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Boris Tetleroyd, H’yd, was identified on Thursday as a victim of the massacre at Bondi Beach. He was murdered while attending the Chanukah celebration with his son, who was also shot and seriously injured. In a statement released by police on Thursday, his family said, “Boris was loved by everyone he met. He was well […]

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Another victim of the Sydney massacre during the Chanukah party at Bondi Beach was identified on Thursday as Adam Smyth, 50, a husband and father of four children. Smyth, a non-Jewish Bondi local, happened to be walking with his wife along the beach when the terrorists carried out the massacre and was killed. Australian Chabad […]

Counter-terrorism police arrested six suspects in Liverpool, a city in the New South Wales area of Australia, after intelligence tips that they were en route to Bondi Beach, Sky News Australia reported on Thursday. NSW Police were alerted that the alleged terror suspects had traveled from Melbourne and were believed to be heading toward Bondi […]

Military police officers raided the homes of two Sephardi bnei yeshivos in central Israel early Thursday morning in an attempt to arrest them for “draft dodging.” Peleg Yerushalmi’s “black alert” warning system brought dozens of protesters to both scenes, successfully thwarting the arrests, as the police wanted to avoid violent confrontations. The first attempted arrest […]

Hundreds of people gathered on Thursday morning in Sydney at the levayos of the youngest and eldest victims of the Bondi beach massacre. Matilda B., H’yd, 10, was cruelly gunned down as she was attending the Chanukah Chabad event. Her heartbreaking levaya was held at Sydney’s Chevra Kadisha. Matilda’s mother previously spoke to the press, […]

Speculation about the 2028 presidential race is already taking shape, even though no candidate has formally entered the contest and announcements are not expected until after the 2026 midterm elections. At this stage, Gov. Gavin Newsom is widely viewed as a likely contender for the Democrat nomination, while Vice President JD Vance is seen as a strong favorite to pursue the Republican slot and, if he does, to face little resistance within his party.

On the Democratic side, however, the picture is far less settled. John Nolte points out at Breitbart that reports indicate 2024 loser Kamala Harris is considering another run in 2028, and polling suggests she would be a formidable presence in a crowded primary. One recent survey showed Harris leading the Democrat field with 31 percent support, followed by Newsom at 20 percent and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at ten percent. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro placed fourth with 6.4 percent, narrowly ahead of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who registered 6.3 percent.

A separate poll painted a more encouraging picture for Ocasio-Cortez. In that survey, she climbed to third place with 16 percent support, trailing Newsom, who led with 25 percent, and Harris, who followed at 18 percent. Buttigieg was close behind in fourth place at 14 percent. That same poll showed Ocasio-Cortez leading among voters under the age of 34, capturing 32 percent of that demographic.

While the Democratic primary remains uncertain, a hypothetical general election matchup between Ocasio-Cortez and Vance has also been tested. In that scenario, the New York Democrat holds a narrow national edge, defeating Vance by two points, 51 percent to 49 percent.

“The New York Democratic congresswoman, known as AOC, edges the likely Republican nominee 51 percent to 49 percent, in The Argument/Verasight survey released on Tuesday,” reports the far-left Newsweek. “However, the result was within the poll’s 2.7 percentage point margin of error, making the two candidates statistically tied. The poll asked voters who they would vote for if the election was between the two of them.”

John Nolte reports for Breitbart that the survey reveals sharp demographic divides. According to the data, Vance dominates among white voters, leading 57 percent to 43 percent, while Ocasio-Cortez draws overwhelming support from minority voters, winning 79 percent of black voters and 64 percent of Hispanics. The gender gap is also pronounced, with men favoring Vance at 54 percent and women backing Ocasio-Cortez at 56 percent.

The poll, conducted among 1,521 registered voters between December 5 and 11, also produced a surprising crossover result, finding that eight percent of Trump voters said they would switch their support to Ocasio-Cortez in such a matchup.

For now, the numbers underscore both Ocasio-Cortez’s potential appeal in a general election and the intense competition she would face within her own party. Unlike Vance, who would likely consolidate Republican support quickly, the Democrat field appears poised for a bruising and unpredictable primary battle if multiple high-profile contenders enter the race.

{Matzav.com}

A long, four-page handwritten and autographed letter by Rabbi Akiva Sofer, Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Pressburg, direct descendant of the Chasam Sofer.

Members of ZAKA’s International Unit completed their difficult and emotionally taxing work in recent hours at the scene of the horrific massacre at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, following days of continuous activity at the site.

The ZAKA delegation was dispatched to Australia immediately after the terror attack and entered the scene once all required approvals were secured. Working under strict conditions, the volunteers carried out their mission in full coordination with local authorities and representatives of the Jewish community.

Over the past several days, ZAKA volunteers worked with profound reverence inside the sealed crime scene, meticulously collecting every remnant and every trace of blood to ensure they could be brought to burial in accordance with Jewish law.

Yossi Landau, ZAKA’s regional security officer for Lachish and head of the delegation, described the emotional toll of the operation. “We worked here for days with a deep sense of mission,” Landau said. “The sights at the shooting scenes are extremely difficult and take us back to the painful events of October 7. We did everything required to complete the mission fully, so that not a single drop of blood would remain.”

During the course of the day, members of the delegation, together with local ZAKA volunteer Reb Mendy Amzaleg, held a special meeting with Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, Av Beis Din of Sydney and Chabad’s emissary to Australia. Rabbi Ulman, whose father-in-law was murdered in the attack, expressed deep gratitude to the volunteers for their efforts.

Speaking emotionally, Rabbi Ulman described the magnitude of the tragedy. “Our community has endured a devastating catastrophe. Seventeen members of our community were brutally murdered, among them my righteous father-in-law, who was taken in the prime of his life,” he said.

He concluded by praising the ZAKA volunteers for their work under unimaginable conditions. “The ZAKA volunteers, angels of G-d, came here, and I personally witnessed the sacred work they carried out at the massacre site. This is work that requires extraordinary inner strength,” Rabbi Ulman said. “A tremendous thank-you for what you have done here, and for ZAKA’s unwavering presence at scenes of tragedy everywhere.”

{Matzav.com}

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to be NASA administrator on Wednesday, placing him atop the agency after a monthslong saga where President Donald Trump revoked his nomination as part of a feud with tech billionaire Elon Musk. Isaacman, who has promised to bring a business-minded approach to the space agency, was confirmed in a bipartisan […]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a newly launched nationwide recruitment effort has already generated an overwhelming response, with the agency reporting hundreds of thousands of applications as it works to significantly expand its workforce before year’s end, Breitbart reports.

According to an ICE spokesperson, the campaign has produced immediate results. “We’ve had over 200,000 American patriots apply for positions at ICE and a goal of hiring 10,000 new ICE officers and agents before the New Year,” the agency told Breitbart News.

The initiative, branded Defend the Homeland, is designed to bring in thousands of new officers and agents across the country and bolster the agency’s enforcement and national security operations.

As part of the rollout, ICE released a video advertisement that emphasizes both its origins and its current priorities. The video opens by linking the agency’s creation to the September 11 terror attacks, stating: “September 11, 2001: Nearly 3000 Americans lost because terrorists were here illegally. From that day, ICE was born — America’s first unified immigration, counterterrorism and homeland security effort.”

The advertisement then shifts to present-day enforcement efforts, asserting progress on multiple fronts. “Today, ICE is refocused on its mission and making America safer. Crime and gang violence is falling. Fentanyl deaths are at a five-year low, and the worst of the worst are being sent back.”

The video concludes with a direct appeal to viewers to join the agency, ending with the message: “America needs you. Join ICE. Apply today at join.ice.gov.”

ICE officials say the campaign reflects a renewed focus on recruitment as the agency seeks to strengthen its operational capacity nationwide by adding thousands of new personnel in the coming months.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] President Trump used a nationally televised address Wednesday night to argue that his administration has reversed what he described as deep economic and policy failures left behind by the previous administration, pointing to falling prices, rising wages, and what he called a dramatic shift in Washington’s direction.

At one point during the speech, members of the President’s team displayed a chart highlighting economic trends they said showed improvements under his leadership, including declines in certain prices alongside wage growth.

Turning to consumer costs, Trump cited data comparing prices before and after he took office. “Let’s look at the facts. Under the Biden administration, car prices rose 22% and in many states 30% or more,” Trump said, as he walked through the figures.

He went on to accuse Democrats of driving up the cost of everyday necessities, including food. “Democrat politicians also set the cost of groceries. Sorry, but we are solving that too.”

Trump devoted a significant portion of his remarks to health care affordability, placing responsibility for rising insurance premiums squarely on Democrats and existing health care law. “The current Unaffordable Care Act was created to make insurance companies rich,” Trump chided. “You see that now in the steep increase in premiums being demanded by the Democrats and they are demanding those increases and it’s their fault.

“It is not the Republicans’ fault, it’s the Democrats’ fault, it’s the Unaffordable Care Act.”

He argued that government assistance should bypass insurance companies entirely and be delivered straight to consumers, a change he said would reduce costs and restore fairness to the system.

Earlier in the address, Trump framed his presidency as a recovery effort following what he characterized as severe mismanagement. “Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump declared. “…We had the worst trade deals ever made, and our country was laughed at from all over the world, but they’re not laughing anymore.”

He repeated the point moments later for emphasis. “But they’re not laughing anymore,” he added. “Over the past 11 months, we have brought more positive change to Washington than any administration in American history.”

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{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump delivered a rare primetime televised address to the nation Wednesday evening, outlining what he described as major economic, immigration and foreign policy achievements during the first year of his second term, while previewing priorities for 2026. The approximately 18-minute speech was broadcast live at 9 p.m. ET from the Diplomatic Reception Room […]

The Senate gave final passage Wednesday to an annual military policy bill that will authorize $901 billion in defense programs while pressuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats in international water near Venezuela. The annual National Defense Authorization Act, which raises troop pay by 3.8%, gained bipartisan backing as it […]

In a major real estate transaction, the Jackson, NJ Township Board of Education has approved the sale of the former Christa McAuliffe Middle School to Beth Medrash Govoha for $40 million.

While the purchaser has finalized the deal, BMG has not disclosed any details about how it intends to use the site, and no official plans for the property’s future have been made public.

The agreement follows a series of price adjustments by the district as it sought a buyer for the expansive, vacant campus. The property was originally offered earlier this year with a minimum bid of $54.4 million. After reevaluating market conditions and buyer interest, the board lowered the threshold to $44.4 million toward the end of November, describing the move at the time as a necessary step to move the property off the district’s books.

Situated on South Hope Chapel Road, the campus features a main school structure spanning more than 126,000 square feet, along with five modular classroom units adding roughly 3,500 additional square feet. The grounds also include athletic facilities, office space, and a cafetorium outfitted with a full-service kitchen. Because of its scale and amenities, the site had long been considered one of the district’s most valuable surplus assets.

Christa McAuliffe Middle School was shuttered over the summer amid ongoing financial pressures facing the district. Officials cited sustained declines in enrollment, reductions in state funding, and recurring budget deficits as key factors leading to the closure.

{Matzav.com}

Testifying before a Senate aviation subcommittee on Wednesday, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford outlined the toll the 43-day government shutdown took on the agency’s workforce pipeline, saying hundreds of prospective air traffic controllers walked away during the lapse in funding.

According to Bedford, trainees were particularly hard hit by the uncertainty created by the shutdown, even though the FAA managed to keep its training academy operating. “Even though we kept the school open, I think the thought of not being paid was enough to frighten them away,” Bedford told lawmakers.

He estimated that the agency lost a significant number of recruits during that period. “We lost, I don’t know, four-to-five hundred of our trainees that just sort of gave up during the lapse,” Bedford said during the hearing.

The shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, also affected active controllers working in towers and other air traffic facilities, many of whom continued reporting to work without pay for more than six weeks.

Despite those losses, Bedford said the FAA has made progress in strengthening its workforce overall. While acknowledging that training has a high attrition rate, he said the agency now has more personnel moving through the system. He noted that there are currently 1,000 more trainees than at the same time last year and that the number of certified controllers has increased.

Still, Bedford cautioned lawmakers that improvements take time. “But as you point out, it’s a two-to-three-year full training cycle,” he said, underscoring that the impact of trainee losses cannot be reversed quickly.

Beyond staffing, Bedford also updated senators on the FAA’s modernization efforts, saying the agency remains on track to complete its transition from copper-based systems to fiber communications for air traffic control by the third quarter of 2027. “We’re 35% of the way through,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump demanded Wednesday that Venezuela return assets that it seized from U.S. oil companies years ago, justifying anew his announcement of a “blockade” against oil tankers traveling to or from the South American country that face American sanctions. Trump cited the lost U.S. investments in Venezuela when asked about his newest tactic in a monthslong pressure […]

Jonathan Pollard on Wednesday issued a special public appeal to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, urging them to approve the raising of the Israeli flag at the site of the former community of Nisanit in northern Gaza.

The request was made ahead of Chanukah and in advance of a flag-raising event scheduled for Thursday, being organized by the Nachala movement. In a letter addressed to Netanyahu and Katz, Pollard — who spent 30 years in an American prison for espionage — asked that the ceremony be permitted at the location where Nisanit once stood.

Pollard described himself as someone who “paid a heavy personal price out of deep loyalty to the State of Israel, its security, and its future,” and called for what he termed a “deep soul-searching” regarding the future of the Jewish people in Israel.

“From the heavy price paid in blood, body, and spirit, one clear truth emerges,” Pollard wrote. “We cannot accept a reality in which the Gaza Strip remains devoid of Jewish presence while continuing to pose an existential threat to Israeli citizens and to the communities of the south.”

According to Pollard, both historical experience and present-day security realities have repeatedly demonstrated that only a stable, sovereign Jewish civilian presence — alongside a security presence — can create real deterrence, strategic depth, and a secure future for Israel. “This is not merely an ideological question,” he wrote, “but one of national responsibility, security, and preventing the next catastrophe.”

Pollard stressed that the proposed flag-raising is not merely symbolic, but an act of profound national significance — an expression of connection to the land, continuity, and a refusal to surrender to violence and terror.

“On Chanukah — a holiday of light, steadfastness, and spiritual resolve — raising the Israeli flag in Nisanit will send the people of Israel a message of resilience and hope,” Pollard concluded. “It will also deliver a clear and sharp message to our enemies: the State of Israel does not retreat from those who seek its destruction.”

He ended his appeal by asking the prime minister and defense minister to approve the event, saying he believes it would be “a correct, values-driven, and unifying step — one that honors the memory of the fallen, the wounded of war, and the future of generations to come.”

{Matzav.com}