A new poll published Thursday evening by Israel’s Channel 14 points to a dramatic shift in the country’s political landscape, with the right-wing bloc reaching an all-time high while center-left parties continue to lose ground.
The survey, conducted by the Filber Institute and aired on Channel 14’s main news broadcast, indicates a clear strengthening of the right and increasing fragmentation among center-left factions.
The poll was based on a representative sample of 644 respondents. According to the findings, Bibi Netanyahu’s Likud party remains by far the largest faction in the Knesset, securing 34 seats. The Joint List emerges as the second-largest party with 13 mandates.
Shas and the party led by Naftali Bennett each receive 11 seats. United Torah Judaism and the Democrats party stand at 9 seats apiece. Yisrael Beytenu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, receives 8 mandates, followed by Otzma Yehudit with 7 seats. The party headed by Gadi Eisenkot wins 6 seats.
Blue and White, Religious Zionism, and Yesh Atid each fall to 4 seats, hovering near the electoral threshold.
Clear Right-Wing MajorityAccording to the poll, the right-wing bloc currently commands a solid and stable majority of 65 Knesset seats, enough to form a broad governing coalition. By contrast, the left-wing bloc stands at just 42 seats, with Arab parties holding an additional 13 mandates.
Prime Ministerial SuitabilityIn a separate question measuring suitability for the role of prime minister, Netanyahu leads decisively with 52 percent support. Bennett trails far behind with 20 percent, followed by Eisenkot at 14 percent.
Yair Lapid and Lieberman each receive 6 percent, while Benny Gantz brings up the rear with just 2 percent support.
Poll SnapshotRight-wing bloc: 65 seats
Left-wing bloc: 42 seats
Arab parties: 13 seats
{Matzav.com}
A notable engagement was announced this week within the Brisker world, bringing together two prominent branches of the Soloveitchik family.
The chassan is Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, the eldest son of Rav Yankel Soloveitchik, who is himself the eldest son of Brisk rosh yeshiva Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik.
The kallah is the daughter of Rav Yisrael Yaakov Kaplan, son of Rav Nechemia Kaplan, rosh yeshiva of Shaar Hatalmud, who is a son of Rav Boruch and Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan and a son-in-law of Rav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik zt”l. The engagement was announced on the fifth yahrzeit of Rav Dovid’s petirah.
Rav Nechemia’s wife, Rav Dovid’s daughter, Rebbetzin Hendel a”h, was tragically niftar last year. Just recently, Rav Nechemia became engaged to Mrs. Esther Lerner.
Observers noted that the Kaplan-Soloveitchik shidduch is particularly striking within Brisk circles, as it formally connects the families of Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik and his uncle, Rav Meshulam Dovid, in a manner more commonly associated with dynastic ties in chassidic courts.
{Matzav.com}
A brief message posted by tech billionaire Elon Musk has set off a wide-ranging online debate about whether vast wealth brings personal fulfillment, drawing sharp reactions across social media.
Musk wrote on X, “Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” adding a sad emoji.
The comment, coming from the world’s wealthiest individual, immediately resonated with users and prompted intense scrutiny.
The post spread rapidly, reaching close to 30 million users within hours and generating a flood of responses that ranged from genuine curiosity to outright ridicule.
Many commenters focused on what they saw as the contradiction at the heart of the statement. “So you’re not happy?” one user asked directly.
Others leaned into sarcasm. “Give me $1 billion first, let me also confirm for myself,” one reply read, while another joked, “You’ve got to be kidding me. $840 billion doesn’t make you happy?”
A particularly dry comment captured the tone of much of the discussion: “I’d genuinely rather be miserable and a billionaire than miserable and not a billionaire.”
At the same time, some users came to Musk’s defense, arguing that immense wealth does not insulate a person from stress, pressure, or emotional difficulty. Critics, however, said the remark felt disconnected from the financial struggles facing much of the world.
As reactions poured in, the conversation expanded beyond Musk himself, revisiting a familiar philosophical question: Does financial success fundamentally improve a person’s inner life, or does it simply magnify problems in a different way?
The context surrounding the post intensified the reaction. Forbes recently reported that Musk had become the first person ever to surpass an estimated net worth of $800 billion, following a major transaction in which SpaceX acquired his artificial intelligence and social media venture, xAI.
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
After last year’s painful and unsettling experience with the Lakewood, NJ mesivta farher system, many of us were left shaken. Rules were bent, some were outright broken by those who should no better, and what was meant to be a structured, dignified process too often felt chaotic and unfair.
Parents worried. Rabbeim worried. And perhaps most of all, the bochurim — standing at a pivotal crossroads in their lives — were left anxious and uncertain.
Those concerns were real, and they were justified.
But what deserves recognition, admiration, and deep gratitude is what happened next.
Instead of throwing up our hands in frustration or resigning ourselves to “this is how it always is,” responsible people stepped forward. Thoughtful individuals took action. Quiet planning replaced noise. Cooperation replaced competition. Accountability replaced improvisation.
And this week, we witnessed the results.
In the span of just a couple of days, thousands of bochurim, across more than five dozen mesivtos, went through farhers and were placed with clarity, dignity, and respect. What emerged was not just an efficient system. It was something far greater. It was a true Kiddush Hashem.
The process ran smoothly. The outcomes were thoughtful. The atmosphere was calm. Parents felt reassured. Bochurim felt seen. And the Torah world saw what can happen when achrayus, cooperation, and yiras Shamayim guide the process.
This did not happen by accident.
It happened because eighth-grade rabbeim invested countless hours truly knowing their talmidim and advocating for them with care and integrity. It happened because elementary schools worked responsibly and transparently. It happened because mesivtos acted with discipline and restraint, honoring both the spirit and the letter of the system. It happened because parents trusted the process.
Each group played its part. Each link in the chain mattered.
In a world where cynicism so often feels justified, this week reminded us that our community is capable of extraordinary things when we choose unity over self-interest and order over chaos. It showed our children that systems can be fixed, that fairness is possible, and that doing things the right way is not naïve. It is powerful.
Kudos to all involved. This was not merely a logistical success; it was a moral one. A quiet triumph. A moment of communal pride. And yes, a genuine Kiddush Hashem that deserves to be acknowledged, celebrated, and built upon for years to come.
Sincerely,
A grateful parent and observer
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