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President Trump on the Gaza peace deal: “If we didn’t take out [Iran’s] nuclear, there’s no way that we would’ve been able to do this.”

Hamas says it has located the body of one more hostage, which it said will be returned to Israel today if “conditions on the ground are appropriate”. “We will transfer the body today if the conditions on the ground are suitable,” it says, adding that “any Zionist escalation will complicate the search and digging operations and the recovery of the bodies, which will lead to a delay in the occupation’s receipt of the bodies.”

An Israeli airstrike targeted a building in the Bureij camp in central Gaza.

BORO PARK: A fire erupted early this morning at approximately 7:15 a.m. inside an apartment building near 12th Avenue and 54th Street. Residents, including several children, were rescued through the fire escape as the blaze quickly drew a large emergency response. Boro Park and Flatbush Hatzolah, the FDNY, NYPD, and Boro Park Shomrim all responded to the scene. Sources tell YWN that approximately 27 individuals were transported to local hospitals for evaluation due to smoke inhalation. Thankfully, all have since been discharged.

The IDF has issued an urgent warning to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to avoid entering areas under Israeli control and to stay away from Israeli troops. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, stated that “in the wake of repeated violations of the ceasefire and this morning’s attack by Hamas terror elements, the IDF will respond with great force against terror infrastructure and Hamas operatives.” He emphasized that for their safety, residents should remain on the west side of the Yellow Line, attaching a map showing the areas in Gaza currently under IDF control.

Freed hostage David Cunio receives a warm homecoming in Yavne after being discharged from the hospital.

BREAKING: A senior U.S. official has confirmed to Axios that Israel alerted the U.S. ahead of planned Gaza strikes in response to Hamas’s ceasefire violations.

Iran executed a person convicted of spying for Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad in the city of Qom, the official judiciary news agency reported Sunday. The sentence was carried out early Saturday after the Supreme Court upheld the ruling and a request for a pardon was denied, the Mizan news agency said. The report didn’t identify the person, but said that the individual was accused of “intelligence cooperation with the Zionist regime” and found guilty of “corruption on Earth” and “enmity against God” — crimes punishable by death under Iran’s Islamic penal code. Mizan said that the person began contacts and cooperation with Israeli intelligence services in October 2023 and was arrested four months later, in February 2024. The defendant had allegedly provided sensitive information to Mossad and carried out missions inside Iran on behalf of Israeli intelligence, according to the report. No further details about the nature of the alleged espionage or the date of the person’s arrest were made public. Iran’s judiciary has repeatedly described such executions as necessary to safeguard national security, particularly amid what Tehran calls Israel’s “infiltration and sabotage operations.” The execution in Qom, home to a sacred Shiite shrine about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of the capital Tehran, follows a recent series of similar cases involving alleged cooperation with Israel. On Oct. 4, Iran executed six people accused of conducting bombings and armed attacks in Khuzestan Province while allegedly working with Mossad. Authorities said that the group had “operated in direct connection with the Zionist regime’s intelligence apparatus.” Days earlier, on Sept. 29, Iran hanged another defendant, identified as Bahman Choobiasl, who was convicted of spying for Israel. Choobiasl was executed in Arak Prison, after being found guilty of collecting sensitive information and providing it to Israeli handlers. Since the “12-day war” earlier this year and a series of Israeli strikes targeting Iranian military sites, Iran is known to have executed at least nine people accused of espionage. The conflict — marked by Israeli airstrikes that killed about 1,100 people, including senior Iranian military commanders — triggered Iranian missile barrages targeting Israeli territory in retaliation. The exchange left both sides on high alert and further inflamed tensions across the region. Human rights organizations and Western governments have condemned Iran’s increasing use of capital punishment, particularly for political and espionage-related offenses. Activists argue that many of the convictions rely on coerced confessions, and that trials often take place behind closed doors, without access to independent legal representation. Tehran, however, maintains that those executed were “agents of hostile intelligence services” involved in acts of terrorism or sabotage. Iranian officials have accused Israel of orchestrating a campaign of covert attacks inside Iran, including assassinations of nuclear scientists and cybersabotage of strategic facilities. (AP)

A devastating accident early Sunday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike claimed the lives of four yeshiva bochurim after a suspected drunk driver slammed into their vehicle near Carneys Point Township.

Authorities said the collision occurred at approximately 1 a.m. on the southbound side of the Turnpike, just past Exit 1 near the Delaware Memorial Bridge. According to New Jersey State Police, two vehicles were involved in the fatal crash.

The victims, four bochurim from the tri-state area who were traveling together on a bein hazemanim trip, were all killed in the impact. Three of the bochurim were from Lakewood,  NJ and one was from South Fallsburg, NY.

Emergency responders, including New Jersey State Police, fire, and EMS crews, worked through the night at the crash site. The highway was closed for several hours as authorities conducted their investigation and cleared the wreckage.

Misaskim and local askanim arrived at the scene and are coordinating closely with law enforcement to ensure kavod hameis and assist with all necessary arrangements.

The names of the victims have not yet been released pending notification of family members.

Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump unleashed a new level of mockery toward his critics by posting a wild AI-created video depicting himself as a crowned fighter pilot dumping waste on his opponents.

In the 19-second clip, set to the high-octane “Top Gun” anthem Danger Zone, Trump’s jet soars over what looks like New York City, releasing torrents of sludge onto crowds of “No Kings” demonstrators.

Among those shown being splattered is left-wing influencer Harry Sisson, whose likeness was pulled from real footage at a recent rally. The video shows the jet emblazoned with the title “King Trump” as it speeds across Times Square.

“That plane wouldn’t have made it off the ground with your fat— in the pilot’s seat,” Sisson, 23, shot back on X. “Can a reporter please ask Trump why he posted an AI video of himself dropping poop on me from a fighter jet? That would be great thanks.”

Trump uploaded the bizarre video to Truth Social just hours after thousands of “No Kings” rallies were held nationwide on Shabbos. Roughly 2,600 protests against his administration took place across the U.S., continuing the movement’s demonstrations that began in June during the Army’s 250th anniversary parade — an event that coincided with Trump’s birthday.

Vice President JD Vance joined in on the satire, sharing an AI-generated clip on the BlueSky platform showing Trump donning a royal crown, then a regal robe, and drawing a sword as Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi appear to kneel before him. The video incorporated authentic 2020 footage of Pelosi and other lawmakers kneeling in kente cloths during a “moment of silence” for police reform.

The White House’s official BlueSky debut also leaned into the trolling theme, posting a compilation of Trump’s most viral provocations — including his infamous AI video that portrayed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wearing a sombrero after a meeting with the president. Jeffries denounced that portrayal as racist.

Trump has repeatedly dabbled in AI-powered parody videos on Truth Social. Earlier this year, he shared a digitally crafted promo for an extravagant “Trump Gaza” resort built in the middle of the war-torn territory.

Just weeks ago, he circulated another AI clip featuring Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought wielding a Grim Reaper’s scythe to taunt Democrats over their decision to block a Republican-backed plan aimed at preventing a partial government shutdown.

{Matzav.com}

Roughly ten families connected to the extremist Lev Tahor cult fled the United States during Simchas Torah and Shemini Atzeres, escaping to Honduras under the direction of their imprisoned leaders currently held in a federal facility in Brooklyn.

These families had recently been granted back custody of their children by authorities in Guatemala after swearing to separate themselves from the cult, which was formally dissolved just weeks ago. But in secret, a number of them regrouped in New York and plotted a fresh escape, this time to Honduras, a country notorious for its weak oversight of child welfare cases.

The group’s flight on Yom Tov was carried out in direct violation of halacha, reportedly following the orders of the cult’s leaders behind bars, who were convicted of severe abuse and exploitation of children. According to sources, the escape was deliberately timed during the Yom Tov to minimize the chance of intervention by U.S. authorities.

A person with knowledge of the situation explained, “Honduras is a corrupt country, similar to Guatemala. This was all done through manipulation by the jailed leaders, who convinced the families that it was better to live in a country with no Jewish presence than to remain in America.”

This pattern of desecrating Shabbos and Yom Tov under cult orders is nothing new for Lev Tahor. Back in October 2021, several dozen members landed in Moldova on Shabbos in the middle of the day, only to be turned away and deported to Turkey once Shabbos had ended.

And in 2018, the group’s then-head, Nachman Helbrans, kidnapped two children on Shabbos, personally driving and flying with them while disguising them as non-Jews to avoid detection. Those actions led to his arrest and, in July 2019, to federal indictments against him and several other leaders of the sect.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Tuvia Goldschmidt zt”l, a distinguished rosh chaburah at Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim and dayan on the Beis Din of Yerushalayim.

Rav Goldschmidt was niftar on Shabbos afternoon after enduring years of suffering. He was 67 years old.

Rav Tuvia resided in the Beit Vagan neighborhood of Yerushalayim. He was born to his father, the late Rav Moshe Goldschmidt zt”l, and his mother, tibadel lechayim tovim Mrs. Miriam Goldschmidt, of Antwerp.

As a young bochur, he studied in Yeshiva Ketanah Or Yisroel, later continuing his learning in the Ponevezh Yeshiva, where he forged deep connections with his rabbeim and grew in Torah and yiras Shamayim.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his rebbetzin from the Feldinger family of Basel and Beit Vagan.

Rav Tuvia devoted his life to the study and teaching of Torah. As a rosh chaburah in Yeshivas Mir, he guided and inspired countless talmidim, imparting to them not only profound Torah knowledge but also a clear and uncompromising hashkafah. His talmidim viewed him as a father figure, often seeking his counsel and guidance.

In addition to his harbatzas Torah, Rav Goldschmidt served as a dayan on the Beis Din of Yerushalayim, led by Rav Avrohom Dov Levin zt”l. He was known as a tremendous talmid chacham, a shakdan who learned day and night, and a great expert in Choshen Mishpat. His amkus in halacha was matched only by his deep humility and love for others.

He leaves behind twelve children who are all continuing in his path of Torah and yiras Shamayim.

The levayah took place Motzaei Shabbos at the Shamgar Funeral Home, followed by kevurah on Har HaZeisim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Local sources in the Gaza Strip reported Sunday that Hamas operatives fired anti-tank weapons toward Israeli Defense Forces units in the Rafah area, prompting heavy firefights to erupt there.

Concurrently, the Israel Air Force carried out strikes reported in both the northern and southern sectors of the Gaza Strip.

The IDF had not released an official public communiqué about the episode at the time these reports emerged.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior defense officials convened by phone to assess the situation and determine how Israel should respond to the Hamas breach.

The military confirmed that fighters launched an anti-tank missile and opened gunfire at IDF personnel who were operating to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah region of southern Gaza, actions the army described as occurring despite the standing ceasefire arrangements.

The IDF said it responded with strikes in the vicinity aimed at neutralizing the immediate threat and destroying tunnel shafts and military facilities used for hostile operations.

“These terrorist actions constitute a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, and the IDF will respond firmly,” the military stated.

An urgent sit-rep between the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister was scheduled to take place within minutes as officials reviewed the events unfolding in Gaza.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reacted forcefully to the attack: “I call on the Prime Minister to order the IDF to fully renew combat operations in the Gaza Strip with full force. The false illusions that Hamas will change its ways, or even abide by the agreement it signed, are predictably dangerous to our security. This Nazi terrorist organization must be destroyed completely – the sooner the better.”

This incident marked the second significant breach of the ceasefire in recent days. On Friday, armed militants emerged from a tunnel and attempted to assault IDF troops in the Khan Yunis and Rafah areas; several attackers were killed in the ensuing encounter.

Regarding Friday’s events, the army said: “Several terrorists were identified exiting a tunnel shaft in the Khan Yunis area and approaching IDF troops operating in the area, causing an imminent threat to them. The terrorists were struck, in accordance with the agreement.”

“Additionally, earlier today, several terrorists were identified exiting a tunnel shaft in the Rafah area and opened fire toward IDF troops in the area; no injuries to IDF troops were reported.”

{Matzav.com}

The city of Tiveria is still reeling from the sudden passing on Simchas Torah morning of Rav Mordechai Yosef HaKohen zt”l, rosh hakollelim at the tziyun of Rabi Akiva. Yet what has most astonished residents is the extraordinary and mysterious event that unfolded at that very same time in the home of Rav Dov Kook, an incident that many in the city are calling nothing short of miraculous.

According to eyewitnesses, mere moments before news broke of Rav HaKohen’s petirah, Rav Kook suddenly interrupted the joyous hakafos at his beis medrash in the Kiryat Shmuel neighborhood. Without explanation, he asked the assembled crowd to recite the kappitel of “Vihi Noam” — the kappitel traditionally said at levayos and cemeteries.

Only a short while later, word reached the beis medrash that Rav Mordechai Yosef HaKohen zt”l had collapsed in his home in Tiveria early that morning and was rushed to Poriya Hospital, where he returned his pure soul to his Creator at the age of 67.

Rav HaKohen was deeply beloved and admired across the city’s diverse communities. Those close to him recall a man of Torah, humility, and remarkable ahavas Yisroel, who succeeded in uniting all segments of Tiveria with sincerity and grace.

Meanwhile, those close to Rav Kook shared that during the hakafos, the tzaddik stepped out of the main hall and entered his private room. Witnesses report hearing him repeat several times the chilling words: “I tried, but I couldn’t… I tried, but I couldn’t.”

Roughly twenty minutes later, he reemerged, halted the dancing and tefillah, and called upon the entire congregation to recite “Vihi Noam” both forward and backward.

The profound connection between Rav Kook and Rav HaKohen lends deep meaning to this episode. For decades, the two shared a bond of mutual admiration and respect. Rav Kook held Rav HaKohen in the highest esteem for his tireless service to the community, and just six months ago, when Rav HaKohen’s health began to decline, Rav Kook personally visited him for bikur cholim.

Their friendship was well known in Tiveria. Years ago, during a gathering of rabbanim at Rav Kook’s home, Rav HaKohen astonished all present by reciting the blessing “Baruch shechalak mechochmaso lirei’av” over Rav Kook. Those who were there recall Rav Kook trembling from humility upon hearing it, overwhelmed that such a distinguished rov would bestow that brocha upon him.

{Matzav.com}

In a brazen, seven-minute strike, thieves used a basket lift to reach the Louvre on Sunday morning and, as tourists were already inside, forced a window, smashed display cases and fled with jewels of “inestimable value,” France’s interior minister said. The world’s most visited museum closed for the day as police sealed gates and ushered visitors out during the investigation. “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X. The museum cited “exceptional reasons” for the closure. No injuries were reported. Around 9:30 a.m. several intruders forced open a window, stole jewels from vitrines and escaped on two-wheelers, according to the Interior Ministry. It said forensic work is underway and a precise inventory of the stolen objects is being compiled, adding that the items have “inestimable” historical value. Dati and Nuñez were on site with museum leadership. Video from the scene showed confused tourists being ushered out of the glass pyramid and surrounding courtyards as officers shut the iron gates and closed nearby streets along the Seine. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it a “major robbery,” saying the intruders entered from the outside using a basket lift. He said on France Inter radio that the heist took seven minutes and the thieves used a disc cutter to slice through the panes. He said it was “manifestly a team that had done scouting.” The heist occurred in the Galerie d’Apollon, a vaulted hall in the Denon wing that displays part of the French Crown Jewels beneath a ceiling painted by King Louis XIV’s court artist, according to the ministry. French daily Le Parisien reported the thieves entered via the Seine-facing facade, where construction is underway, and used a freight elevator to reach the gallery. After breaking windows, they reportedly took nine pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress. One stolen jewel was later found outside the museum, the paper reported, adding that the item was believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown and that it had been broken. Security and staffing at the Louvre in the spotlight Security around marquee works remains tight. The Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass and a custom high-tech display system as part of broader anti-theft measures across the museum. Staffing and protection have been flashpoints at the Louvre. The museum delayed opening during a June staff walkout over overcrowding and chronic understaffing. Unions have warned that mass tourism strains security and visitor management. It wasn’t immediately clear whether staffing levels played any role in Sunday’s theft. In January, President Emmanuel Macron announced a decadelong “Louvre New Renaissance” plan — roughly €700 million to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece its own dedicated gallery by 2031 — but workers say relief has been slow to reach the floor. Other European museums have been robbed The theft, less than half an hour after doors opened, echoes other recent European museum raids. In 2019, thieves smashed vitrines in Dresden’s Green Vault and carried off diamond-studded royal jewels worth hundreds of millions of euros. In 2017, burglars at Berlin’s Bode Museum stole a 100-kilogram (220-pound) solid-gold coin. In 2010, a lone intruder slipped into Paris’s Museum of Modern Art and escaped with five paintings, including a Picasso. The Louvre has a long […]

Four in 10 Jewish Americans say they try to hide their religious identity, according to a new Washington Post poll that also reported almost one in three respondents saying they don’t feel safe as a Jew in the United States.

In the survey, 42% of respondents said they do not wear, carry or display anything in public that could identify them as Jewish, with 58% saying they do. In an American Jewish Committee poll taken in November 2023, a month after Oct. 7, just 26% said they hid their Jewish identity, while 73% said they did not.

Almost one-third of Jewish Americans (31%) said they did not feel safe, while 69% said they did.

By 95% to 5%, respondents said that there was more antisemitism in the United States, and 85% said there was a lot of or some antisemitism at college campuses, with 15% saying there was little or none.

In the poll, which was conducted before U.S. President Donald Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, just 29% of Jewish Americans approved of his performance in office, with 71% disapproving. By 65% to 35%, they said that he did not understand the concerns of American Jews.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also received low marks, with 68% expressing negative views of his leadership and just 32% saying it was positive.

Respondents deadlocked over the way that the Jewish state conducted the war, with 48% disapproving of Israel’s military action and 46% approving. By 61% to 29%, they said that Israel committed war crimes, but a far greater percentage (94%) said that Hamas is guilty of war crimes. Just 2% said they believed the terrorist group did not commit such crimes.

By 68% to 32%, respondents blamed Hamas, which operates in civilian areas and began the war, and not Israel, for the number of civilian casualties. Asked if Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a majority (51%) said no, while 39% said yes.

The poll of 815 Jewish Americans was conducted Sept. 2-9 with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Southwest Airlines is doing away with its long-standing open seating system and will now assign seats to passengers — a major shift for the airline that has built its brand on a unique boarding style and free checked bags. The change, which also introduces new baggage fees, is part of a broader overhaul aimed at streamlining operations and generating new revenue.

Starting January 27, 2026, travelers flying Southwest will receive designated seats instead of choosing them upon boarding. However, the airline’s new boarding sequence will differ from what passengers are used to on other carriers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, every boarding pass will now include both a boarding group and a number from 1 to 8, unless the customer has purchased priority boarding.

Following the priority group, Southwest will adopt what’s known as the WILMA boarding strategy — short for window, middle, and aisle — beginning with passengers seated at the back of the aircraft.

Under this setup, those in window seats will be called first, followed by middle-seat passengers, and finally those assigned to the aisles.

“If queuing isn’t good, boarding isn’t good,” said Lisa Hingson, managing director of innovation, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “So we spent a lot of time studying queuing.”

While the idea may sound new to Southwest loyalists, other airlines have already embraced similar systems. United Airlines, for example, adopted this model several years ago, saying it reduced boarding time and congestion.

Even with this change, passengers who hold certain privileges — such as elite status, upgraded ticket classes, or specific credit cards — will still receive priority placement ahead of most travelers.

These perks ensure that eligible passengers are assigned to group 1 or 2 regardless of where they’re seated. That, however, could create challenges for passengers seated toward the front of the plane who don’t qualify for early boarding, as overhead bin space may already be limited by the time they board.

The Journal reported seeing a boarding pass for a traveler in seat 12C — typically considered a prime economy seat — who had been placed in group 7, indicating they’d be among the last to board.

To address this, Southwest plans to introduce an optional Priority Boarding upgrade that passengers can purchase at the last minute for an additional fee. According to the Wall Street Journal, those who buy this option will board before group 1.

Pricing will fluctuate depending on the route, but the report cited one example showing the cost at $93 for a one-way trip between Phoenix and Dallas.

Passengers with disabilities and active-duty service members will continue to receive first-boarding privileges as they always have.

To minimize confusion during the transition, each boarding pass will explicitly identify whether the traveler’s seat is a window, middle, or aisle. “Since we’re moving away from boarding positions, we wanted to be very clear about the difference between a boarding position and a seat,” Hingson explained.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber

After each Yom Tov, I hand out a reflection sheet to my sixth-grade class at Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury. It’s a simple exercise, a way for the boys to stop, think, and capture something real from their Yom Tov before it slips away.

The questions are light. “What inspired you?” “What was your favorite moment?”
After Sukkos this year, I gave out the usual list and collected the papers a few minutes later.

The answers were exactly what you’d expect from eleven-year-old boys.
“Playing with my cousins.”
 “Eating in the sukkah.”
 “Going to Six Flags.”

And then I saw it.
Under “What was your favorite memory from Sukkos?” one boy, Yehuda, had written:
“Seeing the hostages come home.”

I stopped reading.
I must have looked at that line five times.

I called Yehuda over during recess.
“Yehuda,” I said gently, “you really mean that?”

He looked at me and said with quiet conviction.
“Yes.”

I hesitated, then asked, “Is this something you talk about a lot at home?”

He paused. Then turned to me and said words that sent a chill straight through me:
“My mother hasn’t worn one of her rings in two years.”

I froze.

Later that day, I called his mother.
She confirmed every word.

She told me that ever since the hostages were taken, one of her rings has remained in the drawer, a small, silent reminder that part of our nation is missing. A reminder to feel the pain of another.

On their refrigerator, there’s a handwritten sign that reads:
“What did you do today to bring them home?”
 And beneath it, a careful count of the days since the hostages were taken.

There’s also a picture of one particular hostage, someone their family feels connected to, someone they’ve been davening for by name.

When the videos began to circulate of the hostages being freed, Yehuda’s mother gathered her children and said softly,
“Watch. These are your tefillos.”

Not words, not speeches.
It’s a home that breathes tefillah.
It’s a mother who turns pain into prayer.
It’s a child whose favorite Yom Tov memory is seeing another Yid return home.

Because in the end, the most powerful lessons aren’t taught.

They’re caught.

Rabbi Heber can be reached via email mdheber@ykwaterbury.org

{Matzav.com}

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