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The city of Tiveria is still reeling from the sudden passing on Simchas Torah morning of Rav Mordechai Yosef HaKohen zt”l, rosh hakollelim at the tziyun of Rabi Akiva. Yet what has most astonished residents is the extraordinary and mysterious event that unfolded at that very same time in the home of Rav Dov Kook, an incident that many in the city are calling nothing short of miraculous.

According to eyewitnesses, mere moments before news broke of Rav HaKohen’s petirah, Rav Kook suddenly interrupted the joyous hakafos at his beis medrash in the Kiryat Shmuel neighborhood. Without explanation, he asked the assembled crowd to recite the kappitel of “Vihi Noam” — the kappitel traditionally said at levayos and cemeteries.

Only a short while later, word reached the beis medrash that Rav Mordechai Yosef HaKohen zt”l had collapsed in his home in Tiveria early that morning and was rushed to Poriya Hospital, where he returned his pure soul to his Creator at the age of 67.

Rav HaKohen was deeply beloved and admired across the city’s diverse communities. Those close to him recall a man of Torah, humility, and remarkable ahavas Yisroel, who succeeded in uniting all segments of Tiveria with sincerity and grace.

Meanwhile, those close to Rav Kook shared that during the hakafos, the tzaddik stepped out of the main hall and entered his private room. Witnesses report hearing him repeat several times the chilling words: “I tried, but I couldn’t… I tried, but I couldn’t.”

Roughly twenty minutes later, he reemerged, halted the dancing and tefillah, and called upon the entire congregation to recite “Vihi Noam” both forward and backward.

The profound connection between Rav Kook and Rav HaKohen lends deep meaning to this episode. For decades, the two shared a bond of mutual admiration and respect. Rav Kook held Rav HaKohen in the highest esteem for his tireless service to the community, and just six months ago, when Rav HaKohen’s health began to decline, Rav Kook personally visited him for bikur cholim.

Their friendship was well known in Tiveria. Years ago, during a gathering of rabbanim at Rav Kook’s home, Rav HaKohen astonished all present by reciting the blessing “Baruch shechalak mechochmaso lirei’av” over Rav Kook. Those who were there recall Rav Kook trembling from humility upon hearing it, overwhelmed that such a distinguished rov would bestow that brocha upon him.

{Matzav.com}

In a brazen, seven-minute strike, thieves used a basket lift to reach the Louvre on Sunday morning and, as tourists were already inside, forced a window, smashed display cases and fled with jewels of “inestimable value,” France’s interior minister said. The world’s most visited museum closed for the day as police sealed gates and ushered visitors out during the investigation. “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X. The museum cited “exceptional reasons” for the closure. No injuries were reported. Around 9:30 a.m. several intruders forced open a window, stole jewels from vitrines and escaped on two-wheelers, according to the Interior Ministry. It said forensic work is underway and a precise inventory of the stolen objects is being compiled, adding that the items have “inestimable” historical value. Dati and Nuñez were on site with museum leadership. Video from the scene showed confused tourists being ushered out of the glass pyramid and surrounding courtyards as officers shut the iron gates and closed nearby streets along the Seine. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it a “major robbery,” saying the intruders entered from the outside using a basket lift. He said on France Inter radio that the heist took seven minutes and the thieves used a disc cutter to slice through the panes. He said it was “manifestly a team that had done scouting.” The heist occurred in the Galerie d’Apollon, a vaulted hall in the Denon wing that displays part of the French Crown Jewels beneath a ceiling painted by King Louis XIV’s court artist, according to the ministry. French daily Le Parisien reported the thieves entered via the Seine-facing facade, where construction is underway, and used a freight elevator to reach the gallery. After breaking windows, they reportedly took nine pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress. One stolen jewel was later found outside the museum, the paper reported, adding that the item was believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown and that it had been broken. Security and staffing at the Louvre in the spotlight Security around marquee works remains tight. The Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass and a custom high-tech display system as part of broader anti-theft measures across the museum. Staffing and protection have been flashpoints at the Louvre. The museum delayed opening during a June staff walkout over overcrowding and chronic understaffing. Unions have warned that mass tourism strains security and visitor management. It wasn’t immediately clear whether staffing levels played any role in Sunday’s theft. In January, President Emmanuel Macron announced a decadelong “Louvre New Renaissance” plan — roughly €700 million to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece its own dedicated gallery by 2031 — but workers say relief has been slow to reach the floor. Other European museums have been robbed The theft, less than half an hour after doors opened, echoes other recent European museum raids. In 2019, thieves smashed vitrines in Dresden’s Green Vault and carried off diamond-studded royal jewels worth hundreds of millions of euros. In 2017, burglars at Berlin’s Bode Museum stole a 100-kilogram (220-pound) solid-gold coin. In 2010, a lone intruder slipped into Paris’s Museum of Modern Art and escaped with five paintings, including a Picasso. The Louvre has a long […]

Four in 10 Jewish Americans say they try to hide their religious identity, according to a new Washington Post poll that also reported almost one in three respondents saying they don’t feel safe as a Jew in the United States.

In the survey, 42% of respondents said they do not wear, carry or display anything in public that could identify them as Jewish, with 58% saying they do. In an American Jewish Committee poll taken in November 2023, a month after Oct. 7, just 26% said they hid their Jewish identity, while 73% said they did not.

Almost one-third of Jewish Americans (31%) said they did not feel safe, while 69% said they did.

By 95% to 5%, respondents said that there was more antisemitism in the United States, and 85% said there was a lot of or some antisemitism at college campuses, with 15% saying there was little or none.

In the poll, which was conducted before U.S. President Donald Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, just 29% of Jewish Americans approved of his performance in office, with 71% disapproving. By 65% to 35%, they said that he did not understand the concerns of American Jews.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also received low marks, with 68% expressing negative views of his leadership and just 32% saying it was positive.

Respondents deadlocked over the way that the Jewish state conducted the war, with 48% disapproving of Israel’s military action and 46% approving. By 61% to 29%, they said that Israel committed war crimes, but a far greater percentage (94%) said that Hamas is guilty of war crimes. Just 2% said they believed the terrorist group did not commit such crimes.

By 68% to 32%, respondents blamed Hamas, which operates in civilian areas and began the war, and not Israel, for the number of civilian casualties. Asked if Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a majority (51%) said no, while 39% said yes.

The poll of 815 Jewish Americans was conducted Sept. 2-9 with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Southwest Airlines is doing away with its long-standing open seating system and will now assign seats to passengers — a major shift for the airline that has built its brand on a unique boarding style and free checked bags. The change, which also introduces new baggage fees, is part of a broader overhaul aimed at streamlining operations and generating new revenue.

Starting January 27, 2026, travelers flying Southwest will receive designated seats instead of choosing them upon boarding. However, the airline’s new boarding sequence will differ from what passengers are used to on other carriers.

According to the Wall Street Journal, every boarding pass will now include both a boarding group and a number from 1 to 8, unless the customer has purchased priority boarding.

Following the priority group, Southwest will adopt what’s known as the WILMA boarding strategy — short for window, middle, and aisle — beginning with passengers seated at the back of the aircraft.

Under this setup, those in window seats will be called first, followed by middle-seat passengers, and finally those assigned to the aisles.

“If queuing isn’t good, boarding isn’t good,” said Lisa Hingson, managing director of innovation, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “So we spent a lot of time studying queuing.”

While the idea may sound new to Southwest loyalists, other airlines have already embraced similar systems. United Airlines, for example, adopted this model several years ago, saying it reduced boarding time and congestion.

Even with this change, passengers who hold certain privileges — such as elite status, upgraded ticket classes, or specific credit cards — will still receive priority placement ahead of most travelers.

These perks ensure that eligible passengers are assigned to group 1 or 2 regardless of where they’re seated. That, however, could create challenges for passengers seated toward the front of the plane who don’t qualify for early boarding, as overhead bin space may already be limited by the time they board.

The Journal reported seeing a boarding pass for a traveler in seat 12C — typically considered a prime economy seat — who had been placed in group 7, indicating they’d be among the last to board.

To address this, Southwest plans to introduce an optional Priority Boarding upgrade that passengers can purchase at the last minute for an additional fee. According to the Wall Street Journal, those who buy this option will board before group 1.

Pricing will fluctuate depending on the route, but the report cited one example showing the cost at $93 for a one-way trip between Phoenix and Dallas.

Passengers with disabilities and active-duty service members will continue to receive first-boarding privileges as they always have.

To minimize confusion during the transition, each boarding pass will explicitly identify whether the traveler’s seat is a window, middle, or aisle. “Since we’re moving away from boarding positions, we wanted to be very clear about the difference between a boarding position and a seat,” Hingson explained.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber

After each Yom Tov, I hand out a reflection sheet to my sixth-grade class at Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury. It’s a simple exercise, a way for the boys to stop, think, and capture something real from their Yom Tov before it slips away.

The questions are light. “What inspired you?” “What was your favorite moment?”
After Sukkos this year, I gave out the usual list and collected the papers a few minutes later.

The answers were exactly what you’d expect from eleven-year-old boys.
“Playing with my cousins.”
 “Eating in the sukkah.”
 “Going to Six Flags.”

And then I saw it.
Under “What was your favorite memory from Sukkos?” one boy, Yehuda, had written:
“Seeing the hostages come home.”

I stopped reading.
I must have looked at that line five times.

I called Yehuda over during recess.
“Yehuda,” I said gently, “you really mean that?”

He looked at me and said with quiet conviction.
“Yes.”

I hesitated, then asked, “Is this something you talk about a lot at home?”

He paused. Then turned to me and said words that sent a chill straight through me:
“My mother hasn’t worn one of her rings in two years.”

I froze.

Later that day, I called his mother.
She confirmed every word.

She told me that ever since the hostages were taken, one of her rings has remained in the drawer, a small, silent reminder that part of our nation is missing. A reminder to feel the pain of another.

On their refrigerator, there’s a handwritten sign that reads:
“What did you do today to bring them home?”
 And beneath it, a careful count of the days since the hostages were taken.

There’s also a picture of one particular hostage, someone their family feels connected to, someone they’ve been davening for by name.

When the videos began to circulate of the hostages being freed, Yehuda’s mother gathered her children and said softly,
“Watch. These are your tefillos.”

Not words, not speeches.
It’s a home that breathes tefillah.
It’s a mother who turns pain into prayer.
It’s a child whose favorite Yom Tov memory is seeing another Yid return home.

Because in the end, the most powerful lessons aren’t taught.

They’re caught.

Rabbi Heber can be reached via email mdheber@ykwaterbury.org

{Matzav.com}

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Authorities announced Sunday morning that 54-year-old hostage Ronen Engel Hy”d has been identified by forensic experts as one of the two bodies returned on Friday night from Gaza by Hamas. Engel was murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, in Kibbutz Nir Oz, and his body was taken into Gaza. His wife, Karina, and their daughters, Mika and Yuval, were also kidnapped that day and later released a month later as part of a ceasefire deal. On Friday night, the Red Cross received the caskets containing Engel’s remains and another, still-unidentified hostage from Gaza and transferred them to the IDF for formal identification.

Ezra Friedlander, Founder and CEO of The Friedlander Group, made eyebrow-raising remarks defending New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a politician widely criticized for his anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Appearing on The Moster Show, Friedlander made the stunning claim that if Mamdani, a far-left progressive who has repeatedly targeted the Jewish community and defended Hamas sympathizers, were to win the mayoralty, he would not harm Jewish interests.

“No mayor of New York City getting elected today in the Democratic Party is going to have the support on the social issues for this community,” Friedlander said. “The question is, can we live our lives without government interference?”

Friedlander went on to praise Mamdani’s political skill and intellect, comments that will stun listeners given Mamdani’s record of hostility toward Israel. “Look, he’s a very smart guy. He’s very, very talented. He’s up there with Obama, with a Clinton,” Friedlander said. “I I’m I’m a contrarian. I actually believe should Mamdani become the mayor, he’s going to call this police commission and says, ‘Look, one community I want you to protect is the Jewish community. The last thing I want on my plate is for someone to accuse me that I haven’t been protected.’”

His remarks didn’t stop there. Friedlander further speculated that Mamdani would somehow cooperate with religious schools. “And even when it comes to yeshivas, I don’t think he’s going to interfere,” he said. “I think he’s going to say, ‘Look, I have too much on my plate right now. I’ll work very collegially with with the with the yeshiva community and and and they’ll be surprised.’ That’s my gut feeling. without knowing anything. I’ve never spoken to this person in my life.”

{Matzav.com}

The body of Israeli hostage Ronen Engel was one of those handed over last night by Hamas, according to an announcement from both Kibbutz Nir Oz and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

In a statement, the Families Forum said it “embraces the Engel family,” describing the recovery of his remains as “a form of relief for a family living in agonizing uncertainty and doubt for over two years.”

Engel, 54, was abducted along with his wife, Karina, and their daughters, Mika and Yuval, during the Hamas invasion of Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023.

A month later, his wife and two daughters were released from Gaza captivity. In December of that same year, the IDF publicly confirmed that Ronen had been killed while being held hostage.

He leaves behind his wife, Karina, daughters Mika and Yuval, and his son Tom, who was not at home at the time of the attack, as well as siblings and extended family members.

Originally from Tel Aviv, Engel and his family relocated to Nir Oz in 2010, the Families Forum noted in its statement earlier today.

A man of many talents, Engel was a professional photographer, a devoted Magen David Adom volunteer medic, an avid motorcyclist who loved exploring Israel’s landscapes, and a creative artist known for transforming scrap iron into striking works of art.

{Matzav.com}

A Palestinian terrorist tied to Hamas and accused of helping massacre 60 civilians at Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023, was captured this week in Louisiana — marking the first U.S. arrest of its kind connected to the atrocities of that day.

Federal authorities said that 33-year-old Mahmoud Amin Ya’Qub Al-Muhtadi was taken into custody on Thursday in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he had been living and working under a false identity. According to a criminal complaint, he entered the United States after lying on his visa application about his background in terrorism and militant activity.

Investigators allege that Al-Muhtadi belonged to a Hamas-linked faction and personally joined the invasion into southern Israel on October 7, participating in the massacre at Kfar Aza, where families were slaughtered inside their homes.

Court filings describe the Kfar Aza attack as one of the most brutal of that day — resulting in 60 deaths and the abduction of 19 civilians, including four Americans who were murdered and one who was taken hostage.

Authorities said Al-Muhtadi held a leadership role within the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). On the morning of October 7, after hearing Hamas commander Mohammed Deif’s call to arms, he mobilized a group of fighters.

“He spent the next two hours coordinating a group of armed fighters to join him in traveling from Gaza to Israel to participate in Hamas’s attack,” the complaint reads, adding that “by 10:01 a.m., cell phone data placed Al-Muhtadi near Kfar Aza.”

Before crossing into Israel, investigators said, Al-Muhtadi made a series of phone calls with other militants, expressing excitement about the assault. “We are ready man. And if you want me to go east with you, I’m ready,” one recruit told him.

“Get ready … The borders are open I swear,” Al-Muhtadi replied.

In another call recorded at 8:42 a.m., Al-Muhtadi said: “There is lots [sic] of soldiers [Israel Defense Forces soldiers] that have been kidnapped … it’s a game, which will be a good one.”

He continued, “If things go the way they should, Syria will take part, Lebanon will take part … it’s going to be a third world war … it will be a war of attritions. That will be perfect.”

Federal agents said additional phone logs show Al-Muhtadi urging others to “bring the rifles,” as well as ammunition and magazines, before heading toward the kibbutz.

Among those murdered at Kfar Aza were American citizens — including a 38-year-old woman and her husband, a photographer; a 67-year-old couple; and a 22-year-old U.S.-born soldier who rushed to defend the community. The couple’s three-year-old daughter was kidnapped and held hostage for 50 days, the complaint says.

Following the massacre, Al-Muhtadi reportedly fled Gaza and applied for a U.S. visa from Cairo on June 26, 2024. On his application, prosecutors say, he lied repeatedly — denying any combat experience, denying affiliation with terrorist organizations, and falsely asserting that he had never committed acts of violence.

By September 12, 2024, he had arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, telling officials he planned to work in either auto repair or the food industry. Within days, however, he reportedly told friends he had to stop posting pro-Hamas content now that he was in the United States.

The complaint also states that on February 20, 2025, Al-Muhtadi posted photos of a Glock 26 handgun on social media.

Federal agents tracked him to Lafayette in June 2025, where he was finally arrested.

He appeared Friday morning in federal court in Lafayette, facing charges of visa fraud and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He has not yet entered a plea and was ordered held without bail pending a detention hearing on Wednesday. If convicted, he could face life in prison on the terrorism-related charge alone.

Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the arrest, calling it a milestone in the work of the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force 10-7, which investigates individuals linked to the October 7 attacks. “After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7 — the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Bondi said.

“While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamas’s brutal attack, this Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens.”

Lara Burns, a retired FBI counterterrorism agent who investigated Hamas for eight years, told The Post she expects this to be the first of multiple arrests in the U.S. tied to participants in the October 7 massacre. “I believe it’s only the first [arrest], of probably a few, that we will see like this,” she said.

Burns, who now leads terrorism research at George Washington University, noted that investigators had to sift through vast amounts of digital data to link Al-Muhtadi directly to the attack. “The first arrest may be indicative of the fact that they are making progress in linking individual actors to the attacks of that day and, if so, you may see more arrests coming in the future,” she said.

“I think this is a very positive step in holding those accountable who participated in the atrocities that day,” Burns added. “It’s sending the message that no matter how long it takes, when the US government identifies perpetrators of the terrorist attack, justice will be served.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President J.D. Vance is scheduled to travel to Israel next week for a high-level visit that will focus on advancing the Trump administration’s multi-phase plan to conclude the war in Gaza. He is expected to land in Israel on Tuesday and depart on Thursday.

The vice president’s discussions in Yerushalayim will center on completing Phase A of the ceasefire agreement, which includes ensuring the return of all hostages and the remains of the fallen. He will also meet with Israeli leaders to coordinate the transition into Phase B of the Trump plan.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff is slated to join the vice president on the trip, underscoring the administration’s commitment to overseeing the agreement’s implementation firsthand.

Vance’s visit comes amid mounting debate within Israel over whether to move ahead with the next phase of the plan. President Trump recently announced that Phase B was ready to begin, but Israeli officials have expressed hesitation, insisting that progress cannot continue until Hamas returns all the deceased hostages still held in Gaza.

Earlier this evening, Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu ordered new measures in response to Hamas’s refusal to comply, including keeping the Rafah Crossing closed to humanitarian shipments until the bodies are returned.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington seeking long-range Tomahawk missiles, but his meeting with President Donald Trump ended with a mutual decision to halt military escalation and push for an immediate ceasefire. Trump later directed both Moscow and Kyiv to “stop where they are.”

“The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent. This is a War that would have never started if I were President. Thousands of people being slaughtered each and every week — NO MORE, GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES IN PEACE!”

Speaking after his White House meeting, Zelenskyy backed the call for a halt to fighting instead of further arming Ukraine. “President Trump is right: We have to stop where we are,” he said. Zelenskyy added that the war can “hopefully” end “without thinking about Tomahawks,” hinting that Kyiv would instead seek expanded intelligence cooperation with Washington as part of broader security guarantees.

Trump’s irritation with the prolonged war has been evident since his return to office, but his latest remarks signal renewed pressure on Kyiv to abandon efforts to reclaim lost territory. Upon arriving in Florida for the weekend, Trump again urged both sides to “stop the war immediately,” and appeared to suggest that Russia might retain the areas it currently holds. “You go by the battle line wherever it is — otherwise it’s too complicated,” Trump told reporters. “You stop at the battle line and both sides should go home, go to their families, stop the killing, and that should be it.”

This shift in tone comes after Trump had recently expressed a harder line toward Vladimir Putin and greater openness to arming Ukraine. Instead of supplying NATO with Tomahawks that would later reach Ukraine, Trump has chosen to prioritize diplomacy over escalation.

Only weeks ago, after a meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump said he believed Ukraine could retake all the land lost since 2022—a stark contrast to his current stance that Kyiv should accept a ceasefire along existing battle lines.

Following Friday’s White House talks, Zelenskyy again voiced support for renewed negotiations but avoided directly addressing whether he would consider ceding territory. “The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak,” he said when asked about Trump’s social media post.

Trump’s attitude appeared to shift after a lengthy phone conversation with Putin on Thursday, during which the two agreed to meet soon in Budapest, Hungary. The president also informed Zelenskyy that he was leaning against authorizing the sale of Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine views as critical leverage to compel Russia to negotiate.

Zelenskyy hinted that Trump’s success in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza gave him hope that the U.S. leader could similarly mediate peace with Moscow—despite the territory Ukraine has lost since Russia’s invasion more than a decade ago.

At the beginning of the White House meeting, Zelenskyy presented a proposal to trade Ukrainian drone technology for the U.S.-made Tomahawks, but Trump voiced concern about depleting American weapons reserves. “I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what’s going to happen in war and peace,” Trump said. “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We’d much rather have the war be over to be honest.”

In a separate interview, Zelenskyy told NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump’s position was not a firm rejection. “It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, didn’t say ‘yes,’” he said. Still, he maintained that “we need Tomahawks” because “it’s very difficult just to operate only with Ukrainian drones.”

Trump’s hesitancy disappointed Ukrainian officials, who had hoped for approval to purchase the 995-mile-range missiles. After Thursday’s call with Putin, however, Trump appeared less inclined to move forward, echoing Putin’s warning that providing Kyiv with Tomahawks “won’t change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,” according to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Friday’s meeting marked the fifth time Trump and Zelenskyy have met since January. Trump later told reporters that it was “to be determined” whether Zelenskyy would participate directly in the upcoming talks in Hungary, suggesting separate but coordinated meetings might be more productive. “These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody,” Trump said.

Zelenskyy responded that his stance toward Putin is not personal but based on the ongoing aggression against his country. “They attacked us, so they are an enemy for us. They don’t intend to stop,” he said. “So they are an enemy. It is not about someone just hating someone else. Although, undoubtedly, we hate the enemy. Undoubtedly.”

Trump has long promised to end the conflict quickly, though progress has been elusive. His previous efforts—including a summit with Putin in Alaska and meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders—failed to produce a breakthrough as Russia intensified its offensive.

Asked whether he worries that Putin is merely stringing him along, Trump replied that he was aware of the risk but confident in his ability to manage the Russian leader. “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well,” he said. “I think I’m pretty good at this stuff.”

{Matzav.com}

Hamas issued a statement tonight blasting Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s directive to keep the Rafah Crossing closed, accusing Israel of obstructing the agreed-upon exchange process tied to the current ceasefire deal.

Earlier in the evening, the Prime Minister’s Office released an official statement outlining Netanyahu’s position: “Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has instructed that the Rafah Crossing not open until further notice. Its opening will be weighed in accordance with the way Hamas implements its part in the return of the deceased hostages and in the implementation of the agreed-upon plan.”

In response, Hamas claimed that Israel’s refusal “will cause delays in the transfer of the hostages’ bodies under the ceasefire agreement.”

Israeli security sources confirmed that all of the bodies of the hostages are still inside Gaza, contradicting Hamas’s claims that it has fulfilled its obligations.

The Rafah Crossing, which serves as the key passageway between Egypt and Gaza, had been slated to reopen as part of the truce arrangement reached between the sides. But Israel’s decision followed Hamas’s failure to comply with the conditions, particularly regarding the full return of the hostages’ remains.

Earlier in the week, Hamas publicly asserted that it had already returned all the bodies in its custody. Israeli officials, however, dismissed that claim, saying intelligence clearly shows that Hamas retains control over or has immediate access to at least eight additional bodies that have yet to be released.

{Matzav.com}

Edith (Dita) Kraus, a Holocaust survivor who once safeguarded books for children in Auschwitz’s notorious Block 31, passed away today at the age of 96.

Kraus, who kindled one of the memorial torches during the 2014 Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, inspired the acclaimed novel The Librarian of Auschwitz, which was based on her extraordinary courage and resilience.

According to Yad Vashem, Edith (Dita) Kraus, née Polach, was born in 1929 in Prague to Dr. Hans Polach, a respected lawyer, and his wife, Elizabeth. Their peaceful life was shattered when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939, and her father lost his job under the new regime.

When Germany began its assault on Poland in September 1939, Dita’s parents sent her to live in a rural village for safety. However, by 1940 she was back in Prague, continuing her education through private lessons. It was around this time, at a sports ground designated for Jews, that she first encountered Fredy Hirsch — a charismatic educator and sports leader whose influence would later change her life.

In November 1942, Dita and her parents were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto. She lived in the girls’ barracks and worked in agriculture, visiting her grandmother Katharina each evening in a nearby building where she had been placed after being deported with Dita’s grandfather earlier that year.

Despite the harsh and overcrowded conditions, Theresienstadt maintained a thriving cultural atmosphere, with classes, performances, and lectures. Fredy Hirsch played a leading role, promoting physical activity and instilling Jewish identity and mutual responsibility. Dita took part in his programs and also performed in the children’s opera Brundibár. She studied art with Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, a talented artist who encouraged self-expression through drawing. Friedl was later deported to Auschwitz and murdered.

In December 1943, Dita and her parents were sent to Auschwitz, where they were tattooed and confined in the Czech family camp in Birkenau. Her mother became sick and was placed in isolation. Six weeks later, Dita’s father perished, and the young girl was left to convey the devastating news: “I reached the wall of the isolation barrack, the wall behind which my mother lay, and shouted the news to her through the wall.”

At Auschwitz, Dita took charge of a secret library for the children’s block. Under Fredy Hirsch’s leadership, the block became a rare haven where Zionist instructors engaged the children in lessons on history, geography, and Judaism, keeping their spirits alive amid horror. Among the instructors was Otto Kraus, who would later become her husband.

In March 1944, tragedy struck when half the children were killed and Fredy Hirsch also died. Dita continued caring for the few remaining books and children. Two months later, Josef Mengele selected Dita and her mother for forced labor in Hamburg, where they worked under brutal conditions before being transferred to the camps of Neugraben and Tiefstack. In March 1945, they were sent to Bergen-Belsen, liberated weeks later by British forces. Shortly after liberation, Dita’s mother succumbed to illness and exhaustion on June 29, 1945.

After the war, Dita returned to Prague, where she was reunited with her grandmother, her aunt, and Otto Kraus, who had also survived. The two married, built a family, and in 1949 made aliyah to Israel with their son. Both devoted their lives to education, teaching for decades at the Hadassim Youth Village.

Dita and Otto Kraus raised three children and were blessed with four grandchildren.

{Matzav.com}

A delegation of gedolei Eretz Yisroel — Harav Dov Landau shlit”a, Harav Chaim Peretz Berman shlit”a (Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, visiting America for the first time), Harav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel shlit”a (Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim), Harav Avraham Salim shlit”a, and Harav Yerucham Olshin shlit”a (Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha) — will be traveling to the United States next week, with stops in Cleveland and Los Angeles, to garner further financial support for Keren Olam HaTorah. On Monday, October 20, Cleveland will have the zechus of welcoming Harav Dov Landau, who will arrive to be mechazek and inspire the tzibbur in this vital mission. The day’s schedule will begin with a special children’s gathering at 11:30 a.m., providing an opportunity for tinokos shel beis rabban to meet the gadol hador. At 7:15 p.m., a community-wide asifa for men will take place at the Hebrew Academy, Oakwood Campus, 1516 Warrensville Center Road, where Rav Dov will personally address the tzibbur. On Tuesday evening, the West Coast will host a historic asifa with Rav Dov and the other gedolim at the Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd, beginning at 8:30 p.m., where thousands are expected to join together b’achdus to demonstrate their ahavas haTorah v’lomdeha. The asifa will also feature divrei hisorerus from Rav Ephraim Wachsman shlit”a, who will serve as the guest speaker. Over the past two years, the olam haTorah in Eretz Yisroel has been facing severe and painful government funding cuts, leaving thousands of yeshivos and kollelim struggling to keep their doors open for their bochurim and avreichem. At the urging of the gedolim, Keren Olam HaTorah was founded to ensure that the kol Torah in Eretz Yisroel continues to thrive. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A delegation of gedolei Eretz Yisroel — Harav Dov Landau, Harav Chaim Peretz Berman (Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, visiting America for the first time), Harav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim), and Harav Avraham Salim — will be traveling to the United States next week, with stops in Cleveland and Los Angeles, to garner further financial support for Keren Olam HaTorah.

On Monday, October 20, Cleveland will have the zechus of welcoming Harav Dov Landau, who will arrive to be mechazek and inspire the tzibbur in this vital mission.

The day’s schedule will begin with a special children’s gathering at 11:30 a.m., providing an opportunity for tinokos shel beis rabban to meet the gadol hador. At 7:15 p.m., a community-wide asifa for men will take place at the Hebrew Academy, Oakwood Campus, 1516 Warrensville Center Road, where Rav Dov will personally address the tzibbur.

On Tuesday evening, the West Coast will host a historic asifa with Rav Dov and the other gedolim at the Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd, beginning at 8:30 p.m., where thousands are expected to join together b’achdus to demonstrate their ahavas haTorah v’lomdeha.

The asifa will also feature divrei hisorerus from Rav Ephraim Wachsman, who will serve as the guest speaker.

Over the past two years, the olam haTorah in Eretz Yisroel has been facing severe and painful government funding cuts, leaving thousands of yeshivos and kollelim struggling to keep their doors open for their bochurim and avreichem. At the urging of the gedolim, Keren Olam HaTorah was founded to ensure that the kol Torah in Eretz Yisroel continues to thrive.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump and the First Lady sent a heartfelt letter of condolence to the Orthodox Union following the sudden passing of Rabbi Moshe Hauer, who served as the organization’s Executive Vice President. Rabbi Hauer passed away suddenly on Shemini Atzeres at the age of 60.

In the official letter dated October 16, 2025, President Trump described Rabbi Hauer as “a man of deep faith, wisdom, and compassion whose life reflected an unwavering devotion to the Almighty, to his family, and to the Jewish community.” The President’s message emphasized Rabbi Hauer’s lifelong dedication to serving others and to strengthening the Jewish people.

“As a teacher, counselor, and friend, he dedicated his life to helping others and stood as a fierce advocate for the Jewish people,” the letter read. “His influence endures through the countless lives he uplifted and the communities he helped strengthen.”

President Trump and the First Lady expressed solidarity with the Orthodox Union community during this period of mourning, writing, “We join the Orthodox Union community in mourning Rabbi Hauer and celebrating his remarkable legacy. May the Almighty bless him and may his memory be a blessing to the countless lives he inspired.”

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainians shared their disappointment Saturday that the U.S. may not provide Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk missiles, while work to repair the damaged power supply to the country’s Zaporizhzhia power plant soothed other concerns surrounding Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, after the U.S. leader signaled that Washington could provide Ukraine with the long-range missiles Kyiv believes will help bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Yet Zelenskyy ultimately left empty-handed — an outcome that dismayed, but did not surprise, many in the streets of the Ukrainian capital, who maintained their determination to end Russia’s 3 1/2-year invasion of their country. One Ukrainian military serviceman, Roman Vynnychenko, told The Associated Press that he believed the prospect of Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine was a political “game.” “Ukraine won’t get those missiles,” he said. Vynnychenko said Ukraine still needed to procure new weapons with or without American help, particularly as Russian drones and missiles continued to hit civilian infrastructure. “Every day civilians and soldiers die, buildings collapse, our streets and cities are being destroyed,” Vynnychenko said. Russia invaded its smaller neighbor in February 2022, sparking a 3 1/2-year conflict that has become a grinding war of attrition across a 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) frontline in Ukraine’s east and south. Trump’s frustration with the conflict has surfaced repeatedly in the nine months since he returned to office. In recent weeks, he had shown growing impatience with Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war, including with the sale of Tomahawks. But Trump’s tone shifted again after he held a lengthy phone call with Putin on Thursday and announced that he planned to meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks. The talks raise new hopes that diplomatic progress could be made to end the war. But after multiple failed starts, Ukrainians are reluctant to believe that a significant breakthrough will take place soon. “To tell you the truth, I look at the news, but nowadays I read only the headlines. And even those make me sad,” Victoria Khramtsova, a psychologist, told the AP. “We have been at war for more than three years. We just want peace.” In the meantime, Russia continued its aerial bombardment of Ukraine, launching three missiles and 164 drones overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force said Saturday. It said that Ukrainian forces shot down 136 of the drones. Two people were injured after Russian drones targeted a gas station in the Zarichny district of Sumy in northeast Ukraine, local officials said Saturday. They were two women aged 51 and 53, according to regional Gov. Oleh Hryhorov. ‘Crucial for nuclear safety’ Elsewhere, work has begun to repair the damaged power supply to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog said Saturday. The repairs are hoped to end a precarious four-week outage that saw it dependent on backup generators. Russian and Ukrainian forces established special ceasefire zones for repairs to be safely carried out, said the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi. He hailed the restoration of off-site power as “crucial for nuclear safety and security.” “Both sides engaged constructively with the IAEA to enable the complex repair plan to proceed,” Grossi said in a statement. […]

A shocking attack in Lakewood, NJ left a young frum man hospitalized this afternoon after an assailant violently targeted pedestrians walking along Vermont Avenue.

According to witnesses, the victim — a man in his mid-twenties — had been walking with two friends between Chestnut Street and Route 70 when a vehicle suddenly pulled over. Without any warning or provocation, a man jumped out of the car and began assaulting them.

The group was reportedly beaten in a vicious and chaotic attack. One of the men sustained a serious leg injury during the assault.

Lakewood Police and Hatzolah responders arrived within minutes. Emergency medical personnel treated the victim on the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and law enforcement officials are actively searching for the suspect responsible for the unprovoked assault.

{Matzav.com}