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Lifting of Safety Restrictions: European Airlines to Return to Ben Gurion Airport
The European Union’s aviation authority confirmed Monday night that it has officially ended all flight bans affecting travel to Israel.
These restrictions were originally introduced back in April due to rising tensions and security threats, including the temporary closure of Israeli airspace after Iranian missile attacks and a missile launched by the Houthis that landed near Ben Gurion Airport.
Following those incidents, a number of European airlines halted their Israel-bound routes, citing the EASA directive that warned against flights into the region.
With that guidance now revoked, many European airlines are preparing to slowly reintroduce direct service to Ben Gurion Airport.
Lufthansa is planning to restart its Israel flights on August 1. British Airways, ITA Airways from Italy, and the low-cost carrier Wizz Air are also slated to resume flights after a prolonged pause.
{Matzav.com Israel}
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TRUMP SLAMS MAMDANI AGAIN: During White House Meeting With Netanyahu: “He’s Not a Socialist — He’s a Communist”
President Donald Trump took aim at New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani during a high-profile meeting this evening with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu at the White House, denouncing the progressive politician in stark terms.
“He’s not a socialist — he’s a communist,” Trump said, referencing Mamdani’s ideology. “And he’s said some really bad things about Jewish people.”
“It’s a philosophy that this country is not ready for — and it NEVER will be,” the president added forcefully.
Trump’s latest comments come amid growing scrutiny of Mamdani’s past statements and associations, many of which have drawn accusations of anti-Semitism. Mamdani has previously expressed support for the BDS movement, equated Zionism with colonialism, and made inflammatory remarks on social media targeting pro-Israel voices.
In December, Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist and is the Democratic Party’s nominee for New York City mayor, said, “as mayor, New York City would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu.”
When asked whether he was worried about the possibility of facing arrest in America’s largest city, Netanyahu said, “I’m not concerned about that.”
The prime minister added, “I’m going to come there with the President Trump and we’ll see.”
He went on to say that Mamdani’s threat is “silly in many ways, because it’s just not serious.”
The meeting also touched on broader regional issues, with Netanyahu floating a controversial idea regarding the future of Gaza. Speaking to reporters, the Israeli leader suggested that Palestinians in Gaza should have the option to relocate to other countries, claiming that discussions were underway with international partners to make that possible.
“If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said. “We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians a better future. I think we’re getting close to finding several countries.”
Trump, while initially deferring to Netanyahu on the subject, later expressed optimism. “We’ve had great cooperation from … surrounding countries, great cooperation from every single one of them. So something good will happen,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
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“YOU SHOULD GET IT”: Netanyahu Nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize and Gives Him a Copy of Nominating Letter
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu announced on Monday that he had officially put President Trump’s name forward for the Nobel Peace Prize, personally handing over a copy of the nomination letter during their meeting in Washington.
“I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee,” Netanyahu said during a moment at the White House.
“It’s the nomination of you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved. And you should get it.”
Reaching across the table that separated the American and Israeli delegations, Netanyahu passed the letter directly to Trump.
“This I didn’t know,” Trump responded with surprise as he looked at the document. “Well, thank you very much.
“Coming from you, in particular, this is very meaningful. Thank you very much.”
The two leaders met in Washington for high-level discussions, which would be followed by a private dinner later that evening.
Topics on the table included Gaza’s future and potential diplomatic breakthroughs with Arab countries, though no significant updates were offered publicly following the discussions.
“I think our teams together make an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities,” Netanyahu said during remarks made before their meal.
“But the president has already realized a great opportunity to forge the Abraham Accords. He’s forging peace as we speak, and one country and one region after the other.”
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu held a long meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Blair House, the official residence for visiting dignitaries. No summary of the conversation was released.
Netanyahu also sat down with Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. As with the other meetings, officials offered no insight into what was discussed.
{Matzav.com}
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Yeshiva Registration in the Litvishe Torah World: Who’s Closed, Who’s Still Waiting | Special Report
As the registration season for yeshivos draws to a close across the Litvishe Torah world in Eretz Yisroel, attention now shifts to the handful of elite institutions that accept bochurim later in the cycle—among them, Ponovezh, Tifrach, and Torah B’Tifartah. Yeshivas Chevron, although still dominant, is not considered among the “latecomers,” as its admissions process is mostly determined in advance, with few bochurim failing the entrance exam.
Ponovezh is expected to announce its acceptance list at the end of Tammuz during a staff meeting. As in previous years, there is great anticipation—especially because many boys who applied to Ponovezh and other top-tier yeshivos will ultimately be rejected, creating a domino effect of “nefilos,” or spillovers, who will then be snatched up by second-tier institutions. However, many yeshivos have already finalized their rosters and don’t accept nefilos, further complicating placement for those still unaccepted.
One experienced registrar explained: “You have to understand something simple—when Ponovezh, Chevron, or Tifrach increase their acceptance numbers for shiur alef, they essentially eliminate another yeshiva. There’s only a limited pool of about 4,500 bochurim each year, and natural growth tends to flow to the newer yeshivos.”
This year marks a significant shift, as the three new yeshivos in Kiryat Sefer—headed respectively by Rav Partzovitz, Rav Falk, and Rav Polishuk—have, for the first time, sent graduates to major yeshivos. These three are collectively known in the yeshiva world as the “Three P’s” of Kiryat Sefer. True to local custom, the competition was fierce among them over who could send more talmidim to the most frum yeshivos.
Back in Ponovezh, sources suggest the shiur alef class may reach as high as 460 boys. According to insiders, the late Rosh Yeshiva Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l instructed the staff never to turn away a truly outstanding candidate. Observers are closely watching to see whether Ponovezh can maintain its standards while dramatically increasing enrollment—or whether quantity will come at the cost of quality.
Chevron, meanwhile, is staying in the race for top boys, especially those from Yerushalayim, even as its institutional framework limits how many new students it can absorb. “Chevron is a more structured institution,” one source said, “so it can’t balloon like Ponovezh. But this year, Ponovezh has cut into Chevron’s traditional Yerushalayim base in addition to its dominance in Bnei Brak.”
In the Yerushalayim neighborhood of Bayit Vegan, Yeshivas Wolfson—recently rebranded from Nesivos Chochmah to Nesivos Aviezer—has retained a prestigious position among the city’s yeshivos.
In Bnei Brak, Yeshivas Beis Mattisyahu continues to perform well, maintaining its reputation as a lomdus-focused yeshiva from the days of its late Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Baruch Weissbecker zt”l. The yeshiva only accepts 120 bochurim, in keeping with Rav Weissbecker’s directives, forcing them to turn away many strong applicants. The yeshiva has leased an additional dormitory building to relieve overcrowding.
Down south, Yeshivas Tifrach has surprised many by shifting its image toward a more “open” orientation. Analysts say this is an attempt to stay competitive with the large yeshivos dominating the landscape by stepping outside its traditional niche.
Yeshivas Torah B’Tifartah, which draws mainly from Bnei Brak and Kiryat Sefer, has found a sweet spot among boys seeking a “Bnei Brak style” yeshiva with strong frumkeit. Despite subpar physical conditions—especially evident during wartime tensions with Iran—the yeshiva has successfully attracted its target demographic.
In Rishon L’Tzion, Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo recorded impressive success, receiving strong groups of bochurim from its affiliated younger yeshivos, particularly from Ateres Shlomo Aryeh in Modiin Illit.
Yeshivas Nesiv HaDaas (Kaplan), which enjoys a high-tier reputation, has shifted its admissions strategy this year. They rejected some “quiet boys” before testing, aiming instead to attract more energetic, yeshivishe candidates and broaden their appeal.
At Mir Brachfeld, a major overhaul in admissions was introduced this year with Rav Shlomo Gliss heading registration. The focus shifted toward shmiras einayim and increased frumkeit, positioning the yeshiva as a strong brand in that sector.
Yeshivas Toras Zev (Soloveitchik) in Beit Shemesh continues to attract high-level students, maintaining a stringent admissions process and a reputation for top-tier learning.
In Yerushalayim, Yeshivas Daas Aharon (Kaplan’s newer branch) expanded significantly to 110 bochurim, moving beyond its former status as a “small-scale” yeshiva. Registration began in early Iyar and featured intensive interviews with careful vetting.
Yeshivas Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan will welcome 80 boys this Elul. Earlier this year, dozens of alumni rabbanim gathered during Bein Hazmanim in Nissan under the leadership of Rosh Yeshiva Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger to encourage top boys to apply. The initiative succeeded—demand was high, and Rav Schlesinger, along with Rav Avraham Kar, personally tested every candidate.
In Beit Chilkiyah, Yeshivas Shaarei Shmuos has gained traction, doubling its demand this year. The incoming shiur will number 112 boys, bringing the total enrollment to 650. The yeshiva has leased new dormitories and finalized permits to begin building a new dining hall and additional living quarters.
Yeshivas Or Yisrael in Petach Tikvah stands apart, operating on a different model. Known for its military-like discipline, the yeshiva attracts a very specific type of boy and selects only the top among them.
Among newer institutions, Yeshivas Nesivos Chaim (Meirovitz) in Beit Shemesh marked its third straight year of growth, with 90 new bochurim joining. Yeshivas Migdal Oz (Esrog) in Givat Ze’ev maintains its strength, while Yeshivas Keser Torah (Avramov) in Kiryat Ye’arim—despite leadership changes and heavy investment in marketing—saw limited success.
One registrar noted, “A new yeshiva starts off with a clean slate. There’s no history to prove or disprove, so they’re attractive. But after a few years, we start to see who sustains that reputation and who struggles. It’s too early to rank most of them definitively.”
For instance, one new yeshiva in Yerushalayim that attempted to merge with another saw an initial wave of promising bochurim, but ultimately stumbled despite boasting an impressive roster of roshei yeshiva.
A particularly notable development came from Yeshivas Nachlas Avraham in Afula. With the blessing of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the yeshiva expanded to two shiurim this year, aided by a newly completed, state-of-the-art campus donated in memory of Reb Avraham Gantz z”l.
Finally, in Beit Shemesh, Yeshivas Be’er HaTorah launched a new initiative this year called “Be’er Shmuel,” through which advanced bochurim learn an additional daily shiur with Rosh Yeshiva Rav Gavriel Yosef Levi. This is in addition to a robust regular shiur of 40 boys.
Yeshivas Chochmas Shlomo, under the leadership of Rav Aharon Weiner and Rav Binyomin Dreyfuss in Bayit Vegan, concluded this year’s admissions with great satisfaction, having accepted over 30 outstanding bochurim following a rigorous selection process.
{Matzav.com Israel}
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TRAGEDY IN KIRYAT ATA: R’ Menachem Moshe Weiskopf Z”L Niftar After Drowning Incident
Rav Menachem Moshe Weiskopf z”l
A wave of grief has swept through the Chareidi community of Kiryat Ata following the tragic petirah of Rav Menachem Moshe Weiskopf z”l. A prominent figure in the city’s kehilla, Rav Weiskopf passed away on Monday afternoon at the age of 75 after losing consciousness while swimming at the separate “Quiet Beach” (Chof HaSheket) in Haifa.
Emergency medical teams from Magen David Adom rushed to the scene and immediately began resuscitation efforts. “We found him unconscious on the shore, without a pulse or breathing,” said MDA emergency medic Chai Takatch. “We were told he had been spotted floating in the water, unresponsive. He was pulled out right away, and we began CPR and administered medication as we transported him to Rambam Hospital. His condition was critical, and unfortunately, he was later pronounced dead.”
Rav Menachem Moshe Weiskopf was born on 9 Cheshvan in 1949 to his parents Reb Tzvi z”l and Mrs. Zisl a”h. After his marriage, he settled in Kiryat Ata, where he became one of the esteemed members of the local Torah community.
He was known as a tamim and yashar, a man of humility, calmness, and unwavering yiras Shamayim. He was a steady kove’a itim laTorah, raising his children with selfless dedication to Torah and avodas Hashem. Rav Weiskopf was a longtime mispallel at the Chaneichei HaYeshivos shul in Kiryat Ata, a true talmid chacham who lived quietly and modestly, always avoiding honor.
For his livelihood, he worked as an accountant at the institutions of Migdal Ohr, under the direction of Rav Yitzchok Dovid Grossman in Migdal HaEmek.
His sudden passing has plunged the community into mourning.
Tragically, this is the second blow to the Weiskopf family in just one week. Rav Weiskopf’s nephew, Rav Tzvi Hirsch Weiskopf z”l of the Givat Shaul neighborhood in Yerushalayim, passed away at the age of 48 after a lengthy illness. Rav Eliezer Weiskopf of Haifa, brother of Rav Menachem Moshe and father of Rav Tzvi Hirsch, is now sitting shivah for a second time in the span of days.
Rav Weiskopf leaves behind an exemplary family. His wife is one of the veteran teachers at the Bais Yaakov in Kiryat Ata. His sons include Rav Mordechai and Rav Tzvi of Bnei Brak, and Rav Yaakov of Yerushalayim. His son-in-law is Rav Nesanel Raskin of Rechasim.
The levayah and kevurah took place Monday night at the Eretz HaChaim cemetery near Kiryat Ata.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}
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