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As Ben Gurion Airport gradually resumes operations following a tense period during the ongoing war, El Al has shifted into an extraordinary emergency operating mode aimed at bringing thousands of Israelis stranded abroad back home.

In an extensive interview on the Kol Chai radio news program, Alon Lavi, head of El Al’s operational control division, detailed the unprecedented effort being carried out by the airline to return passengers who were unable to reach Israel when the conflict began.

Lavi explained that the airline had prepared in advance for the moment when Israeli airspace would reopen.

“We prepared to operate rescue flights from more than 22 destinations the moment Ben Gurion Airport reopened,” he said. “We are implementing the framework approved by the government in a responsible and safe way.”

He provided striking figures illustrating the scale of the operation.

“Today, nine El Al rescue flights landed at Ben Gurion Airport from various destinations across Europe. Tomorrow the pace is expected to increase significantly, with 16 scheduled landings,” Lavi said.

The operation is not limited to nearby locations. El Al has deployed wide-body aircraft to transport hundreds of passengers per flight from long-distance destinations including New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Bangkok.

“The planes are already on their way to Tel Aviv and are expected to land here tomorrow morning,” he added.

In order to reduce confusion and uncertainty among passengers, the airline also took an unusual step.

“We closed ticket sales for new flights until March 21,” Lavi explained.

The goal of that decision is to prioritize existing customers whose flights were canceled because of the war, allowing them to be placed on rescue flights without additional cost rather than selling new tickets at extremely high prices.

One of the most sensitive issues addressed during the interview was El Al’s firm decision not to operate flights on Shabbos.

Despite public pressure and the urgent need to bring Israelis home, Lavi emphasized that this policy remains unchanged.

“This is a Jewish company whose mission includes keeping Shabbos, and we stand behind that principle even under enormous media pressure,” he said.

He explained that the airline is making logistical adjustments to compensate for the day of rest.

“We will carry out the operations before Shabbos begins and immediately after it ends, and everything will work out,” he said. “We are not trying to make things unnecessarily difficult — we are simply remaining faithful to our values.”

Lavi also stressed that the airline is maintaining proactive contact with affected passengers.

“We are in touch with all of our customers twice a day in a proactive way,” he said.

He urged Israelis currently overseas to continue monitoring official channels for updates.

“All of the information is published on our website and on social media. We are doing everything possible to bring everyone home quickly and safely,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

As the Knesset gradually returns to limited activity during the ongoing war, tensions within the coalition are rising over the long-delayed draft law, with chareidi parties insisting the legislation return immediately to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Chareidi political leaders have reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu over the past 24 hours that the draft law must be brought back to the committee as early as next week, provided the security situation allows it. They have also requested that the committee’s legal adviser, Miri Frenkel, expedite the completion of the bill’s final wording.

The demand comes as the Knesset prepares to reconvene next week after a week-long recess. At first, the Knesset is expected to deal only with urgent matters, particularly those connected to the war.

At the same time, the chareidi parties have continued their boycott of coalition votes. They have clarified that they will refrain from supporting government legislation, with the exception of measures directly related to the war effort, in order not to complicate matters for the government during the conflict.

The dispute raises serious questions about the fate of the state budget.

If the draft law is not passed by the end of the month, there is a strong possibility that the budget will also fail to pass, which could ultimately lead to new elections.

Sources within the chareidi parties estimate that the prime minister will attempt to persuade them to approve the state budget even without the draft law being finalized. Whether those efforts will succeed remains to be seen.

{Matzav.com}

Reports out of Lebanon say an Israeli strike targeted a position belonging to the UNIFIL in the town of Al-Qawzah in southern Lebanon.

Footage from the Dahiyeh district in Beirut shows the aftermath and destruction following multiple Israeli airstrikes.

Trey Yingst reports new details about the strike that killed Ali Khamenei, saying a deception campaign was carried out to convince Iranian officials that the attack was not imminent. According to the report, Khamenei was above ground at the time of the strike. The effort reportedly included senior Israeli commanders returning home and public statements […]

Kevin Hassett says the White House is not currently considering releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower prices.

Footage of Israeli airstrikes striking Beirut a short time ago.

The IDF said the Air Force is continuing strikes across western Iran, targeting military infrastructure, including ballistic missile launchers and UAV storage sites. According to the military, more than 400 targets were struck Friday in several areas. During the operation, an Israeli aircraft identified a truck carrying an Iranian air defense system near Shahroud and […]

In light of the difficult security situation and its direct impact on couples preparing to marry, Israel’s Chief Rabbis have issued a special psak halachah regarding the scheduling of weddings.

The Chief Rabbis of Israel — the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, and the president of the Chief Rabbinate Council, Rav Kalman Meir Ber — released the ruling addressing the challenges many couples are facing as a result of the current wartime conditions.

At the outset of their ruling, the rabbonim stressed that the establishment of a bayis ne’eman b’Yisroel at its proper time is of the utmost importance. According to the psak, whenever it is possible to hold the wedding on the originally scheduled date in accordance with the guidelines of the Home Front Command, every effort should be made to avoid postponing it.

The rabbonim wrote that even if security restrictions require a significantly reduced celebration and a smaller number of guests than originally planned, it is nevertheless preferable not to delay the chuppah.

At the same time, the Chief Rabbis addressed couples who were forced to postpone their wedding because of the security situation.

In an unusual step described as a temporary hora’as sha’ah for this year, the rabbonim ruled that such couples may conduct their weddings until Rosh Chodesh Iyar, including that date.

This leniency applies both to Sephardim and Ashkenazim, with particular sensitivity toward couples who have not yet fulfilled the mitzvah of peru urevu.

Despite this significant allowance, the rabbonim emphasized that this ruling does not constitute a permanent change in the long-standing minhag. Under normal circumstances, and in cases where no compelling ones exists, the traditional custom regarding weddings during Sefiras HaOmer remains unchanged.

The Chief Rabbis also made clear that, in their view, weddings should not be permitted on Motzaei Shabbos, even during this period, in order to prevent situations that could lead to chillul Shabbos.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. imposed travel bans on three Chilean officials over the possible construction of a submarine fiber optic cable with China, while warning Peru against ceding control over a Chinese-built mega port. Under pressure from President Donald Trump, who had threatened to take the Panama Canal back under U.S. control, the Panamanian government seized two ports at either end of the […]

Israel’s Chief Rabbis, the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, and Rav Kalman Meir Ber, president of the Chief Rabbinate Council, sent a sharply worded letter to Transportation Minister Miri Regev protesting the planned operation of government transportation services on Shabbos.

In their letter, the rabbonim expressed strong objection to what they described as unnecessary chillul Shabbos as part of the state’s transportation operations during the ongoing wartime situation.

The Chief Rabbis wrote that the planned move is being carried out at a time when there is no danger or concern of pikuach nefesh that would justify work on Shabbos.

They also emphasized that the decision to activate the transportation system was made unilaterally by government authorities without prior consultation with the Chief Rabbinate or receiving halachic guidance, as would normally be expected in public matters of this nature.

The rabbonim called on the minister to halt the plan and prevent unnecessary desecration of Shabbos, stressing that such decisions involving national public systems must be handled with proper sensitivity to halachah and with consultation from the appropriate rabbinic authorities.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Dovid Spiegel zt”l, the Ostrov-Kalushiner Rebbe of the Five Towns and rov of Bais Medrash of Cedarhurst, a devoted marbitz Torah and beloved rov who for decades built and nurtured a warm, vibrant center of Torah and Yiddishkeit in the community.

Rav Spiegel, a son of Rav Pinchas Eliyahu Spiegel zt”l, the Ostrov-Kalushiner Rebbe, was a distinguished talmid of two gedolei Torah of the previous generation, Rav Avrohom Pam zt”l and Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l. His connection with Rav Aharon was especially close and deeply personal. As a bochur, Rav Spiegel was among those who would frequently drive Rav Aharon to various engagements and destinations. Those hours spent in close proximity to the rosh yeshiva allowed him to develop a profound bond with his rebbi, absorbing not only Torah but also the spirit and vision that Rav Aharon instilled in his talmidim.

On June 19, 1962, Rav Spiegel married his wife, Rebbetzin Devorah Esther Spiegel a”h, the daughter of the Pittsburger Rebbe, Rav Avrohom Abba Leifer, in Newark, New Jersey, beginning a partnership that would become the foundation of a life devoted to Torah, community, and chesed.

In the early years following their marriage, the young couple lived in Lakewood in modest circumstances, residing in a small one-bedroom apartment above the stores on Fifth Street. Those humble beginnings reflected the simple and devoted lifestyle that characterized Rav Spiegel throughout his life.

A pivotal moment in his life and in the development of the Five Towns Torah community came in 1970. His brother-in-law, Rav Binyomin Kamenetsky zt”l, approached him with a bold vision: to establish a warm and authentic shtiebel that would serve as a beacon of Torah life in the growing Five Towns community. Rav Spiegel accepted the challenge with dedication and determination.

What began as a modest undertaking soon grew into something extraordinary. Over the decades, the shtiebel became a center of warmth, Torah, and genuine Yiddishkeit. Rav Spiegel did far more than establish a shul. He built a kehillah in the truest sense of the word. Through his guidance, countless individuals and families found a place where they could grow in Torah observance and strengthen their connection to Yiddishkeit.

Rav Spiegel understood that cultivating Torah life in a community requires not only passion but also wisdom, patience, and a deep understanding of people. With quiet determination and thoughtful leadership, he helped shape the spiritual character of the Five Towns in numerous ways. His influence could be felt in the lives of those who turned to him for guidance, encouragement, and inspiration.

Throughout the years, he remained a steady presence, a rov who cared deeply for his mispallelim and whose warmth and sincerity left a lasting impression on all who encountered him.

Rav Spiegel is survived by an exceptional family of children and grandchildren who continue his legacy of Torah, avodah, and devotion to Klal Yisroel.

The levaya is taking place now at Rav Spiegel’s shul, located at 504 W. Broadway in Cedarhurst, NY, followed by kevurah in New Jersey.

Yehi zichro boruch.

The Trump administration is following through with its threat to designate artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a supply chain risk in an unprecedented move that could force other government contractors to stop using the AI chatbot Claude. The Pentagon said in a statement Thursday that it has “officially informed Anthropic leadership the company and its products are […]

The Israeli Air Force on Friday published footage from inside the cockpit of IAF fighter jets flying over Iran wishing their compatriots back home a good Shabbos. “We, the pilots and navigators of the Israeli Air Force, are currently flying in formation over the skies of Tehran, on our way to strike targets of historical […]

As Israel continues to operate under the pressures of Operation Roaring Lion, the Israeli Ministry of Transportation announced a significant expansion of public transportation services across the country.

Beginning today, bus service will increase to approximately 60 percent of normal operations. This follows several days during which the transportation network functioned at only 45 percent capacity due to the ongoing security situation.

The decision was made following a renewed situational assessment and updated guidance from the Home Front Command, with the goal of maintaining a measure of economic and daily-life continuity while the country remains under fire.

Alongside the expansion of bus services, the rail and light rail systems are still operating under strict limitations.

Israel Railways has concentrated its service in specific hubs that are suited to the current emergency conditions. The Yerushalayim Light Rail is operating on a limited emergency schedule, while the light rail system in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area remains completely suspended. The Haifa cable car system is also not operating at this time.

In addition, all in-person public transportation service centers across the country will remain closed until further notice.

Officials at the Ministry of Transportation stressed that despite the expanded service, the public is still urged to avoid non-essential travel and follow the instructions of security authorities.

“We call on the public to check the transportation apps and the operators’ information centers before setting out,” the ministry said.

For additional information or trip planning, travelers can contact the national transportation information hotline by dialing *8787.

Authorities noted that the public transportation system will continue to be adjusted as operational conditions evolve on the ground.

{Matzav.com}

Additional footage from Israeli-U.S. airstrikes in Tehran from a few minutes ago.

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