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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul holds a narrow 4.4-percentage-point advantage over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman in a newly released Republican-commissioned survey, a significantly smaller lead than the margins reported by several independent pollsters as the November 3 gubernatorial election approaches.

The poll, conducted by OnMessage Inc. for Republican attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy, found Hochul receiving 50.3% support among likely voters, compared with 45.9% for Blakeman, the Nassau County executive. The same survey placed Democratic Attorney General Letitia James at 50.7%, ahead of Komatireddy at 44.7%, a six-point difference.

The findings suggest a more competitive contest than other recent polling has indicated, although the survey was commissioned by a Republican campaign and its results differ considerably from the broader polling average.

One of the survey’s most striking findings was Blakeman’s performance in western New York, particularly the Buffalo region, which includes Hochul’s home area. The Republican received 56% support there, compared with 42% for the governor.

Although Buffalo itself generally votes Democratic, the surrounding counties have traditionally provided strong support for Republican candidates.

The poll also showed Blakeman ahead in the Albany region, where he received 52% against Hochul’s 44%. In other rural areas of New York, his advantage was substantially larger, with 62% supporting the Republican and 33% backing the Democratic incumbent.

Hochul’s strongest showing came in the New York City media market, where she led 54.2% to 41.9%. That region encompasses the city’s five boroughs, Long Island and suburban communities north of the city, including Westchester and Rockland counties.

The governor maintained smaller advantages in two additional upstate regions. In Rochester, Hochul led 50% to 46%, while Syracuse voters favored her by 49.1% to 47.1%, according to the survey.

Republican political strategist O’Brien “O.B.” Murray, who worked on George Pataki’s successful 1994 gubernatorial campaign, characterized the findings as evidence of a closely contested election.

“This race for governor is very competitive,” Murray said.

“In this race anything can happen. Four years ago people were tiring of Kathy Hochul. Nobody expected that race to be that close,” he added.

Murray was referring to the 2022 gubernatorial election, when Hochul defeated Republican Lee Zeldin by approximately six percentage points, a relatively narrow margin in a state where Democrats enjoy a substantial voter-registration advantage.

The latest findings are consistent with an internal survey commissioned by Blakeman’s own campaign last month, which also showed the Republican trailing by approximately four points.

A separate poll released last week by Pollfinity likewise placed Hochul ahead by four points.

However, those findings contrast with surveys conducted by several established independent polling organizations, which have generally reported a considerably larger advantage for the governor.

According to the RealClearPolling average of four recent independent surveys, Hochul led Blakeman by 12.8 percentage points. Individual polls included a nine-point lead in a Siena University survey and a 19-point advantage in a Quinnipiac University poll conducted during the past month.

The Quinnipiac survey anticipated stronger voter participation in New York City, a factor that could significantly influence the statewide result because of the city’s large Democratic electorate.

The OnMessage survey interviewed 1,000 likely New York voters between October 12 and October 14 and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

OnMessage was rated among the more accurate polling firms during the 2024 election cycle, although the latest survey’s sponsorship and differences from independent polling remain important considerations when interpreting its results.

Hochul’s campaign disputed the suggestion that the Republican challenger is closing the gap, insisting that the governor continues to enjoy an advantage as Election Day approaches.

“Governor Hochul continues to build her lead and momentum – New Yorkers want nothing to do with the same Bruce Blakeman who promised to ‘cut Medicaid in half,’ never disagree with Donald Trump, and said ICE was doing a ‘very, very good job’ as they abused their power in New York and across the country,” said Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki.

The latest poll arrives as both candidates intensify their campaigns following their October 13 debate in Manhattan, where they clashed over public safety, affordability, immigration enforcement and the state’s relationship with President Trump.

On Tuesday, Blakeman appeared alongside former Republican Gov. George Pataki in Manhattan to advocate expanding New York’s natural gas production, arguing that the state’s energy policies have contributed to rising utility costs. Hochul has defended her administration’s energy strategy and pointed to financial assistance intended to reduce the burden on consumers.

The candidates are also competing over crime and public safety, with Blakeman criticizing conditions in New York City’s transit system and Hochul emphasizing her administration’s investments in law enforcement and public transportation security.

Early voting in New York begins October 24, with Election Day scheduled for November 3.

{Matzav.com}

A newly disclosed Israeli government document reveals that 143 individuals wanted by military authorities for failing to report for service were detained by police and subsequently released because military personnel failed to arrive to take them into custody within the required time. The disclosure comes as a major operation to arrest chareidi draft avoiders has been postponed for the second time amid disagreements between the IDF and Israel Police.

The findings emerged from an October 14 meeting chaired by Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon, whose office is preparing an update for the Israeli Supreme Court concerning enforcement of military conscription requirements among the chareidi population.

According to the document, which was circulated Monday and reported Tuesday, police recorded 143 cases between July 1 and October 12 in which individuals identified as draft avoiders were encountered during routine police activity but were ultimately allowed to leave.

Under the existing arrangement between the police and the IDF, civilian officers who encounter someone wanted by military authorities are required to contact the Military Police and wait up to 30 minutes for military personnel to arrive.

If the Military Police fail to appear within that period, the individual is released rather than transferred into military custody.

That is precisely what occurred in the 143 cases documented by police, according to the report.

The individuals were instead given notices instructing them to report to military recruitment authorities.

Representatives of the Military Police disputed the figures during the meeting, saying they were unfamiliar with the 143 cases cited by civilian police.

Limon described the number as unusually high and warned that it could indicate serious problems in the implementation of the agreement between the two law enforcement agencies.

The document instructed Israel Police to provide military authorities with details of the incidents so that the IDF could investigate the discrepancies, identify failures and determine how to prevent similar occurrences.

The agencies were ordered to provide an update by November 1.

The report also disclosed that only 14 draft avoiders were recorded as having been arrested during random encounters with police over the same three-and-a-half-month period.

The document did not fully clarify the relationship between those 14 arrests and the 143 cases in which detainees were released.

Meanwhile, a planned joint operation targeting individuals wanted for failing to report for military service has been delayed for a second time.

The operation had been scheduled for October but was postponed after Israel Police demanded that the IDF provide several hundred additional soldiers to assist with the enforcement effort.

Police officials argued that the extra personnel were necessary to manage the anticipated security challenges and public disturbances that could accompany large-scale arrests in chareidi neighborhoods.

The IDF rejected the demand, maintaining that the proposed arrangement was impractical and inconsistent with the division of responsibilities between the military and civilian police.

Military representatives insisted that the IDF is responsible for carrying out the arrests, while Israel Police must handle crowd control, public disturbances and the maintenance of public order.

Limon sided with that interpretation, stating that civilian police cannot condition their participation in enforcement operations on the deployment of hundreds of soldiers to perform policing duties.

The government document criticized the continuing delays and warned that enforcement operations could not remain suspended indefinitely.

“The situation described does not meet the state’s obligation to combat the phenomenon of draft evasion,” the document stated.

The IDF and police were instructed to develop a workable arrangement allowing coordinated arrest operations to resume, with a detailed progress report required by November 1.

Although large-scale joint operations have been delayed, the military said its police units continue conducting targeted arrests in various locations each week.

However, the government document observed that the number of arrests resulting from those activities remains limited.

The IDF said that dozens of draft avoiders had been arrested in recent weeks through targeted operations and enforcement at border crossings.

The disclosure comes amid continuing demonstrations against the arrest of yeshiva bochurim, including protests in Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak.

On Tuesday morning, five yeshiva bochurim wanted by military authorities were detained by civilian police near the Ein Zeitim junction in the Yerushalayim area.

According to Israeli media reports, Military Police personnel failed to arrive within the required half-hour period, and all five were released with instructions to report to a recruitment office.

The incident occurred on the same day that dozens of Chabad bochurim returning from New York were detained at Ben Gurion Airport over their military-service status.

The government document also raised questions about enforcement at Israel’s border crossings.

According to figures presented during an earlier meeting, more than 200 individuals wanted by military authorities were arrested during September.

In 64 cases, individuals were detained at Ben Gurion Airport upon returning to Israel after apparently leaving the country without being identified as subject to military-service enforcement.

The Population and Immigration Authority reported that those cases had been referred to police for investigation into suspected border-related violations.

Police representatives, however, said they were unaware of receiving the reports.

The conflicting accounts are expected to be examined at another meeting involving the Population Authority, the IDF and Israel Police.

Another unresolved issue concerns the criteria used to determine which individuals wanted by military authorities are arrested at border crossings and which are permitted to travel or return home.

The Deputy Attorney General’s office had previously requested a written explanation of those criteria in August, but the IDF had not yet supplied the document.

Military authorities were again instructed to provide the information before the next scheduled meeting.

The findings are expected to form part of the state’s response to the Supreme Court in proceedings concerning implementation of its ruling on chareidi military conscription.

The state is scheduled to submit its update to the court on Wednesday, October 21.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli forces have eliminated a Hamas terrorist who participated in the kidnapping of Shani Louk, the 22-year-old German-Israeli woman whose abduction during the October 7, 2023, massacre became one of the most horrifying and widely recognized images of the Hamas atrocities.

The IDF and Shin Bet announced Tuesday that Tamer Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Zabaq, a member of Hamas’s military wing, was killed Monday in a targeted Israeli airstrike in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to Israeli security officials, Al-Zabaq was among the Hamas terrorists who crossed into Israel during the October 7 assault and participated in Louk’s abduction from the area of the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im.

Louk was attending the festival when Hamas terrorists launched their murderous assault on southern Israel, killing hundreds of festivalgoers and abducting others into Gaza.

In the hours following the massacre, disturbing footage emerged showing Louk’s body lying in the back of a pickup truck as armed terrorists drove through Gaza. The images, which circulated around the world, became a symbol of the brutality of the October 7 attacks.

Israeli authorities confirmed Louk’s death later that month. Her remains were subsequently recovered from Gaza during an Israeli military operation in May 2024 and returned to Israel for burial.

The IDF said Al-Zabaq remained actively involved in Hamas operations throughout the war and continued working to rebuild the terrorist organization’s military infrastructure even after the ceasefire agreement.

“Throughout the war, and specifically recently, the terrorist advanced attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians and operated to restore the terrorist organization’s military capabilities, in systematic violation of the ceasefire,” the military stated.

Israeli officials said the decision to target Al-Zabaq followed intelligence indicating that he continued to pose a danger to Israeli soldiers and civilians.

The military said the strike was conducted using precision weaponry and aerial surveillance, with measures taken beforehand to reduce the possibility of harm to civilians in the surrounding area.

The operation was carried out jointly by the IDF and Shin Bet as part of their continuing efforts to locate and eliminate Hamas terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre and those engaged in renewed terrorist activity.

Israeli security forces said they remain positioned in the Gaza area under the terms of the existing agreement but will continue taking action against terrorists who threaten Israeli personnel or civilians.

“The security forces are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to operate to remove any threat,” the IDF concluded.

The elimination of Al-Zabaq also marked the end of the Hamas cell identified in the notorious footage of Louk’s abduction. According to additional Israeli military reporting, three other terrorists from the five-member group had previously been killed during the war, while a fourth was captured by Israeli forces and remains in Israeli custody.

Al-Zabaq, who was identified as a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba force, was the last member of that group still at large.

Louk’s remains were recovered on May 17, 2024, from a tunnel in Gaza during an operation that also brought home the bodies of three other October 7 victims: Amit Bouskila, Yitzhak Gelernter and Ron Binyamin. The operation followed intelligence gathered by Israeli security agencies, including information obtained during interrogations of captured terrorists.

Israeli officials described the latest strike as closing the circle on the terrorist cell responsible for transporting Louk’s body into Gaza, more than three years after the massacre.

Moti Leitner, the head of the independent Chareidi Public party, faced pointed questions during a radio interview over his decision to challenge the established chareidi political parties in Israel’s upcoming Knesset elections, with the interviewers repeatedly demanding to know which rabbonim had authorized his candidacy.

The confrontation took place on Kol Chai radio, where veteran broadcasters Betzalel Kahn and Dovid Chacham questioned Leitner about the rabbinic backing for his new political movement and whether his decision to run independently was consistent with the longstanding practice of chareidi political parties operating under the direction of gedolei Yisroel.

Leitner insisted that his party has the support of a rabbinical committee, but his responses failed to satisfy the interviewers, who pressed him to identify the rabbonim involved.

The exchange reflected broader tensions within the chareidi political community ahead of the October 27 elections, particularly as new political initiatives seek to attract voters dissatisfied with the existing parties.

“WHO ARE YOUR RABBONIM?”: Independent Chareidi Candidate Moti Leitner Grilled in Heated Radio Confrontation Over Challenge to Gedolei Yisroel

Moti Leitner, chairman of the independent Chareidi Public party, found himself at the center of a heated confrontation Tuesday morning when two prominent chareidi radio hosts challenged his decision to run for the Knesset independently of the established chareidi parties and demanded to know which gedolei Yisroel had authorized his political campaign.

The contentious exchange unfolded during Kol Chai’s morning news program, hosted by Betzalel Kahn and Dovid Chacham, who accused Leitner of undermining the authority of gedolei Torah and challenging the established leadership of the chareidi community just one week before Israel’s October 27 elections.

Leitner rejected the accusations, insisting that his political movement operates under rabbinic supervision and arguing that publicly identifying its rabbinic supporters would expose them to intimidation and harassment.

The interview quickly developed into a sharp argument over the legitimacy of an independent chareidi political movement, with the hosts questioning whether Leitner had any recognized Torah authority behind his candidacy.

Opening their challenge, Kahn and Chacham argued that the chareidi community had survived generations of persecution through its commitment to Torah observance and adherence to gedolei Yisroel.

“The chareidi public survived decrees and persecution throughout history solely through observance of Torah and mitzvos and uncompromising obedience to gedolei Yisroel throughout the generations,” the hosts said.

They then directly challenged Leitner’s authority to establish a competing political party.

“By what spiritual, moral or educational authority do you get up and decide that you know better than hundreds of thousands of chareidim and all the gedolei hador?” they demanded.

“All the chareidi representatives operate as direct emissaries of recognized gedolei Torah and rabbonim. Which gedolei Yisroel, exactly, stand behind you and give you their backing?”

Leitner responded that the premise of the question was itself insulting to the many chareidim who support his movement.

“This question expresses patronizing arrogance and contempt for hundreds of thousands of chareidim,” he said.

“The Derech movement was not established on its own initiative, but under the close supervision of a committee of rabbonim, community rabbonim and various dayanim.”

He argued that identifying the rabbonim publicly would subject them to pressure from opponents of his political movement.

“Revealing the names of rabbonim during a live broadcast would only expose them to pressure and bullying, as we have seen happen to others who departed from the established line,” Leitner maintained.

The hosts refused to accept that explanation and continued pressing him to identify recognized gedolei Torah who had endorsed his candidacy.

They argued that the rabbonim associated with his movement did not represent the mainstream chareidi leadership and accused him of presenting himself as a representative of the community without the backing of its established rabbinic authorities.

“The few names you have cited are completely unknown to the chareidi mainstream, and there is no recognized gadol Yisroel standing behind you,” they charged.

“It is arrogance and audacity to use the name of the chareidi public when no prominent chareidi figure supports you, and those cheering your movement are primarily people on the left and the general media.”

The hosts further accused Leitner of encouraging opposition to the authority of gedolei Yisroel at a particularly sensitive time for the community.

“You are taking upon yourself a serious rebellion against gedolei Yisroel and endangering the entire chareidi public,” they declared.

The confrontation comes amid growing controversy surrounding Leitner’s party, which is seeking to offer an alternative to Shas and United Torah Judaism.

The Chareidi Public party has advocated changes in chareidi education, including expanded instruction in English and mathematics, and supports greater military participation among chareidi men who are not engaged in full-time Torah study.

Those positions have generated considerable debate within the community, particularly as the military draft controversy continues to dominate the election campaign.

Leitner has argued that the established chareidi parties have failed to adequately represent segments of the community seeking different approaches to education, employment and military service.

Earlier this month, his party publicly identified a rabbinic committee overseeing its activities, headed by Rav Yehoshua Pfeffer of Yerushalayim.

The announcement, however, did little to quiet criticism from opponents who argued that the committee did not include recognized members of the established chareidi rabbinic leadership.

The party’s published list of rabbinic supporters also drew attention because Rav Dovid Leibel, founder of Achvas Torah, was not among its signatories.

At a campaign gathering in Yerushalayim on Motzoei Shabbos, Leitner sharply criticized the existing chareidi political establishment, accusing its representatives of failing to address violence directed at chareidi soldiers and other problems confronting the community.

His movement has also faced criticism from individuals previously associated with its municipal political activities.

Yisrael Schweibel, who was involved in establishing the Derech municipal list in Beit Shemesh, said in a separate interview that he was concerned about the consequences of an independent national campaign and questioned whether Leitner was free to withdraw from the race.

The party rejected Schweibel’s criticism and accused him of attempting to pressure its leadership into abandoning the campaign.

Tuesday’s Kol Chai interview ended without agreement, as Kahn and Chacham maintained that Leitner’s candidacy lacked the authorization of recognized gedolei Yisroel, while Leitner continued to insist that his movement was operating with rabbinic guidance.

{Matzav.com}

Federal investigators descended on at least two adult day care facilities in Brooklyn on Tuesday as part of an extensive investigation into suspected Medicaid fraud involving more than 100 taxpayer-funded service providers across New York. Authorities are examining allegations ranging from fraudulent billing and illegal kickbacks to money laundering, in a crackdown targeting the misuse of public funds intended to serve elderly and vulnerable residents.

The enforcement operation included raids in Borough Park and Sunset Park, where agents from Homeland Security Investigations and other law enforcement agencies were seen entering adult day care facilities and removing boxes of potential evidence.

Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed that the raids were connected to an ongoing investigation that has been underway for several months, describing the operation as a “massive effort to combat fraud and abuse” involving public money and services for vulnerable New Yorkers.

“We are targeting providers we believe who engaged in illegal activity ranging from money laundering to kickbacks to improper billing and other fraudulent activities,” Hochul said during a press conference Tuesday.

According to the governor, investigators have been examining more than 100 providers receiving taxpayer funding because of concerns about possible fraudulent or unlawful practices. Officials have not disclosed how many of those facilities have been found to have committed wrongdoing, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Photographs taken during the Brooklyn raids showed federal agents carrying evidence boxes out of the targeted locations. One of the facilities was Happy Adult Day Care in Sunset Park, while another location in Borough Park was also searched.

Homeland Security Investigations emphasized that submitting false claims for services that were never delivered constitutes a serious offense, rather than an administrative error.

“Billing public programs for care, transportation or other services that were never provided is fraud, NOT a paperwork mistake,’’ the agency stated in a social media post.

An HSI spokeswoman confirmed that agents were conducting a “court-authorized law enforcement action,” but declined to identify the targets or provide additional information because the investigation is still active.

The operation follows growing scrutiny of New York’s adult day care industry, which receives substantial Medicaid funding to provide supervision, activities, transportation and other services for eligible elderly and disabled residents.

Investigators have been examining whether some operators submitted claims for services that were never provided, inflated the number of participants attending their facilities, or used improper financial arrangements to generate Medicaid reimbursements.

The latest raids come after earlier investigations raised questions about facilities receiving millions of dollars in government payments despite concerns about whether they were providing the services reflected in their billing records.

In one previously reported case, the operator of a Brooklyn adult day care facility received approximately $32 million in Medicaid payments while questions were raised about activity at the location. Separate investigations have examined alleged multimillion-dollar schemes involving adult day care operators and improper Medicaid reimbursements.

Hochul maintained that her administration has been working to strengthen oversight of the industry since she took office in 2021, saying enforcement efforts and administrative reforms have helped save taxpayers more than $15 billion in Medicaid expenditures.

New York’s Medicaid system, which provides healthcare coverage and related services to low-income residents, has grown into a program costing approximately $116 billion annually. The enormous volume of spending has intensified concerns about whether the state has adequate safeguards to identify fraudulent claims and prevent improper payments.

The governor’s administration has repeatedly pledged to reduce waste and abuse within the program, although its own handling of Medicaid reforms has also come under federal scrutiny.

The federal investigation comes amid a separate dispute between the Trump administration and Hochul’s government over New York’s restructuring of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, known as CDPAP, which allows eligible Medicaid recipients to receive care at home from caregivers of their choosing.

Federal prosecutors have alleged that the state’s overhaul of the multibillion-dollar program involved improper conduct in the selection of a contractor. Hochul’s administration has rejected those accusations and sought dismissal of the federal lawsuit brought earlier this year.

Tuesday’s operation extended beyond Brooklyn. The FBI confirmed that investigators were conducting enforcement activity at locations in Queens and Staten Island as well, with search warrants being executed at multiple businesses throughout New York City.

Additional reporting identified two Borough Park locations associated with Happy Adult Day Care Center, at 5118 Fort Hamilton Parkway and 4022 Eighth Avenue, where investigators were seen removing materials.

The crackdown follows several major Medicaid fraud prosecutions involving Brooklyn adult day care operators. Earlier this month, Ahsan Ijaz, a Brooklyn businessman, pleaded guilty in a scheme involving approximately $65 million in fraudulent Medicaid claims. Prosecutors said businesses under his control paid kickbacks to Medicaid recipients and billed for services that had not been provided, including services supposedly delivered while recipients were outside the United States.

In September, another Brooklyn adult day care operator, Zakia Khan, received a 76-month federal prison sentence for her role in a $64 million Medicaid fraud and kickback operation. She was ordered to pay more than $56 million in restitution and forfeit $5 million in proceeds, including property, cash and gold jewelry.

The latest investigation could also bring significant changes to the future of New York’s adult day care program. Hochul has directed the state Health Department to prepare recommendations by December 31 on whether the program should be restructured with stricter oversight or phased out in favor of alternative services.

A moratorium on new adult day care providers, imposed in July, is scheduled to remain in effect until January 2027 and could be extended. State officials have also been directed to strengthen reviews of claims before payment and consider suspending reimbursements to providers where warranted.

Authorities have not announced how many of the more than 100 providers under investigation will face criminal charges, and the searches themselves do not establish that the businesses involved committed fraud.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sharply criticized the arrests of yeshiva bochurim on Tuesday, declaring that the detention of Torah learners is unacceptable and accusing those responsible for the enforcement measures of deliberately undermining efforts to resolve the military draft controversy without coercion.

Speaking in an interview with Yaki Adamker and Yisrael Cohen on Kol Barama radio, Netanyahu also pledged to continue pursuing legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students if he forms the next government. However, he declined to guarantee that the legislation would be enacted before the new government is sworn in, despite demands from the chareidi parties that the matter be resolved as a condition for joining a coalition.

The interview came just one week before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections and amid heightened tensions following the detention of dozens of chareidi bochurim at Ben Gurion Airport upon their return from the United States.

“This is unacceptable. We need to preserve the world of Torah study because it has preserved us,” Netanyahu said, addressing the ongoing arrests.

The prime minister argued that the arrests were counterproductive, describing them as a deliberate effort to interfere with attempts to encourage chareidi enlistment without forcing the issue through police and military enforcement.

At the same time, Netanyahu distinguished between those engaged in Torah learning and those who are not studying in yeshiva, maintaining that chareidi men who are not learning should enlist in the military.

Asked whether he believed Torah study had protected the Jewish people throughout history, Netanyahu strongly affirmed its importance.

“What preserved us in exile and throughout all these generations? It is Torah study,” he said. “We cannot throw away our heritage.”

Netanyahu acknowledged the anger and disappointment within the chareidi community over the failure of his government to enact a law protecting the status of yeshiva students.

“I understand that there was a lot of frustration and pain,” he said.

The prime minister claimed that his coalition had come extremely close to passing legislation during the outgoing Knesset term, asserting that the government had fallen short by just one vote.

“We were on the verge of passing a real draft law, and we were short by just one vote,” Netanyahu said.

He expressed confidence that a legislative solution could be advanced during the next Knesset term, arguing that such a measure could establish a lasting arrangement between the chareidi community and the broader Israeli public.

However, when asked whether he would agree to the chareidi parties’ demand that a draft law be passed before the next government is established, Netanyahu stopped short of making a firm commitment.

“I wish we could do that. Will we be able to do it before the government is formed? Who knows? It depends on goodwill, it depends on understanding and cooperation,” he said.

The distinction is significant because representatives of Degel HaTorah and other chareidi political factions have repeatedly insisted that verbal promises will no longer be sufficient following years of unsuccessful attempts to resolve the draft issue.

The legal uncertainty surrounding the status of yeshiva students has intensified since the Israeli Supreme Court ruled in 2024 that the government could no longer maintain broad military-service exemptions without legislation authorizing them.

The ruling led to increased enforcement measures against individuals who failed to report for military service, including arrests that have sparked demonstrations throughout the chareidi community.

Netanyahu’s remarks came as Israeli military authorities detained at least 40 chareidi men at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday morning. The IDF said the individuals were subject to military-service obligations and would be processed in accordance with the law.

The prime minister’s condemnation of the arrests therefore placed him at odds with the enforcement policy being carried out under the existing legal framework.

The interview also addressed the possibility that chareidi political parties could support former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot following the elections instead of renewing their alliance with Netanyahu.

Netanyahu dismissed that possibility, citing the longstanding political and cultural relationship between the chareidi community and Israel’s right-wing parties.

He said he hoped chareidi voters and their representatives would recognize what he described as the significant differences between the political alternatives.

His comments drew immediate criticism from opposition leaders, who accused him of seeking to preserve his political alliances by promising legislation that would reduce military-service obligations for yeshiva students.

Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of offering exemptions in exchange for political support, while opposition figures Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid criticized the proposed legislation and argued that Israel’s security needs require broader military participation.

The debate has become a central issue in the election campaign, with chareidi parties demanding legal protection for Torah learners and opposition parties calling for more extensive enforcement of military-service requirements.

Netanyahu also addressed speculation concerning a possible plea agreement in his ongoing criminal trial, rejecting suggestions that he was pursuing such an arrangement.

For the chareidi parties, the immediate question remains whether Netanyahu’s renewed pledge to pursue a draft law will be accompanied by a binding commitment before they agree to participate in another coalition.

Netanyahu left that question unresolved, saying that passage of the legislation before a new government takes office would depend on political cooperation and the willingness of the parties involved.

{Matzav.com}

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Degel HaTorah is preparing to hold a major election gathering in Yerushalayim featuring leading gedolei Yisroel, replacing earlier plans for a series of smaller neighborhood events with one central assembly intended to bring together thousands of chareidi residents ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections.

The change in plans follows extensive discussions among party organizers and representatives of the various chareidi neighborhoods in Yerushalayim, where preparations had initially been underway for separate gatherings featuring senior rabbonim and roshei yeshiva.

According to a report by Chareidim Yerushalayim, the original proposal called for a series of local gatherings in different sections of the capital, allowing residents to hear directly from leading gedolei Torah without having to travel to a single large event.

However, as planning progressed, requests began arriving from additional neighborhoods seeking their own appearances by the rabbonim. The growing number of proposed gatherings created logistical difficulties and prompted organizers to reconsider the format.

Party officials ultimately decided to consolidate the planned events into one major gathering, which would allow participants from across Yerushalayim to assemble in a central location.

The event is expected to serve as one of Degel HaTorah’s principal public gatherings in the capital during the final days before the election.

The decision reflects the importance party organizers attach to the participation of senior gedolei Yisroel and the practical challenges of arranging numerous appearances during the final week of the campaign.

The original plan reportedly included gatherings in Bayit Vegan and Neve Yaakov. Representatives of other neighborhoods subsequently requested similar events, leading organizers to conclude that a single large assembly would be more practical.

The rally is being planned amid heightened tensions within the chareidi community over the military draft and the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, issues that have become central to the current election campaign.

Degel HaTorah has been conducting an extensive series of meetings and public gatherings involving leading roshei yeshiva and rabbonim, as party officials seek to address concerns among supporters and communicate the positions of the movement’s rabbinic leadership.

The preparations come against the backdrop of disagreements within United Torah Judaism and concerns expressed by some supporters over the party’s handling of the draft controversy.

The decision to organize one major gathering in Yerushalayim follows a separate election assembly held in Bnei Brak earlier this week, attended by prominent members of Degel HaTorah’s rabbinic leadership.

Organizers have not yet publicly confirmed the precise venue, time or complete list of participating rabbonim for the planned Yerushalayim gathering.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced a new federal initiative Tuesday that will pay Americans up to $30,000 for information leading to fraud charges, while proposing an additional reward equal to 1% of stolen government funds recovered through their assistance. The president said the incentives could make some whistleblowers millionaires and declared that he intends to personally oversee decisions about who receives the payments.

The announcement came during an Oval Office event attended by Vice President JD Vance, who is leading the administration’s campaign against fraud involving federal programs, and 24-year-old independent journalist Nick Shirley, whose investigations into suspected misuse of government money in Minnesota have attracted national attention.

The Justice Department’s new Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, known as WHIP, is being launched with $25 million available for rewards. Under the initial framework, individuals who provide information resulting in federal fraud charges may qualify for payments of up to $30,000. Trump went further during the announcement, proposing an additional percentage-based incentive for tips that help the government recover stolen money.

“You could have stolen $2 trillion, or whatever the ultimate number is going to be, and at 1% people will make millions and millions of dollars for turning in what actually is a somewhat routine crime,” Trump said.

“$100 billion, you get a 1% commission, and I think that will be amazing.”

The president also announced that he would take a direct role in determining who deserves compensation, explaining that competing claims could arise when several individuals provide information about the same fraudulent operation.

“It’s too bad that you had to ruin your youth to find that such bad people exist,” Trump told Shirley, praising the young investigator’s efforts to uncover suspected fraud.

Shirley gained widespread recognition after releasing videos examining Minnesota childcare facilities, including the Minneapolis establishment whose sign identified it as the “Quality Learing Center,” with the word learning misspelled.

Speaking from behind the Resolute Desk, Shirley recalled his reaction upon seeing the sign, saying, “I couldn’t believe it when I saw that”.

Shirley was identified as the first recipient of a $10,000 award under the new initiative, although the payment was not publicly presented during the Oval Office event.

The president said he wanted to personally resolve disagreements about whistleblower eligibility rather than leave every decision to government officials.

“sometimes there’s a dispute as to who turned them in and who didn’t turn them in,” Trump explained.

“So I am going to do something which I think people will like. I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” he said.

“In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving … and I will be very generous.”

Trump also encouraged members of the news media to participate in the program, suggesting that journalists could use information obtained through their reporting to help uncover government fraud.

“you know a lot of things that are happening,” he told reporters, describing journalism as “not a very profitable thing to do — but it’s a very important thing to do.”

Under the Justice Department’s announced rules, whistleblowers will be able to submit information through the federal government’s fraud-reporting website. One of the program’s distinguishing features is that payments may be issued much earlier than under traditional federal whistleblower arrangements.

The Justice Department explained that “most existing Government whistleblower rewards programs issue awards only after the final resolution of a criminal matter, including the forfeiture and appeals process,” whereas the new initiative would permit rewards “following the filing of criminal charges.”

Existing federal programs already provide substantial incentives for reporting certain categories of wrongdoing. The Internal Revenue Service operates a whistleblower program that can award eligible individuals between 15% and 30% of recovered tax proceeds, while the False Claims Act allows qualifying whistleblowers to receive a portion of money recovered from fraud against the government.

Vance argued that those existing mechanisms fail to address most of the fraudulent activity being uncovered by the administration.

“over 99% of the fraud that we’re finding in the federal government isn’t covered by the False Claims Act,” the vice president said.

He also indicated that the proposed 1% recovery incentive would not necessarily require criminal charges to be filed against the individuals responsible.

“our plan is not to limit this just to criminal prosecutions… if you find the money and you help us recover it, then you benefit from the program,” Vance said.

The new program will cover suspected fraud involving federal healthcare spending and benefits administered by several government departments, including Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Veterans Affairs, and the Small Business Administration. It will also cover certain programs administered by the Department of War.

Healthcare-related investigations will place particular emphasis on suspected fraud involving hospices, home healthcare providers, daycare operations and specialized services.

Attorney General Todd Blanche described the initiative as an effort to enlist ordinary citizens in identifying fraud and accelerating federal investigations.

“Protecting the American people from fraud remains a top priority for the Department of Justice,” Blanche said. “The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program (WHIP) offers everyone the opportunity to be part of the solution, help expose fraud, and be rewarded quickly for their efforts. I urge all Americans to use this program and play an active role in bringing fraudsters to justice.”

Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald, who leads the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, said the new incentives would expand the government’s ability to uncover schemes that might otherwise remain hidden.

“This groundbreaking program will enlist the public as part of the fraud-fighting apparatus and reward them quickly for helping the country in the war on fraud.”

The Justice Department said qualifying payments will generally range from $10,000 to $30,000, with recipients potentially remaining eligible for larger awards through other federal programs if their information eventually results in significant financial recoveries. The department will retain discretion over the awards.

The announcement builds upon an extensive anti-fraud campaign led by Vance, whose task force has targeted suspected abuses in federal healthcare programs, government benefits and other taxpayer-funded services.

Last month, Vance announced that approximately 750,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees would be removed from coverage because of suspected fraudulent enrollment, with another 450,000 cases placed under review.

The administration has also withheld certain Medicaid reimbursements involving programs considered vulnerable to fraud, imposed restrictions on some Medicare medical-equipment suppliers and suspended 447 hospice providers in California.

Other enforcement measures have included action against 270 commercial driver’s license training schools accused of providing inadequate instruction and improperly qualifying truck drivers.

Under the new initiative, Americans with credible information about suspected fraud can submit reports for federal review. The Justice Department said rewards will be considered after criminal charges are filed, rather than requiring whistleblowers to wait until the conclusion of potentially lengthy prosecutions and appeals.

The Treasury Department has committed $25 million to launch the program, while the administration continues developing the additional recovery-based incentives outlined by Trump and Vance during Tuesday’s announcement.

WATCH:

A growing sanitation crisis in Bnei Brak has triggered a confrontation within the city’s municipal leadership, with Deputy Mayor Akiva Stern warning that the deteriorating condition of the streets constitutes a chillul Hashem and demanding full managerial authority to overhaul the city’s sanitation operations.

Stern, a Degel HaTorah representative who serves as deputy mayor and holds the municipal sanitation portfolio, sent a sharply worded letter to City Manager Yisrael Ehrenstein, expressing frustration over the condition of the streets and insisting that he cannot be held responsible for the sanitation department without being given the authority necessary to manage it.

The dispute comes amid mounting complaints from residents about garbage collection, street cleanliness and the general appearance of Bnei Brak, one of the largest chareidi cities in Eretz Yisroel.

In his letter, Stern described the situation as unacceptable and called for immediate administrative changes to address the problem.

“Personally, I am pained by the state of cleanliness in the city,” Stern wrote. “A city of Torah must be clean, and this situation is a chillul Hashem, this is our obligation to the residents of the city.”

Stern is demanding that he be formally appointed to oversee the city’s entire sanitation operation, with full managerial powers to implement changes and ensure that the system functions properly.

He made clear that accepting public responsibility for the department without having the authority to direct its operations is an untenable arrangement.

“Without authority, there is no responsibility,” he declared.

Among his demands is the preparation of a comprehensive sanitation improvement plan to be presented to the City Council, outlining how the municipality intends to address the longstanding problems.

Stern is seeking specific answers regarding the expansion of street-sweeping operations, increased garbage collection and more frequent emptying of underground waste containers, particularly before and after Yomim Tovim, when the volume of household garbage increases considerably.

He also wants stronger inspection and oversight procedures to ensure that sanitation services reach every neighborhood and street, rather than leaving certain areas without adequate attention.

The issue was discussed at a City Council meeting Sunday, reflecting growing concern among municipal officials over the condition of the city and the increasingly vocal complaints from residents.

The controversy has also exposed the financial difficulties confronting Bnei Brak’s municipal government.

Approximately two weeks ago, Deputy Mayor Menachem Shapira, who serves as acting mayor and is also a senior Degel HaTorah official, publicly acknowledged the severity of the situation during an address to hundreds of yeshiva bochurim at the Asherichem conference.

“The situation of the Bnei Brak municipality is not the easiest right now, financially,” Shapira said, explaining that the city’s budgetary difficulties were visible in the condition of its streets.

He acknowledged that the accumulation of dirt and garbage had reached a point that could no longer be ignored.

“We are not going to give up on this issue, and I am certain that it will be resolved as quickly as possible,” Shapira declared.

“The city cannot look like this, it cannot remain like this, and it will not remain like this. The city, with Hashem’s help, will be clean and properly maintained.”

The growing controversy has also drawn the attention of MK Yaakov Asher, chairman of United Torah Judaism and a former mayor of Bnei Brak.

In an interview with Yated Ne’eman, Asher acknowledged that the city’s sanitation problems had become an embarrassment and said that major changes were necessary.

“The cleanliness and appearance of the streets do not honor what the city represents,” Asher said.

Asher pledged to pursue a substantial overhaul of Bnei Brak’s sanitation services following the upcoming Knesset elections, working in cooperation with Israel’s Environmental Protection Ministry and the municipal government.

He expressed confidence that a coordinated effort involving government assistance and local administrative changes could bring about a meaningful improvement.

“It can and must be done,” Asher said.

The dispute has placed additional pressure on Bnei Brak’s leadership to produce a practical solution, particularly as senior municipal officials themselves publicly acknowledge the severity of the problem.

Stern’s demand for expanded authority now leaves the municipality facing a decision over whether to restructure management of its sanitation department and place its operations directly under his control.

The municipality has not publicly announced whether it intends to grant Stern the powers he is requesting.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] President Donald Trump welcomed 24-year-old independent journalist Nick Shirley to the Oval Office on Tuesday, praising his investigation into alleged fraud involving taxpayer-funded daycare centers in Minnesota and awarding him $10,000 as the administration launched a new federal program offering financial rewards to Americans who help expose government fraud.

Standing alongside Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Shirley accused major news organizations of turning their attention toward him rather than investigating the allegations he had uncovered. He also described receiving threats against his life following the release of his videos.

“When I expose fraud, instead the mainstream media investigating the fraud, they investigated me,” Shirley said, criticizing the coverage that followed his investigation.

Trump expressed sympathy for Shirley’s experience, telling the young journalist, “They went after you instead of the fraudster. I’m not surprised.”

The appearance came as Trump and Vance announced a $25 million federal initiative intended to encourage ordinary Americans to report suspected fraud involving government funds. The new program, administered through the Justice Department, will offer qualifying whistleblowers financial rewards for information that produces enforcement results.

Shirley, whose online videos have attracted millions of viewers, became a national figure after publishing a 42-minute investigation in December 2025 that raised questions about Minnesota childcare facilities receiving substantial government funding.

His footage showed visits to several locations that he alleged were collecting taxpayer money without providing the services for which they were being paid. The video quickly circulated across social media, attracting attention from federal officials, political leaders and national news organizations.

Shirley claimed that his investigation uncovered more than $110 million in questionable payments, although that figure has not been independently established as an amount of proven fraud.

The young journalist has maintained that his work demonstrates how independent investigators, using publicly available information and relatively inexpensive equipment, can expose potential misuse of government money that might otherwise escape public attention.

During Tuesday’s White House appearance, Shirley described the backlash he experienced after publishing his findings, including threats that he said placed his personal safety at risk.

He also alleged that individuals involved in fraudulent government-funded operations had used taxpayer money to purchase expensive vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz cars, and transfer money overseas.

Those specific allegations were not independently substantiated during the event, although federal prosecutors have documented extensive fraud involving Minnesota social-service programs.

Trump praised Shirley’s work, saying, “He’s done an amazing job.”

The president’s decision to recognize Shirley publicly was part of a broader announcement designed to encourage Americans to report suspected government fraud and to give financial incentives to individuals whose information helps federal authorities pursue offenders.

The new initiative, called the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, has an initial allocation of $25 million. According to the administration, Americans can submit reports of suspected fraud through Fraud.gov, with rewards of up to $30,000 under published guidelines.

Trump also discussed a separate incentive tied to the amount of money recovered, saying successful whistleblowers could receive 1% of the fraud uncovered, potentially producing much larger awards in major cases.

“I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” Trump said. “In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving and I’ll determine — and I will be very generous, believe me.”

The president said he expected the prospect of financial rewards to encourage individuals with knowledge of fraudulent activities to come forward, including employees, witnesses and ordinary citizens who notice suspicious government-funded operations.

Shirley’s appearance highlighted the controversy surrounding Minnesota’s public assistance programs, which have been the subject of several major federal investigations.

Federal prosecutors have brought extensive fraud cases involving Minnesota social-service programs, including the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which defendants were accused of diverting hundreds of millions of dollars intended to provide meals to children.

More recently, Fahima Mahamud, a woman associated with a childcare facility featured in Shirley’s reporting, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges involving inflated meal reimbursement claims.

However, some of Shirley’s broader allegations about daycare facilities remain disputed. Minnesota inspectors reported finding several facilities operating as expected, and a CBS News review of licensing records did not establish fraud at most of the locations highlighted in his original video.

Shirley has continued to defend his reporting, arguing that the questions raised by his investigations warrant further scrutiny.

The White House’s decision to recognize him comes as the administration expands its campaign against fraud in federally funded programs, with Vance overseeing a task force examining suspected abuses involving healthcare, food assistance and other government benefits.

“When you expose fraud, you help save America,” Shirley said during the Oval Office event.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police arrested 21 suspects Tuesday morning in a major corruption investigation involving allegations that civilian contractors and military personnel fraudulently obtained millions of shekels from the IDF through equipment and service contracts during the war.

The arrests followed an extensive undercover investigation by Lahav 433, Israel’s national police investigative unit, working alongside military investigators and tax authorities. The suspects include civilian businesspeople and career military personnel accused of participating in a scheme involving fraudulent payments, bribery and money laundering.

According to police, the investigation centers on contracts for heavy engineering equipment and related services supplied to the IDF during wartime operations.

Investigators suspect that individuals involved in the procurement and payment process exploited the military’s urgent operational needs to arrange improper payments and divert public funds.

The alleged scheme reportedly involved the submission of inflated or fictitious invoices for equipment and services, allowing participants to obtain payments for work that had either not been performed or had been improperly billed.

The investigation examined financial transactions between contractors and military personnel, including suspected payments made in exchange for favorable treatment in the awarding or approval of contracts.

The arrests were carried out in a coordinated operation early Tuesday, with police and military investigators moving against suspects at multiple locations.

Authorities also conducted searches and seized documents, electronic devices and financial records believed to be relevant to the investigation.

The case is being handled by Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigations Unit, together with the IDF’s Military Police Criminal Investigation Division and the Israel Tax Authority.

According to additional reporting, the suspects include 16 civilian contractors and five IDF noncommissioned officers who allegedly served as intermediaries between the military and the companies supplying heavy machinery.

Investigators are examining allegations that contractors stole large quantities of fuel intended for military equipment and billed the IDF for work that was never performed or was left unfinished.

The suspected misconduct dates back to the period following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, when the IDF dramatically expanded its operations in Gaza and relied heavily on civilian companies to supply bulldozers, excavators and other heavy engineering equipment.

Such machinery played an essential role in military operations, including clearing roads, removing obstacles, constructing defensive positions and supporting ground forces operating throughout the Gaza Strip.

The urgent demand for equipment and operators created extensive financial arrangements between the military and private contractors, which investigators now suspect were exploited to obtain millions of shekels improperly.

The investigation remained confidential for several months while police, military investigators and tax officials examined the suspected financial irregularities.

Tuesday’s arrests marked the transition from the undercover phase of the investigation to an open criminal inquiry.

All 21 suspects were taken to Lahav 433 headquarters for questioning. Civilian suspects were expected to appear before the Be’er Sheva Magistrates’ Court for hearings on extending their detention, while military personnel were to appear before the military court at Beit Lid.

The investigation is being conducted jointly by Lahav 433’s Southern Economic Enforcement Unit, the Military Police’s special investigations division and the Israel Tax Authority’s Be’er Sheva VAT investigations office.

Authorities are examining suspected offenses including obtaining money by fraud, bribery and money laundering, with investigators seeking to establish the extent of the alleged scheme and the roles played by individual suspects.

The arrests raise serious questions about oversight of wartime procurement arrangements, particularly those established under the extraordinary operational pressures facing the IDF during the fighting in Gaza.

Police and military investigators said their joint investigation would continue as they work to determine the full extent of the suspected wrongdoing.

The allegations remain under investigation, and none of the suspects has been convicted in connection with the case.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced Tuesday that Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon have destroyed more than 540 Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites and uncovered over 150 weapons and military-related items in recent weeks, as troops continue efforts to dismantle the Iranian-backed terrorist organization’s capabilities near Israel’s northern border.

The newly released operational figures detail the extensive activities of the IDF’s 91st Division, which has been conducting operations against Hezbollah positions, weapons depots and other military installations throughout southern Lebanon.

According to the military, the operations have involved several brigades operating under the division’s command, including the 300th Brigade, 769th Brigade and 4th Brigade, together with additional combat and engineering units.

The forces have been working to locate and destroy infrastructure that Hezbollah established over the years to support attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilian communities along the northern border.

Among the targets destroyed were weapons-storage facilities, fortified positions, underground infrastructure and locations used by Hezbollah operatives to prepare and launch attacks.

The IDF said troops also discovered significant quantities of weapons, including rockets, antitank missiles, launchers, explosive devices and firearms.

The weapons and military equipment were found during searches of Hezbollah positions and other locations identified through intelligence gathering and ground operations.

Military engineering units subsequently destroyed numerous sites to prevent Hezbollah from restoring their operational capabilities.

The IDF emphasized that the figures represent the cumulative results of operations carried out over several weeks, rather than a single military action.

The newly disclosed information provides a broader picture of the military’s continuing efforts to weaken Hezbollah’s presence in southern Lebanon and prevent the organization from rebuilding its infrastructure near Israeli communities.

The 91st Division, also known as the Galilee Division, has played a central role in securing Israel’s northern border and conducting operations against Hezbollah positions across the border.

Its forces have been responsible for identifying terrorist infrastructure, locating weapons and eliminating threats that could be used against Israeli communities or IDF personnel.

The operations have also involved close coordination between ground forces, military intelligence and engineering units, allowing troops to identify concealed weapons and infrastructure before destroying them.

Hezbollah spent years constructing an extensive network of military installations throughout southern Lebanon, including weapons caches, fortified positions and launch sites intended to support attacks against Israel.

Many of these facilities were established in or near civilian areas, complicating efforts to locate and dismantle them.

The IDF has repeatedly stated that preventing Hezbollah from reestablishing its military presence close to the Israeli border remains a central objective of its operations in Lebanon.

The latest announcement comes amid continued concern that the terrorist organization is attempting to replenish its weapons stockpiles and restore positions damaged or destroyed during earlier Israeli military operations.

Israeli military officials have warned that Hezbollah retains significant capabilities despite suffering heavy losses and that sustained operations are necessary to prevent the organization from rebuilding its offensive infrastructure.

The IDF released photographs and operational footage accompanying Tuesday’s announcement, showing weapons discovered by troops and the destruction of Hezbollah installations.

The military said its forces would continue operating against threats in southern Lebanon to protect residents of northern Israel and prevent Hezbollah from restoring the infrastructure used to launch attacks across the border.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch delivered a forceful warning to chareidi voters Monday night, declaring that frustration with political representatives or the ongoing military draft crisis does not justify voting for another party or staying home on election day, and cautioning that the future of the yeshiva world could be endangered if the wrong government comes to power.

Speaking at an election gathering in Petach Tikvah ahead of Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections, the rosh yeshiva addressed growing dissatisfaction within the chareidi community over the failure of political leaders to resolve the draft controversy and the increasing pressure being placed on yeshiva bochurim.

Rav Hirsch warned that the stakes extend far beyond the immediate dispute over military enlistment, asserting that a future government hostile to the chareidi community could seek to fundamentally change the educational institutions that have sustained Torah life for generations.

He cautioned that such efforts could affect not only yeshivos and kollelim, but also chederim, independent schools and seminaries.

According to Rav Hirsch, there are political forces that would welcome the opportunity to reshape the chareidi educational system and impose changes incompatible with the community’s religious principles.

The rosh yeshiva stressed that the danger is particularly serious because government authorities possess the ability to enact legislation and impose financial and administrative restrictions that could make it increasingly difficult for Torah institutions to operate independently.

Against that backdrop, Rav Hirsch addressed chareidi voters who have expressed disappointment or anger toward their elected representatives, particularly over the handling of the draft issue.

He acknowledged that individuals may have complaints about politicians and may feel that their representatives have failed to deliver the results they expected.

Nevertheless, he insisted that such grievances cannot become a justification for withholding support from the party designated by the Torah leadership.

Rav Hirsch emphasized that the election is not a referendum on the personal performance of individual politicians, but a decision with potentially far-reaching consequences for the preservation of Torah education and the independence of the chareidi community.

He warned that voters who abandon Degel HaTorah because of dissatisfaction with its representatives could inadvertently strengthen parties seeking to impose additional restrictions on the yeshiva world.

The rosh yeshiva also addressed the possibility of chareidi voters supporting other religious or right-wing parties, making clear that he considered such a decision unacceptable regardless of the political arguments offered in its favor.

He stressed that the guidance of the Torah leadership must determine how members of the community approach the election, rather than personal preferences or disappointment with political developments.

Rav Hirsch urged those present to recognize the seriousness of the moment and to ensure that every eligible voter participates in the election.

He also called upon yeshiva bochurim and other members of the community to encourage others to vote, emphasizing the importance of a strong turnout.

The address comes amid considerable uncertainty within the chareidi political establishment, with the military draft controversy creating tensions between voters and their representatives.

In recent months, the detention of yeshiva bochurim, financial sanctions affecting Torah institutions and the absence of a comprehensive legislative solution have contributed to growing frustration among segments of the chareidi public.

Some activists have argued that chareidi parties should face electoral consequences for failing to secure protections for full-time Torah learners.

Rav Hirsch’s remarks were aimed directly at that sentiment, warning that weakening the political representation of the Torah community could produce consequences far more serious than the grievances motivating such a protest.

With the election approaching, his message was that dissatisfaction with individual politicians must not be allowed to jeopardize the collective interests of the yeshiva world.

The gathering in Petach Tikvah was part of Degel HaTorah’s broader effort to mobilize voters and reinforce support for United Torah Judaism in the final days before the election.

{Matzav.com}

Iran is deliberately dragging out negotiations with the United States in an effort to weaken President Donald Trump politically ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, according to senior Iranian officials who acknowledged that Tehran’s leadership is determined to prevent the president from securing a diplomatic victory before Americans head to the polls.

The strategy was disclosed in interviews with Reuters published Tuesday, in which three senior Iranian officials and another individual familiar with the regime’s thinking described a calculated effort to prolong the current diplomatic stalemate, maintain pressure on Washington and exploit growing American dissatisfaction with the eight-month conflict.

At the same time, Iranian leaders are preparing for the possibility that the United States and Israel will resume military operations after the elections, believing that the current pause in major hostilities may prove temporary.

“Iran is preparing for renewed Israeli and US attacks, not for a deal with America to end the war,” one senior Iranian official told Reuters. “The clerical establishment is determined not to give Trump a political victory.”

The remarks offer an unusually direct acknowledgment that Tehran is factoring American domestic politics into its decisions regarding negotiations, military preparations and the future of the conflict.

Iranian officials believe Trump is eager to reach an agreement that could ease pressure on energy markets and demonstrate progress toward ending the war before voters decide control of Congress.

By withholding concessions and prolonging uncertainty, Tehran hopes to deny the administration that achievement while keeping economic pressure on the United States.

Tehran-based political analyst Saeed Leylaz openly described the strategy as an effort to affect the American political process.

“Iran is influencing the US election without taking any unlawful action,” Leylaz said.

The conflict, which began in February with American and Israeli strikes against Iran, has severely disrupted international energy markets, particularly shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transportation routes.

Iranian attacks and threats against commercial vessels have reduced shipping through the strategic waterway, while an American naval blockade and international sanctions have sharply restricted Iran’s ability to export oil.

The resulting disruptions have contributed to higher energy prices and growing political pressure on the Trump administration, with American voters expressing dissatisfaction over the war and its economic consequences.

Despite the severe damage to its own economy, Iran’s leadership believes that maintaining the stalemate could yield political advantages.

The officials interviewed by Reuters indicated that Tehran sees little prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough before November 3, particularly because any agreement would require concessions that could strengthen Trump’s standing with American voters.

Washington has demanded that Iran’s nuclear program be addressed from the outset of negotiations, reflecting longstanding American and Israeli concerns about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Iran, however, insists that the United States first meet a series of conditions outlined in a proposal transmitted through Qatari mediators.

Under the Iranian plan, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, although the waterway would remain under Iranian control.

In exchange, Washington would be required to lift its maritime blockade, ease restrictions on Iranian oil exports, release frozen Iranian assets and bring hostilities to an end across the region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Sunday that the proposal remained available and that messages continued to pass between the two governments through intermediaries.

The United States has not accepted the terms, and Iranian officials have indicated that they have no intention of surrendering their leverage over the Strait of Hormuz without substantial American concessions.

The negotiations have also been complicated by Tehran’s deep distrust of Washington following repeated military confrontations.

Iranian officials pointed to the June 2025 Israeli strikes that disrupted planned nuclear negotiations in Oman, as well as the American and Israeli attacks launched in February shortly after another round of diplomatic discussions.

From Tehran’s perspective, those episodes reinforced concerns that negotiations could be used to buy time for military preparations rather than produce a lasting agreement.

The Iranian leadership now believes that even a negotiated settlement might not prevent another American or Israeli military campaign.

Trump has said that the United States will not resume bombing Iran before the November 3 elections, but Iranian officials told Reuters that they expect renewed attacks sooner or later.

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said Tehran’s leadership believes the administration’s ultimate objectives extend beyond obtaining concessions on nuclear development and regional security.

“But the fundamental issue is that Tehran believes that Trump is interested in regime change … and following Israeli Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu’s policy of seeking to bring down Iran’s ruling establishment,” Vatanka said.

The possibility of renewed military action was also discussed during an unannounced visit to Israel Monday by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

According to three Israeli officials, Hegseth met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to discuss Iran, with the visit taking place just one week before Israel’s own Knesset elections.

The Iranian strategy carries considerable risks for Tehran, whose economy has been devastated by the prolonged conflict and international restrictions.

Official Iranian figures showed annual inflation reaching 73.6% in September, while the country’s currency has lost nearly 35% of its value against the dollar since Washington reimposed its naval blockade in July.

Iranian oil exports have also collapsed. According to energy intelligence firm Vortexa, seaborne crude shipments fell to zero during the second week of September, compared with an average of approximately 230,000 barrels per day at the beginning of that month.

Exports remained at zero as of October 5, according to the firm’s data.

The economic deterioration follows months of domestic unrest, including antigovernment demonstrations that were violently suppressed by Iranian security forces earlier this year.

Nevertheless, Iranian officials appear convinced that making concessions to Washington would pose greater political and strategic risks than continuing the current confrontation.

Leylaz argued that the collapse of trust between the two countries has fundamentally changed the prospects for a diplomatic settlement.

“Reaching a sustainable deal with the US, even after the Trump administration, is no longer possible because of the deepened distrust,” he said. “Nothing will go back to the pre-war status quo.”

Neither the White House nor Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to Reuters requests for comment on the officials’ account of Tehran’s negotiating strategy.

{Matzav.com}

In a significant medical first, doctors at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah have successfully implanted an innovative brain stimulation device in a 42-year-old woman suffering from epilepsy, using a new technique that allows electrical treatment of the brain without opening the skull or inserting electrodes directly into brain tissue.

The groundbreaking procedure, performed at the Clalit-operated hospital, marks the first use of the technology in Israel and the first implantation of its kind outside Europe. The device, known as EASEE, offers a potentially important treatment option for patients whose epileptic seizures cannot be adequately controlled with medication and who may not be suitable candidates for conventional brain surgery.

Unlike traditional surgical approaches to brain stimulation, which may require electrodes to be inserted into the brain, the EASEE system is positioned beneath the patient’s scalp but above the skull bone. From that location, it delivers carefully controlled electrical stimulation intended to reduce abnormal brain activity responsible for triggering seizures.

The first Israeli recipient of the device is Olga Moisa, 42, who has struggled with epilepsy for approximately 15 years after suffering a stroke.

Her condition had continued to affect her life despite years of treatment, prompting physicians to consider the newly available technology as another possible means of controlling her seizures.

The implantation was carried out on August 31, with physicians positioning the stimulation components over the region of the brain associated with her seizures. The system is connected to a battery-powered pulse generator implanted beneath the skin in the chest, which supplies the electrical impulses used in treatment.

Because the electrodes remain outside the skull, the procedure avoids the need to penetrate the brain itself, an important distinction from more invasive forms of neurostimulation.

In the days following the operation, Moisa’s family reported an encouraging early development: she had not experienced any epileptic seizures since the implantation.

Her son shared the news of the apparent improvement, although the medical team emphasized that the observation period was still far too short to establish whether the treatment would provide lasting seizure control.

The German-developed technology is intended primarily for patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, a form of the neurological disorder in which seizures originate in a particular region of the brain. Approximately one-third of people with epilepsy do not achieve adequate seizure control through medication alone, leaving many patients facing years of recurring attacks despite continued medical treatment.

For such patients, conventional treatment options can include surgery to remove the affected brain tissue or implanting electrodes within the skull to deliver electrical stimulation. However, these procedures are not appropriate for everyone, particularly when the location of the seizure-producing region makes surgery difficult or potentially dangerous.

The EASEE device, developed by German medical technology company Precisis, was designed to provide a less invasive alternative. Its name stands for Epicranial Application of Stimulation Electrodes for Epilepsy.

The system uses a thin electrode array positioned directly above the area where seizures originate. Although the electrodes do not touch the brain, the electrical impulses they deliver can influence the underlying neural activity, with the aim of reducing the frequency and severity of seizures.

The procedure generally takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes, and patients can often return home within a day or two. The device is typically activated several weeks after implantation, with specialists subsequently adjusting its settings according to the patient’s condition and response to treatment.

The technology has already undergone clinical testing in Europe, producing encouraging results among patients whose epilepsy had resisted conventional medication.

A study published in the medical journal JAMA Neurology examined 33 patients who received the device at specialized epilepsy centers in Germany and Belgium. Among the 32 patients evaluated after six months of stimulation, approximately 53% experienced a reduction of at least 50% in their seizure frequency. The median reduction in seizures across the group was 52%.

Researchers reported no serious adverse events attributed to the device or implantation procedure during the initial study period.

Additional findings published in the journal Epilepsia in 2025 provided evidence of longer-term benefits. Among 26 patients who continued treatment and supplied seizure records through the two-year follow-up, approximately 65% experienced a reduction of at least 50% in seizure frequency, while the median reduction reached 68%.

The researchers also reported improvements in patients’ health-related quality of life, without serious complications attributed to the implantation or stimulation during the follow-up period.

Nevertheless, the studies involved relatively small groups of patients and were conducted without randomized control groups, meaning additional research is necessary to establish the treatment’s effectiveness across a broader population.

The EASEE system received European regulatory certification in 2022 and has since been introduced at epilepsy treatment centers in several European countries, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

In August 2026, a British hospital reported its first implantation of the device in a 60-year-old woman who had experienced epilepsy since early childhood. The procedure was part of the technology’s expanding use within Britain’s National Health Service.

The technology is also moving toward clinical evaluation in the United States. In November 2025, Precisis announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had authorized a pivotal clinical study to assess the system’s safety and effectiveness in American patients. The planned study is expected to enroll approximately 200 participants.

The introduction of the device at Beilinson represents another step in making the treatment available beyond the European medical centers where it was initially developed and tested.

For Moisa, the significance of the procedure is particularly personal. After approximately 15 years of living with epilepsy following her stroke, she now has access to a treatment designed to address the neurological activity responsible for her seizures without requiring surgery inside the skull.

Doctors will continue monitoring her condition to determine whether the initial encouraging results develop into sustained improvement. Because the treatment generally requires a period of activation, adjustment, and follow-up, the absence of seizures immediately after surgery cannot by itself establish that the device has successfully controlled her epilepsy.

The medical team hopes that, as experience with the technology grows, the procedure will become an additional option for other patients who have exhausted conventional treatments.

For now, the successful implantation at Beilinson marks an important expansion of epilepsy treatment in Israel, bringing a relatively new form of brain stimulation to patients who previously faced a much narrower range of medical options.

{Matzav.com}

A demolition operation targeting a bais hora’ah in Bnei Brak’s Shikun Hei neighborhood sparked a confrontation Tuesday morning, with reports that Rav Moshe Nidam, who heads the institution and oversees local kollelim, was injured during the incident and required medical treatment.

The demolition drew a sharp response from local rabbonim and public officials, including Rav Masoud Ben Shimon, the rav of Bnei Brak, who arrived at the scene and expressed anguish over the destruction of the Torah institution.

According to reports in the Israeli chareidi media, municipal demolition crews arrived at the location Tuesday morning to carry out the removal of the structure housing the bais hora’ah. The operation quickly became contentious as people associated with the institution gathered at the site.

During the confrontation, Rav Nidam was reportedly injured and subsequently received medical attention. The precise circumstances surrounding his injury, including who was responsible and how the incident unfolded, have not been independently established.

The incident attracted considerable attention in the neighborhood, where the institution serves as a center for halachic guidance and is associated with local Torah-learning activities.

According to additional reporting, the demolition began at approximately 8 a.m. on Levin Merisha Street, where inspectors and workers from Israel’s land-enforcement authority arrived accompanied by police officers. The authorities reportedly maintained that the structure had been built without the required permits.

The bais hora’ah had operated in the neighborhood for approximately 35 years, making its destruction particularly painful for residents who had relied on the institution for decades.

As the demolition began, dozens of mispallelim who had been davening Shacharis in a nearby bais medrash emerged to protest. Heated exchanges and pushing followed as the protesters confronted the enforcement personnel.

Footage circulated from the scene captured the tense atmosphere, with people shouting and repeatedly calling on others not to touch individuals involved in the confrontation.

Rav Masoud Ben Shimon arrived after delivering a shiur at a yeshiva and was visibly distressed by the destruction.

“How dare they lay hands on Rav Moshe, who establishes Torah learning?” he exclaimed.

The rav struggled to express his anguish over what had occurred.

“Hashem will see our suffering. It is difficult for me to speak. I am tired after delivering a shiur at the yeshiva,” he said.

He then drew a comparison to the account in Sefer Iyov, describing the reaction of Iyov’s friends when they witnessed his suffering.

“It says that after they came and saw the destruction, they remained silent. They could not speak. They could not open their mouths. That is exactly my situation now. I cannot speak,” Rav Ben Shimon said.

Despite his distress, he continued with a forceful condemnation of the demolition.

“We protest with all our strength. The honor of the Torah and the honor of Torah scholars will never forgive this,” he declared.

Rav Ben Shimon concluded his remarks with a tefillah for the rebuilding of the third Bais Hamikdosh.

Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Shlomo Elharar, who heads the Shas faction on the City Council, also arrived at the site, accompanied by other Shas council members. The officials joined those protesting the demolition and participated in a gathering of tefillah at the location.

The incident comes amid intensified enforcement against structures built without permits in several Israeli municipalities, including religious buildings. Authorities have maintained that construction regulations apply to such structures, while community representatives have repeatedly protested the demolition of shuls and other Torah institutions.

In this case, the authorities’ reported position was that the building lacked the necessary construction permits. However, the specific history of the property, the legal proceedings preceding the demolition and whether alternative arrangements had been considered were not immediately clear.

The circumstances of Rav Nidam’s reported injury also remained under examination, with the available reports not establishing precisely how he was hurt or identifying the person responsible.

{Matzav.com}

Conservative radio host and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump Sid Rosenberg unleashed a blistering attack on the Satmar community Tuesday, accusing its leadership of betraying the president and undermining Jewish interests by supporting New York Governor Kathy Hochul in her reelection campaign against Republican Bruce Blakeman.

In a furious post on X, Rosenberg singled out the Satmar Rebbe and longtime chassidic political activist Mr. Moshe Indig, arguing that neither should have been permitted to attend a recent meeting with Trump at the White House.

Rosenberg, who hosts the popular “Sid & Friends in the Morning” program on 77 WABC, went considerably further than criticizing the community’s political endorsement, accusing Satmar of regularly turning against fellow Jews and presenting a danger to New York’s future.

“So the Satmars are endorsing the wretched @GovKathyHochul! She’s running against a proud Pro Israel Jew in my friend @NassauExec! This is why Rabbi Teitelbaum and phony @RabbiIndigNY never should have been invited to the White House! @LauraLoomer and I did all we could to stop it but the President was duped! That community back stabs good Jews everyday and is a threat to the future of New York. —— Jews!” Rosenberg wrote.

The remarks followed Hochul’s high-profile visit Monday to Kiryas Yoel, where she received an elaborate welcome from more than 6,000 students at Satmar’s Bais Rochel girls’ schools and met privately with Rav Aharon Teitelbaum. The girls at the school held a lengthy chant in honor of Hochul as men of the community looked on from the stage.

The governor’s appearance came as Satmar leaders publicly backed her bid for another term, providing a potentially valuable source of support ahead of the November 3 gubernatorial election.

During the visit, Hochul was joined by Satmar communal figures, including Moshe Indig and Kiryas Yoel administrator Gedaliah Szegedin. The reception highlighted the close relationship that the governor has cultivated with chassidishe leadership, particularly regarding education funding and government assistance for private-school families.

Following her appearance in Kiryas Yoel, Hochul continued her campaign tour through Rockland County, visiting the Vizhnitzer community in Monsey and meeting with the Skverer Rebbe in New Square.

The governor’s outreach to chassidishe voters has become an increasingly prominent element of her reelection strategy as she faces Blakeman, the Jewish Nassau County executive who has made his support for Israel and opposition to antisemitism central themes of his campaign.

Rosenberg, a vocal advocate for Trump and a personal friend of Blakeman, has repeatedly promoted the Republican candidate on his radio program.

The radio host’s criticism also revived controversy surrounding a September meeting at the White House, when a delegation of chassidishe leaders met with Trump. Rosenberg and conservative activist Laura Loomer were among those who opposed the inclusion of certain chassidic leaders.

In Tuesday’s post, Rosenberg claimed that he and Loomer had attempted to prevent the White House meeting and asserted that Trump had been misled into welcoming the delegation.

Blakeman, meanwhile, has accused Hochul of failing to adequately confront antisemitism and has repeatedly criticized her political alliance with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose positions on Israel have generated considerable opposition within the Jewish community.

During their October 13 gubernatorial debate, Blakeman sharply challenged Hochul over rising antisemitism and her relationship with Mamdani, arguing that Jewish New Yorkers face growing threats under Democratic leadership.

{Matzav.com}

A Queens man already facing manslaughter charges in the death of a Jewish woman has been indicted on hate-crime charges for allegedly vandalizing a kosher bagel shop displaying Israeli flags on two separate occasions, with prosecutors accusing him of deliberately targeting the establishment because of its Jewish ownership and support for Israel.

Dawood Faisal, 22, of Fresh Meadows, was arraigned Monday in Queens Supreme Court on an indictment charging him with two counts of third-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime. The charges stem from incidents in May at Bagels & Co., a kosher establishment on Union Turnpike in a heavily Jewish section of Queens.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment Monday, emphasizing that investigators believe Faisal’s actions were motivated by antisemitism.

“As alleged, Dawood Faisal, repeatedly targeted a Fresh Meadows business specifically because it is Jewish-owned and featured Israeli flags, and destroyed property as an expression of antisemitism. Bias crimes are an affront to our entire community and will not be tolerated.”

According to prosecutors, the first incident occurred on May 15 at approximately 6:18 p.m., when Faisal allegedly approached the shop and knocked over nine metal plant stands positioned outside the business.

The planters spilled dirt and plants across the sidewalk. Investigators allege that Faisal then gathered some of the debris and twice threw it toward the storefront, where Israeli flags and banners were prominently displayed.

Eight days later, on May 23, at approximately 1 a.m., Faisal allegedly returned to the same location and again began destroying the outdoor displays.

This time, prosecutors say, he pushed and kicked over 11 metal plant stands, spilling their contents onto the pavement. After emptying the planters, he allegedly attempted to knock over a large clay pot. When he was unable to overturn it, he pulled the plants out of the container.

The incidents prompted an investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, which worked with the Queens District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau to identify the suspect and develop the case.

Faisal was initially arrested on the vandalism allegations on July 31 and charged in Queens Criminal Court. Monday’s development represents the formal indictment by a grand jury and his subsequent arraignment in Supreme Court.

If convicted of the most serious hate-crime charge, he faces up to seven years in prison.

The case has attracted additional attention because Faisal is also accused of causing a deadly traffic collision just two days after the second alleged attack on the bagel shop.

On May 25, prosecutors say Faisal was driving at more than 75 miles per hour along Francis Lewis Boulevard, where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour.

Authorities allege that he drove through two red lights before colliding with two vehicles, setting off a chain-reaction crash that propelled one of the cars into a crosswalk.

Standing in that crosswalk were 71-year-old Cara Trager, a journalist and member of the Queens Jewish community, and her husband, Michael.

Trager sustained fatal injuries, while her husband was also injured in the collision.

Prosecutors allege that Faisal fled the scene before subsequently crashing his own vehicle. Bystanders reportedly detained him until police arrived.

He was indicted in June on manslaughter, assault and related charges stemming from the crash and has remained in custody without bail in connection with that case.

The fatal collision and the alleged antisemitic vandalism are being prosecuted separately. Authorities have not charged the crash as a hate crime, and prosecutors have not established that Trager or her husband were deliberately targeted because they were Jewish.

Nevertheless, the fact that the same defendant is accused of vandalizing a Jewish-owned business shortly before the fatal collision has caused considerable distress within the local Jewish community.

Michael Trager has previously raised questions about whether the alleged vandalism and the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death warrant closer examination.

The incidents occurred in a section of Queens with a substantial Jewish population, where residents had already expressed concern about antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish businesses and institutions.

Following the vandalism at Bagels & Co., members of the Jewish community organized a show of support for the establishment, with hundreds of customers reportedly gathering outside the shop to demonstrate solidarity with its owners.

The case has also drawn attention from elected officials representing the neighborhood.

State Assemblyman David Weprin, whose district includes the bagel shop, welcomed the indictment and condemned the alleged targeting of the Jewish-owned establishment.

“This was yet another incident of antisemitism in Queens, and this indictment further demonstrates that we will never back down to hate,” Weprin said.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Hartofilis ordered Faisal to return to court on November 12 in connection with the hate-crime indictment.

Faisal remains presumed innocent of all charges unless and until proven guilty in court.

{Matzav.com}