The entire Torah world now stands before a decisive and existential battle,” Rav Landau said. “This is no ordinary battle. It is a battle of the Torah itself! It is a battle for those who study Torah! And it must not be taken lightly.”

The Rosh Yeshiva concluded by calling upon bnei yeshiva to respond to the situation by strengthening their commitment to limud haTorah, remaining deeply immersed in their learning despite the pressures surrounding them.

“May we merit Divine assistance and be able to continue studying in depth with even greater dedication, be guided by the learning, and remaining fully immersed in our learning,” Rav Landau said.

{Matzav.com}

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese apologized Monday after acknowledging that she had incorrectly understood both the origin of the word “antisemitism” and the meaning of a term used for certain Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps.
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“I sincerely apologize,” Albanese wrote on X. “I misread the term ‘Muselmann’ (Muslim) used in Nazi camps for prisoners at the brink of death, wrongly inferring that the term antisemitism originally meant hatred of all Semitic peoples. In fact it was coined specifically to denote hatred of Jews.”
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The apology followed earlier remarks by Albanese in which she asserted that Jews being led to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps were sometimes referred to as “the Muslims.”
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“In fact, when they were being taken to the gas chambers, there are some accounts of life in the concentration camps saying that Jews were called ‘the Muslims.’”
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Albanese made the assertion as part of a broader argument in which she contended that the term “antisemitism” had not originally referred specifically to hatred of Jews, but rather encompassed hostility toward all people she characterized as “Semitic.”
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“When the word ‘antisemitism’ was coined, it referred to anyone who was not European and who came from the Middle East,” Albanese said, adding that the term only became associated specifically with Jews because they constituted the largest non-Christian minority in Europe at the time.
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The term “Muselmann” was in fact used in Nazi concentration camps to describe prisoners who had become severely emaciated, physically depleted and close to death. According to Yad Vashem, the term referred to prisoners who could no longer stand upright; some scholars have suggested that its origin was connected to the posture associated with Muslim prayer.
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The word “antisemitism,” meanwhile, was coined by German agitator Wilhelm Marr in 1879 as a term for hostility toward Jews, employing racial terminology that was presented at the time as having a scientific basis. Historically, the term has specifically denoted prejudice, hostility or hatred directed against Jews. In more recent years, some activists on the political left have argued for a broader understanding of the term that would encompass hatred directed at Arabs and Muslims as well.
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Albanese has previously faced repeated accusations of antisemitism over her public comments. In February, several European Union foreign ministers condemned remarks she delivered at an Al Jazeera conference, where she said: “The fact that instead of stopping Israel, most of the world has armed, given Israel political excuses, political sheltering, economic and financial support … We who do not control large amounts of financial capitals, algorithms and weapons, we now see that we as a humanity have a common enemy.”
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Albanese subsequently disputed interpretations of those remarks, insisting in an interview that she “never, ever, ever said ‘Israel is the common enemy of humanity,'” and describing the claims against her as “completely false accusations.”
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Controversy surrounding Albanese’s statements about Israel and Jews predates the current war. Social media posts that surfaced in 2022 showed her referring to the “Jewish lobby” as exercising control over the United States.
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Albanese rejected accusations at the time that her reference to the “Jewish lobby” was antisemitic, saying that her comments had been “mischaracterized”. She has continued to face criticism over subsequent statements and actions concerning Israel.
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Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, Albanese argued that the attack had to be considered in “context” and described it as a response to Israeli “aggression.”

National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir ascended the Har Habayis on Monday morning during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, where he davened and called for Israeli sovereignty over the site.
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During his visit, Ben Gvir reflected on the three years that have passed since the October 7 massacre and contrasted the devastation of that day with what he described as Israel’s subsequent accomplishments.
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“October 7 was an immense pain, a terrible pain. But today, three years later, it is the Sukkot holiday, a festival of joy, and we can be happy about many things that have happened since then.”
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Referring to Hamas and Israel’s actions in the years since the massacre, Ben Gvir said that the terror organization had sought to defeat Israel but had instead suffered major setbacks.
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“Hamas wanted to defeat us. ‘Al-Aqsa Flood,’ they called it. And today, we are the masters of the Temple Mount! We are the masters of the prisons. We have turned the lives of their terrorists into hell. We distributed weapons and established civilian emergency response squads.”
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“Three years later, the people of Israel are on the path to total victory!” he declared.
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Ben Gvir then said that his visit to the Har Habayis was an opportunity to daven for Israel’s victory and for Israeli sovereignty over the site.
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“And on this holiday, I pray here on the Temple Mount, at the most important place, for total victory, complete redemption, death to all terrorists, and sovereignty here, at the most important place for the Jewish people. They wanted to win. We defeated them, first and foremost, here on the Temple Mount.”
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It should be noted that the longstanding ruling of the leading poskim and the Chief Rabbinate is that it is assur for Jews to ascend the Har Habayis nowadays because of the severe halachic issues involved. That prohibition has been reiterated by leading poskim throughout the generations, including Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rav Ovadia Yosef, among many others. Some Religious Zionist rabbonim, however, maintain that under specific halachic conditions and after appropriate preparations, certain areas may be entered.

Noa Argamani, who was rescued by the IDF after spending 246 days as a hostage in Hamas captivity, announced Monday that she is beginning a new professional chapter with Israeli venture capital firm Vine Ventures.
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Argamani revealed her new position in a post on X, writing: “I’ll start from the end: I have joined @VineVenturesLP. I’m excited, a little emotional, and mostly grateful to continue living my life.”
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Her announcement followed the publication of an interview with Business Insider. Argamani expressed appreciation to the outlet and journalists Meliá Robinson and Jamie Heller “for listening and for telling my story with sensitivity and nuance.”
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Argamani noted that despite moving forward with her life and career, she understands that she remains known to millions around the world primarily as the young Israeli woman whose abduction and eventual rescue became among the most recognizable stories of the war.
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“For many people, I’m Noa Argamani, who was rescued by the IDF after 246 days in Hamas’ captivity,” she wrote. “That’s part of me, and it always will be. But it’s not all of me, and I’d like you to get to know me in my new role too.”
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In discussing what she hopes to accomplish at Vine Ventures, Argamani said she wants to serve as a connection between Israel’s technology sector and the investment and entrepreneurial community in Silicon Valley.
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“If you’re building something, have an idea you can’t stop thinking about or you’re in the Valley and looking to help the most ambitious founders in Israel succeed, I hope to be a bridge between the two ecosystems,” she wrote.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is sounding one of his strongest warnings yet about the potential dangers posed by artificial intelligence, cautioning that increasingly sophisticated AI technology combined with malicious actors could unleash a catastrophe resulting in an enormous loss of life.
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Speaking in an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Gates told host Kristen Welker that existing and emerging AI capabilities are powerful enough to potentially contribute to events that could claim as many as one billion lives.
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“AI is definitely powerful enough to drive events that could cause a billion deaths,” Gates said.
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Gates said his primary concern centers on what could happen when rapidly advancing AI technology becomes available to individuals or groups deliberately seeking to cause widespread destruction.
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“There has never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of malicious people using the latest AI tools,” Gates said.
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Gates was not predicting that artificial intelligence will kill one billion people. Rather, he used the figure to illustrate the possible magnitude of a worst-case catastrophe in which highly advanced AI systems are intentionally exploited for destructive purposes.
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He also argued that responsibility for preventing such scenarios cannot rest exclusively with the technology companies building and operating AI systems.
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According to Gates, governments must become directly involved in establishing rules and oversight for artificial intelligence, with lawmakers and U.S. law enforcement agencies participating in the creation and enforcement of safeguards as the technology continues to advance.
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“Nobody thinks self-regulation is enough,” he said.
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Gates acknowledged that government-mandated safeguards would create additional expenses for companies developing AI. He nevertheless argued that safety requirements should be built into the development of the technology rather than being voluntary decisions left to individual companies. Such regulations, he said, would not necessarily have to significantly impede technological progress.
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The comments are the latest indication of growing concern surrounding the potential consequences of the extraordinarily rapid development of artificial intelligence.
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Earlier this month, Gates told Reuters that governments worldwide are failing to keep pace with preparations for the changes AI is expected to bring. Among the areas he identified as potential concerns were job disruption, cyberattacks and AI products designed in ways that could become addictive to users.
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Despite those warnings, Gates has continued to stress that artificial intelligence also offers tremendous potential benefits, particularly in fields including medicine, education and agriculture.
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Concerns about the malicious use of sophisticated AI systems are already extending beyond hypothetical scenarios. Earlier this month, AI company Anthropic said it had thwarted attempts to exploit its Claude models for potentially dangerous activities, including biological weapons research and cyber operations.
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Anthropic said one of the cases involved a user attempting to obtain assistance in designing experiments related to avian influenza. Other incidents uncovered by the company involved efforts connected to cyber espionage.
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Potential AI threats have also emerged as a subject of discussion between major world powers. The United States and China have agreed to create a formal channel for discussions about AI-related dangers and emergency communications. Among the issues raised have been the possibility of AI agents acting outside human control and the danger posed by non-state actors using the technology to conduct cyberattacks.

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Israel’s Attorney General’s Office reversed course Monday and canceled its decision to postpone the deadline for bids on a major E1 construction tender, allowing the process for 1,234 housing units to proceed on its original timetable rather than being pushed beyond the Knesset elections.
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The reversal came after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara had decided that the deadline for submitting bids should be delayed by one month because of its proximity to the election.
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Under the earlier directive, the tender would not have advanced to its next stage until after Israelis went to the polls, based on concerns that moving the project forward during the campaign period could have political ramifications.
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The tender encompasses seven residential complexes containing a total of 1,234 housing units. They are part of a larger plan involving 3,401 homes approved for advancement in E1, the strategically significant corridor between Ma’ale Adumim and Yerushalayim that supporters of the project say would establish built-up continuity between the two.
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Ma’ale Adumim Mayor Guy Yifrach welcomed the Attorney General’s Office’s reversal after opposing the proposed delay.
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“I am pleased that we succeeded in this struggle and that the E1 tender will proceed as planned,” Yifrach said. “After more than 30 years of waiting, the time has come to build. I call on developers and contractors to submit bids, join us in a Zionist endeavor, and become partners in building and expanding Ma’ale Adumim and connecting it to Jerusalem, our capital. E1 is moving forward.”
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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, however, said the reversal did not resolve his concerns, accusing the attorney general of employing a maneuver designed to ensure that the tender is not finalized before the current government’s term ends.
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“The Attorney General’s maneuver, joining Eisenkot in his opposition to strategic construction in the E1 area that will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian terror state, is transparent. She has only one objective – to create a situation in which the tender is not completed during our term, the left comes to power, and cancels the construction.
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“As far as the Attorney General is concerned, as long as the tender box has not been opened, the bids examined and the winner announced, the tender can still be stopped. I am not prepared to accept that. The tender must open and close, with the winner announced and construction beginning, on the date originally set for it,” Smotrich said.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, issued unusually forceful remarks against Israel’s political left on Sunday, declaring that efforts must be made to prevent the left-wing camp from gaining strength.

The comments were delivered during a Simchas Yom Tov gathering in Modiin Illit for coordinators of Ichud Bnei Hayeshivos, headed by Yehuda Weissfish, who is slated to serve as a Degel HaTorah member of the Knesset.

Addressing the political and spiritual situation in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Hirsch directly linked the difficulties facing the country to the political left.

“The lack of Heavenly assistance that exists comes because of the left-wing side. We must, as much as possible, prevent the strengthening of the left,” Rav Hirsch said.

United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher was seated beside the Rosh Yeshiva, along with senior Degel HaTorah MK Yitzchok Pindrus.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., pushed back yesterday against continued speculation that he could leave the Democratic Party or caucus with Republicans, but declined to commit to how he would vote if Democrats regain control of the Senate in November and he emerges as the decisive 51st vote. The Texas Tribune
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Appearing at the closing keynote of the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Fetterman told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett that Democrats could regain the Senate majority, while sidestepping questions about how he would wield his potential leverage in such a closely divided chamber.
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“Let’s revisit after the midterms, and let’s see what happens,” he said.
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The comments came amid weeks of renewed questions about whether Fetterman, a first-term senator who has repeatedly split with fellow Democrats on high-profile issues, might eventually begin caucusing with Republicans.
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Fetterman was once again the only Democrat to oppose a Senate war powers resolution Thursday concerning the U.S. war in Iran. He has also repeatedly departed from his party on matters involving arms sales to Israel.
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Tensions between Fetterman and fellow Democrats intensified earlier this month after he appeared in a prerecorded video at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas. In the video, Fetterman introduced fellow Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick, a Republican, as a “great friend” and said he would work with President Donald Trump on issues affecting Pennsylvania’s steel industry.
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Several days later, when reporters on Capitol Hill questioned Fetterman about the possibility of switching parties, the senator emphatically rejected the suggestion. “I’m not going to be a Republican,” the senator said, urging them to wait until the midterms.
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Fetterman reiterated that position during Saturday’s appearance, saying: “I’ve said I have no path as a Republican.”
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Later in the evening, however, Fetterman made an inadvertent remark that immediately drew attention when an audience member asked why he had not simply registered as an independent.
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“Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” the senator replied, before Garrett quickly corrected him.
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Fetterman laughed after realizing what he had said and acknowledged that the verbal slip was likely to spread widely, before clarifying that he was “a lifelong Democrat though.”

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Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly had to be rescued from beneath the wreckage of a Tehran hospital after U.S. and Israeli forces bombed the facility, marking the second time he narrowly survived an attack during the war, according to a senior Iranian cleric.
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Khamenei had initially been seriously wounded in the Feb. 28 strikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and was taken to a hospital in Tehran for treatment. The 86-year-old Iranian leader and dozens of senior regime officials were killed when the U.S. and Israel struck Khamenei’s compound at the outset of the war.
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In the days following that initial attack, three hospitals in Tehran were reportedly struck. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was inside one of them and was eventually extracted from the debris. He was subsequently moved to an undisclosed location and has neither appeared publicly nor been heard from since.
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“Even after he had been wounded and taken to the hospital, three hospitals in Tehran were bombed,” Mohsen Heydari, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, told Qatari television network Al Araby Thursday.
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“Mojtaba Khamenei was in the third hospital and was pulled from the rubble.”
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Heydari also revealed new details about the extraordinary circumstances surrounding Khamenei’s selection as Iran’s new supreme leader. According to his account, Khamenei apparently did not even know that he had been selected for the position on March 8 until Iranian state television publicly announced the decision. Once chosen, however, Khamenei was “legally and religiously” obligated to accept the position, Heydari said.
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The Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for selecting Iran’s supreme leader, was itself reportedly targeted during the U.S.-Israeli campaign. The assembly’s secretariat in Qom was bombed, killing eight people and destroying documents containing reports and recommendations concerning candidates to succeed Ali Khamenei.
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With their normal procedures disrupted, members of the assembly reportedly wrote their individual choices on pieces of paper before being summoned to a secret location approximately one week after the opening strikes. According to the account, the members were not told beforehand where they were going or precisely what type of meeting they would be attending.
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Heydari said he became the first participant at the meeting to formally put forward Mojtaba Khamenei’s name, despite President Trump having warned Iran against installing the late supreme leader’s son. Mojtaba had been regarded as an even more uncompromising hardliner than his father.
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“Given the enemy’s position, we will choose and elect no one as leader and supreme guide of the Islamic Republic except Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei,” Heidari recalled saying.
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“We obtained information that Mojtaba Khamenei was healthy and able to lead, and we determined that he met the requirements of religious qualification, justice and competence to manage the country,” he told the outlet.
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Khamenei ultimately received 50 of the 59 votes cast by members of the assembly. Eight members supported Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, while one abstained.
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During his interview with the Qatari network, Heydari described Khamenei as a “man of the shadows.” Before succeeding his father, Khamenei had never formally held a political position within the Iranian government, although he was reportedly a longtime adviser to the elder Khamenei.
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Questions have continued for months about the new supreme leader’s medical condition — and even whether he survived his injuries. U.S. intelligence assessments have reportedly indicated that Khamenei was severely disfigured in the attacks.
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President Trump addressed the speculation last month, saying “I don’t think he’s dead” when questioned about Khamenei’s condition.
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“He was very seriously wounded. The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole thing. He was very seriously wounded, but I don’t think he’s dead,” he added.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, insisted this week that the reclusive supreme leader is “completely” healthy. Pezeshkian made the claim during a Fox News interview while visiting New York City for the United Nations General Assembly.
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“We met for about seven hours,” the Iranian president told “Special Report” host Bret Baier of a meeting between the two Iranian leaders last month. “We conducted talks.”

OCTOBER 7 KIDNAPPER ELIMINATED: IDF Kills Terrorist Who Drove Motorcycle in Noa Argamani, Avinatan Or Abduction
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The IDF and Shin Bet announced Sunday that Israeli forces eliminated Saher Nidal Latfi Sakr, the terrorist who drove the motorcycle used in the infamous abduction of Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or during the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023.
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Sakr was killed Saturday in an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat area of central Gaza. The Israel Police’s Gideonim Unit 33 participated alongside the IDF and Shin Bet in the operation.
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According to the Israeli security agencies, Sakr was connected to “global jihadist organizations” operating in Gaza and supplied weapons to Hamas during the war.
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Israeli authorities said Sakr had also recently been working together with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists to plan and advance attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.
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His elimination follows the killing on July 28 of a commander in the Kataeb al-Mujahideen terror organization who also participated in the kidnapping of Argamani and Or on October 7.
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Kataeb al-Mujahideen, also known as the Mujahideen Brigades, operates in close cooperation with Saraya al-Quds, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
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Argamani and Or, who were a couple at the time of the Hamas attack, were abducted from the Supernova music festival and taken into Gaza. Video of Argamani being carried away on the motorcycle became one of the most widely recognized images from the October 7 atrocities.
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Argamani was rescued by Israeli forces together with three other hostages on June 8, 2024, after spending 245 days in Hamas captivity.
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Or remained a hostage for far longer, spending 738 days in Hamas captivity before being released on October 13, 2025, under an agreement that also involved the release of Palestinian security prisoners.
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In a separate announcement Sunday, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed that another Hamas commander who was involved in holding Israeli hostages had been eliminated in a targeted strike.
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The Israeli Air Force killed Muhammad Hamad Muhammad Gabain, a commander in Hamas’s “military wing,” during an airstrike in northern Gaza on September 22, according to the joint statement.
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Israeli authorities said Gabain was involved in holding nine hostages during the war: Liri Albag, Matan Angrest, Agam Berger, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, Alon Ohel and Keith Siegel.
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The IDF and Shin Bet said that more recently, Gabain had been involved in planning attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians while participating in efforts to restore Hamas’s operational capabilities “in systematic violation of the ceasefire.”
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The series of targeted eliminations continued Friday, when the IDF killed Ibrahim Fawzi Ismail Mohsen, a platoon commander in Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force, in the Nuseirat area. Another terrorist was killed in a separate strike in the Khan Yunis area.
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The second terrorist was identified by the military as Mohammed Kamel Suleiman Mohsen.
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According to the IDF, both terrorists were targeted because of their involvement in attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers and their efforts to rebuild Hamas’s capabilities in systematic violation of the ceasefire.
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Earlier Friday, the IDF announced the elimination of two additional Hamas terrorists who had been operating against Israeli forces. One of them had infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre in the northwestern Negev and later participated in holding Israeli hostages in Gaza.
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That terrorist was identified as Hassan Mahmoud Siam, a commander in Hamas’s “military” wing. He was killed Wednesday in a targeted strike in the Gaza City area.
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The IDF said Siam had been involved during the war in holding Dafna Elyakim, Keith and Aviva Siegel, and Amit Soussana hostage.
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A day later, on Thursday, Israeli forces killed Adham Sabhi Salim Ziara in the same general area. Ziara was another operative in Hamas’s “military” wing, according to the IDF.
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The military said Siam and Ziara had participated in shooting attacks against Israeli soldiers and planted explosive devices in the Yellow Line area, violating the terms of the ceasefire.
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“The terrorists were eliminated from the air in order to remove the threat they posed,” the IDF continued, adding that “Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance.”
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The IDF announced separately Friday that two more terrorists had been eliminated in two different strikes in Gaza the previous day.
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One of them, Hamas commander Jabr Moqbel, was struck in the Deir al-Balah area of central Gaza. Moqbel headed the Moqbel money exchange network, which the IDF said transferred millions of shekels in foreign currency to Hamas.
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According to the military, those funds were used to pay Hamas operatives, rebuild military infrastructure and finance additional operations against Israeli forces.
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The other terrorist was identified as Hasan al-Batta, a sniper serving in Hamas’s “military” wing. He was eliminated in the Khan Yunis area.
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At the same time, IDF troops are continuing operations to locate and dismantle terror infrastructure throughout the approximately 54% of the Gaza Strip currently under Israeli control.
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As part of those ongoing operations, Israeli soldiers recently dismantled an underground terror tunnel stretching approximately two kilometers inside the Yellow Line area, the IDF said Friday.

COURTROOM DELAY: Comey’s ‘86 47’ Trump Threat Case Pushed Into 2027 as Defense Seeks Dismissal
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The federal criminal case against James Comey over his controversial “86 47” social media post targeting President Donald Trump will stretch into 2027, after a federal judge agreed to postpone the former FBI director’s arraignment while considering defense efforts to have the charges thrown out.
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Comey had been scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 30, but U.S. District Judge Louise Flanagan on Friday granted his request to move the proceeding to January. The judge also declined to set a new trial date while motions challenging the prosecution remain pending.
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Federal prosecutors did not object to Comey’s request for additional time, according to the court order, although the government has indicated that it was prepared to move ahead under the previous timetable.
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“The gravity of the charges, pending motions, and the need to provide defense counsel additional time to prepare for trial promote need for continuance,” Flanagan wrote, according to the Carolina Journal.
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Comey’s legal team asked for the postponement earlier this month, telling the court that attorneys had devoted considerable time to preparing extensive motions seeking dismissal of the indictment. Should those motions fail, the defense argued, additional time would be necessary to prepare adequately for trial.
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The defense initially proposed moving the arraignment to January and scheduling the trial for February, according to WITN-TV in North Carolina. Comey’s attorneys said the case requires significant pretrial litigation, a substantial review of discovery material and potentially additional evidentiary hearings.
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The prosecution stems from a May 2025 Instagram post in which Comey displayed a photograph of seashells positioned in the sand to spell out “86 47.” He accompanied the image with the caption, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”
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Federal prosecutors contend that the post amounted to a threat against President Trump, who is the 47th president of the United States. The government argues that the number “86” can be interpreted as a reference to eliminating or getting rid of someone.
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A federal grand jury in April returned a two-count indictment against Comey, charging him with threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
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When announcing the charges, the Justice Department said the image could reasonably be viewed as “a serious expression of an intent to do harm” to Trump. If convicted on both counts, Comey faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
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The Justice Department also stressed when announcing the indictment that the charges are allegations and that Comey remains presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
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Comey’s attorneys have responded with a sweeping attack on the prosecution, maintaining that his Instagram post constituted political speech protected under the First Amendment rather than a legally actionable “true threat.”
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In a motion filed in July, Comey’s lawyers argued that “86” is commonly understood to mean removing, ejecting or getting rid of someone. They also maintained that the expression “86 47” had been widely used as a political slogan by opponents of Trump.
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The defense further contends that even if the post could be viewed as harsh or aggressive political rhetoric, a reasonable person would regard it as political hyperbole rather than an actual declaration that Comey intended to harm the president.
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Comey’s attorneys have separately accused the Justice Department of pursuing a selective and vindictive prosecution, arguing that he was singled out because of his years of public clashes with Trump.
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Federal prosecutors have rejected that allegation.
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Justice Department lawyers argued in August that there was “no serious dispute” that Comey’s post was capable of being understood as a threat against Trump and defended the decision to bring criminal charges.
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Prosecutors have additionally maintained that Comey’s behavior and statements surrounding the social media post can properly be considered when determining whether his message crossed the line into a criminal threat.
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Those sharply different interpretations now leave Flanagan with a series of consequential legal questions to decide before the prosecution can proceed toward trial.
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Comey’s attorneys have filed multiple motions attacking the indictment while also seeking further information about the government’s investigation and the grand jury proceedings that resulted in the charges.
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The defense has additionally raised concerns regarding surveillance carried out following the Instagram post and evidence gathered by investigators, potentially setting the stage for further hearings before a jury trial can begin.
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The delay comes as Comey continues to battle another federal prosecution brought during Trump’s second administration.
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That separate case accused Comey of lying to Congress concerning his handling of information connected to the Russia investigation. A judge dismissed the prosecution after finding that the prosecutor who secured the indictment had not been lawfully appointed.
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The Justice Department appealed that decision, leaving the other case as another unresolved piece of Comey’s continuing legal battles.
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Comey has been one of Trump’s most prominent political adversaries since the president’s first term. Trump fired Comey as FBI director in 2017 while the bureau was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, an investigation that Trump and many of his supporters have long denounced as a hoax.

A 33-year-old man from Kitchener, Ontario, has been arrested and charged with a hate-motivated offense after authorities investigated an online livestream that allegedly included antisemitic comments and threats directed at members of the Jewish community.

Waterloo Regional Police said they became aware of the video on Saturday after it was posted online. Following an investigation, officers obtained a warrant, searched a residence in Kitchener and took the suspect into custody.

“As a result of the investigation, officers completed a warrant at a residence in Kitchener and arrested the suspect,” police said in a media release. The man was charged with uttering threats to cause death – hate motivated.

The arrest comes against the backdrop of mounting concern over antisemitic incidents in Canada and just days after a shooting outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario. Members of the Jewish community had assembled there for Kol Nidrei on the eve of Yom Kippur when the attack occurred.

Belleville Police described that shooting as a “premeditated and targeted” attack against the Jewish community.

Authorities subsequently released video from the incident showing 29-year-old Sean Ward, who previously served in the Canadian Forces, opening fire outside the synagogue. During the confrontation, Ward could be heard asking Const. Jeff Smith, the officer who intervened in what police said might otherwise have become an even greater tragedy, “You are going to die for the Jews?”

Belleville Police Chief Murray Rodd said Ward possessed the weapons and capability to carry out a mass-casualty attack and potentially destroy the synagogue. “The suspect had the means, the motive, and the mechanisms to cause a mass casualty and the destruction of the Jewish synagogue. The loss of life and irreversible damage that could have rippled through our community for generations cannot be overstated,” he said.

Ward, who departed the Canadian military in 2022, was carrying a shotgun when he encountered Smith, who had arrived in a police vehicle and was stationed outside the synagogue. Smith was struck by gunfire while inside his cruiser, suffering multiple wounds to his head and body as well as fractures and injuries from shrapnel. He is expected to require several operations as part of an extended recovery.

Ward was critically wounded during the confrontation and was transported to a hospital, where he later died.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he expects the United States to win its war against Iran in the near future, saying Washington has already prevailed militarily while stressing that preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains at the heart of the conflict.

During an interview with Fox News, Trump said the United States has been making significant headway against Iran on both the military and economic fronts.

“I think what’s going to happen is we’re going to win this war very soon,” he said, adding that stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon was “key to the whole thing.”

“We’ve already won it really from a military standpoint,” the President added, though he indicated that the campaign itself was not necessarily finished.

Trump also left open the possibility that the United States could launch additional strikes against Iran before the midterm elections. Asked specifically about that prospect, he responded: “I don’t want to say that. I don’t want to say that. I mean, it’s possible, but I just don’t want to say that.”

The President’s comments came as diplomatic efforts continued behind the scenes to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table despite major differences between the two sides.

Earlier Sunday, Trump told Axios that he anticipates another round of discussions with Iran this week, even after rejecting Tehran’s latest proposal for bringing the conflict to an end.

“I expect more talks with Iran [this week]. They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make. It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago. They overplayed their hand,” Trump said.

Asked whether he was considering further U.S. military action against Iran, Trump replied: “I am always thinking about it.”

Qatar and other regional mediators are working to arrange another round of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran, potentially as soon as Monday. The two sides, however, remain far apart on several key issues.

Iran is seeking an agreement that addresses maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as well as the U.S. naval blockade. Washington, meanwhile, is demanding Iranian concessions concerning Tehran’s nuclear program.

The latest effort to restart negotiations follows discussions held last Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner communicated with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi through Qatari intermediaries.

During those talks, Iran presented a proposal under which it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear negotiations within one week. In exchange, Tehran sought an end to the American naval blockade, the lifting of restrictions on Iranian oil exports and the restoration of a regional ceasefire.

Trump rejected the Iranian proposal on Saturday, but efforts to arrange further negotiations have continued as mediators seek to bridge the substantial differences separating Washington and Tehran.