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A yungerman who was handed over to the military police last night is expected to appear Sunday before a military judge, who will decide his sentence and determine how many additional days he will remain behind bars in a military prison.
The arrest has sparked preparations for renewed protests by the Peleg Yerushalmi faction, as tensions continue to rise.
The detainee, Reb Avraham Ben Dayan, a talmid of the Maor HaTalmud yeshiva who was married only about two months ago, is scheduled to be brought before the military court today. The judge will rule on the length of his continued incarceration following his transfer to military custody.
According to the report, Ben Dayan had been spending Shabbos in the southern city of Ofakim when he was stopped by a traffic officer in the community of Yifrach on suspicion of a traffic violation. During the stop, the officer discovered that Ben Dayan had not reported to the enlistment office and was therefore classified as a deserter. He was taken to a police station and later transferred to the military police.
In response to the arrest, activists affiliated with the Peleg Yerushalmi said they are preparing to resume protests across the country, describing the detention as an attack on Torah study. “Ben Dayan was arrested for the crime of studying Torah, and we will take to the streets throughout the country. We will not remain silent while Torah scholars are arrested,” a source in the faction said.
Following the arrest, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Ofakim police station, blocking the entrance to the facility as well as Route 241 at the city’s entrance. Police were called in to disperse the crowd and restore order.
During the disturbances, police arrested three protesters and used crowd-control measures, including stun grenades, authorities said.
In a statement issued overnight, police said: “Officers from the Southern District operated at the entrance to the city of Ofakim on Route 241 to restore public order, after disorderly individuals arrived at the scene, blocked traffic routes, acted violently, and disrupted normal life in the area. Police forces arrested three individuals involved in the disturbances.
“The Israel Police emphasize that violent riots by lawbreakers and the blocking of traffic routes are criminal offenses, endanger human life, and could end in a serious disaster.”
As Ben Dayan awaits the military court’s decision, further demonstrations are expected, with the situation likely to remain volatile in the coming days.
{Matzav.com}
A volatile protest broke out late Motzoei Shabbos at the entrance to the southern city of Ofakim following the arrest of a young avreich, leading to road closures, clashes with police, and multiple arrests.
The demonstration erupted after the detention of Reb Avraham Ben Dayan, a recently married avreich who wed approximately two months ago. Reb Avraham, a talmid of Yeshivas Me’or HaTalmud and a resident of Netivot, was arrested during Shabbos in the community of Tifrach and was later transferred to the custody of military police.
According to available details, Reb Avraham had been in Tifrach over Shabbos when he was initially stopped by traffic police. He was subsequently handed over to the Ofakim police, who transferred him to military police at the Bahadim base. He is expected to be moved to Prison 10.
In response to the arrest, hundreds of demonstrators converged on the intersection at the entrance to Ofakim along Route 241. Protesters blocked the roadway, causing major traffic disruptions in the area. Tensions escalated as confrontations developed between demonstrators and police forces, who used stun grenades in an effort to disperse the crowd. Reports from the scene indicated that three protesters were arrested during the disturbances.
In a statement, police said officers from the Southern District were operating at the entrance to Ofakim to restore public order after individuals blocked traffic, acted violently, and disrupted daily life in the area.
Police further said that three people were taken into custody.
{Matzav.com}
In an effort to restore order and ensure safety during encounters with the Sanzer Rebbe, the Sanzer Chassidus has announced the creation of a new committee charged with regulating the flow of chassidim as they approach the Rebbe for a brachah.
The announcement was made on Friday evening in the main beis medrash of the Sanzer Rebbe in Kiryat Sanz, Netanya. The newly formed group is made up of selected avreichim whose role will be to guide participants during the traditional passage before the Rebbe.
The gabbai’im of the chassidus, Rav Avraham Dovid Shechter and Rav Dov Berish Shtemer, explained that in recent times the established order has deteriorated during gatherings in the Sanzer court, at times reaching the level of an actual danger to life.
They wrote that with the blessing and authorization of the Sanzer Rebbe, the decision was made to establish a dedicated group of avreichim who will stand watch and clearly direct chassidim how to proceed during each occasion of passing before the Rebbe. The new system will operate in an organized and appropriate manner, with separate routes designated for avreichim and for bochurim.
According to the announcement, beginning this week—starting with the Shabbos night tish, as will be publicized—every individual has both the obligation and the merit to follow the instructions of the committee.
The gabbai’im emphasized that adherence to the new guidelines will help be mekadeish Sheim Shomayim, uphold the dignity of the Sanzer court, and show proper respect for others.
In their message, the gabbai’im cited Rashi’s commentary on the approach of Klal Yisroel at the time of Matan Torah. Rashi explains that the earlier approach was fitting and respectful, with the younger honoring the elders and allowing them to go first, and the elders honoring the leaders. In contrast, the Torah later describes a disorderly approach, in which the young pushed the elders and the elders pushed the leaders, a model the chassidus seeks to avoid.
{Matzav.com}
Rav Aryeh Aharon Yarom zt”l, a distinguished longtime talmid of Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim and a resident of the Har Nof neighborhood, passed away on Shabbos morning at Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak. He was 78.
Rav Yarom was born on 27 Elul 5707 to his father, Rav Yosef Yarom, and his mother, Tzipora. From a young age, he was devoted to Torah learning. In his youth, he studied at Yeshivas HaNegev in Netivot, where he was a talmid of the rosh yeshiva, Rav Yissachar Meir zt”l, from whom he absorbed his derech halimud.
Upon reaching marriage age, he married the daughter of Rav Yom Tov Chaim HaKohen Friedman. Together they established their home in Yerushalayim’s Har Nof neighborhood.
Following his marriage, Rav Yarom entered the beis medrash of Yeshivas Mir in Yerushalayim, where he remained immersed in Torah learning for more than five decades. He was counted among the senior avreichim of the yeshiva, known for his consistency and dedication to Torah and avodah.
For decades, Rav Yarom was meticulous to be among the first ten men at every tefillah in his shul, a practice he maintained with remarkable persistence.
He is survived by a large and distinguished family. His sons are Rav Avraham Yitzchak Yarom; Rav Nosson Tzvi Yarom, chairman of Machon Mishnas HaChafetz Chaim; Rav Yehoshua Chananel Yarom; and Rav Moshe Yarom. His sons-in-law include Rav Aharon Malach of Beit Vagan, Rav Betzalel Mendelson of Modiin Illit, and Rav Yitzchak Aryeh Deutsch of Yesodos. He also leaves behind many grandchildren.
The levayah took place on Motzoei Shabbos at the Shamgar funeral home in Yerushalayim, with kevurah on Har HaMenuchos.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}SpaceX has decided to put its longer-term plans for Mars on hold and concentrate instead on returning to the moon, telling investors on Friday that lunar missions will take priority, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Under the revised timeline, the company is aiming for March 2027 to carry out a moon landing mission that will not include astronauts, the report said.
Executives told investors that the company’s immediate emphasis is on advancing its Starship rocket and coordinating closely with NASA’s Artemis program. As part of that effort, SpaceX is developing a Human Landing System designed to transport astronauts to the lunar surface, marking humanity’s first return there since the Apollo era.
The shift underscores a mix of progress and pressure, reflecting advances made with Starship as well as the need to demonstrate concrete achievements in lunar exploration before pursuing more ambitious destinations such as Mars.
The update comes shortly after SpaceX agreed to acquire xAI in a transaction valuing the space company at $1 trillion and the artificial intelligence firm at $250 billion.
Elon Musk said last year that his goal was to launch an uncrewed mission to Mars by the end of 2026.
At the center of the company’s strategy is Starship, a massive stainless-steel rocket designed to be fully reusable and capable of supporting a wide range of missions, from lunar flights to eventual journeys to Mars.
The United States is also racing against growing competition from China to put astronauts back on the moon this decade, a destination that has not seen human visitors since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
Musk previously downplayed the importance of lunar missions, calling the moon a “distraction” and saying SpaceX was heading “straight to Mars.”
{Matzav.com}
Presidential adviser Dick Morris said today that a social media video portraying former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys was a serious error, describing it as both foolish and unintended, while pressing the Trump administration to take responsibility and quickly redirect attention to its record with minority voters.
Speaking on Saturday Report on Newsmax, Morris was blunt in his assessment of the video, saying, “It was obviously stupid. It was obviously a mistake. And the guy should be fired.”
The remarks came amid backlash over a clip that circulated on social media showing the Obamas depicted as monkeys, imagery that drew widespread condemnation as racist and offensive.
The episode sparked criticism and fueled debate over whether the Trump campaign and its allies are doing enough to prevent messaging that risks alienating minority communities.
When asked whether President Donald Trump’s team needs to respond more forcefully to such incidents and sharpen its overall messaging, Morris cautioned against allowing the controversy to overshadow what he characterized as Trump’s economic record.
“But let’s remember that Donald Trump has been incredible in the progress that’s gone on with both Black and Latino people,” Morris said.
He argued that the administration should use moments such as Black History Month to spotlight policy outcomes rather than allowing negative stories to dominate coverage.
“Their incomes have gone up,” Morris said. “The gap between the Black and white wages has closed. The minimum wage is increasing.”
Morris went on to add, “Clearly there has never been a president who has been as effective as Donald Trump is in ironing out the economic discrimination that had been holding Blacks and Latinos back.”
He concluded by urging the administration to keep the focus on those achievements, saying Trump “should celebrate that with Black History Month and not let the distraction attract the media’s attention.”
{Matzav.com}
The U.S. State Department has removed all content posted before President Donald Trump began his second term on January 20, 2025, from its official X accounts, according to a report published Friday by NPR.
The department said the removed posts have been archived but are no longer visible to the public on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In a statement provided to NPR, a State Department spokesperson explained that the move “is to limit confusion on U.S. government policy and to speak with one voice to advance the President, Secretary, and Administration’s goals and messaging.
“It will preserve history while promoting the present,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson further said that the department’s X accounts “are one of our most powerful tools for advancing the America First goals and messaging of the President, Secretary, and Administration, both to our fellow Americans and audiences around the world.”
The decision comes amid broader actions by the Trump administration across federal agencies to remove, alter, or update online material that does not reflect its MAGA-aligned messaging priorities. Critics have argued that such changes to government websites and digital platforms limit public access to previously available information.
The State Department emphasized that although the posts have been taken down from public view, they are being retained in accordance with federal records preservation requirements.
{Matzav.com}
Greenland’s foreign minister said Saturday that while dialogue with the United States is continuing, the discussions have not yet reached a point that meets Greenland’s expectations, and it remains premature to assess their eventual outcome.
Vivian Motzfeldt made the remarks during a joint press conference in Nuuk alongside her counterparts from Denmark and Canada, emphasizing that the process is still at an early stage.
“We are not there where we want to be yet. There is going to be a long track, so where we are going to land at the end, it’s too early to say,” Motzfeldt said.
{Matzav.com}A former senior official in Israel’s security establishment said that Israel passed up a clear opportunity in 2018 to eliminate Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, claiming the plan was blocked at the political level despite operational readiness.
Ilan Segev, who previously served in a senior role with the Israel Security Agency, made the remarks during an interview on the program Ma’avirim LaRishon. He said the opportunity arose while Benjamin Netanyahu was serving as prime minister.
According to Segev, the window opened in August 2018, after the Israeli government allowed senior Hamas figure Saleh al-Arouri to enter the Gaza Strip as part of reconciliation efforts between Hamas and Fatah. During that timeframe, Israeli security agencies identified what Segev described as a concrete and actionable option to eliminate both al-Arouri and Yahya Sinwar at the same time.
Segev said that despite the existence of a viable operational plan, the strike never went ahead. He explained that the political echelon, led at the time by Netanyahu, ultimately decided not to authorize the action, stopping Israel’s security forces from carrying it out.
He also referenced an earlier episode dating back to 2013, saying that then–IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and then–ISA head Yoram Cohen sought approval to attack Hamas tunnel infrastructure that had crossed into Israeli territory. That initiative, Segev said, was likewise halted after it failed to gain approval from Netanyahu and other members of the political leadership.
{Matzav.com}
U.S. stocks rallied sharply on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossing the 50,000 threshold for the first time as investors shook off earlier technology-sector losses and returned to risk assets.
The blue-chip Dow jumped 1,206.95 points, a gain of 2.5%, finishing the session at 50,115.67.
Other major benchmarks also posted strong daily gains. The S&P 500 advanced 2%, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.2%. Despite Friday’s surge, the Nasdaq was unable to escape a negative week, ending down 1.8% after a three-day sell-off earlier in the week.
Chipmakers and AI-linked technology firms were among the strongest performers. Shares of Nvidia jumped 7.9%, while Broadcom rose 7.1%. Oracle gained 3.2%, and Palantir added 4%.
Cryptocurrency markets also rebounded sharply. Bitcoin surged 11% to just under $70,000 after briefly falling below $61,000 overnight, its lowest level since October.
Even with the rebound, Bitcoin remained more than 52% below its record high of $126,000 reached in early October 2025, when investors were betting that President Donald Trump would relax regulatory pressure on the crypto industry.
Not all technology stocks participated in the rally. Software companies continued to face pressure amid concerns that rapid advances in artificial intelligence could automate many of their services. ServiceNow slid 1.9%, while Salesforce ended up 0.7% after earlier trading lower.
Amazon stood out as a major decliner. The stock dropped more than 5% after disappointing earnings results and plans to spend $200 billion on AI, chips, and robotics fueled doubts about whether heavy AI investment will translate into long-term profits.
“Tech stocks have been dropping as concerns grow that AI may supplant traditional software applications, reduce the utility of legacy search engines, and divert online advertising to AI engines,” Kenin Spivak, chairman and CEO of SMI Group LLC, told The Post.
“As often happens, sellers depressed stock prices to a level that bargain hunters find attractive, leading to at least short term gains. Prices may continue to bounce around as investors evaluate the implications of AI.”
Spivak said a similar dynamic is playing out in the cryptocurrency market: “When Bitcoin’s trading price falls, collectors who believe there will be other collectors step in to push up the price.”
Bitcoin’s rally lifted stocks closely tied to digital assets. Robinhood Markets soared 13.5%, the biggest percentage gainer in the S&P 500.
Coinbase Global climbed 13%, while Strategy — the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, formerly known as MicroStrategy — surged 26%.
Investors also appeared to rotate toward value stocks during the session, with Goldman Sachs rising 4.2%.
Smaller companies joined the advance as well, pushing the Russell 2000 Index up 3.6%.
Stronger-than-expected consumer sentiment data released Friday likely added fuel to the rally, benefiting cyclical sectors such as airlines. United Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines each gained between 7% and 9%.
In commodities markets, gold futures rose 1.8% to $4,979, while silver edged up 0.3% to $76.94.
{Matzav.com}
The White House on Friday removed a meme video shared on President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account after it sparked sharp criticism for portraying former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, drawing condemnation from senior Republicans who called the clip racist and demanded its removal.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially pushed back against critics and accused them of stirring “fake outrage,” but the video was taken down shortly before noon.
A White House official later said the post was the result of an internal error, adding that a staff member had “erroneously made the post. It has been taken down.”
Sen. Tim Scott, the highest-ranking Black Republican in Congress, publicly rebuked the White House earlier in the day on X, writing: “Praying it [the post] was fake because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”
Rep. Mike Lawler also condemned the video, saying: “The President’s post is wrong and incredibly offensive — whether intentional or a mistake — and should be deleted immediately with an apology offered.”
The criticism extended beyond elected officials. Conservative activist Debbie Dooley said she was “horrified” by the imagery shown in the video.
“I am no fan of the Obamas, but the graphic designer that created the video that shows The Obamas as apes needs to be fired and banned from the White House,” she said.
Dooley was among the original founders of the Tea Party movement that helped Republicans regain control of the House during the 2010 midterm elections under Obama’s presidency.
In an earlier response, Leavitt sought to downplay the controversy, stating: “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from ‘The Lion King.’”
“Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”
The approximately one-minute video, which appeared on Trump’s Truth Social account late Thursday and was originally created by an anonymous X user, largely focused on allegations of vote-rigging in the 2020 election. It included AI-generated images depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes while the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” played.
The clip was taken from a longer video that portrayed several prominent Democrats — including Joe Biden, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — as animals styled after characters from the animated Disney film.
In the video, Biden was shown as a chimp, Schumer as a zebra, and Newsom as an impala.
“Disgusting behavior by the President. Every single Republican must denounce this. Now,” Newsom’s office’s X account posted.
{Matzav.com}