Senior chareidi figures involved in advancing legislation on the draft and the legal status of yeshiva bochurim are voicing sharp criticism of the legal adviser to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, accusing her of deliberately stalling the process to prevent the law from passing during the current term.
According to chareidi officials, frustration is mounting over the conduct of the committee’s legal adviser, Miri Frenkel-Shor, whom they claim is intentionally obstructing progress on the draft legislation.
Within the chareidi factions, a decision was made—following guidance from gedolim—not to advance any bill that does not receive the backing of the Knesset’s legal advisers. Lawmakers warned that passing legislation without such support would likely prompt the High Court to issue an interim injunction, causing more harm than benefit.
In recent days, discussions in the Knesset have focused largely on negotiations with the Knesset’s legal advisory bodies, in an effort to reach understandings that would allow the draft law to move forward.
Until recently, there was a sense of optimism that agreements could be reached by the end of the current week. However, chareidi parties now say the gaps remain wide and difficult to bridge.
Anger within the chareidi factions is directed primarily at the committee’s legal adviser, whom senior chareidi figures describe as the main obstacle to reaching agreed-upon language for the draft law.
“She has become Yuli Edelstein 2,” senior chareidi officials said last night. “She is behaving like Edelstein and doing everything she can to ensure the draft law does not pass. She is afraid to have her name attached to the law, and that is the result.”
Despite the tensions, Shas and Degel HaTorah have not given up hope and continue to believe that understandings may still be reached with the Knesset’s legal advisers in the coming days, enabling the draft law to pass its second and third readings. “We will not give up on the final and meaningful attempt before the Knesset is dissolved,” party officials said.
As previously reported, coalition officials assess that the draft law ultimately may not be enacted. Nevertheless, they expect the chareidi parties to support the state budget in its second and third readings toward the end of March 2026, alongside setting a date for early elections, likely in June or September 2026.
{Matzav.com}
During the shiva of renowned Torah philanthropist Rabbi Zev “Willy” Stern of Brazil, the family revealed an extraordinary personal letter he once wrote to a young boy who, like Rabbi Stern himself, had lost a hand just before reaching bar mitzvah age.
The letter, shared with the family’s permission, was sent years ago by Rabbi Stern, who lost his own hand in his youth, to a boy who had recently lost his left hand. In it, Stern offered a deeply moving message drawn from his own life experience.
In the letter, Rabbi Stern described how his physical limitation became a driving force rather than an obstacle—something that pushed him forward, motivated him to act, and never give up on life.
He wrote that he chose not to allow his disability to define him, and that once those around him saw this, they related to him accordingly—as a regular person. From that mindset, he explained, he was able to build a full and meaningful life: establishing a home, marrying a woman who did not view his disability as a barrier, and sustaining a loving marriage and family life for decades.
Rabbi Stern went on to recount his broad personal and public accomplishments over the years, including Torah study, professional work, building and managing a successful business, public service, and extensive support for Jewish causes. He noted his merit in helping bring numerous Artscroll / Mesorah Publications books to print, as well as his many years of involvement with the Efrat organization, through which he helped save thousands of children.
A central theme of the letter runs quietly but consistently throughout: a physical disability does not prevent a person from living a full life. Rabbi Stern described how he continued to engage in physical activity, to love, to create, and to contribute—never allowing the loss of his hand to dictate the boundaries of his life.
He concluded the letter with a direct and deeply empathetic message to the young boy, expressing faith in his abilities, encouraging him to trust himself, and assuring him that a full, meaningful, and good life lay ahead. He blessed the boy to grow in Torah and mitzvos, to bring pride and joy to his family, and to succeed in all his endeavors.
Rabbi Stern was one of the central figures of the Jewish community in São Paulo, Brazil. A veteran businessman, he devoted decades of his life to strengthening the Torah world, saving lives, and advancing Jewish initiatives in Israel and around the world. Despite the scope of his activity, he consistently avoided public attention, viewing the work itself as his true mission.
Alongside his business pursuits, Stern dedicated significant time and resources to public philanthropy. He was a long-standing supporter of the Efrat organization in Israel, which assists pregnant women and saves thousands of children each year. Those close to him say he viewed this work as a true calling and pursued it with daily devotion. He was also regarded as one of the leading supporters of the Torah world, a role his son, Rabbi Yaakov Stern, continues today with even greater intensity.
The letter he sent to the boy ahead of his bar mitzvah—now revealed by the family during the days of mourning—perhaps captures Rabbi Stern’s essence more than anything else: a man who lived with challenge, yet chose to transform it into a language of strength, encouragement, and hope for others. It was not a letter of consolation, but of shared destiny, quietly conveying the message that it is possible to grow, to build, and to live a life of meaning even through hardship.
This is how Rabbi Willy Stern will be remembered: a man who believed in the power of will, the power of kindness, the power of Torah, and the power of a timely, well-chosen word.
{Matzav.com}
Another yeshiva bochur was arrested after midnight by Israeli police and transferred to the custody of the Military Police, deepening what chareidi leaders are calling an unprecedented crisis facing the Torah world.
The bochur, a Chabad chassid from Tel Aviv, was detained by police in Rosh HaAyin and handed over to military authorities. He spent the night behind bars, and later today a military judge is expected to rule on his case and decide whether he will remain in custody in a military prison in the coming days.
The latest arrest is part of a series of recent detentions of yeshiva bochurim, carried out by the Israel Police, who have transferred the detainees—classified as draft evaders—to the Military Police. The arrests have taken place despite repeated public statements and directives from Police Commissioner Danny Levy that police officers would not take part in such arrests or transfer draft evaders to military authorities.
In the chareidi political parties, discussions are underway regarding how to respond to the recent arrests. Representatives of Shas said last night, “These are yeshiva bochurim being arrested for the crime of learning Torah. They are sitting in prison for learning Torah, and all of this is happening in the Jewish state. This is something that cannot be met with silence.”
The arrests have also sparked protests, with demonstrations held against the detention of yeshiva bochurim.
The issue was addressed last night during a gathering at the home of Hagaon Rav Dov Landau, who spoke forcefully about the arrests and the conduct required of yeshiva bochurim during this period.
“Unfortunately, there are those who do not understand the greatness and spiritual power of the Torah, and they even persecute those who study it,” Rav Landau said. “In recent days, Torah scholars have once again been arrested. This shakes the heart of every Jew. Anyone who is a partner in the terrible crime of restricting those who learn Torah should know: there is a Creator of the world, there is judgment, and there is a Judge.”
He added, “We all share in the pain of those who have been imprisoned because of their desire to learn Torah, and in the pain of their families, and we pray with all our hearts that this evil decree will dissipate like smoke.”
Rav Landau noted that efforts are currently underway to prevent such cases from continuing, but warned that the current situation remains grave. “It is clear that we are now in a difficult state in which Torah learners are being pursued and searched for everywhere. Certainly, yeshiva bochurim and married scholars who are at risk of arrest must be careful not to come into contact with the authorities. In times of danger, all paths are considered dangerous, until the situation is resolved with Hashem’s help, speedily.”
He concluded with a tefillah: “May it be His will that we always rejoice with the Torah without any interference, and that this decree be nullified.”
{Matzav.com}Nearly four years after Moishy Kleinerman went missing in the Meron area, the investigation remains active, with police and family members emphasizing that the case is still a priority and that new developments continue to surface.
Despite the significant time that has passed, authorities confirmed that the probe is ongoing. This week, Judea and Samaria District Commander Moshe Pinchi met with members of the Kleinerman family to review the status of the case. Moishy disappeared in March 2022 while staying near Mount Meron, and his whereabouts have remained unknown since then.
The investigation was launched shortly after a missing person report was filed at the Modi’in Illit police station when the teenager did not return home. From the outset, police carried out extensive searches involving large numbers of personnel, along with a wide range of resources and investigative tools in an effort to locate him. At a later stage, responsibility for the case was transferred to the district’s central investigations unit, which continues to handle the matter.
During the meeting, family members were updated on recent developments and on new actions being taken as part of the ongoing efforts to find Moishy. Police stressed that, alongside intelligence gathering and investigative work, advanced technological methods are being used, including cooperation with civilian organizations.
District Commander Moshe Pinchi told the family that locating the missing teen remains a central objective. “Finding the missing person is a major district-level challenge, and we will continue to invest extensive efforts to solve this case,” he said. “As part of this investigation, we are using special methods and tools and are also integrating innovative technological solutions in cooperation with civilian companies. This important meeting was held in order to update the family on the details of the investigation.”
Moishy’s mother, Gitti Kleinerman, said she continues to hold on to hope despite the years that have passed. “I have not lost hope, even though almost four years have passed. The case is still on the table, and we remember Moishy all the time,” she said. “The meeting gives us a sense that the case is very important, and we see that there are constantly new developments. We thank the police for the updates and hope for good news.”
{Matzav.com}
