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The IDF confirmed that it carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon earlier today, targeting Hezbollah weapon depots that the military said were being used to support attacks against Israel.

The IDF and Shin Bet announced that Hassan Mahmoud Hassan Hussein, a Hamas Nukhba Force commander who led the killing and kidnapping of Israelis from a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7, was killed in a recent airstrike in the Gaza Strip; he served as a company commander in Hamas’s Bureij Battalion.

During a visit to the military’s main visual intelligence unit, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the Intelligence Directorate is undergoing major changes following lessons learned from the October 7 onslaught. “The Intelligence Directorate is undergoing a significant transformation, mainly based on the lessons of October 7,” Zamir says at the directorate’s Unit 9900.

The UN reinstated an arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program following a process triggered by European powers that Tehran warned would prompt a harsh response

On Thursday night, the expanded and newly renovated main Dushinsky Beis Medrash was filled to capacity and beyond, as thousands of bnei torah gathered under the leadership of Admorim, Rabbanim, and members of the Badatz of the Eidah HaChareidis to hear the Shabbos Shuvah drasha from Harav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a. The annual drasha has long been a source of hadracha and chizuk to the masses of Yerushalayim. This year, despite the Beis Medrash doubling in size through extensive renovations, the venue was still unable to contain the immense crowd that streamed in from all over the city. For nearly an hour, Rav Shternbuch spoke divrei halacha and aggadah before the overflowing crowd. At the front sat the members of the Badatz, the Admor of Dushinsky seated with his characteristic simplicity among the mispalelim, and numerous Rabbanim and dayanim representing kehillos across the Eidah HaChareidis. Opening his words, the Gaavad spoke with heartfelt emotion about the plight of the bochurim who have been imprisoned in recent months due to the gezeiras hagiyus. “Many bochurim are sitting now in detention, for the sole reason that they gave their lives not to go into their army. We must strengthen them—ashreichem that you were caught for the sake of Torah. Stand strong with mesirus nefesh against them.” From there, he turned to the government, decrying its actions in extraordinarily sharp terms. He compared today’s decrees to the darkest periods in Jewish history. “The heads of the government act worse than the nations, like the Inquisition in its time, which persecuted Jews only because they kept Torah and mitzvos. And woe to us that this is what has befallen us in our days, when they seek to disturb our avodas Hashem. The entire world must be shaken over this.” The entire Beis Medrash was visibly moved when the Gaavad suddenly burst into bitter weeping. In a voice choked with tears, he exclaimed: “These days we say Avinu Malkeinu, kallei dever v’cherev v’shmad mei’al bnei brisecha. We must have kavana in these tefillos that Hashem should annul this gezeiras shmad! Their entire goal with drafting bnei Torah is to uproot shmiras haTorah, chas v’shalom.” Concluding his drasha, Harav Shternbuch issued a clear psak regarding yeshiva bochurim and the draft. “I have said many times, and I repeat: according to halacha it is absolutely forbidden to go into their army. This is not a chumra or a middas chassidus, but pure halacha. Bochurim who receive draft notices must discard them immediately. Do not argue with them, simply say clearly: we are following our Rabbanim, who have forbidden joining the army.” As the drasha ended, the throngs of participants accompanied the posek hador out of the Beis Medrash and onto Rechov Shmuel Hanavi, singing a thunderous rendition of “Ki Orech Yamim” that echoed through the night. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli ground forces pressed further into Gaza City on Sunday, expanding operations into several residential neighborhoods as the campaign to break Hamas control entered a new stage. Witnesses and medics reported tanks advancing through Sabra, Tel Al-Hawa, Sheikh Radwan, and Al-Naser, with strikes hitting areas where many civilians are still sheltering. Local health services, already strained, said they were unable to respond to a flood of emergency calls.

The 98th Division announced it had “deepened their operational control” in the city, directing strikes against Hamas strongholds and fighters over the past day. The Gaza Division simultaneously carried out operations further south, where soldiers destroyed Hamas surveillance systems and killed operatives in direct clashes.

In one battle inside Gaza City, Golani Brigade troops spotted five Hamas members firing RPGs toward a building where the soldiers were positioned. The military said the attack caused no injuries. Israeli forces then called in a drone strike that eliminated the cell.

The intensification of fighting came as the IDF reported that airstrikes had targeted roughly 140 sites tied to terror activity, including infrastructure and operatives. Medical officials in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, claimed at least 77 people were killed in those strikes within 24 hours.

As the offensive has unfolded, Israel has repeatedly told Gaza City residents to evacuate. According to military estimates, around 780,000 of the city’s million residents have fled, though Hamas’s government media office insists the number is closer to 190,000.

Amid this backdrop, Hamas issued a rare and startling statement on Sunday. The al-Qassam Brigades said they had lost contact with two hostages during Israeli military operations in Gaza City. The group demanded the IDF “withdraw to the south of Street Eight (one of the streets in Gaza City) and halt aerial sorties for 24 hours starting at 6 p.m. today so that attempts can be made to extract the prisoners (hostages).”

The reference to a specific location where hostages might be held was considered highly unusual. Both captives were seized in the October 7, 2023, attacks that set off the war. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum responded by saying the families of those hostages were working with officials to examine Hamas’s claim and requested that their names not be made public.

For months, hostage families have warned that military operations in Gaza City could put their loved ones at risk. Israeli authorities say that terror groups in the enclave are currently holding 48 hostages. That number includes 47 taken in the October 7 assault, along with the body of an IDF officer killed in Gaza back in 2014. The military believes 20 captives are still alive, 26 are confirmed dead, and at least two are in extremely poor condition.

The hostage issue remains deeply intertwined with the wider toll of the war. According to Hamas’s health ministry, over 66,000 people in Gaza have been killed or are presumed dead, though the figures cannot be independently confirmed and do not separate civilians from combatants. Israel counters that its forces have eliminated more than 22,000 Hamas fighters inside Gaza and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.

In earlier stages of the war, Hamas released dozens of hostages during temporary truces. During the late November 2023 weeklong pause, 105 civilians were freed. Thirty more — including Israelis, Thai nationals, and soldiers — were released between January and March 2024, along with the remains of eight slain captives. In May 2024, Hamas released one dual American-Israeli citizen, calling it a “gesture” to Washington. Israel, in turn, freed roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and suspects.

Israeli forces have succeeded in rescuing eight hostages alive through operations. The bodies of 51 others have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by Israeli troops during an escape attempt, as well as the body of a soldier killed in 2014.

Meanwhile, a separate development stirred controversy. The Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Israel approached two large Gaza City families — the Durmush and Bakr clans — with a proposal to create anti-Hamas enclaves in the city, modeled on arrangements in Gaza’s south. The offer would have required them to share intelligence and confront Hamas directly.

According to the report, both families rejected the plan on Friday. By Shabbos, Israeli strikes had leveled several of their homes, leaving 36 people dead, the paper said. A Bakr family member, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the outreach.

This latest phase of the war underscores the fierce struggle over Gaza City — with Hamas issuing unprecedented hostage claims, Israel pressing its ground and air assaults, and civilians caught in the middle as the conflict shows no sign of abating.

{Matzav.com Israel}

I would like to open with a profound statement from a revered Torah giant, Reb Leib Malin, zt”l, whose words on the Yeshiva system are both powerful and timeless. He famously wrote in his Hakdama to HaTevunah Journal: “הַיֵּשִׁיבָה הַקְּדוֹשָּׁה, בָּהֶן הָיָה כָּל הַרְכּוֹש שֶׁל הַכְּלָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת. בָּהֶן הִשְׁתַּמְּרָה הַתּוֹרָה וְיִרְאָה בְּכָל טָהֳרָתָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר מִלְפָנִים. בָּהֶן הִשְׁתַּמְּרָה הַעֲמָלָה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְהַעִיּוּן בִּפְנִימִיוּת תּוֹרָה. בָּהֶן הָיְתָה נִכֶּרֶת מַלְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹש-בָּרוּך-הוּא. בָּהֶן הָיְתָה הַתּוֹרָה שׁוֹלֵטֶת וְגְבִירָה וְאֵין עוֹד מִלְבַדָּה. כַּשֶּׁהָיוּ נִכְנָסִים לִכְתוֹלֵי הַיְּשִׁיבָה, הָיוּ מַרְגִּישִׁים אֵיךְ שֶׁכָּל הַחָלָל מִמּוּלָא מִתּוֹרָה, בָּהֶן כָּל הוֹן וְיָקָר נִמְצָא.” In these words, Reb Leib Malin, zt”l, has expressed, in the clearest and most powerful manner, the centrality of the Yeshiva to the survival and flourishing of the Jewish people. The Yeshiva is not simply an academic institution; it is the heart and soul of the Jewish world, the place where Torah and Yiras Shamayim are transmitted from generation to generation. It is the place where Hashem’s kingship is palpable, where the labor of Torah study is central, and where the light of our faith shines brightest. Now, with all due respect to the writer on YWN, to suggest that Yeshiva is no longer worth it, or to imply that we should reconsider sending our children to Yeshiva because of certain challenges, is not only mistaken—it is profoundly dangerous. The idea that we should question the very institutions that have preserved Torah for centuries, through every trial and tribulation, is something that no true Torah Jew should entertain. The letter states: “Can we really teach ואהבת לרעך כמוך while turning a blind eye to self-inflicted and socially harmful addictions that begin in the very halls of Torah?” and later questions: “Are yeshivos really a place that our sons can learn Torah? Or are they just there for an academic Judaism, devoid of any real Torah growth?” I could not disagree more with such sentiments. Yes, smoking is indeed a serious issue that must be addressed in the Yeshiva system. But the problem with smoking is a symptom, not the disease. The issue is not with the Yeshiva system itself—it is with individuals within it who may stray from the path of perfect righteousness. The solution is not to throw out the entire institution, but to fix what needs repair and continue to uphold the Yeshiva as the central foundation of Torah life. The Yeshiva has always been a place of Torah growth—of deep, sincere connection with Hashem. Every single Great leader of our people, were products of the Yeshiva system, albeit different intricacies in every generation, which molded them into leaders who upheld the Torah’s highest ideals and were committed to a life of purity, holiness, and service to Hashem. Did any of them ever question the institution of the Yeshiva, despite its flaws? No. They worked to elevate it, to correct its issues, and to keep its sanctity intact. To suggest that the Yeshiva is no longer the proper place for our children is to suggest that we abandon the very means through which our children inherit their Jewish identity. There is no greater tragedy than to question the value of the Yeshiva. Where else would we send our children to grow in Torah and in their relationship with Hashem? To Columbia University? To a […]

In a momentous and emotional milestone, thousands of Bobov-45 chassidim entered their new, majestic Beis Medrash in Boro Park for Rosh Hashanah. The occasion took place under the leadership of the Rebbe, drawing chassidim from across the globe to witness and participate in this long-awaited event.

As part of the moving ceremony, mezuzos were affixed at the entrances.

For the very first time, tefillos of the Yom Tov resounded through the expansive Beis Medrash.

PHOTOS:

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן הכניסה לביהמ”ד באבוב – 45צילום: האחים לאנטשעווסקי ואושי וויינגארטן

{Matzav.com}

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Brandsdorfer, the renowned Yerushalmi Posek, the Av Beis Din of Heichel Horaah, published a sharply worded letter on Sunday, after four toddlers, all residents of the Mea Shearim/Beis Yisrael area, passed away from measles within a week. The letter stated: “With a shattered heart over what happened yesterday on Shabbos Kodesh, that a precious baby was niftar from measles, the fourth baby who was niftar, r’l, from measles in the past five days in our neighborhoods of Mea Shearim and Beis Yisrael.” “In the last two weeks, many parents have approached me, confused and very scared because people are dissuading them from vaccinating their children for measles. And this is against the instructions of the Badatz due to ‘ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותכם.'” “Therefore, all those who try to convince parents not to vaccinate their children against measles – this matter borders on murder and the spilling of blood and violates ‘לא תעמוד עך דם רעך.'” “And it is possible that a time like this, when the virus is rampant in our area, that it’s permissible to vaccinate against measles even on Shabbos and Yom Tov, if the doctor says that delaying it could be life threatening.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

President Donald Trump on Sunday blamed Tylenol for what he described as an “autism epidemic” in the United States, urging pregnant women to avoid the common pain reliever despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting such claims. Standing alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump said women should “fight” against using acetaminophen, the generic name for Tylenol. “Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it,” Trump said repeatedly, claiming communities without access to the drug have “no autism” and citing the current U.S. diagnosis rate of about 1 in 31 children. The administration also announced plans for the Food and Drug Administration to add warning labels to acetaminophen products and to promote leucovorin, a folate derivative used in cancer treatment, as a potential intervention for autism. The move reflects Kennedy’s long-standing skepticism of vaccines and environmental exposures in neurodevelopmental disorders, though Trump’s remarks leaned heavily on acetaminophen as a cause. However, concerns that Tylenol, one of the most widely used medications for pain and fever during pregnancy, may increase the risk of autism in children are not supported by strong scientific evidence, according to recent studies and expert reviews. Over the past decade, several observational studies reported slight associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism spectrum disorder in children. Those studies suggested a marginal increase in risk, but the differences were extremely small — typically less than one-tenth of one percent. Researchers now say those findings are likely explained by other factors, including family genetics, parental health conditions, or the underlying reasons the drug was taken in the first place, such as infection or fever. When scientists applied more rigorous methods, such as sibling-comparison studies that control for shared family background, the link between acetaminophen and autism disappeared. A large population-based study published in 2024 found no evidence of increased risk once family factors were accounted for. Public health authorities have taken note. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have both said that current data do not justify changes to clinical guidance. Both organizations emphasize that the existing evidence is observational, limited by potential bias, and does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between Tylenol and autism. Experts stress that while ongoing research is important, the weight of current evidence indicates that acetaminophen use during pregnancy is not a causal factor in autism. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rebbetzin Miriam Karelenstein a”h, who passed away this evening at the age of 83, seven years after the passing of her husband, the renowned gaon Rav Gershon Karelenstein zt”l, rosh kollel of Zichron Yerucham.

Born in London on 14 Adar 5703 (1943), she was the daughter of Rav Meir Raphael Springer zt”l, a pillar of the London kehillah and a leading member of Agudas Yisroel in Europe, and her mother Mrs. Esther a”h. In this home, she absorbed a profound love for Torah and mesorah.

In her youth she studied in Gateshead, where she became known as one of the outstanding personalities of the seminary. Later, she moved to Eretz Yisroel and became like family in the home of Rebbetzin Greineman a”h, sister of the Chazon Ish.

She married Rav Gershon Karelenstein, a dynamic builder of Torah institutions who established Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion and Kollel Zichron Yerucham. With great dedication she stood by his side, supporting his far-reaching efforts for Torah and chesed with both body and resources.

Together, they built a home of Torah and dignity, meriting children and sons-in-law who are all accomplished talmidei chachomim. She was known for her compassion toward the needy, her closeness with gedolei Yisroel, and her devotion as a loyal emissary on behalf of pure Torah chinuch.

Drawing on her familiarity with English, Rebbetzin Karelenstein was the first to publish English-learning materials for Chinuch Atzmai schools, crafted in the spirit of mesorah. Her work sparked a revolution in teaching English while safeguarding Torah values. In time, she was appointed supervisor of English studies in Chinuch Atzmai, a position she held for decades with unwavering commitment to ensuring that secular studies would never compromise religious principles.

She leaves behind generations devoted to Torah. Her eldest son, Rav Chaim Zev Karelenstein, is rosh kollel of Ateres Shlomo in Elad and Achisamach and author of many seforim. Her son Rav Yosef Karelenstein serves as a maggid shiur at Yeshivas Beis Shmaya. Her sons-in-law include Rav Mordechai Drebkin, maggid shiur at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Ozer and a R”M at Yeshivas Givat Rokach in Bnei Brak, and Rav Zalman Strenger, rov and dayan of the Rav Kahaneman neighborhood, serving under Kehillas Mishkenos Yaakov in Bnei Brak. Her daughters, too, are distinguished educators, among them a leading mechaneches at the Rav Wolf Seminary.

All of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren follow in her and her husband’s path.

The levayah took place tonight at her home on Rechov Avraham Ben David 22 in Bnei Brak, proceeding to the Ponovezh cemetery, where she was laid to rest alongside her husband, near the kever of Maran Rav Shach zt”l.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Kol Nidrei is one of the most moving and iconic prayers of the Jewish calendar. Sung at the opening of Yom Kippur, it carries centuries of emotion, history, and longing. Its haunting melody has touched countless souls, setting the tone for the holiest day of the year. This arrangement was originally crafted by the renowned Raymond Goldstein in the 1980s, and now newly arranged for me by the gifted Shimmy Miller, whose artistry brought new depth to its timeless beauty. My personal connection to Kol Nidrei began in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1990, when at the young age of 13-year-old I first heard Chazan Naftali Hershtik, his son Netanel, together with Raymond Goldstein, and choir conducted by Eli Jaffe perform during their European concert tour. That night sparked my love for cantorial music. Just a few years later, during my yeshiva years in Israel (1994–1997), both Cantor Hershtik and Maestro Jaffe became my teachers, profoundly shaping my path, shaping my path for the love of chazanut and Jewish music is something I am honored to do weekly to this day. It is in honor of my teacher and mentor, Chazan Naftali Hershtik, that I bring this piece to life once more. After many years standing before the amud (cantor’s podium), I cannot think of a more meaningful way to prepare for Yom Kippur than to share Kol Nidrei. It is more than a melody—it is a tefillah that unites the Jewish people in awe, honesty, and connection. My hope is that this rendition brings you into Yom Kippur with reflection, sincerity, and inspiration. The song is available on 24/6, Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube  

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Vice President JD Vance spoke about the ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the Gaza conflict, addressing both the question of governance in the region and the future of Judea and Samaria.

Vance explained, “There is a very complicated negotiation happening between Arab leaders, the Israelis, and the Trump administration, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. These conversations are happening as we speak.”

The Vice President expressed his confidence in the direction of the talks, saying, “thinks the President’s optimism is warranted here. I feel more optimistic about where we are now than where we had been at any point in the last eight months.”

At the same time, he urged caution about the fragile nature of such agreements. “These things can be derailed at the very last minute. So while I remain very hopeful, I’m cautious,” he noted.

Describing the essential framework of the plan, Vance stated: “We want all the hostages to come home, we want Hamas to no longer be a terror threat to Israel, and we want to bring the humanitarian aid in to the people who are caught up in the conflict.”

When asked about long-term control of the territories, Vance explained that the President has already made his view clear: “he wants Gaza to be controlled by the people who live there, he wants the West Bank to be controlled by the people who live there, and he wants the terrorist networks that are around the Israelis to be dismantled so that they could no longer pose a threat to Israel, especially the innocent civilians who live in Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

At Bobbie’s Place, what seems like gashmiyus is really ruchniyos. Clothing become mitzvos. Shopping becomes tzedakah and chesed. Bobbie’s Place is the unique store without a cash register where thousands of families get their clothing before Yom Tov. More than 12,000 children and teens will be in Shul over Yom Tov wearing clothing they received from Bobbie’s Place. Please donate today at: https://api.jewishadgroup.com/eBfHYo

Tucker Carlson released a video in which he sharply criticized what he views as Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s outsized role in shaping President Donald Trump’s decisions.

In his remarks, Carlson claimed, “Bibi’s running around — this is a fact, I’m not guessing about this because I talked to people he said it to — is running around the Middle East, his region in his own country and telling people point blank, just stating it, “I control the United States. I control Donald Trump.” He’s saying that — and again I’m not guessing at all, that’s a fact. I dare them to say that’s not true because it is true. They know it’s true.”

Carlson then spoke directly to Netanyahu, stressing that his comments were not directed toward the Jewish people or the citizens of Israel. He clarified, “and certainly not Jews, whatever that means.”

He went on to argue, “The secular Prime Minister of a country is doing immense harm to Donald Trump’s presidency, to the United States, and to the world. This is an unbalanced person who is meddling in an extensive way in American politics; he is loathed by the entire world, he needs the United States, and at the same time, has this patronizing attitude towards Donald Trump, demeaning Trump to people Trump knows.”

Carlson cautioned that, “Objectively, seperating from Bibi is an essential next mkove, and very soon – he is hurting his own country, our country, and the world.”

Appearing later on the System Update podcast, he noted that responsibility also rests with American officials. “I’m attacking my leaders who are allowing my nation of 350 million people to be forced into doing things that are bad for me and my children because of some other country,” he said.

Responding to the accusations in a Fox News interview, Netanyahu rejected the charges. “President Trump does what he does because he decides what’s in America’s best interest. I’ve said this often, I don’t decide a thing for President Trump. He is the most independent and amazing leader I’ve seen in all my years.”

{Matzav.com}

In a powerful drashah delivered in the Dushinsky beis medrash in Yerushalayim, Rav Moshe Sternbuch, gaavad of the Badatz of the Eidah HaChareidis, drew a stark comparison between the Israeli government’s gezeiros regarding drafting bnei Torah and the Spanish Inquisition.

During his address, Rav Sternbuch was overcome with emotion, weeping openly as he described the government’s pressure against lomdei Torah as “a decree of annihilation.”

The massive beis medrash was packed wall to wall, with thousands in attendance. Among those present were the dayanim and rabbonim of the Eidah HaChareidis, the Dushinsky Rebbe, and others.

Rav Sternbuch opened by speaking about the bachurim who are currently being held under arrest for standing firm in their refusal to enter the army. “Many young men are now sitting in detention because they risked their lives by refusing to serve in their army. And we strengthen them – ‘blessed are you who were apprehended for the words of Torah’,” he said.

The rov then decried the authorities in the harshest terms. “The rulers behave like the worst of nations, like the Inquisition in its time that persecuted Jews for observing Torah and commandments. Woe to us that in our days it has come to this, that they want to harass us from observing the Torah and the commandments of the Lord,” he said.

At that point, Rav Sternbuch once again broke down in tears, crying out: “In these days we say ‘Avinu Malkeinu: cessation of speech and sword and destruction from the children of Your covenant’. We must direct our prayers that the Holy One, blessed be He, will annul this decree of annihilation from upon us! Their entire purpose in conscripting the chareidim is to remove from us the observance of the Torah,” he said.

Concluding his drashah, Rav Sternbuch issued a clear psak. “I have already said several times that according to halacha it is absolutely forbidden to go to their army. Young men who receive draft orders from the army should immediately discard the letters, and not enter into debates with them,” he said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump is aiming to complete his 21-point framework for ending the Gaza conflict during his sit-down with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Monday.

In a Sunday phone conversation with Reuters, Trump remarked that “everybody wants to make the deal.” He added that he has received a “very good response” from both Arab and Israeli leaders to the initiative, expressing confidence it could lay the groundwork for a broader Middle East peace beyond Gaza.

Speaking separately, the US president explained that discussions over the proposal to halt the Gaza war are “at their final stages.” He suggested the deal could serve as a gateway to wider regional peace, according to Axios on Sunday evening.

Earlier the same day, after recently saying a breakthrough on Gaza was within reach, Trump used his Truth Social platform to write that there was “a real chance for greatness in the Middle East,” though he did not expand on what that meant.

“We have a real chance for Greatness in the Middle East. All are on board for something special, first time ever. We will get it done,” he said in the post.

The remarks came soon after the Washington Post reported details of the American administration’s 21-point proposal to resolve the fighting in Gaza.

According to the paper, the plan would begin with a ceasefire, the release of 20 living hostages and the return of 28 bodies within 48 hours, as well as the dismantling of Hamas’s offensive weapons. It also envisions measures such as amnesty and safe passage abroad for disarmed Hamas members, alongside a possible track toward Palestinian statehood after reforms are enacted.

The US presented this blueprint to partners and regional states during the recent UN General Assembly session. Neither Israel nor Hamas has accepted the offer so far.

Hamas claimed afterward that it had not seen any fresh proposals since Israel carried out airstrikes on Qatar.

Sources told KAN News on Sunday night that Hamas is expected to be formally presented with Trump’s 21-point outline within the next day.

“Hamas is ready to positively and responsibly consider any proposal that arrives from the mediators, provided that such a proposal protects the national rights of the Palestinians,” the group said in a statement.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer held talks with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner to review the peace proposal.

“Much of the discussion revolves around wording the plan,” a source close to the process told The Jerusalem Post. “One of the challenges is how to state, on the one hand, that the Palestinian Authority will not be involved in governing Gaza – as Israel demands – while on the other hand, saying that it will be involved – as the Arab states are demanding.”

An Israeli official explained that the objective is to narrow disagreements as much as possible before Netanyahu’s Monday meeting with Trump at the White House.

At the same time, an Egyptian team is scheduled to head to Qatar on Monday to hold talks with senior Hamas representatives. “After the Netanyahu–Trump meeting, the focus is expected to shift back to Hamas leaders in Doha,” another source noted. “Hamas has been shown several drafts of the president’s 21-point plan but has not yet seen the final document.”

One Israeli source told the Post on Sunday that it is hard to imagine Hamas agreeing to release every hostage within the first week or completely disarm.

In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu confirmed that officials from both Washington and Jerusalem are still negotiating the 21-point proposal. “We hope to move the deal forward. Nothing is finalized yet,” he said.

Netanyahu also stated that should Hamas leaders agree to leave Gaza, free the hostages, and stop the war, “Israel would allow them safe passage.”

Optimism remains high in Washington, with administration officials confident about the chances for success. Vice President JD Vance echoed that sentiment, saying he “feels hopeful.”

On Sunday, Jordan’s King Abdullah said that large portions of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza were “in line with what has been agreed upon,” according to the Jordanian state news agency.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF released on Sunday that Staff Sergeant Inbar Avraham Kav, 20 years old, from Lotem, was killed in a car-ramming assault earlier that day at the Jit Junction in Samaria.

Kav served in the Paratroopers Brigade’s 890th Battalion. His death brings the number of IDF personnel killed since the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, to 913.

Military officials are reviewing whether Kav, after being struck by the terrorist’s car, may also have been hit by gunfire fired at the attacker.

The assault unfolded at the intersection near Kedumim. Soldiers stationed nearby shot at the vehicle, killing the assailant on the spot.

Troops from the Samaria Regional Brigade were then deployed to sweep the area, setting up checkpoints at the entrances to Shechem and surrounding villages.

The attacker was identified as 24-year-old Mahmoud al-A’qad from Shechem (Nablus). After crashing the vehicle, al-A’qad reportedly walked toward the soldier, at which point he was shot dead by Paratroopers Brigade soldiers together with an armed civilian at the hitchhiking post.

During a search of the terrorist’s car, soldiers discovered a knife inside.

{Matzav.com}