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Popular secular Israeli singer Miri Mesika opened up this week about her personal connection to faith and Judaism, saying that although she considers herself “very secular,” she is careful to recite the berachah of “Shehakol nihiyeh bidvaro” before taking the stage — a habit she maintains despite teasing from her friends.

Speaking to Shachar Tangy at the Tanya Study Center, Mesika said, “I’m very secular, but before I go on stage, I say ‘Shehakol nihiyeh bidvaro,’ because everything I have in life belongs to Hashem.”

She explained that her religious friends sometimes laugh when she mentions it. “When I say that berachah, what I mean is that I’m nothing — even my voice and everything I have, it’s not mine, it’s Yours. After that, I go on stage without ego. Ironically, it’s that place of not believing that brought me to a much stronger kind of belief.”

Several years ago, Mesika performed at a special evening of inspiration and song marking the yahrtzeit of Rochel Imeinu at Yerushalayim’s Sultan’s Pool. She shared the stage with Rebbetzin Yemima Mizrachi and fellow singers. The event drew thousands of women from across the religious spectrum.

Following the concert, Margalit Deri — daughter of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri — sent an emotional message to Mesika expressing how deeply the performance had moved her.

“Hi Miri, you don’t know me,” Deri wrote. “My name is Margalit Deri, I’m Aryeh Deri’s daughter — I’m sure you’ve heard of him. I have to tell you from my heart, I was at your concert last night, and the whole time I had chills. It was such a powerful, emotional evening — uniting and connecting. I feel like I’ve been your friend for years.”

She described the atmosphere of unity among women of all backgrounds: “We sat next to completely secular women and mainstream chareidi women, and everyone was together in such love. Next to me sat a totally secular woman, and I was so moved to put my hand on her shoulder and bless her, ‘May Hashem bless you and keep you…’ It was so special!”

Deri praised the collaboration between Mesika and Rebbetzin Yemima Mizrachi, calling it “perfect” and saying it gave chareidi women the confidence to attend. “When you and Eti sang ‘Tzama lecha nafshi,’ you broke us to pieces,” she wrote. “I think Hashem turned off Rebbetzin Yemima’s microphone at the end because He didn’t need her to speak — the whole evening itself was holy. Just seeing all my daughters together like that — there was no need for anything else.”

She concluded, “Thank you. Please keep doing more of this. I work for Kesher Yehudi, an organization that pairs secular and chareidi women to study together once a week. Seeing that kind of spontaneous connection last night made me so happy. You really moved me — thank you, dear.”

Mesika later responded warmly to Deri’s note: “Thank you, dear Margalit. Above all the wonderful women who filled the Sultan’s Pool, above all the different principles and beliefs, hovered the greatest principle of all: ‘Ve’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha — love your fellow as yourself.’ Thank you for letting me be part of that immense display of love — a sisterhood of women like I’ve never experienced before. Shehechiyanu v’kiyimanu v’higianu lazman hazeh.”

{Matzav.com}

A speeding car fleeing police slammed into a crowded bar early Saturday, killing four people and injuring 11 in a historic district of Tampa, Florida, that is known for its nightlife and tourists. An air patrol unit spotted the silver sedan driving recklessly on a freeway at about 12:40 a.m. after it was seen street […]

  Nearly 500 talmidim and friends filled Bell Works this past Sunday for the Rav Nissan Kaplan Yarchei Kallah — a full-day gathering of connection, learning, and inspiration. Participants came from across the tri-state area and from as far as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and even London. Participants described the experience as “epic,” with talmidim reveling […]

In a move expected this coming Monday, BBC chairman Samir Shah is set to apologize before the UK House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee for using an edited version of Donald J. Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021 address in its documentary. According to the Telegraph, the BBC acknowledges that viewers were misled by the way clips from Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally were combined in the October-aired program.

The apology follows the publication of a comprehensive 19-page report by Michael Prescott, previously the BBC’s adviser on Editorial Guidelines and Standards. In it, Prescott alleges pervasive bias within the broadcaster and claims he issued warnings in May about the manipulated nature of the speech used.

Central to Prescott’s complaint is what he describes as the BBC’s “mangling” of Trump’s remarks in the documentary titled Panorama: “Trump: A Second Chance?” The whistleblower asserts that the network edited together multiple distinct parts of the rally to make it appear that the president urged the crowd to storm the Capitol.

One highlighted moment: footage was shown of Trump saying: “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell you’re not gonna have a country any more.”

In reality, the speech was cut. Trump originally stated: “We’re gonna walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re gonna walk down, we’re gonna walk down any one of you but I think right here, we’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and we’re gonna cheer on our brave senators and congressman and women.” The documentary omitted his words: “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

Further scrutiny found that what the BBC presented as a continuous sentence was actually stitched together from three separate portions of Trump’s speech with nearly an hour’s gap edited out, thereby altering context. Prescott calls this manipulative editing “shocking.”

He writes: “This created the impression that Trump said something he did not and, in doing so, materially misled viewers.”

Another major allegation contends that the program linked Trump’s rally to an advance by the Proud Boys toward the U.S. Capitol. The footage used, however, predates the speech itself—yet the documentary treated it as if the crowd was inspired by Trump’s remarks.

“It was completely misleading to edit the clip in the way Panorama aired it,” Prescott adds. “The fact that [Mr. Trump] did not explicitly exhort supporters to go down and fight at Capitol Hill was one of the reasons there were no federal charges for incitement to riot.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Sunday that he intends to distribute a $2,000 “dividend” to most Americans, describing it as a reward funded by what he calls massive tariff gains from foreign nations.

“A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone,” he wrote, touting the plan as a direct benefit of his sweeping trade policies.

The announcement followed closely on the heels of a Supreme Court session questioning whether Trump’s broad use of emergency powers to impose tariffs on nearly every nation complies with constitutional limits.

Trump insisted that his aggressive tariff strategy has been a huge success, declaring that it has generated “trillions of dollars” while leaving the economy strong and prices stable. He also boasted that retirement savings were thriving, noting that 401(k) accounts are the “Highest EVER” and asserting there was “No Inflation” linked to the trade duties.

He took aim at critics of his economic approach, posting bluntly, “People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!”

Government data, however, paints a more measured picture. Between April and October, the U.S. collected roughly $151 billion in import duties, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent projected that the nation could bring in “$500 billion or more” in tariff revenues annually as the program expands.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian strikes disrupted power and heating to two major Russian cities near the Ukrainian border, local Russian officials reported Sunday. The report comes as Russia and Ukraine have traded almost daily assaults on each other’s energy infrastructure and U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to stop the nearly four-year war have not advanced. Elsewhere, Ukraine’s top diplomat accused Moscow of deliberately endangering nuclear safety, as […]

Heartbreaking tragedy in Beit Shemesh: Rabbi Yaakov Steinberg zt”l, beloved Maggid Shiur, passed away suddenly at just 44 years old. Now, his *eight young children are left without a father — and their mother is struggling to provide even the most basic needs. *There’s no food in the house, no stability, no hope for tomorrow. […]

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Nearly 500 talmidim and friends filled Bell Works this past Sunday for the Rav Nissan Kaplan Yarchei Kallah — a full-day gathering of connection, learning, and inspiration. Participants came from across the tri-state area and from as far as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and even London. Participants described the experience as “epic,” with talmidim reveling in the opportunity to learn from Rav Nissan and experience his trademark personal warmth.

The learning program opened with first seder, followed by a shiur from Rav Nissan on the sugya of יחלוקו. Participants then enjoyed a Business Networking Luncheon — a chance to connect, network, and talk Torah and business. The highlight of the day was a profoundly insightful Q & A session moderated by Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, where R’ Nissan’s wisdom on ahavas haTorah, chinuch, and shalom bayis sparked both laughter and reflection. The evening culminated in an uplifting dinner program — from the spontaneous dancing as Rav Nissan was introduced, to his moving keynote address and the musical presentation that followed.

Talmidim left uplifted, recharged, carrying the warmth and inspiration of their Rebbi well beyond the day itself. This Yarchei Kallah was more than an event — it was a boost that talmidim will carry with them for months to come.

Israeli forces transferred a casket from Gaza today believed to contain the remains of an Israeli soldier held by Hamas.

The body was handed over to the police, who are now accompanying it to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv, where specialists will carry out a formal identification process expected to take as long as two days.

According to Hamas, the remains belong to Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed and taken by the terror group during the 2014 Gaza War. Israeli officials have not yet confirmed this claim, pending forensic verification.

Should investigators verify that the body is indeed Goldin’s, it would mean that four Israeli hostages are still being held in Gaza—Meny Godard, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, Dror Or, and Sudthisak Rinthalak.

{Matzav.com}

Hamas’s military arm announced on Sunday that it would return the body of IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin, ending an agonizing, years-long wait for his family, who have fought tirelessly to bring him home for burial. Goldin was killed during the 2014 Gaza conflict, and his body was seized by Hamas amid the fierce fighting in Rafah.

“The (Izz a-Din) Al-Qassam Brigades will deliver the body of officer Hadar Goldin, which was found yesterday in a tunnel in the city of Rafah, at 2 pm Gaza time,” the group declared on its Telegram channel.

Goldin’s death occurred during Operation Protective Edge, and his remains have been held for 4,118 days. He is the only hostage from before the October 7, 2023 Hamas invasion — when 1,200 Israelis were massacred and 251 others taken captive — who has remained in Gaza since.

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu informed his Cabinet that Israel expects to receive Goldin’s remains. Israel will first conduct comprehensive forensic examinations to confirm the identity of the body before making an official announcement.

If verification confirms the IDF’s expectations, Goldin will become the 24th fallen hostage whose remains have been returned by Hamas since the start of the October 10 ceasefire that paused the two-year war.

Four more bodies are still being held in Gaza: Meny Godard, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, Dror Or, and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.

The return of Goldin’s remains reportedly comes amid complex negotiations over a cluster of Hamas fighters trapped in a Rafah tunnel located within an area controlled by Israeli forces. According to reports, Hamas has sought to connect the recovery of Goldin’s body to an arrangement ensuring safe passage for these operatives.

Hamas issued a defiant statement warning that it would not capitulate: “The occupation bears full responsibility for the clash with our fighters in Rafah,” the group said, vowing that surrender was not an option.

It further emphasized, “In the lexicon of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades there is no place for the principle of surrender or handing themselves over to the enemy. The mediators must find a solution that will ensure the continuation of the ceasefire.”

Reports suggest that Washington has been pushing Jerusalem to approve safe passage for the trapped terrorists as part of a U.S.-backed plan for Goldin’s return. Citing Channel 12, the proposal calls for the militants to hand over their weapons and be granted a pardon by Israel before relocating to Hamas-controlled areas or into exile. The tunnel sheltering them would then be destroyed.

Netanyahu, however, has made clear he will not strike any such deal. A statement issued Monday from an “Israeli official,” widely understood to represent the Prime Minister’s Office, reiterated that Netanyahu “is not allowing safe passage for 200 Hamas terrorists.”

Following Hamas’s announcement yesterday that it had recovered Goldin’s body, Israeli diplomats insisted the remains must be returned immediately under the terms of the ceasefire. “Israel demands his return immediately,” one diplomatic source stressed, condemning the group’s delay as a serious breach of the agreement.

On Saturday night, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir personally visited the home of Goldin’s parents, Leah and Simcha, who said they were waiting for official word confirming their son’s return to Israel.

Israeli outlets also reported that, in the hours leading up to the announcement, Israel permitted Hamas and Red Cross teams to search a tunnel under Israeli control in Rafah in order to locate the missing officer’s remains.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of Eshkol residents gathered at Gama Junction today to accompany the convoy carrying the remains of a hostage. While official identification is pending, Hamas claims the body is that of Hadar Goldin Hy’d, who was killed by Hamas in 2014.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, is departing today for a three-day chizuk journey spanning several cities throughout France. The visit marks one of the most significant Torah gatherings seen in France in recent decades.

During the trip, Rav Hirsch is scheduled to deliver divrei chizuk in communities across Paris, Drancy, and other French cities. Thousands of members of the French kehillos are preparing to greet the rosh yeshiva. Rabbonim and public figures from across the country have requested private meetings with Rav Hirsch to seek his counsel on pressing communal and educational issues affecting French Jewry today.

In recent days, local communities have finalized extensive preparations for the historic visit.

French authorities have also been actively preparing for the visit. Heavy security arrangements have been deployed by French police in the areas where the rosh yeshiva and his entourage are expected to stay, ensuring smooth and safe travel for the massive crowds expected to attend the various events.

{Matzav.com}

TRUMP: “A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone”

Aerial footage captures the devastating aftermath of Tuesday’s deadly UPS plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky.

Watch the scary moment a car plunges down a staircase after its 47-year-old driver loses control in São Paulo, Brazil. The driver’s condition is unknown.

IDF soldiers excavating a tunnel in Gaza’s Rafah area, where Lt. Hadar Goldin HY’D was reportedly killed and abducted by Hamas during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge.

Police in southern Israel arrested a Bedouin resident caught transporting illegal entrants from the Hebron area.

Deep shock and revulsion spread through the Sanzer Chassidus after it was discovered on Motzaei Shabbos that the holy resting place of the Shefa Chaim of Sanz, Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam zt”l, had been desecrated over Shabbos.

According to sources, vandals broke into the ohel of the rebbe at the Netanya cemetery during Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, wreaking havoc on the site. The intruders smashed the ner tamid, damaged the fans and electrical cabinet, and destroyed the seforim cabinet containing siddurim and Tehillims.

Signs of forced entry were also found on the tzedakah box stationed near the tziyun.

The scene was discovered by Chassidim who arrived after Shabbos to daven at the kever.

Sources reported that there are no security cameras inside the ohel itself, though other areas of the cemetery are under surveillance. Police and cemetery officials are expected to review footage from nearby cameras today to determine whether the perpetrators can be identified.

{Matzav.com}