Feed aggregator

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has approved a massive extension of the city’s hotel shelter program, renewing a contract worth as much as $1.86 billion that will allow hotels throughout the five boroughs to continue housing homeless individuals and families through 2029.

According to the New York Post, the renewed agreement with the Hotel Association of New York City Foundation, which represents nearly 300 hotels, covers the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The arrangement allows the city to place people seeking emergency shelter in hotel rooms when additional space is needed to comply with New York City’s legal right-to-shelter requirement.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeless Services said, “Over the last 15 years, DHS has faced numerous crises that forced it to rely on commercial hotels to temporarily house clients.”

The spokesperson continued, “DHS is focused not only on upholding New York City’s right to shelter but improving outcomes for all the New Yorkers we serve. As such, we continue to work to transform the city’s shelter system by opening new, high-quality shelters while gradually phasing out the use of commercial hotels for families with children.”

City officials said the extension is intended to preserve enough emergency shelter space while the city transitions to more permanent housing facilities. Under New York City’s right-to-shelter law, officials are required to provide housing to anyone who requests it.

As of July 31, the Department of Homeless Services reported that 82,929 adults and children were staying in shelters across New York City.

Explaining the decision, the department said, “By exercising the renewal option of the agency’s master contract with HANYC, DHS will be able to retain critical hotel capacity, as needed, while we work to bring more traditional capacity online, reduce reliance on hotels, and rightsize our shelter footprint over the coming years.”

Officials emphasized that while the agreement authorizes spending of up to $1.86 billion, the city is not expected to necessarily use the full amount because hotel rooms will only be utilized when additional shelter capacity is required.

New York City dramatically expanded its reliance on hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to reduce overcrowding in traditional shelters. The same approach was later used during the migrant crisis, when thousands of asylum seekers arrived in the city.

At the height of that influx, approximately 150 hotels, motels, and inns were converted into temporary shelters.

The Hotel Association of New York City Foundation said it was awarded the original contract in January 2025 after prevailing in a competitive bidding process.

“It is a continuation of HANYC’s well-documented role as a responsible stakeholder since the COVID crisis when the organization moved, pro bono, over 18,000 people from shelters to hotels on an emergency basis from May 2020 to December 2021,” said the organization’s chief executive officer, Vijay Dandapani.

Beyond the hotel agreement itself, the Department of Homeless Services also approved more than $87 million in contracts through its Integrated Commercial Hotels Program to provide services for homeless residents housed in those facilities.

Housing Works received a $47.2 million contract, while Neighbors 4 Neighbors was awarded $40.28 million to provide on-site support and assist homeless individuals and families with their daily needs.

The city’s continued use of hotels as shelters has sparked criticism from those who argue that removing thousands of hotel rooms from the tourism market contributes to New York City’s already high lodging prices.

Homelessness advocates, however, contend that the program remains necessary because the city still lacks sufficient shelter space and affordable housing to meet existing demand.

Nine people, including seven children, were injured Monday afternoon after a vehicle transporting students from a special education school crashed into a tree on the Palisades Interstate Parkway between New York and New Jersey.

The accident occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m. local time in the southbound lanes of the Palisades Parkway near Exit 11, prompting a large emergency response from multiple agencies.

Numerous emergency personnel responded to the scene, including Hatzalah volunteers, Spring Hill EMS, Rockland County paramedics, and several law enforcement units. First responders treated the injured, secured the crash site, and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

According to sources, the vehicle was transporting seven children and two adults from a special education school when it veered off the road and struck a tree. One child sustained serious injuries, while the remaining passengers were reported to be in stable condition.

All nine occupants of the vehicle were transported to Westchester Medical Center for treatment. No additional information has been released regarding the condition of the child who was seriously injured.

The accident caused major traffic delays in the southbound lanes of the Palisades Parkway, and motorists were advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes while emergency crews remained on the scene.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is calling on Israel to stop its ongoing air campaign in Gaza, arguing that the continued strikes are putting a U.S.-backed peace initiative at risk. The appeal comes after Hamas agreed to a proposed framework, though Israel has not fully accepted the plan.

According to the Washington Examiner, Israeli warplanes continued carrying out airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip over the weekend despite Hamas’ acceptance last week of a framework that would require the terrorist group to demilitarize in exchange for a broader ceasefire and political agreement.

The Examiner reported that Board of Peace Director-General Nikolay Mladenov met with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday in an effort to persuade Israel to immediately halt the military operation.

Mladenov argued that the continued strikes are damaging prospects for peace while further worsening the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“The Israeli strikes have killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on,” Mladenov said Sunday.

He further stated that both Israel and Hamas remain bound by the Comprehensive Plan and the Sharm El Sheikh agreement, which led to the release of the remaining hostages and established the foundation for the current diplomatic process.

The Board of Peace maintains that Israel is obligated to follow the framework because of commitments made during last year’s Gaza peace summit.

Israeli officials, however, have voiced concerns about key elements of the proposal, citing questions about security guarantees, how the agreement would be implemented, and whether Hamas will actually fulfill its obligations before Israel is expected to take additional steps.

The disagreement comes as renewed fighting has cast fresh doubt on hopes of reaching a lasting ceasefire.

Although the United States and regional mediators continue working toward a diplomatic resolution, Israel has pressed ahead with strikes against what it says are Hamas military targets. Israeli leaders have insisted that operations will continue until the country’s security objectives are achieved.

Hamas has said it is willing to proceed with the demilitarization framework, provided Israel also carries out its commitments under the proposed agreement.

The Board of Peace has cautioned that further military action by either side could derail implementation of the broader peace plan and postpone efforts to rebuild Gaza.

For its part, Israel has given no indication that it plans to suspend military operations, maintaining that Hamas must first prove it is fully complying with the agreement before Israel considers making additional concessions.

Iran on Monday denied President Donald Trump’s assertion that negotiations with the United States were about to begin, insisting that no meetings are planned and that no diplomatic contacts with Washington are currently taking place.

The denial came after Trump announced that he had decided against authorizing military strikes on Iran and instead would pursue a diplomatic path.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said, “Would I rather make a deal? I’m not looking to kill people.”

He also declared, “Now what we’re doing is talking to them, in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” though he did not specify where the discussions would take place or who would participate.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei dismissed Trump’s statement, saying there are no negotiations underway with the United States and no meetings scheduled. He added that Iran has no intention of receiving foreign delegations or sending its own negotiators abroad in the coming days.

Baghaei said all of Iran’s negotiating officials are currently inside the country, with the exception of Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is on a religious pilgrimage in Iraq. He added that the only ongoing diplomatic discussions involve Oman and are focused on issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior Iranian official also told Reuters that no negotiations with the United States are planned and said Araqchi is expected to remain unavailable until at least the end of the week.

The latest exchange follows a pattern that has emerged since Trump launched “Operation Epic Fury” alongside Israel more than five months ago, in which threats of U.S. military action have repeatedly been followed by renewed efforts to pursue diplomacy.

Despite those efforts, Iran has consistently refused to resume negotiations with Washington since a memorandum of understanding intended to end the conflict fell apart in early July.

The Trump administration has said its goals include dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, weakening Tehran’s ability to threaten neighboring countries, and creating conditions that could lead to political change within the Islamic Republic. Analysts continue to debate how much progress has been made toward those objectives.

The military confrontation has produced repeated cycles of escalation and retaliation involving U.S. forces, Iran, America’s Gulf allies, and commercial shipping, with periods of fighting alternating with diplomatic outreach.

One of the central sticking points remains the Strait of Hormuz. The United States maintains that the June memorandum required Iran to keep the strategic waterway open, while Iranian officials contend the agreement explicitly preserved Tehran’s authority over maritime traffic through the strait.

Some analysts believe such an interpretation would leave Iran with greater influence over the shipping lane than it had before the conflict, a result they argue would represent a setback for the Trump administration.

Iran has continued to reject U.S. demands concerning the Strait of Hormuz, and the uncertainty surrounding the vital waterway has contributed to rising global oil prices and politically sensitive increases in gasoline prices in the United States.

Oil markets reacted positively on Monday after Trump opted not to proceed with military action, with Brent crude prices falling by more than 4% to roughly $84 per barrel.

Meanwhile, the British maritime security agency UKMTO reported that the captain of a vessel traveling through the Strait of Hormuz observed an explosion in the water near the ship overnight. No injuries were reported.

The British government is facing sharp criticism after new figures revealed it plans to spend more than £130 million more on aid for “Palestine” than on security measures to protect Britain’s Jewish community, prompting opponents to accuse Labour of putting the wrong priorities first.

According to the Daily Express, the Labour-led government has committed £381 million in funding for “Palestine,” compared to £250 million designated for security measures protecting Jewish individuals and institutions amid a sustained wave of antisemitic attacks. The allocation means spending on “Palestine” exceeds funding for Jewish security by roughly 50%.

Opposition leaders blasted the disparity, arguing that the government should be prioritizing the safety of British citizens before increasing overseas assistance.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said: “Labour’s priorities are all wrong. This extraordinary funding, some of which will likely end up in the hands of the undemocratic and unaccountable Palestinian Authority, exceeds funding recently pledged for protecting British Jews from antisemitic violence and hatred.”

Patel added: “Labour Ministers must focus on using British leverage to help disband the abhorrent terrorist organisation Hamas and ensure reform of the Palestinian Authority, to provide a peaceful future for the people in the region.”

Reform UK MP Richard Tice also condemned the funding decision, calling it “yet another example of Labour prioritising foreign citizens above our own. While British Jews are being threatened and attacked on our streets, we are expected to stump up 50% more to Palestinians.”

The criticism comes as Britain continues to grapple with a surge in antisemitic violence. Among the most serious incidents was the stabbing of two Orthodox Jewish men in Golders Green in late April.

Following that attack, British authorities raised the national terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe,” marking the first such increase in more than four years.

In May, a German citizen assaulted Jewish worshippers outside a London shul during the Yom Tov of Shavuos.

That same month, a chareidi Jewish woman was attacked with a belt in London’s Stamford Hill. Also on that day, a Jewish child was assaulted outside a school in Amhurst Park after a woman allegedly shouted antisemitic slurs and punched the child.

In a separate incident during May, an Israeli man was reportedly attacked by five individuals after they heard him speaking Hebrew.

Statistics released for 2025 showed that the United Kingdom recorded the highest per-capita rate of violent antisemitic attacks anywhere in the world, documenting 121 serious assaults against a Jewish population of roughly 300,000.

Then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has since resigned, addressed the growing wave of antisemitism in May, saying: “It is not enough to simply declare ‘we stand with Jewish communities’ – we must show it and act.” He added that “only by working together can we eradicate antisemitism from every corner of society.”

A new study by researchers at Tel Aviv University has found that Israel’s elevated emigration trend continued through 2025, marking the third consecutive year in which record numbers of Israelis left the country for extended periods, raising concerns about the long-term impact on the nation’s economy and security.

According to the report, 90,922 Israeli citizens spent at least three consecutive months outside Israel during 2025. That figure is nearly identical to the 91,499 recorded in 2024 and slightly above the 86,509 departures documented in 2023.

Over the three-year period from 2023 through 2025, a total of 268,509 Israelis left the country for three months or longer. Researchers noted that this is dramatically higher than the 183,219 departures recorded during the comparable period between 2013 and 2015.

The study was prepared by Prof. Itai Ater, who heads the Economists for Democracy forum, Prof. Nati Bergman, head of Tel Aviv University’s School of Economics, and Doron Zamir, a doctoral student in the university’s Faculty of Management. Their analysis is based on data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.

Because official migration figures based on 12 consecutive months abroad have not yet been released for 2025, the researchers relied on data tracking Israelis who remained outside the country for at least three months. They said the two measurements have an exceptionally strong correlation—0.96—making the shorter-term data a reliable indicator of longer-term migration trends.

Based on that methodology, the researchers estimate that between 45,000 and 50,000 Israelis will ultimately qualify as official emigrants for 2025 under the government’s 12-month definition.

Prof. Ater said, “Even in 2025 we see very troubling numbers of Israelis leaving the country for a significant period. These figures do not yet pose an immediate danger to Israel’s resilience, but if the trend continues without change, there is a real risk of harm to Israel’s security and economy.”

The researchers noted that public debate over emigration has intensified since late 2022 amid Israel’s political turmoil, widespread protests, and the war that followed the Oct. 7 massacre. They said the purpose of the study is to provide an updated assessment using official government data.

The report also points to previous research showing especially sharp increases in emigration among physicians, PhD holders, engineers, academics, and higher-income earners.

Despite the concerning numbers, the researchers said the greatest threat lies not in the current level of departures but in the possibility that the trend accelerates. They warned that additional political instability, security challenges, or economic difficulties could trigger a “snowball” effect, in which continued emigration encourages even more Israelis to leave, potentially inflicting lasting damage on both the economy and Israeli society.

A terrible tragedy struck during bein hazemanim on Monday evening when 21-year-old bochur Meir Shaar z”ל, a talmid of Yeshivas Ponevezh in Bnei Brak, was killed in a RZR rollover accident in an open area near Neveh Erez in the Binyamin region.

Meir, who had become engaged just last week, was preparing to marry his kallah from the Har Nof neighborhood of Yerushalayim. ZAKA volunteers responded to the scene and are tending to kavod hameis.

The fatal accident occurred shortly before 7:35 p.m., when ZAKA’s 1220 emergency dispatch center received a report of an overturned off-road utility vehicle in an open area near Neveh Erez. Emergency medical teams rushed to the scene but were forced to pronounce the 21-year-old bochur deceased.

Volunteers from ZAKA’s Judea and Samaria District, Binyamin Region, were dispatched to the site and are handling kavod hameis while collecting all necessary remains for proper kevurah.

Asaf Baruchi, deputy commander of ZAKA’s Binyamin Region, and Baruch Zakbach, a ZAKA volunteer, described the scene: “We arrived at a difficult scene in an open area, where we found the off-road vehicle after it had overturned. MDA paramedics were forced to pronounce the young man’s death. ZAKA volunteers from the Binyamin team are working at the scene, ensuring kavod hameis and collecting all findings for burial.”

Moti Bukchin, ZAKA’s spokesman, noted that this was the second fatal tragedy during bein hazemanim in a short period of time. “Within a short time, we are dealing with two difficult tragedies that occurred during bein hazemanim—a two-year-old child who drowned in a swimming pool in Moshav Sdot Micha, and a young man who was killed in an ATV accident. This period brings many outings and recreational activities, but along with the enjoyment comes responsibility. We call upon the public to exercise extra caution.”

ZAKA volunteers from the Judea and Samaria District, under the command of district commander Gil Bismut, are overseeing kavod hameis at the scene and gathering all necessary remains. The body will then be transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir to complete the identification process.

Levayah arrangements have not yet been announced.

Meir was born in Bnei Brak on the 3rd of Teves 5765 (2005). He was the son of Harav Avraham Harel Shaar shlita, gabbai of the Nesivos Shalom Bais Medrash of the Edas Teiman community and a R”M at Yeshivas Derech HaTorah in Kiryat Herzog, Bnei Brak, and Mrs. Ora Shaar.

As a youth, Meir learned in Yeshivas Ponevezh L’Tzeirim before continuing to Yeshivas Ponevezh, where he became known as an exceptional masmid. He earned the admiration of the roshei yeshiva and his fellow talmidim for his diligence and devotion to learning.

He was also active in the Ohr Yisraeli youth movement, headed by Harav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, where he helped bring two young men closer to Yiddishkeit. Those two are today fully observant bnei Torah learning in yeshivos.

Just a few weeks ago, Meir became engaged to the daughter of the Kahelet family of Har Nof. Only last week, the couple had gone to register for their upcoming marriage in preparation for the wedding.

The tragedy has left the talmidim and hanhalah of Yeshivas Ponevezh in deep shock.

Earlier on Monday, Meir had gone on an outing with a friend near Neveh Erez. It was there that the tragic accident claimed his life.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A terrible tragedy struck on Monday afternoon when a two-year-old child drowned in the swimming pool of a tzimmer in Moshav Sdot Micha, located in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. Despite extensive resuscitation efforts by emergency personnel and an airlift to the hospital, the child was later niftar.

Emergency responders from Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah rushed to the scene and immediately began advanced lifesaving measures, performing CPR after finding the child in critical condition.

The child was flown by MDA helicopter to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim while medical teams continued resuscitation efforts en route. Despite every attempt to save him, doctors were forced to pronounce him niftar upon arrival.

MDA EMTs Rafael Toledano, Eliya Binyamin, and Ari Rabinovitz said: “We received a report of a toddler who had drowned in a swimming pool at a private residence. We arrived quickly and were brought a two-year-old child who was unconscious, with no pulse and not breathing.”

They added: “We immediately began advanced resuscitation procedures, including chest compressions, assisted ventilation, and the administration of medication. While continuing medical treatment, we evacuated him by MDA-Hatzalah Air helicopter to the hospital in critical condition as we fought to save his life.”

United Hatzalah EMTs Yissachar Yaakovzon, Mordechai Friedman, and Itzik Fuchs, members of the organization’s Koach Hatzalah unit, said: “His family told us that he had drowned and was pulled unconscious from the pool at the vacation rental where they were staying. We performed CPR, after which he was evacuated by helicopter to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in critical condition.”

President Donald Trump said he remains willing to authorize a massive military operation against Iran if necessary, but made clear that he would rather see Tehran agree to a deal that permanently prevents it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Speaking about the ongoing standoff, Trump said he is still giving Iran an opportunity to avoid military action. “I think we’re going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” Trump said. “Very tough to do what we have planned, still planned. We’ll see what happens, but it’s a very, very tough thing to do.”

The president stressed that while the United States is prepared for a significant strike, diplomacy remains his preferred path. “I think I’m very proud of the fact that I will give people a chance,” Trump said. “This is a big move to do an attack that big on a country. I’d rather not do it.”

Trump added that although the U.S. has carried out major military operations in the past, the plans currently under consideration would be on a different level. “We’ve already gone through lots of large attacks, but they were normal large,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll come to their senses because what happened-they cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

According to the president, Iranian leaders have already reached out in hopes of preventing a military confrontation. “They called me and they said, ‘Please don’t attack, we’ll make a deal,'” Trump stated. “That’s the real truth, and everyone knows it. And who wouldn’t call?”

Trump also lashed out at those he said disclosed details about the potential operation, arguing that leaks weaken the country’s national security. “They found out through leaks and sleazebags,” Trump said. “Leakers should be put in jail. They should. They have to strengthen up the laws for leakers.”

Even so, Trump suggested that in this particular case, the leaked information may have strengthened America’s position by making Iran aware of the magnitude of the planned response. “In this case, leakers helped because they said the severity of the attack, and Iran knew it.”

Dear Matzav Inbox, 

The sheer chutzpah of asking for money from the very Jews New Square considers too problematic to live near, or expose to its children, cannot be ignored.

A fundraising letter from Merkaz Hakollelim Dshikun Square recently arrived in mailboxes throughout the Monsey community.

The appeal describes kollel families struggling “to clothe their children, put food on the table, and cover the huge daily expenses.” With Yom Tov approaching, it asks outside donors to help these families celebrate with dignity.

The need is real. These families deserve help.

But the letter raises an unavoidable question:

Why is New Square asking surrounding communities to pay for food and clothing while enormous sums are being spent purchasing houses around the village for the so-called “mile”?

There Is Plenty of Money, Just Not for This!

New Square’s leadership has spent years advancing a policy designed to prevent other frum families from settling near the village.

Within the Mile has documented numerous properties connected to that campaign, homes acquired to preserve New Square’s claimed “isolation” and protect its supposed spiritual “purity.”

These are not inexpensive properties.

Consider 6 Durante Court, purchased for $810,000. Article HERE

The property sits directly across the street from a neighborhood shul. Local residents view the purchase not merely as another acquisition within the mile, but as a deliberate attempt to interfere with and disrupt the surrounding Jewish community.

That is one house.

How many struggling families could receive food, clothing and Yom Tov assistance from $810,000? How many children could be properly dressed, refrigerators filled and worried parents given room to breathe?

Instead, the property was purchased across from a shul serving the very community New Square wishes to keep away, and now a fundraising letter is being sent to those same Jews asking them to finance food and clothing inside New Square.

Do Not Blame the Families

The struggling kollel families are not responsible for these priorities.

They should not be shamed, and they should not be left without food or clothing.

The responsibility belongs to the leadership and wealthy supporters who can apparently mobilize extraordinary resources whenever another house becomes available within the mile, but then turn to outsiders when families inside New Square cannot afford basic necessities.

No one is claiming that this particular Yom Tov fund purchased these houses.

The issue is communal priorities. Article HERE

When $810,000 can be found to purchase one property across the street from a neighborhood shul, it is difficult to accept that the surrounding community must then be asked to cover food and clothing, especially while being told that its own families must stay away to protect New Square’s “purity.”

You cannot treat neighboring Jews as a spiritual contamination and then address your fundraising appeal to them as “Dear Friend.”

Return the Envelope to the Ashpa like the dead Sheretz it is!

Anyone receiving this appeal should not simply throw it into the garbage.

Keep the return envelope.

Send it back with a respectful note explaining why you will not participate until New Square changes its priorities.

The note can say:

> I fully support helping families afford food, clothing and Yom Tov necessities. However, New Square-linked buyers continue spending enormous sums purchasing properties around the village as part of the so-called mile policy.

6 Durante Court, located directly across the street from a neighborhood shul, was purchased for $810,000.

Before asking surrounding families for donations, please sell this property, or another property acquired for the mile, and use the proceeds to support your own struggling families.

The same Jews being asked to finance your charitable needs should not simultaneously be treated as too impure to live near you.

Send the envelope back.

Let them see the address. Let them see the purchase price. Let them explain why $810,000 was available to purchase a house across from a shul, while outside donations are needed to provide their own families with food and clothing.

Feed the families. Clothe the children. Sell the houses. *End the mile.*

A Resident

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by CLICKING HERE. Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by CLICKING HERE.

The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

President Donald Trump is pushing back against recent public opinion surveys, declaring that his actual approval ratings are stronger than ever and accusing news organizations of publishing misleading polling data.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump argued that “my REAL polling numbers, not those made up by the Fake News Media, are the best they have ever been, and why wouldn’t they be with the biggest tax cuts and employment numbers EVER, the biggest outside investment in America in world history, a totally secure border, a giant victory in Venezuela, the denuclearization of Iran, unparalleled respect and success throughout the world, and much more?”

Looking ahead to this year’s midterm elections, the president urged voters to support Republican candidates, calling on Americans to “vote Republican for greatness in America.”

Trump also rejected polling results that have shown declining approval, writing, “Don’t believe the Radical Left’s Fake Poll numbers. They are Crooked and Corrupt, just like the Country Destroying Dumocrats are Crooked and Corrupt.”

Michigan has reported the first known deaths tied to the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, with two residents dying after contracting the food-borne parasite as the number of suspected cases in the state has climbed past 11,000.

State health officials said both victims, whose identities have not been released, suffered from “significant underlying health conditions,” according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal investigators believe the outbreak is linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The lettuce was reportedly served at Taco Bell locations and distributed to retail stores before the contamination was identified.

Across the country, health officials recorded at least 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis between May 1 and July 27, with Michigan emerging as the hardest-hit state.

Michigan authorities say the outbreak has expanded even further within the state, estimating that more than 11,200 people had likely been infected as of Aug. 3, though most of those cases have not yet been confirmed through laboratory testing.

As of July 30, 193 Michigan residents had been hospitalized because of the illness.

As tens of thousands of Breslover chassidim prepare to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, growing frustration is being directed not only at soaring lodging prices but also at Jewish middlemen accused of driving costs even higher by turning the annual pilgrimage into a lucrative business.

An investigation by Emes News reports that since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the tradition of traveling to the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman for Rosh Hashanah has grown from a small gathering into one of the largest annual Jewish pilgrimages in the world. What began with only a handful of visitors has expanded into a yearly influx of more than 50,000 people who arrive during Elul. Alongside the spiritual inspiration, however, many participants say the cost of accommodations has become an enormous financial burden, making the trip difficult—or forcing some to settle for substandard living conditions.

Veteran travelers recall a very different Uman. In the early years after the fall of the Soviet Union, local Ukrainian residents would wait near arriving buses and rent out their homes for just a few dollars a night. As attendance grew year after year, homeowners recognized the increasing demand, and prices steadily climbed from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars for a single bed. At the same time, upscale hotels catering primarily to wealthier visitors and American guests began appearing throughout the city.

According to the report, the most troubling development in recent years has not come from the local population but from within the Jewish community itself. Jewish brokers—some of them Breslover chassidim—are said to reserve sought-after apartments near the tziyun months in advance and then resell them with brokerage fees amounting to dozens of percent above the original price. Critics say the shortage of available accommodations has become a business opportunity for these intermediaries, who are placing personal profit ahead of the needs of fellow chassidim.

The situation, the report notes, stands in sharp contrast to policies adopted by other Chassidic communities. In Belz, for example, special committees have established strict guidelines governing the cost of apartments and guest accommodations during Yomim Tovim in order to prevent price gouging and keep lodging affordable. While Breslov lacks a centralized leadership structure capable of imposing similar regulations, many believe those coming to spend Rosh Hashanah with Rav Nachman should demonstrate greater mutual responsibility. Rather than taking advantage of high demand, critics argue, efforts should be made to reduce prices—or at least keep brokerage commissions within reasonable limits.

One longtime visitor to Uman, identified only as “K,” described what he called an astonishing example of the escalating costs.

“We’re a group of friends who have been staying in the same villa for seven straight years. We paid the homeowner $5,500 for 22 beds, and we even left our belongings there throughout the year,” he told Emes. “About a month and a half ago, a broker approached the homeowner and convinced him to squeeze in more beds and raise the price to $300 per bed. The non-Jew simply sent us a message saying the apartment had been rented to someone else. When I started looking for another place, I was offered that exact same apartment through brokers—but this time for an unbelievable $14,300. The broker not only caused the non-Jew to raise the price, but pocketed a $6,500 brokerage fee himself. Brokers are putting down tens of thousands of dollars in deposits, locking up apartments, and creating an artificial shortage. This madness has to stop. Making $40 or $50 profit per bed is reasonable, but not hundreds of dollars. It’s simply unbelievable.”

Prominent Breslover askanim have also expressed alarm over the growing problem and are urging travelers not to fuel the inflated market. One senior Breslover activist said it is deeply troubling that avreichim and families traveling with young children to fulfill Rav Nachman’s directive are being forced to spend enormous sums simply to secure basic accommodations. He encouraged visitors to avoid paying excessive prices whenever possible.

“The only way to fight this phenomenon and bring prices down is to look for apartments farther away from the tziyun where prices are lower. The moment people stop feeding the rigid demand for the expensive apartments closest to the tziyun, the brokers and landlords will have no choice but to lower prices and return to sanity.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s newly formed Achi party is reportedly engaged in advanced talks with several prominent Sephardic rabbinic leaders, including one current member of Shas’ Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, in a move that could reshape support within the Sephardic Chareidi community ahead of the next Knesset election.

According to a report by Bavli, less than a month after the party’s official launch event in Netivot, Achi has been holding high-level discussions with two of the South’s most prominent rabbanim. If successful, the effort could significantly strengthen the party’s standing among Sephardic Chareidi voters.

One of the rabbanim said to be involved in the discussions is Rav Yitzchak Barda, head of the Yitzchak Yeranen institutions in Ashkelon and the brother-in-law of the late Rosh Yeshiva Rav Meir Mazuz, zt”l. Rav Barda studied at the Kissei Rachamim institutions and is regarded as part of that broader community. His political affiliations have shifted over the years: before the 23rd Knesset election he supported United Torah Judaism, later backed Betzalel Smotrich, despite the fact that Rav Mazuz publicly supported Shas in the most recent election.

Another senior figure reportedly in talks with the party is Rav Yoram Cohen, one of Be’er Sheva’s veteran rabbanim, the rav of the city’s Ramot neighborhood, and head of the Imrei Yosef institutions. Rav Cohen studied at the local Bnei Akiva yeshiva and later at Yeshivas Kerem B’Yavneh, where he received semichah. He narrowly lost the fiercely contested election for chief rabbi of Be’er Sheva to Rav Avraham Deri—the son of Rav Yehudah Deri, zt”l, and nephew of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri—by a single vote, 26 to 25.

According to a senior source within the party, discussions are also underway with a current member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah. The source claimed that if those talks are successful, they could eventually result in the rav’s support for the party. The report noted that even before joining the Moetzet, the rav’s support for Shas was not considered automatic, and that since his appointment he has, on multiple occasions, voiced criticism of the party’s policies and decisions.

Political insiders familiar with the electoral landscape believe that while neither Rav Barda nor Rav Cohen has been closely identified with Shas in recent years, an official endorsement from the two—particularly if accompanied by support from a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah—would give Achi far greater legitimacy among Sephardic Chareidi voters. Such backing could also strengthen the party’s position in the event of future electoral alliances.

The report comes less than a month after Achi formally launched its campaign at Ahuzat Daniel Hall in Netivot. During the event, party chairman Yuval Elimelech, who also manages the educational institutions of Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Abergel, outlined the movement’s vision of bringing together different segments of Israeli society.

Delivering the keynote address, Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Abergel, widely known as the Chida, said the party’s mission is “to unite and not divide.” The movement has announced its intention to compete in the next Knesset election, and the latest report suggests it may soon receive backing from additional prominent rabbinic leaders.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Sunday that President Donald Trump wants his department to continue examining whether there is any connection between vaccines and autism, reigniting a debate that has divided public health officials for years.

Kennedy made the comments during a contentious appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” after host Dana Bash asked whether a Wall Street Journal report was correct in stating that Trump wanted him to investigate a possible link between vaccines and autism.

“He certainly does,” Kennedy said.

Bash questioned why HHS would pursue such research when, she said, scientists have already spent decades studying the issue and found no evidence connecting vaccines to autism. Kennedy began pointing to research involving Tylenol—which the Trump administration linked to autism late last year—as an example of the department’s broader efforts before Bash interrupted, visibly expressing frustration.

“I am because I don’t want to have you use our air to say this,” Bash said. “There have been more than 40 studies involving 5.6 million people to conclude there is no link between vaccines and autism,” she continued, citing the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases.

Kennedy disputed Bash’s characterization, arguing that “none of the eight vaccines that are administered during the first six months of life have ever been studied for the relationship to autism,” while asserting that the studies Bash referenced focused on an ingredient in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The exchange was one of several sharp confrontations during the interview, as Kennedy and Bash repeatedly sparred over vaccine safety, public health guidance, and the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kennedy argued that Americans’ constitutional rights were violated during the pandemic and accused Bash of contributing to misinformation through what he described as “absolute press malpractice” in covering the government’s response.

“Are you going to — you want to sit here and attack me?” Bash replied. “Or do you want to have conversations about public health?”

“Well, you’re sitting here attacking me,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy, who has long questioned vaccine policies and frequently criticized federal health officials, also used the interview to target Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, criticizing Fauci’s recommendations on how Americans should respond during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since Kennedy took over as HHS secretary, federal messaging surrounding autism and vaccines has drawn increased scrutiny. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised portions of its longstanding online materials addressing claims that vaccines cause autism, changing language that had previously stated there was no causal connection.

At a Senate hearing in February, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya acknowledged that he has not seen research demonstrating that vaccines cause autism, a position that differs from Kennedy’s approach. Bhattacharya told lawmakers that multiple studies have found there is “no link” between the MMR vaccine and autism, while adding that other vaccines are “less well studied.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday praised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s progressive agenda while drawing sharp contrasts with President Donald Trump’s policies, arguing that the Democratic socialist’s priorities better reflect what Americans want despite mounting criticism of socialism following a string of progressive primary victories.

Appearing on the YouTube program “On Sunday” hosted by progressive commentator Jack Cocchiarella on MeidasTouch, the Vermont independent pointed to several policy differences between Mamdani and Trump.

“Trump cuts funding for childcare, Mamdani thinks that we should have free and universal childcare,” Sanders said. “Mamdani is trying to build low-income and affordable housing in New York City. Trump is cutting funding.”

Sanders also contrasted the two leaders’ positions on foreign policy, saying Mamdani opposes military conflicts and criticizing both the Trump administration and Israel’s current government.

He said Mamdani opposes, “as most of us do, the endless wars that are being fought right now through Trump, as well as the extremist Israeli government and their genocidal policies in Gaza,” whereas “Trump supports Netanyahu,” referring to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

“Who do you think is on the side of the American people on these issues?” Sanders said. “I think what we are talking about is where the American people want us to be.”

Sanders dismissed attacks on democratic socialists, arguing that Trump and his allies have attempted to discredit the movement by portraying it as something far more extreme.

According to Sanders, all they have done is “come up with this boogeyman of communism.”

Trump, many conservative leaders, and a number of establishment Democrats have all questioned the growing influence of democratic socialists, particularly after several defeated incumbent Democrats in recent primary elections. Some veteran Democrats have also expressed skepticism about whether democratic socialist candidates can succeed in general elections.

Others on the progressive left see those victories as evidence that voters are looking for a different direction. Among them is popular Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who has campaigned for progressive candidates such as Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Piker argued that Democratic defeats—including Trump’s victories in 2016 and 2024—demonstrate that many voters are dissatisfied with the party’s current approach.

“There are a lot of people who are just like, ‘This is not working,’” Piker said in a preview clip for CNN’s “The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper,” which was scheduled to air Sunday night.

Many congressional Democrats, however, have rejected claims that the party is facing an internal crisis, insisting that it remains broad enough to accommodate differing political viewpoints. They argue that disagreements over Israel or with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) do not amount to a takeover of the Democratic Party.

“The reality is that has the DSA taken over the Democratic Party? No,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) previously said. “Does it represent anywhere approaching a majority of the party? No. But it does represent a visible vocal minority within the party, and there are DSA elected officials who are among the most popular elected officials in the country, so it’s a political reality.”

Not every Democrat agrees. Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has warned that he would leave the party if democratic socialists and progressives ultimately came to define its identity.

“To talk about the larger Democratic Party, post the election in Michigan going forward, I am not going to be in the same party with Hasan Piker,” Carville said during an appearance on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.”

{Matzav.com}

Freed hostage Rom Braslavski, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and held captive in Deir al-Balah, has shared an emotional account of a deeply personal encounter with IDF Arabic-language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, explaining how Adraee’s broadcasts became a source of hope during his darkest days in Hamas captivity.

In a social media post published Sunday, Braslavski reflected on a meeting at Kfar Maccabiah with fellow former hostage Sasha Troufanov and Adraee, describing it as an extraordinary full-circle moment that united three people whose lives would otherwise never have crossed.

Braslavski opened his post by marveling at the unlikely connection between the three men. “One story. Avichay Adraee, Sasha Troufanov, and me. In a parallel world, there would never have been any connection between us. Sasha, a Russian from a kibbutz in southern Israel, Avichay Adraee, an ‘elite’ figure with ranks on his shoulders, and me, a simple soldier and security guard at the Nova festival.”

He said everything changed after the October 7 attack. “But our worlds are no longer parallel. And I was kidnapped to Gaza,” Braslavski wrote, before describing the man who became a symbol of hope during his captivity. “And the person who did me so much good (I believe Sasha too) was the giant man, though small in stature, in the picture – Avichay Adraee.”

While many Israelis know Adraee as the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman who addresses audiences in Gaza and Lebanon, Braslavski explained that he came to know him in a far more personal way.

“Avichay Adraee is the IDF spokesman in the Arab world. Most of you may not know him or have heard him because he speaks Arabic. But I heard him every day. Every attack. I heard him, I felt him. Avichay was the person who gave me hope in such a dark place.”

Braslavski vividly recalled secretly listening to Adraee’s broadcasts while being held by his captors in central Gaza.

“I would hear him endlessly when I secretly listened to Al Jazeera radio from behind the curtain of the partners in my terrorists’ tent in Deir al-Balah. I secretly listened and followed the man in the picture religiously, day after day, hour after hour.”

He said Adraee’s speeches were far more than news updates—they reminded him that Israel was fighting to bring the hostages home.

“Hearing his incredibly precise words in every speech he gave to the people of Gaza and Lebanon filled me with pride. He would summarize attacks, issue warnings, and present reality as it was. He spoke in Arabic from Israel, and it reached all of Gaza. There isn’t a terrorist in Gaza who doesn’t know Avichay Adraee and grow up with him. (Maybe I’m not a Gazan terrorist, but I also grew up on him). The man was there from the beginning of the war until the end. He covered everything. And he said – the Israel Defense Forces will not surrender until all the hostages are brought out.”

After returning to Israel, Braslavski said he and fellow former hostage Sasha Troufanov finally had the opportunity to meet the man whose voice had accompanied him throughout his ordeal.

“And after we were miraculously freed, I happened to sit with Sasha at Kfar Maccabiah. I was completely stunned, clinging to Sasha and looking at him with admiration, and then we met Avichay. Sasha suggested we go over, and I didn’t hesitate. Two hostages walking over to speak with the IDF spokesman for the Arab world.”

Braslavski described the meeting as deeply meaningful, saying the three spent a long time talking together.

“It was a long conversation that, naturally, included a lot of Arabic,” he wrote, recalling the bond he and Troufanov formed while imprisoned together. “Sasha and I shared a small room and the trunk of a car together in Rafah for two days, and for me, walking over to the IDF spokesman and saying hello was the greatest sense of closure I could have received.”

Braslavski concluded his heartfelt post by expressing gratitude to the people who stood by him during and after his captivity.

“Friends, I love you. Thank you for who you were for me in captivity, and thank you for who you are for me today.”

Israel’s Regional Labor Court on Sunday night ordered Superbus drivers in Yerushalayim to immediately end their strike and return to work, ruling that the work stoppage had been launched without the legally required notice despite the serious assault on one of the company’s drivers.

The decision came after Superbus petitioned the court in response to the workers’ union’s announcement that minibus service to the Old City would be suspended in protest over the violent attack on one of its drivers.

In a statement, Superbus said it “views with the utmost severity every act of violence against public transportation employees,” describing such attacks as “a nationwide national problem.” The company said senior management had been at the injured driver’s home since Sunday morning, supporting him and his family while pledging to remain by his side throughout his recovery.

The company also said it has activated its chief security officer and is maintaining ongoing coordination with the Transportation Ministry, Israel Police, and other law enforcement agencies in an effort to strengthen protections for drivers and ensure that those responsible for such attacks are brought to justice.

At the same time, Superbus stressed that while it is committed to protecting its employees, it cannot allow essential transportation services to be disrupted at the public’s expense. “The company cannot accept harm to the traveling public and the continuity of service in Jerusalem, and therefore, out of responsibility to the public, the company turned to the Labor Court,” the statement said.

According to Superbus, the court accepted the company’s arguments and issued a temporary injunction requiring the strike to end immediately and directing drivers to resume work without delay. The company said the court determined that the strike notice—issued less than two hours before the work stoppage—was invalid and did not comply with collective bargaining agreements or previous rulings of the National Labor Court.

Superbus welcomed the ruling, saying it would prevent widespread disruptions for thousands of Yerushalayim residents and restore regular bus service throughout the city.

Earlier Sunday, the company had announced that minibus routes serving the Old City would be suspended between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. following the assault on one of its drivers. According to the driver’s account, a group of teenagers attacked him, breaking four of his teeth and inflicting significant facial injuries.

Leaders in Degel HaTorah are refusing to respond publicly to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s latest criticism of the proposed arrest freeze law, arguing that engaging in the dispute would only amplify what they view as a political miscalculation by Likud.

During a meeting of the Degel HaTorah faction on Sunday evening, MKs reportedly agreed that the messaging coming from Netanyahu’s inner circle was an election-season mistake that has only revived public debate over the draft issue and the Chareidi community—ultimately hurting Netanyahu and Likud rather than benefiting them.

“This is what they cooked up for themselves,” members of the faction said, explaining that responding to the briefing would only give it additional publicity.

Unlike Degel HaTorah, United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf chose to respond directly to the reports, criticizing the prime minister over the apparent shift in position.

According to Goldknopf, “The report by Amit Segal, according to which the prime minister admitted that the arrest law ‘did not succeed,’ only confirms what was clear to us from the very beginning. The prime minister never intended to regulate the status of yeshiva students and never planned to bring a draft law, and therefore we left the government.”

The criticism was not limited to Chareidi political circles. Commentators on Channel 14’s program The Patriots also questioned the wisdom of Netanyahu’s camp publicly distancing itself from the arrest freeze proposal.

Yinon Magal said, “I think this statement from Netanyahu’s circle was unnecessary. It’s a mistake. Why are you reigniting the whole issue?”

Yotam Zimri added, “I believe in the arrest freeze law because I think Torah learners should not be arrested. Why are you now coming out with a statement saying it was an attempt that failed?”

Channel 14 political editor Moti Kastel also criticized the move, saying, “Another resounding public relations failure by the prime minister’s advisers.”

Kastel pointed out that Netanyahu had defended the arrest freeze legislation as recently as July, saying at the time that “this law causes no harm.” He questioned why the prime minister’s team is now backing away from that position and placing the issue back at the center of the national conversation. In Kastel’s words, “This is already becoming a recurring pattern. Knee-jerk decisions followed by U-turns after the fact. It seems someone is determined to sabotage Netanyahu’s campaign. The operation is not being managed, and it shows.”

As previously reported, Netanyahu’s associates argued in a recent briefing that the arrest freeze bill was intended to reduce tensions surrounding the draft issue and encourage greater enlistment from the Chareidi community. They maintained, however, that because “the move did not succeed,” such legislation would not be pursued by the next government.

Speaking during a closed-door meeting, Netanyahu reportedly said that after the next election he intends to form a broad national government that will pass “a full draft law that will meet the IDF’s needs,” adding, “Anyone who is not learning Torah will either enlist or go to prison.”

[COMMUNICATED]

There’s a reason the whole Jewish world has been talking about ArtScroll this summer. To mark 50 years of bringing Torah into homes, shuls, and batei medrash across the globe, ArtScroll is closing out its landmark anniversary celebration with something it has never done before: a sweepstakes worth over $50,000 in prizes, running alongside the final week of the biggest sale in the company’s history.

The Giveaway You Don’t Want to Miss

Fifty years doesn’t happen every day, and ArtScroll is marking the milestone in a way that lets its readers celebrate right along with them. Entering the sweepstakes takes just a minute, and it’s completely free. One lucky entrant will walk away with a prize package worth more than $50,000, a true once-in-fifty-years opportunity.

This is the final week to get in. Once the clock runs out, so does your chance to win. Entering takes thirty seconds, so there’s no reason to leave it for later.

👉 Enter the giveaway here.

And the Sale to End All Sales

Riding alongside the giveaway is the fifth and final week of ArtScroll’s massive 50th anniversary sale, and it may be the strongest week yet. Fifty sefarim and titles are marked down to their lowest prices ever, all at 50% off, and once this week closes, these prices are gone for good.

The headline of the week is the Complete ArtScroll Digital Library, an entire home library of Torah content available as a digital download for $499.99, or preloaded onto a brand new iPad or iPad mini complete with a custom leather cover. The library includes the full Schottenstein English and Hebrew Talmud, the Ryzman Hebrew Mishnayos, the Jaffa Edition Tanach, the Kleinman Edition Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, both Smart Siddurim, the complete Hebrew Rambam, and much more, all in one place.

Also flying off the virtual shelves is the Czuker Edition Hebrew Chumash Mikra’os Gedolos, a 52 volume personal size paperback set, now just $67.49. That works out to about a dollar thirty per volume, the lowest price this set has ever seen.

Families will want to grab the ArtScroll Children’s Siddur at $9.99, while those looking to build out their shelves can find the Student Size Sefer Zera Shimshon 10 volume set at $159.99, along with dozens of other titles across hashkafa, halacha, and children’s books, all deeply discounted.

In previous weeks, the featured items sold out fast. With this being the last week of the sale, there won’t be a second chance.

👉 Shop the full week 5 sale here.

👉 Enter the giveaway here.

Fifty years of ArtScroll. One final week to celebrate. Don’t let it pass you by.