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[Audio below.] Audio recordings aired Wednesday night on Channel 12 indicate that gedolei Yisroel who support advancing a proposed conscription law see it as a temporary maneuver designed to delay action, not as a pathway toward bringing yeshiva bochurim into the IDF.

This is no surprise, as has been surmised in a number of prior extensive reports on the matter here on Matzav.com.

In the recordings, Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch explains that his backing of the legislation is rooted in the belief that it would “buy time” for the Torah community. When asked whether yeshiva students who are not part of formal learning frameworks might eventually be drafted, he answered without hesitation: “God forbid.”

Rav Hirsch also rejected the enlistment benchmarks included in the bill, making clear that there is no intention to comply with them. “Do they think we will want to meet the target? Of course we will not want to,” he said. He went on to predict that the law would fall apart within a few years, adding, “In the meantime, we gained time.”

Similar sentiments were voiced by Hagaon Rav Dov Landau, who stated plainly that there is no plan to send chareidim to military service, including those not enrolled in yeshivos. “What they are talking about is nonsense. It will not happen. We will not go to the army; no one will go to the army,” he said.

The broadcast prompted swift political backlash. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said the recordings demonstrate that “the spiritual leaders of the chareidi parties are openly admitting that the draft-evading law is a fraud and that no chareidi youth will enlist.”

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman delivered similar criticism, declaring, “The rabbinical council of draft evasion has revealed its true face. It’s all a bluff – no chareidi will enlist. We will continue to send our sons and daughters to the army, and they will continue to send theirs to live off the taxes we pay.”

Within the coalition, Likud MK Dan Illouz called for immediate action, saying, “I once again urge my fellow coalition members to join my demand to amend the law.”

The National Religious Reservists Forum also issued a sharp response, stating, “It’s time to stop closing our eyes and face reality. The leading chareidi authorities are openly admitting they have no intention of meeting enlistment targets and are merely stringing along the public that serves.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Dror Aryeh, a Dati Leumi Rav in Yeshivas Sderot, warned of the “dehumanization of Chareidim” in an article published in Arutz Sheva following the silence from the media in the wake of the killing of Yosef Eisenthal, z’l, by an Arab bus driver. Sadly, the messages in the article bear repeating following the shocking […]

Lobbyist Ezra Friedlander seen talking to Eric Trump before a dinner in Davos Switzerland.

President Trump on his Greenland deal: It is really fantastic for the USA. It gets everything we wanted, including especially real national security and international security.

A jury began deliberating Wednesday in the trial of one of the first police officers on the scene of the Robb Elementary School attack in Uvalde, Texas, and prosecutors urged a conviction to send a message that law enforcement must fulfill their duty to protect when a gunman threatens children. Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde schools officer, is the […]

US President Donald Trump is pushing his top aides to present what he describes as “decisive” military options against Iran, as the United States continues repositioning major military assets toward the Middle East, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The discussions come after Trump pulled back from potential strikes last week, but […]

[Video and photos below.] The Kol Yisroel organization made its first official visit to Albany on January 20, marking the launch of an effort to introduce the organization and begin building working relationships with elected officials across New York State.

The visit opened with a meet-and-greet with Rockland County Assemblymember Karl Brabenec. Over the course of the day, Kol Yisroel representatives met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers and senior staff, including Assemblymembers Bill Magnarelli, Patrick Carroll, Al Taylor, Emily Gallagher, Stacey Pheffer Amato, and Aron Wieder.

Additional meetings were held with the chiefs of staff for Assemblymembers Steve Stern and John Zaccaro Jr., as well as staff from the office of Assemblymember Micah Lasher. Kol Yisroel also met with staff from the offices of State Senators James Skoufis and Shelley Mayer, including Senator Mayer’s chief of staff. Senator Mayer currently serves as chair of the Senate Education Committee.

The day concluded with a meeting with Rockland County State Senator Bill Weber.

Two central issues were discussed throughout the visit. The first involved the possible introduction of legislation to establish a new school district in East Ramapo, based on Wards 1–4 and Wards 5–9. The second focused on advocating for an expansion of legislation creating buffer zones around houses of worship. Kol Yisroel voiced disappointment with the currently proposed 25-foot buffer, stating that it falls short of providing meaningful protection, and urged lawmakers to consider a 100-foot standard.

Kol Yisroel described the meetings as productive and encouraging and said it plans to return to Albany in the coming weeks to continue discussions. The organization added that it will keep the community informed as the effort moves forward.

VIDEO AND PHOTOS:

{Matzav.com}

US President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “stop taking credit” for the Iron Dome missile defense system, asserting that it is American technology — a statement that is widely regarded as inaccurate. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump made the remarks while discussing […]

Israel is home to more than half a million children from birth to age three, yet oversight of early childhood care remains uneven, with large numbers of infants and toddlers placed in settings that operate outside the state’s licensing framework, according to a report published Wednesday by Yediot Acharonot.

The report states that of roughly 540,000 young children nationwide, only about half are enrolled in supervised childcare facilities. An additional 114,000 infants and toddlers are cared for in centers that do not hold official licenses.

Although a Supervision Law enacted in 2021 was intended to extend regulatory oversight to private childcare centers, implementation has faced mounting difficulties since the legislation was approved, affecting enforcement and compliance across several areas.

Those challenges are expected to intensify next year. In 2026, the budget designated for monitoring daycare centers is projected to drop sharply to 46 million shekels, down from approximately 190 million shekels in 2023.

Officials warn that the reduced funding could significantly weaken efforts to shut down illegal daycare operations. Estimates from the Israeli Tax Authority suggest that between 1,000 and 1,500 daycare centers are currently operating without proper authorization.

Data gathered since last August by the Education Ministry and the Welfare Ministry show that 470 unlicensed daycare centers have already been identified. Authorities note that these facilities are spread across different sectors and that there has also been a rise in the detection of daycare centers that are failing to report income to the tax authorities.

{Matzav.com}

The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed inclined to keep Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook in her job, casting doubt on President Donald Trump’s bid to wrest control of the nation’s central bank. The justices heard arguments over Trump’s effort to fire Cook based on allegations she committed mortgage fraud, which she denies. No president has […]

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New Jersey will once again require cursive writing instruction in its public schools, with a new law directing districts to teach the skill to students in grades three through five starting next fall.

Governor Phil Murphy signed the legislation on Monday, making cursive a formal part of the curriculum once again. Supporters of the measure argue that handwriting instruction equips students with practical life skills, including the ability to sign documents and manage everyday tasks such as opening bank accounts and writing checks.

“For those of us who grew up handwriting our school papers, it’s hard to imagine that some children can no longer read or write using cursive,” said bill supporter and state Assemblywoman Shanique Speight.

“Requiring that cursive be taught in our public schools will benefit our students and prepare them for the future, so I am pleased to see this bill signed into law.”

Murphy also framed the move in a broader historical context, pointing to the nation’s approaching 250th anniversary and emphasizing the importance of giving students direct access to foundational texts through penmanship. He said cursive instruction allows students to “read our nation’s founding documents.

“We owe it to our students to give them a well-rounded education that ensures they have the tools to fully understand our rich history and become competent leaders,” Murphy said in a statement.

According to the governor’s office, the requirement will take effect with the next full academic year.

State Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said the change reinforces the state’s educational goals by integrating traditional skills with modern learning standards.

“By embedding cursive instruction into the curriculum for grades three through five, this legislation strengthens our commitment to a well-rounded education that prepares students for real-world tasks, helps them connect with historical texts, and complements other learning,” Dehmer said.

Cursive instruction largely disappeared from classrooms around 2010, when the Common Core standards were introduced and districts shifted focus away from handwriting. In recent years, however, several states have reconsidered that approach.

New Jersey now joins states such as California and New Hampshire that have reinstated cursive as a required part of elementary education.

In New York, cursive remains optional at the district level, though efforts have been made to change that. A bill introduced by state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island, would mandate cursive instruction statewide, but it has failed to advance despite being introduced repeatedly over the past decade.

“The notion that a pupil could graduate from twelve years of education without knowing how to sign his or her name in cursive is unacceptable,” according to her proposal.

“This bill would require that this fundamental building block of our children’s education be removed from schools simply because they are not required as part of any of the numerous standardized tests students are subjected to.”

Back in New Jersey, the cursive mandate drew broad support from lawmakers across the state.

“Cursive writing is not about nostalgia – it’s about development,” said state Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie.

“From a learning-science perspective, handwriting engages neural pathways connected to literacy, attention and memory,” she said.

Murphy left office on Tuesday, with Democrat Mikie Sherrill being sworn in as New Jersey’s new governor later that day.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset on Tuesday approved in a preliminary reading a bill that would advance regulation to allow ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft to operate in Israel. The bill passed by a vote of 37-2, receiving broad support in a rare show of bipartisan cooperation. It was co-sponsored by Blue and White MK Eitan […]

A House committee advanced bipartisan contempt resolutions Wednesday targeting Bill and Hillary Clinton, escalating a dispute over their refusal to appear for sworn testimony connected to the panel’s investigation.

Members of the House Oversight Committee approved a measure recommending contempt charges against Bill Clinton by a 34–8 vote, citing his failure to comply with a subpoena seeking testimony about his ties to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. A separate resolution addressing Hillary Clinton’s refusal to testify passed by a 28–15 margin.

The subpoenas at issue were authorized last July, when Oversight Committee members and staff from both parties agreed to compel testimony from the Clintons. Despite that action, neither appeared for depositions.

Committee leaders said the stalemate followed months of negotiations between the Clintons’ legal team and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), which did not result in voluntary compliance.

Several Democrats crossed party lines to support the contempt measures, joining Republicans in backing both resolutions against the former first couple.

{Matzav.com}

Mexico sent 37 cartel members to United States at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, with President Claudia Sheinbaum saying Wednesday that it was a “sovereign decision” by her government. Sheinbaum responded to criticism from analysts and opponents who said that the transfers on Tuesday were the result of mounting pressure from Washington. U.S. […]

One of the most beautiful if not the most breathtaking state in America, with gorgeous weather in the summer months, this is the place to be, if you are the adventures type who is looking for a structured program with daily trips and activities every single day, Alaska should be your #1 go to.For Bochurim […]

President Trump said he has reached what he described as a preliminary framework for a future agreement involving Greenland, announcing at the same time that he will no longer move forward with planned tariffs on European countries that were set to take effect next month.

“We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote on Truth Social following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations. Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st,” he added.

The announcement marks a significant shift in what had become one of the most heated disputes between the Trump administration and European governments. While the president characterized the development as a breakthrough, no specific details of the framework were immediately released.

Trump has repeatedly stated his interest in U.S. control of Greenland, a vast island in the North Atlantic, while Denmark has consistently insisted it intends to retain sovereignty over the territory.

As European leaders resisted Trump’s push on Greenland, the president responded earlier this week by threatening sweeping trade penalties. He warned of a 10% tariff “on any and all goods” imported into the United States from the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland, with the rate scheduled to rise to 25% beginning June 1.

That plan has now been withdrawn. Trump said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will take the lead in negotiations related to Greenland.

Greenland also dominated Trump’s address Wednesday to the World Economic Forum, where he made clear that military action is not part of his approach.

“I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”

“All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,” he added.

The president openly criticized Denmark’s refusal to agree to U.S. control of the island, dismissively referring to Greenland as a “piece of ice.”

“We want a piece of ice for world protection — and they won’t give it,” he said.

“So they have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative. Or you can say no, and we will remember.”

Trump pointed to historical precedent, noting that the United States administered Greenland during World War II after Denmark fell to Nazi Germany, before returning it at the war’s end.

“After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that? But we did it. But how ungrateful are they now?”

“We’ve never asked for anything else and we could have kept that piece of land and we didn’t sell,” he continued. “They have a choice. You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative — or you can say no and we will remember.”

The president again stressed his argument that American control of Greenland is necessary to counter potential threats from China and Russia, citing the island’s strategic position in the Arctic.

“If there is a war, much of the action will take place on that piece of ice, think of it. Those missiles will be flying right over the center of that piece of ice,” he said.

In his statement announcing the framework, Trump said the discussions would also include The Golden Dome, the missile defense system he has proposed to protect the United States from incoming attacks.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s foreign minister issued the most direct threat yet Wednesday against the United States after Tehran’s bloody crackdown on protesters, warning the Islamic Republic will be “firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack.” The comments by Abbas Araghchi, who saw his invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos rescinded over the killings, […]

The conference center hosting the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has been evacuated. The circumstances behind the evacuation remain unclear at this time.

Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein spoke out forcefully against efforts to assign blame to Israel’s attorney general for the recent tragedy at a Yerushalayim daycare facility, stressing that such an approach is fundamentally mistaken and contrary to Jewish belief.

In recorded remarks broadcast Tuesday evening on the Siach Yitzchok hotline, Rav Zilberstein addressed public claims that the disaster was the result of policies pursued by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, which critics say have restricted the chareidi community and led some parents to place children in unlicensed childcare settings.

According to the recording, Rav Zilberstein’s student, Rav Yaakov Ben Serouk, told listeners that when the rav learned of the tragic incident and heard the accusations circulating in the media, he reacted sharply and rejected them outright. Rav Zilberstein made clear that it is forbidden to speak in such terms or to attribute a tragedy of this nature to the actions of specific officials.

“Do not say such things,” Rav Zilberstein said. “A person must know that everything is from Shomayim. Our obligation is to strengthen ourselves and improve our ways, not to search for others to blame.”

Rav Zilberstein further explained that tragedies are meant to serve as a spiritual awakening. He said that such events are intended to prompt self-examination and repentance, with each individual reflecting on personal conduct and considering what message is being conveyed from Above.

{Matzav.com}