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A group of avreichim from Mexico visited the home of HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shternbuch on Tuesday to receive a bracha. In the middle of the conversation, HaRav Shternbuch brought up the murderous Ramot terror attack that occurred on Monday morning, stressing that the human intellect is not capable of understanding it. “It’s impossible to understand it at all,” Rav Shternbuch said. “Why did they deserve it? They didn’t sin—they were on the way to learn Torah and were cruelly murdered.” “But we don’t judge Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We’re human beings, and we only know that משפט לאלוקים הוא. Only Hakadosh Baruch knows the ways of mishpat. Human beings don’t understand and are not even capable of understanding it.” “The question is a very big question, and there’s only one answer—emunah. Emunah that Hashem is One and His name is One and only He is in the world.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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The IDF on Tuesday morning named the fourth soldier killed early Monday morning in a Hamas ambush in Gaza City. He was identified as Lt. Matan Abramovitz, Hyd, 21, from Ganei Tikva. He served in the 401st Armored Brigade’s 52nd Battalion. He and his fellow tank crew members were killed by Hamas terrorists who opened fire at the tank and then threw a bomb at it, which exploded inside the tank. Hashem Yikom Damam. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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The hospitals in Jerusalem provided updates on Tuesday morning on the condition of those wounded in the Ramot terror attack on Monday. Two female victims remain in serious condition and are being treated in the Shaare Tzedek intensive care unit, sedated and ventilated. Another four patients at the hospital underwent surgery overnight and are in moderate condition. In addition, over 30 people who witnessed the attack and were suffering from symptoms of shock came to the hospital in the 24 hours after the attack to receive treatment at the mental health center that was opened at Shaare Tzedek and will operate in the coming days as well. Another eight Ramot terror victims are being treated at Hadassah Har Hatzofim and Eim Kerem Hospitals, two in moderate condition with gunshot wounds and six in light condition. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld The Torah  tells us in Devarim 26:1,2 that when you enter Eretz Yisroel you should bring the first ripened fruit as a gift to Hashem. This comes right after the parsha of mechiyas Amalek. The reason they are right next to each other is because a person knocks out the machshova of gaaveh by bringing bikurim where one might think that kochi ve’otzem yadi brought him all this wealth; nevertheless, he goes and takes the first fruit that is ripened and brings it up to Yerushalayim. That is pshat in the posuk terumas yadcha, which is referring to bikurim. By bringing bikurim we raise our hands up to show that we are not the cause of all the wealth, but it is rather Hashem who is the source of our blessings. This counteracts the koach of Amalek, which is the gematria of “Ram-” gaava. Moshe lifted his hands when Klal Yisroel started winning because he got them to understand that it is not their own hands fighting a war, but rather Hashem making them win.                 What happens in a year of Shmitta, where all the fruits are hefker; do we still have the mitzvah of bikurim? Rashi in Shmos 23:19 says that even during shmitta one has to bring bikurim. The Maharal says this must be a mistake, since it is not possible to say “the fruits you gave me.” The Ohr Hachaim also says that bikurim applies only during the six non-shmitta years.                 The Minchas Chinuch argues with the position of the Ohr Hachaim and says that from both Rashi and the Rambam it is mashma that a person is chayev to bring bikurim even during shmitta. The Shailos Utshuvos Avnei Neizer says that one is pattur from bikurim during shmitta. The Maharam Shik in Mitzvah 91 wants to explain the machlokes whether or not one is required to bring bikurim during shmitta based on another machlokes between the Bais Yosef and the Maharit. Are the fruits of shmitta automatically hefker, or is it part of the mitzvah that the owner is mafkir it? The Bais Yosef holds that the fruits of shmitta belong to the owner, he just has a requirement to be mafkir it. Based on this shitta, one could bring bikurim and say thanks for the fruits that were given to me, whereas according to the Maharit, where the shmitta fruit are automatically hefker, then there would be no possibility of being required to bring bikurim from shmitta fruit.                 Even according to the Bais Yosef one has to be mafkir the fruit. How can a person bring bikurim and say the “fruits you gave me” if he has to be mafkir it? This question is asked by the Chemdas Yisroel in kuntres Ner Mitzvah 30:1. He answers that the mitzvah to be mafkir the fruit is only once it is fully ripe and ready to be eaten, but the mitzvah of bikurim applies as soon as the first fruit turns ripe – he wraps a red thread on the fruit – so this takes place before he can be mafkir, so the mitzvah of bikurim is applicable earlier.                 The Sefer Emunas Yisroel brings two more answers to the above question of the Chemdas Yisroel. One is based on the Minchas Chinuch mitzvah 83 that says according to the Rambam if a woman owns a field she would not have to be mafkir her field. In this case, a woman who is mechuyav in bikurim would have to bring it in the year of shmitta as well. Another tirutz, also based on the same Minchas Chinuch mentioned above, says that a field owned by ketanim who are in essence under Bar Mitzvah, are not required to be mafkir the field during Shmitta and according to that one man de’amar in Yerushalmi Terumos 1:1 a katan should bring bikurim. We see from here how important it is to acknowledge that everything is from Hashem and to have Emunah and Bitachon!

In his weekly shiur that he delivers every Monday evening in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood of Bnei Brak, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein addressed the murderous Ramaot terror attack that occurred that morning. “We’re in very great tzara; the pain cries out to Shamayim,” HaRav Zilberstein began. “Six Jews were killed Al Kiddush Hashem in the terror attack, and another four IDF soldiers killed Al Kiddush Hashem in Gaza. Hashem Yikom Damam.” HaRav Zilberstein then tearfully described the pain of the young wives of the three young avreichim who were brutally murdered. “They bought a new dress to fulfill Simchas Yom Tov on Rosh Hashanah. And now where’s the simcha? Where’s the Chag? She sits alone and will see the dress and will cry… I also want to cry.” “There are children who came home from school or yeshivah and planned to tell their father the Divrei Torah they heard from their Rebbe…and now they’re sitting shivah…Tisha Ba’av…simcha has been transformed into mourning…the pain is indescribable.” “And especially that yesterday there was a lunar eclipse. It is known what Chazal say in Masechtas Sukka (דף כט ע”א) that a lunar eclipse is a bad omen for the enemies of Yisrael (בלשון סגי ניהור—the opposite). These are clear signs of tzarah. A lunar eclipse is a sign that we need to do teshuvah.” “The great pain is if we had known beforehand and prepared, perhaps it could have been prevented. If we had cried out to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and said to Him, ‘Please have mercy on Amcha Yisrael, have mercy on us,’ if we had drawn a little closer, in limmud Torah, in tefillah with kavanah, we probably could have prevented it.” “Since we didn’t do that, Hakadosh Baruch Hu came and took the choicest of Talmidei Chachamim; all those who were murdered, each one, were the select of the Jewish nation.” “Everyone asks what we need to be mechazeik in, but Mori HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, z’tl, used to answer this question by saying that everyone knows the struggles of their heart, and each one knows better than anyone else what they need to be mechazeik; let them examine their deeds and correct their ways.” “But nevertheless, the mitzvah we are required to do now is that we should all work together and be mechazeik more and more in limmud Torah and appease Hakadosh Baruch Hh, who also weeps. Hakadosh Baruch Hu sits and weeps and says: ‘I have such righteous children, and I have to judge them with a cruel measure of Din.’ Hakadosh Baruch Hu also weeps, and the pain of the Shechinah is very great, and we must also weep for that.” “May Hakadosh Baruch Hu help us that we all be zocheh to Chayim Tovim, to learn Torah and teach it, and be zocheh to magnify His great name. We all need to increase our tefillos and Kiddush Shem Shamayim and strengthen Ahavas Rei’im, and there should be strong Shalom Bayis between husband and wife and children. And b’ezras Hashem, Hakadsoh Baruch Hu will favor us and redeem us and show us wonders, and we’ll be zocheh to the brachos of Hashem and that there will be no more violence and destruction within our borders.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled on Monday that chareidi yeshiva students who have not resolved their military status or obtained a valid exemption will lose access to discounts from national insurance.

The decision was issued in response to a petition filed by Israel Hofsheet and the Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG). The ruling will not take effect immediately—the State has been given 30 days to announce the start date.

The petitioners argued that since the expiration of the draft law in June 2023, there has been no legal basis for exemptions, which means there is no justification for benefits either. According to Israel Hofsheet, the subsidies effectively “constitute a state subsidy for unlawful draft evaders.”

MQG first petitioned the court in January, pointing to a June 2024 decision that barred the government from offering financial incentives that encourage avoiding military service. According to MQG, the discounts amount to more than NIS 100 million annually—roughly NIS 1,000 per student—with a discount rate of 67 percent.

In its ruling, the court emphasized that the government cannot provide monetary incentives to avoid army service. “We will stop all privileges for draft evaders, even if the government continues to drag its feet. Petition after petition, all incentives for those who choose to shirk their military service during wartime will be stopped. The time for equality has come,” said Uri Keidar, executive director of Israel Hofsheet.

Just over a month ago, the court upheld a separate petition from Israel Hofsheet, ruling that state funding must end for certain chareidi yeshivos created for at-risk youth who do not enlist—most notably the Noham institutions for disengaged students. That funding was ordered to be cut off this month.

The petition in that case highlighted that many of the young men in those programs are not consistently engaged in Torah learning and often work off-the-books, contrary to the terms for exemption. The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry had previously allocated about NIS 35 million to those schools.

Attorney Ori Hess, who leads the economics division at MQG, welcomed the latest outcome: “This is a significant victory for the principle of equality and for protecting public funds. The High Court confirmed our position that evasion of military service should not be financially rewarded. The decision will return more than 100 million shekels a year to the state treasury and strengthen the principle of equal burden. This is a good day for Israeli democracy and for every citizen who believes in social justice.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

New York’s top cop says she has no interest in seeing soldiers on city streets and expressed strong opposition to President Donald Trump’s suggestion of sending the military into America’s largest cities.

Speaking at a gathering in midtown Manhattan on Monday, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch warned that federal National Guard personnel don’t have the experience needed to tackle urban crime and could actually make matters worse. Her remarks came as Trump threatened to dispatch Guard units to both New York and Chicago after asserting control over the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC.

“One of the very major concerns that I have around this topic of deploying the National Guard to New York City or big cities across the country is that it will introduce an amount of chaos and disorder and confusion that will be counterproductive — to say nothing of the fact that as a lifelong New Yorker, I am revolted by the idea of the militarization of our streets,” Tisch told the audience at the Citizens Budget Commission, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group.

Tisch explained that while the federal government has the legal right to assume command over DC’s police force, that authority does not extend to New York or other cities. Still, she acknowledged Trump could place Guard members on corners throughout the city or even have them patrol the subway system.

Governor Kathy Hochul has already stationed roughly 1,000 Guard members in the transit system, but their assignments are primarily limited to bag inspections rather than patrolling train cars or platforms.

The commissioner said she would welcome more federal assistance in targeting illegal firearms and suggested additional federal prosecutors should take on gun-related cases. “Let’s focus on the right type of partnership with the federal government,” she said. “The National Guard happens not to be that.”

According to police statistics, crime in New York has fallen across every major category so far this year, with overall reported crime down 4.5% through August. Shootings in particular have dropped significantly, with 489 incidents reported through August, marking a 19% decline from the previous year.

“We’ve got this,” Tisch declared in defense of the NYPD’s ability to manage public safety. “We don’t need or want the federal government’s help here in that way.”

Her skepticism is shared in other states. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he would not welcome National Guard forces being imposed on Philadelphia or elsewhere in the state. “What the president is doing injects chaos in communities, and I can tell you that we are prepared should he decide to try that here in Philly,” Shapiro said at a press conference Monday. “We’re prepared should they try to deploy the National Guard against my will in any community across Pennsylvania.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz issued a stark threat to Hamas in a post online, declaring that if the terror group refuses to free the hostages it is holding in Gaza and disarm, the enclave will be leveled and the organization itself will be wiped out.
“This is a final warning,” he stated.

He continued with dramatic language, saying, “Today, a mighty hurricane will strike the skies over Gaza City, and the roofs of the terror towers will tremble. The IDF continues as planned and is preparing to expand the operation to bring about the decisive defeat of Gaza,” he concluded.

Reports indicate that the Israeli Air Force is set to carry out a wave of strikes targeting numerous sites, including more tall structures in Gaza.

Katz’s declaration came shortly after US President Donald Trump wrote on social media, “It is time for Hamas to accept [a hostage deal] as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter. DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” the message read.

In recent days, according to sources cited by The Jerusalem Post, Hamas has been presented with a new US-backed initiative aimed at winning the release of the captives in Gaza. The plan, transmitted through Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin and Dr. Bishara Bahbah, lays out a broad framework to bring an end to the fighting.

In a statement issued Sunday evening, Hamas asserted that it is ready to “immediately sit at the negotiating table to discuss the release of all hostages in exchange for a clear declaration of an end to the war, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee to administer the Gaza Strip from independent Palestinians, which will assume its work immediately.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Tucker Carlson’s recent commentary on Israel and terrorism has drawn sharp criticism from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who blasted the former Fox News host as extreme and “unrecognizable.”

“Something is wrong with Tucker Carlson,” Cruz said on his podcast Verdict With Ted Cruz. “I don’t know what the h—‘s wrong with him.”

Cruz reflected on Carlson’s past influence during the 2020 election season, the riots, and COVID lockdowns, contrasting it with what he sees now as confused and dangerous positions on issues of war and terrorism. “I look at the Tucker today: He’s unrecognizable,” Cruz remarked. “As listeners to this podcast know, I went on Tucker’s show. I know Tucker was going to come after me, and — sadly — do so dishonestly.”

According to Cruz, Carlson’s views have shifted so drastically that they now blur lines conservatives have traditionally drawn clearly. He pointed out that Carlson not only offered condolences to Osama bin Laden’s family and entertained the idea of siding with Nazi Germany, but also cast doubt on whether Hamas is a terrorist group while showing sympathy for authoritarian powers in Russia and Iran.

Cruz rejected those positions outright. He said they were “bizarre,” “unhinged,” and morally indefensible, adding that terrorist figures and groups must be condemned without hesitation. “I’m not even sure Hamas is actually a radical jihadi organization. It seems more like a political organization,” Carlson had said recently.

Cruz went on to call Carlson’s direction a betrayal of conservatism itself, likening his rhetoric to that of Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., whom conservatives often cite as examples of far-left views. “Now, @TuckerCarlson doesn’t know if Hamas is a terrorist organization,” Cruz posted on X, alongside clips of Carlson’s remarks. “(‘Elmo is just asking questions …’) What the h— happened to Tucker?? He’s turning into Ilhan Omar.”

This dispute follows an earlier clash between the two, when Carlson took aim at Cruz over his defense of Israel. Cruz recounted on his podcast: “The week that I did the Tucker interview, it was the week right before the president launched the bombing attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. And Tucker was spiraling at the time because he was attacking [President] Donald Trump and saying, if the United States bombs Iran, he said it would be World War III, No. 1. He said thousands of Americans will die, No. 2. And he said America will lose, No. 3: Iran will beat us in World War III.”

Cruz stressed that none of Carlson’s dire warnings came true. “Every one of those predictions, we now know the truth: They were laughingly, entirely, totally false,” he said.

He recalled that even Trump dismissed Carlson’s take. “I’m the one that decides what America First is, and I’m telling you right now, defending America is America First,” Cruz quoted Trump as saying. “I’ve got to say it just started Tucker on this downward spiral.”

Carlson has argued that showing sympathy for the death of a terrorist’s family member is simply “human decency,” but Cruz dismissed that reasoning. “If people are evil psychotic mass murderers, then society celebrates that they are no longer with us,” Cruz said. “There is justice. I believe in the principle of justice. We’re so sorry we took out your psychotic daddy who murdered nearly 3,000 Americans — no, we’re not sorry.”

Cruz continued, “This moral relativism, I have got to say, is a weird thing when someone who considers himself, calls himself a conservative, sounds exactly like Ilhan Omar. It is a weird thing when a supposed conservative sounds like Rashida Tlaib, sounds like [Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.,] and says, ‘Gosh, we ought to be saying I’m sorry to Osama bin Laden’s family.’ No, we should not.”

He reminded listeners that Hamas’ own charter explicitly proclaims “jihad is its path.” Cruz added, “Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States of America — that’s as a matter of federal law — by Australia, by Canada, by Paraguay, by Israel, by Japan, by New Zealand, by the United Kingdom, and the European Union.”

Cruz accused Carlson of ducking direct criticism of Trump while still taking shots at his decisions. “He doesn’t have the courage, he doesn’t have the backbone to actually attack Trump, so he just attacks everything Trump does,” Cruz charged. “He attacks bombing Iran. Well, who was the commander in chief who made the order? And by the way, that was an incredibly successful military operation that made America safer.”

Although Carlson has often expressed opposition to war, Cruz pointed out that Trump shares that instinct but differs in approach. “I don’t know what’s going on with Tucker; I don’t know what is driving it,” Cruz said. “It’s one thing to feel kind of isolationist and to say, ‘Gosh, you know, I don’t like wars.’ OK, fine, that is a view, and to be clear, Donald Trump doesn’t like wars either. [Former President] Joe Biden and the Democrats get us in war. President Trump has gotten us out of war. But getting us out of war, you do it through strength. And getting us out of war does not mean that you refuse to defend America.”

Cruz wrapped up with a blunt message: “Fine, if Tucker wants to be isolationist, knock yourself out.”

{Matzav.com}

With just a week or so left before tens of thousands of Breslover chassidim are scheduled to fly to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, the crisis over travel routes appears to be moving toward resolution. Israeli officials are close to finalizing an agreement with Romania that would allow pilgrims to transit through its airports, easing concerns after the collapse of talks with Moldova.

According to officials involved, Romania has presented a series of conditions to accommodate the large influx of travelers. These include receiving full flight data from Israel ahead of time, as well as the deployment of translators and ushers in Romanian airports to help passengers navigate terminals and transfer points.

Negotiations with Romania intensified after Moldova unexpectedly informed El Al on Monday that two flights slated to land in Chisinau would likely be canceled. Moldovan authorities reportedly insisted that flights should instead be operated by local carriers, further straining ties.

Israel reacted sharply to Moldova’s move, delivering a strong diplomatic warning that such behavior could have consequences for bilateral relations. Officials emphasized their frustration after weeks of discussions and substantial financial concessions were offered in an effort to secure a deal.

As reported previously by Matzav.com, Israel had invested significant resources in preparing Moldova’s airport infrastructure to accommodate the influx of pilgrims, including funding equipment and improvements. Moldova, however, demanded that all of the upgrades—financed by Israeli taxpayers for the benefit of travelers—remain in place permanently for Moldovan use even after the Yom Tov.

Israeli officials involved in the talks described this as a “step too far.” At that point, the government chose to terminate negotiations with Chisinau and shifted its focus toward reaching an alternative arrangement with Bucharest.

The newly formed Israeli task force, which includes the directors-general of the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Interior Ministry, and the Ministry for Jerusalem Affairs, is scheduled to meet with Romanian counterparts on Tuesday afternoon. That session is expected to determine whether a final solution for this year’s Uman pilgrimage can be secured.

{Matzav.com}

Students in New York returned to class this fall under a new “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban, designed to reduce distractions and encourage students to interact with one another in person. The first week of the policy has now passed, and reactions from parents, students, and teachers were largely favorable, according to CBS News.

“At first, I was really torn up about it. And then, now, I kind of like, like at lunch, we’ll all talk the whole period,” said Jack Kuenstler, a senior at Walt Whitman High School in South Huntington.

To help enforce the rule, Walt Whitman High School even added an extra bell, signaling the moment each day when all phones must be put away. Under the policy, students may only use school-approved emails or devices for academic purposes.

“It’s such a habit that I always had [my cellphone]. That’s why I feel like it’s weird. But I feel like it’s good, though, because I’m more focused in class,” said 11th-grader Isabella David.

Principal John Murphy admitted he was “apprehensive” about the change at first, since he had previously supported the more limited restriction of banning phones only during class time. But he now sees real benefits. Murphy said there has been an “uptick in positive energy” and noted that students are “really actively engaged.”

The new rules have even encouraged students to dust off old-fashioned activities. Board games have begun popping up in the lunchroom, with kids gathering around to play together. “The kids are actually being kids and interacting with their peers. I think that was what the heart of this initiative was,” Murphy explained.

Teacher Kathleen O’Neill agreed, saying that phones had been undermining learning for years. She described the problem as an “epidemic,” noting how hard it had become to teach without constant interruptions.

O’Neill added that the ban has created new opportunities for skill-building. Students, she said, are now forced to develop face-to-face communication skills, rather than relying only on texting.

During the opening week, just three students were caught sneaking in phones. Under the guidelines, confiscation is allowed, and repeat offenders risk suspension.

To support the ban, more landline phones were installed in the building so students can reach their parents if needed. Parents were also assured that they could call or email the school to get a message to their child immediately.

Reactions in New York City itself were somewhat more divided. On the Upper West Side, some students expressed frustration with how their phones were stored. Still, one parent pointed out that her daughter’s phone remained powered down when she picked her up, which she considered a success.

A student in Queens said she worried about not being able to contact her parents directly in an emergency.

But other parents saw the benefits firsthand. One mother referenced a hazmat incident that took place Thursday at a school in Westchester County. “I was actually pleased that they didn’t have phones because I think there would have probably been more confusion,” she explained. “Getting just one message from the school is probably better than a million different rumors.”

{Matzav.com}

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Republicans are ready to change the chamber’s rules to allow quick confirmations of dozens of President Donald Trump’s executive branch nominees and will move to speed up votes after months of Democratic delays. Opening the Senate on Monday, Thune said Democrats’ obstruction is “unsustainable.” He said Republicans will begin action this week to allow votes on groups of lower-level executive branch nominees if a majority of the Senate agrees. Currently, one senator’s objection can force days of votes on a single nominee. If the Democratic delays continue, Thune said, “there is no practical way that we could come close to filling all the vacancies in the four years of this administration no matter how many hours the Senate works.” Changing the rules would take time, with procedural votes potentially Thursday and early next week to complete the process, according to a person familiar with the GOP plan who requested anonymity because it hasn’t been released publicly. Republicans have been talking about options for changing the rules since early August, when the Senate left for a monthlong recess after a breakdown in bipartisan negotiations over the confirmation process. Democrats have blocked nearly every single one of Trump’s nominees, forcing majority Republicans to spend valuable floor time on procedural votes and leaving many positions in the executive branch unfilled. The delays have infuriated Trump, who told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to “GO TO HELL!” in a social media post after negotiations broke down over the process in early August. The changes come after both parties have escalated their obstruction of the other party’s nominees for years, and as leaders in both parties have incrementally changed the rules to make the process less bipartisan. Democrats have blocked more nominees than ever before as they have struggled to find ways to oppose Trump and the GOP Congress, and as their voters have pushed them to fight Republicans at every turn. Schumer has said Democrats are delaying the nominations because Trump’s nominees are “historically bad.” “If you don’t debate nominees, if you don’t vote on individual nominees, if there’s not some degree of sunlight, what will stop Donald Trump from nominating even worse individuals than we’ve seen to date, knowing this chamber will rubber stamp anything he wishes?” Schumer said Monday evening. Still, the proposal to group nominations is loosely based on legislation introduced by Democrats two years ago as Republicans blocked many of then-President Joe Biden’s picks. But while Senate Republicans forced similar delays during Biden’s administration, Democrats have blocked almost all of Trump’s picks. It’s the first time in recent history that the minority party hasn’t allowed at least some quick confirmations. The GOP proposal would only apply to executive branch nominations, not lifetime judicial appointments, and would exclude the most high-profile positions, such as Cabinet nominees, that require a longer debate time. The process to change the rules will likely require several floor votes and the support of a simple majority, so at least 51 out of the chamber’s 53 Republicans. But most GOP senators appear to be on board. If Republicans act quickly, they could confirm more than 100 of Trump’s pending nominations this month. The Republican move is the latest salvo in years of intensifying Senate standoffs over presidential nominations. In 2013, Democrats […]

At his weekly shiur Monday night, HaGaon Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, rov of Ramat Elchanan and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, delivered an emotional message of chizuk in response to the morning’s deadly terror attack at the Ramot junction in Yerushalayim.

With tears in his eyes, Rav Zilberstein opened his remarks with deep anguish over the tragedy. “We are in a time of immense distress; the pain cries out to Heaven. Six Jews were murdered al kiddush Hashem in the attack, and four soldiers fell as kedoshim in Gaza. Hashem should avenge their blood,” he said.

The rov spoke movingly of the families left behind. “These were bnei Torah who went out in the morning, their wives waiting happily to greet them for Yom Tov. Some even gave their wives money to buy a new dress for Rosh Hashanah. Now that garment sits there weeping—what ‘simchas Yom Tov,’ what ‘chag’? The wife sees the dress and cries. Children who prepared divrei Torah to share with their father now sit shivah. Our joy has turned to mourning.”

Rav Zilberstein noted that the tragedy occurred just a day after a lunar eclipse, which Chazal in Maseches Sukkah describe as a troubling omen for Klal Yisroel. “These are clear signs of tzarah. A lunar eclipse is a call for us to return in teshuvah,” he said.

With palpable sorrow, the rov declared, “If we had known in advance, if we had prepared properly, perhaps this could have been prevented. If we had cried out to Hashem with more sincerity, learned more Torah, davened with greater kavana—surely we might have averted this. Because we did not, Hashem took from us the finest of talmidei chachamim. Every one of those who were killed were among the choicest of the Jewish people.”

Quoting his father-in-law, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, Rav Zilberstein emphasized that each Jew knows best where he needs to improve. “Every person is aware of the blemishes in his own heart. Each one must examine his deeds and correct his ways,” he said.

Still, Rav Zilberstein urged a collective response. “The mitzvah upon us now is to unite in strengthening Torah study, to appease HaKadosh Baruch Hu—because He too is weeping. Hashem says, ‘I have such righteous children, yet I must judge them with harshness.’ The Shechinah’s sorrow is immense, and for that as well we must cry.”

He concluded with a heartfelt tefillah: “May Hashem grant us all good lives, to learn Torah and teach it, to sanctify His great Name, to increase tefillah and kiddush Shem Shamayim, to strengthen shalom bayis and ahavas Yisroel. With Hashem’s help, we will merit His rachamim, His redemption, and wondrous salvations. May there no longer be sounds of destruction and grief within our borders.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A troubling incident unfolded in Jackson, NJ, when Jackson police officers prevented a Hatzalah volunteer from immediately transporting a patient to the hospital, holding him up in a parking lot because of where he had parked while responding to the emergency.

According to witnesses and photo and video evidence obtained by Matzav.com, the Hatzalah member arrived at the scene with lights activated in order to rush a patient in need of urgent care. With no available spaces nearby, he pulled into two adjacent handicap spots to expedite the transfer. While the patient awaited transport, Jackson police officers confronted the Hatzalah member over the parking location.

Multiple Jackson police vehicles surrounded the scene, blocking the Hatzalah member’s vehicle as officers questioned him.

Several officers stood outside the car in discussion, even as the emergency vehicle remained positioned to transport the patient.

Community members who heard about this and were present expressed outrage that law enforcement officers chose to focus on parking rather than prioritizing the medical emergency at hand. “It is beyond comprehension that precious minutes were wasted arguing over parking spots when a patient’s health was on the line,” one bystander remarked.

Hatzalah is known throughout the region for its lifesaving volunteer services, with members responding within minutes to emergencies and working hand in hand with other first responders. In this case, however, what should have been a seamless emergency response turned into an unnecessary standoff.

The patient was eventually transported to the hospital, but the delay has sparked anger in the community, raising serious concerns about the treatment of Hatzalah volunteers in Jackson and the impact on lifesaving efforts.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is actively grooming men living in Britain to serve as operatives, using social media and online networks to spread its reach across the UK, according to a bombshell report published by the Daily Express. A specific IRGC unit is reportedly building a patchwork of sleeper cells and lone-wolf agents designed to harass, surveil, and potentially attack Iranian dissidents, Jewish targets, and Israeli nationals on British soil. “In Britain it’s not quite sleeper cells, it’s more the co-ordination of useful idiots… a lot of people who like the regime in Iran and want to do their dirty work for them,” said Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London. “Iran’s most powerful weapon is not ballistic missiles, but this network — not just in Britain but across the world. The biggest threat from Iran is not a nuclear missile, it is on Britain’s streets.” Britain’s MI5 intelligence agency has already responded to 20 Iran-linked terror plots since 2022, the report revealed. The UK Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) warned earlier this year that Iran has attempted at least 15 kidnappings or assassinations of individuals in the UK, targeting Jewish leaders and anti-regime activists. The threats are not limited to physical attacks. Iran has deployed offensive cyber operations, espionage campaigns, and influence networks operating under the guise of cultural and educational centers across Britain. These facilities, the government admits, have in some cases been used to spread “violent and extremist ideology.” The UK government, in a formal response to Parliament’s ISC report, has labeled Iran a “core security priority” and placed the “whole of the Iranian state” on the highest level of scrutiny under the new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). The FIRS law, introduced in July, forces registration of any activity carried out on behalf of a foreign power. Under its enhanced tier, anyone working under Iran’s direction without registering faces up to five years in prison. Britain has also warned Tehran directly that any future attacks on UK soil will be treated as “an attack on the United Kingdom itself” and met with retaliation. The ISC report noted that Iran does not consider attacks on dissidents or Jewish targets abroad as “attacks on the host country,” but as extensions of its internal suppression strategy. The government has rejected that framing, making clear that such operations are hostile acts against Britain. The UK has also raised concerns about Iranian-linked cyber operations targeting critical infrastructure, citing reports of Tehran-backed hackers striking water facilities in Israel. Officials warned that similar operations could be directed at British infrastructure. Meanwhile, the possibility of further escalation remains. The government acknowledged that volatility in the Middle East could force a sudden evacuation of UK nationals if tensions with Iran spiral into open confrontation. “This threat must not be underestimated,” the government said in its statement, underscoring that Tehran’s combination of terrorism, espionage, and propaganda makes it one of the most complex security challenges facing the UK today. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hundreds of people gathered Monday night to escort Sarah (Sarita) Mendelson on her final journey, after she was brutally killed that morning when Arab terrorists opened fire at the Ramot Junction in Yerushalayim.

Her husband, Shlomi, poured out his grief at the levayah, saying, “The great loss has not settled in. Sarita, my dear wife, you were all energy of kindness and a straight path. All of your actions set an example. You were admired by all, everyone in their own way. Everyone who knew you is weeping. Members of Bnei Akiva, it isn’t sinking in for anyone.”

Her daughter, Aviya Ben-Haroush, also spoke through her tears: “How can a pure thing like you meet such evil? I’m sure you will look after us and send us powers of joy and support from above. The people of Israel have suffered enough; it hurts too much. Pray for the hostages, for our soldiers, and for us.”

Yigal Klein, Secretary-General of Bnei Akiva, shared his own moving tribute: “Sarita, the word ‘light’ keeps recurring in the tributes written about you today: the light of leadership, the light of your always-present warmth, the light that illuminated everyone who came, your ever-positive demeanor, and the countless references to the special light you had, which we all felt and were blessed by – from you.

“Sarita, before we say our final goodbye, one more request from you – with all your light, you knew in your role how to demand, to demand payment, to demand debts from the authorities, to demand what Bnei Akiva always needed. We have one request, Sarita: please, rise up before the throne of glory, and with your unique strength, demand the debts owed by the Master of the Universe, who already owes us redemption.

“Demand goodness for your family and for all our people. Demand the safe return of our soldiers in health and peace, crowned with victory until the victory of light and good. Demand the swift return of our hostages. Demand the return of our people to the beloved expanses of our land. Demand deep unity within us… Demand that in this year’s beginning, ‘our judgment will shine like the morning.’ Demand that it will be said for us, ‘Bless us, our Father, all as one in the light of your face. Sarita, you’ve already met many more demands that you have called for, so on our behalf, to Heaven, please demand these too.”

Among the mourners present was Minister Orit Strock, who came as the government’s representative.

Mendelson had devoted years of her life to Bnei Akiva, serving as Director of Public Relations in the youth movement’s treasury. On Monday morning, she was on her way to her office at the movement’s national headquarters in the Nayot neighborhood of Yerushalayim when she was murdered in cold blood.

Bnei Akiva released a statement after the tragedy, declaring, “Baruch Dayan Ha’emes. Bnei Akiva is mourning and grieving the murder of our dear friend and movement leader, Sarah Mendelson, may her memory be blessed, who was murdered this morning by wicked individuals in the attack in the Ramat neighborhood.” The statement continued, “The movement and the entire Bnei Akiva family send condolences and embrace the dear family during this difficult time.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Apparently, it’s not your fault if you down a gallon of sugar on a sweltering day — blame climate change. That’s the conclusion of a new study in Nature Climate Change, which insists rising temperatures in the U.S. are driving Americans to consume more sugar. Researchers in the U.S. and U.K. claim that as the mercury climbs, Americans guzzle “lots more” sodas and “a bit more” ice cream, adding up to over 100 million pounds of sugar compared to 15 years ago. “Climate change is shaping what you eat,” explained Duo Chan, a climate scientist at the University of Southampton, apparently elevating your Slurpee habit to a planetary crisis. The data analysis followed consumer purchases from 2004 to 2019 and cross-referenced them with weather records. The result: people drank slightly more sugary drinks between 54 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The “difference” per day? Less than a candy bar. But stretched over years, researchers insist, this becomes a “severe problem.” Critics might argue that marketing, cheap soda prices, and personal responsibility have something to do with it. But no, the problem — according to the study — is carbon emissions. To add gravity, University of California endocrinologist Robert Lustig warned that one extra can of soda a day can spike diabetes risk by nearly 30%. The fact that people might choose water instead of cola on hot days apparently escaped notice. The study further notes that low-income Americans drink the most sugar during hot spells, while Asian Americans don’t budge in their sugar intake at all — perhaps exposing a flaw in the one-size-fits-all climate-diet theory. As if predicting the end of civilization one Coke at a time, co-author Pan He said she became curious after observing Americans drink soda when thirsty. “That could be a problem,” she warned. Of course, even climate scientists can’t ignore reality. University of Washington researcher Kristie Ebi, not involved in the project, dryly observed that in a warming world “there will be other issues of more importance than a small increase in sugary beverages.” Translation: maybe your waistline isn’t the planet’s fault after all. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu delivered remarks on Monday at the Air Force command center in response to the murderous attack at the Ramot Junction earlier in the day, as well as the ongoing operations targeting Hamas in Gaza City.

“This has been a difficult day in our war on terrorism. Two abhorrent terrorists came to a bus stop, shot at a bus and murdered six of our dear citizens. I send condolences to the families, and I also send best wishes for a speedy recovery to those who were wounded,” he said. “That we eliminated these two terrorists is not enough. That we will go after their supporters and accomplices is also not enough.”

Netanyahu emphasized that the fight must go further, declaring: “My directive is to forcefully go after the nests of terrorism. We have already eliminated the nests of terrorism in three refugee camps. We simply evacuated the population from there and flattened all terrorist infrastructure – and my directive is to do this in additional terrorist nests.”

Turning to the IDF’s operations against Hamas, he noted: “I am here at the Air Force command center. A few days ago, I promised you that we would bring down the terrorist high-rises in Gaza. This is exactly what we are doing. In the last two days, 50 such high-rises have fallen; the Air Force took them down.”

He explained that this stage of the campaign is only the prelude to what is to come. “Now, all of this is only the introduction, only the beginning of the main intensive operation – the ground incursion of our forces, that are now getting organized and gathering, into Gaza City.”

Netanyahu then issued a pointed warning to those living in Gaza: “Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to say to the residents of Gaza, listen to me carefully: You have been warned; Get out of there!”

{Matzav.com Israel}