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Bar Kupershtein, one of the Israelis recently released from Hamas captivity, offered a harrowing account of his time in Gaza during an interview with Kan 11’s Real Time program. His testimony shed light on the brutal reality endured by those held by the terror organization — starvation, violence, and psychological torment.

Kupershtein said the hostages were routinely deprived of food and endured constant fear. “There were days when there was simply no food,” he recalled. “There was a guy whose job was to make sure we weren’t treated too well. We didn’t see them eat, but you could tell they were gaining strength while we were wasting away.”

He described a particularly savage beating that followed comments made by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir about tightening conditions for jailed terrorists. “They came in and just beat us,” Kupershtein said. “They told us, ‘This is because of Ben Gvir. What he’s doing to our prisoners, you’ll suffer in return.’ They repeated it several times. They lined us up against the wall, hit us, humiliated us. Then they took me to their room, tied my legs to a stick, and beat the soles of my feet. They broke several toes – I couldn’t walk for a month.”

The former captive described the sheer terror of that moment, saying, “I thought they were going to amputate my legs. You think, ‘This is it. It’s over.’ You see your whole life pass before your eyes.”

Kupershtein also spoke about being interrogated at gunpoint by Hamas operatives desperate to determine who among the captives had served in the IDF. “They wanted to know who was a soldier and who wasn’t. I told them I had finished my service and worked in security. I managed to confuse them. At that point, I was just trying to survive.”

When asked whether he blamed Minister Ben Gvir for the repercussions of his statements, Kupershtein expressed frustration. “I was angry it reached the media. We were in their hands – how do you give them a reason to abuse us? You’re a government minister. Your job is to protect us.”

In response, Minister Ben Gvir defended himself while expressing solidarity with the freed hostage. “I embrace Bar Kupershtein and all the hostages who returned home, but the Israeli media is adopting Hamas’s narrative. Hamas didn’t need an excuse to murder, rape, and burn babies. These atrocities occurred long before any prison changes – changes which, at the time, Prime Minister Netanyahu did not permit me to implement. Today, even the Shin Bet acknowledges that publicizing the policy led to a decrease in attacks.”

{Matzav.com}

After months of boycotting Knesset votes in protest over the coalition’s failure to pass the giyus law and formally secure the status of yeshiva bochurim, leaders of the chareidi parties are now considering a striking move — throwing their support behind the proposal to divide the powers of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

In recent days, heads of the chareidi factions have been deliberating whether to end their boycott for this specific vote, viewing it as a direct and fitting response to the attorney general’s pressure on the IDF to arrest yeshiva bochurim.

“This is the only response we have to the yo’etzet,” said a senior chareidi official. “She can’t provoke a crisis with the chareidi factions over the arrests and then also enjoy the benefits that come with it.”

Another senior figure added, “It’s not just Gali Baharav-Miara — the entire legal system is waging war against the tzibbur hachareidi, and we cannot allow them to benefit from their own campaign of persecution.”

The bill in question argues that there is an inherent conflict of interest when the same person both advises the government and has the authority to prosecute its members. Under the proposed law, the role of the yo’etz hamishpati lamemshalah would be divided into three: one to serve as the government’s legal adviser, another as the state prosecutor, and a third responsible for representing the government before the Bagatz.

Attorney General Baharav-Miara has voiced fierce opposition to the proposal, claiming that “these initiatives must be opposed and should not move forward. They constitute a dangerous change to the system of governance, being pushed hastily, without due process or consultation with relevant officials, and appear to be driven by personal interests related to ongoing criminal cases and the identity of the state prosecutor.”

If the chareidi factions do decide to suspend their boycott and vote in favor of the bill, it would mark a dramatic turnaround, transforming their quiet protest against the coalition into a bold act of defiance aimed squarely at what they see as an increasingly hostile legal establishment.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli officials are expressing growing frustration over Hamas’s continued “foot-dragging” in ongoing negotiations regarding the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers held in Gaza. According to a report broadcast Monday evening on Channel 13 News, Israeli intelligence now believes that Hamas knows the precise burial locations of at least ten fallen hostages, including Lt. […]

At Monday’s United Torah Judaism faction meeting in the Knesset, MK Yisrael Eichler delivered an emotional address urging that the upcoming atzeres in Yerushalayim — organized in response to the proposed draft law — include traditional and religious Jews from across Israel.

During the discussion, party members focused on preparations for Thursday’s massive event in the capital, which will take place in protest of the draft decree. The gathering, organized as a maamad tefillah rather than a protest, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands.

Eichler told his colleagues that this was “an opportunity to call upon the entire religious and traditional public in Israel to join in prayer for the preservation of the Jewish identity of the state.” He added, “This is a chance to bring in hundreds of thousands more who say Shema Yisrael, so that the Jewish cry will echo from one end of the world to the other.”

To emphasize his message, Eichler shared a poignant story about the late attorney Yaakov Weinroth: “At the previous million-strong gathering that took place at the gates of Yerushalayim, Reb Yaakov Weinroth, zichrono livracha, told us that he was once driving and heard the words Shema Yisrael being recited live on the radio. He thought to himself — who am I with? With those driving beside me, or with those crying out Shema Yisrael? Immediately, he decided, ‘I am with those who cry Shema Yisrael!’ And tears streamed from his eyes.”

Meanwhile, organizers of Thursday’s gathering confirmed that coordination meetings were held with senior Yerushalayim Police commanders to finalize technical arrangements. Police officials reportedly expressed satisfaction with the coordination and clarified that the event would be recognized as a tefillah assembly, not a demonstration.

A statement released Monday night by the event’s organizers said: “The mass tefillah gathering has received police approval and, with the help of Heaven, will take place this Thursday in the streets of Yerushalayim, with the blessing of the Gedolei Yisroel and the Torah and Chassidic leaders shlit”a. The approvals were finalized following another meeting between the organizing committee and the Yerushalayim Police.”

{Matzav.com}

I recently came across a story that has not left my mind. In the days of the Ksav Sofer, a non-Jewish servant in the Governor’s mansion was caught stealing. Fearing for his life, he hid the stolen goods in the home of a poor, innocent Yid. The authorities searched every house and, of course, “found” […]

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson ignited controversy this weekend with comments denying the existence of “illegal aliens” in his city and accusing those who use the term of racism. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Johnson claimed it was offensive and discriminatory to use such language when referring to migrants.

“We don’t have illegal aliens,” Johnson declared defiantly. “I don’t know if that’s from some sort of sci-fi message that you wish you’ve had.” His remarks came in response to a reporter’s question about why his administration has not yet provided a federal report detailing how much taxpayer money has been spent on illegal migrants housed in Chicago.

Johnson then pivoted to racial comparisons, saying, “Listen, the legal term for my people were slaves. You want me to use that term, too?” He continued by suggesting that referring to migrants as “illegal” was equivalent to calling Black Americans “slaves.”

The mayor used the opportunity to lecture members of the press, insisting that their framing of the issue was inhumane. “Let’s just get the language right,” he said sharply. “We’re talking about undocumented individuals that are human beings. The last thing that I’m going to do is accept that type of racist, nasty language to describe human beings.”

He later uploaded a video of the exchange to his Instagram page, doubling down on his comments. His caption read, “This isn’t a sci-fi show. These are human beings. We will not abandon our humanity to score cheap political points.”

Johnson’s stance reflects his long-standing opposition to federal immigration enforcement. He has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, branding it as cruel and unjust. Most recently, Johnson accused the president of having “declared war” on Chicago—an accusation that came despite Trump’s stated goal of deporting millions of migrants who entered the country unlawfully.

The Chicago mayor’s refusal to support even basic deportation measures has stunned critics. When pressed during an interview on whether he would approve the deportation of a violent migrant who had raped his wife, Johnson dodged the question. He has also said in the past that ICE officers should themselves be arrested for carrying out deportations—an order his own police chief declined to enforce.

Johnson frequently merges racial politics with immigration debates, framing opposition to illegal immigration as equivalent to anti-Black racism. He has repeatedly accused critics of bigotry for raising concerns about migrants overwhelming city resources, burdening schools and hospitals, and contributing to crime.

Earlier this month, after President Trump accused both Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker of failing to protect residents, Johnson fired back: “This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested.” His response suggested that any criticism directed toward him was motivated by race rather than his administration’s handling of Chicago’s worsening migrant crisis.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Chaim Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo, sent a deeply moving and highly unusual letter to his talmid, Ariel Shamai, who was recently arrested and imprisoned in Military Prison 10 for draft evasion.

Rav Feinstein, who last week delivered a shiur chizuk outside the prison where Shamai is being held, began his heartfelt message as follows:

“My dear, beloved son, treasure of my heart, the precious and outstanding bochur, sharp and knowledgeable, with deep and clear understanding — Ariel Shamai shlit”a. I write to inquire about your wellbeing. My dear one, know the greatness of your merit, for you have been chosen by Divine Providence to demonstrate an extraordinary level of self-sacrifice for Torah. One moment of pain in holiness is worth a hundred moments without it, and your reward is beyond measure.”

Rav Feinstein continued by comparing his student’s imprisonment to the suffering endured by gedolei Torah throughout history:

“Know that you are continuing the chain of generations who gave their lives for Torah for the honor of Hashem, who studied even during decrees of the kingdoms, like Rabi Akiva and those who followed in every generation. You have been elevated to join that line of righteous men who walked the path of those who love Hashem and think of His Name. You are a shliach tzibbur, a representative of the Torah world. It is not you who has been placed in prison, but rather all those who toil in Torah. In truth, it is the honor of the Torah itself that has been confined — and you hold the Sefer Torah with you. Therefore, let your heart not fall; on the contrary, he who releases the honor of the Torah from captivity will also bring about your release.”

The Rosh Yeshiva urged his talmid to maintain joy and spiritual strength despite the suffering: “Meanwhile, be joyous that you have merited to reach such heights — to serve as a shaliach tzibbur like the Kohen Gadol entering the Kodesh HaKodoshim on Yom Kippur on behalf of all of Israel. Be strong and of good courage, valiant warrior, for many are with you. Strengthen yourself and delve into Torah amid difficulty, for one who studies Torah through hardship finds that the curtain of Heaven is never closed before him. In that merit, you will rise and grow in Torah, understand and grasp the depths of the sugyos, innovate true insights, and be granted the revelation of Torah secrets — until you become a great marbitz Torah in Klal Yisroel.”

Rav Feinstein’s letter concluded with a moving bracha for spiritual protection: “May Hashem help you guard your holy and pure eyes from all the sights of impurity that exist there, whether from people or from the impure devices around you. Be like Yosef HaTzaddik, who did not look upon them and therefore merited two tribes and two portions in the Land. I already see the golden crown upon your neck and the fine gold upon your arms — ‘from there, the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.’ Do not feel you are equal to those around you, for your level is incomparable; you are spiritual and exalted beyond them. I join with you in love — my heart beats warmly for you and for your Torah, as I await the salvation of Hashem, speedily and lovingly.”

{Matzav.com}

A tense on-air showdown between Sen. Rubén Gallego (D-Ariz.) and CNBC “Squawk Box” host Joe Kernen boiled over Monday morning, ending abruptly when the anchor terminated the interview after a fiery exchange over the ongoing government shutdown and Democrats’ demand to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. The back-and-forth began with Kernen questioning competing Senate spending […]

An Israeli educator visiting New York City was violently assaulted Monday in what authorities are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime, Ynet reports. The incident occurred as 58-year-old Rami Glickstein walked toward the popular kosher eatery “Mr. Broadway” on 38th Street in Manhattan.

According to Glickstein, the attack began when a man confronted him, gesturing toward his kippah and asking, “Tell me about your religion.” When Glickstein didn’t respond, the stranger snatched the kippah off his head, hurled it to the sidewalk, and spat on it. As Glickstein bent to retrieve it, the man struck him in the face.

Shocked onlookers immediately called police and emergency services while yelling at the attacker, who quickly fled the scene. Glickstein, bloodied and shaken, managed to make it inside the restaurant before being taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The suspect remains at large as law enforcement continues its search.

“My Israeli pride was hurt,” Glickstein said. “It pains me that I couldn’t fight back, and I regret that deeply.” He noted that, beyond his teaching work, he also lectures for the IDF.

{Matzav.com}

In a rare public statement, Rav Shmuel Betzalel, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef, and head of the Shas Yeshiva Heads Committee on Maintaining the Status of the Torah World, issued a strong letter of support for Shas chairman Aryeh Deri following a series of leaked recordings broadcast over the past few days.

The recordings, aired on Channel 12, featured Rav Betzalel expressing opposition to the proposed draft law, saying, “I cannot come today and say not to make a law, but in truth, I pray there will be no law. It’s not a good law. Perhaps they should have forced them: a ben Torah without sanctions, without restrictions.”

The comments were seen as dramatic, since Shas has officially supported legislation to formalize the draft exemption with certain sanctions and limitations.

In his letter released Monday evening, Rav Betzalel defended Deri and clarified the process behind the draft discussions: “I hereby declare that everything related to the draft law is done solely with the consent of the Committee of Yeshiva Heads. And I testify that no external figure was involved in any of the decisions.”

He continued, acknowledging the law’s imperfections but defending the necessity of compromise: “We are aware of all the flaws in this law, but given the situation and the reality that has arisen, we must agree to the law. It is not the place here to detail all the reasons for this. I have seen libelous writings that scream of the baseness of their authors, testifying that there is no fear of G-d in their hearts, attacking a precious and G-d-fearing man, shlucha derabbanan, who has toiled for decades to spread Torah and yiras Shamayim. I do not know of another person in our generation or the one before it who has increased Torah and fear of Heaven through his great endeavors like Rav Aryeh Deri shlit”a.”

Rav Betzalel concluded sharply: “I was shocked by these wayward youths, devoid of Torah and fear of Heaven. Please desist from your actions and guard your souls. Beware of the attribute of judgment.”

The letter comes amid turmoil following recordings of the Rishon LeTzion Rav Yitzchak Yosef, who was heard criticizing Shas leadership and Prime Minister Netanyahu over the same draft law, saying, “If my father were alive, none of this would be happening. He would bang on the table and tell Deri, ‘There will be no government in Israel; there will be elections.’” Rav Yosef went on to describe Netanyahu as “an atheist on a high level” and “a blind fox,” adding that “Maran did not like him at all.”

Also heard in the leaked recordings was Rav Moshe Maya, senior member of the Moetzes, declaring, “If they enter the government, I will immediately resign from the council. They won’t do it. I told them to go to elections. There will be no coalition.”

{Matzav.com}

For decades, strange lights in the sky have captivated amateur stargazers and conspiracy theorists alike. But a new wave of reports is turning attention from the heavens to the oceans, where something equally puzzling appears to be unfolding beneath the waves. A popular UFO-tracking app called Enigma — which bills itself as the largest public […]

Thousands gathered in Queens this weekend as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani took the stage together, urging voters to embrace their movement’s vision and reject the narrative that progressive ideals are “crazy” or “outlandish.”

Ocasio-Cortez, who has been one of Mamdani’s earliest and most vocal backers, used her Sunday remarks to frame New York City’s identity as one born of struggle and diversity. “This city was built by the Irish escaping famine, Italians fleeing fascism, Jews escaping the Holocaust, Black Americans fleeing slavery and Jim Crow,” she declared passionately. “Latinos seeking a better life, Native people standing for themselves, Asian Americans coming together in Queens, in Brooklyn, in the Bronx, in Manhattan, in Staten Island, in this country, in a vision to build the freest, toughest and greatest city on earth.”

Her speech came just days after the Democratic Party’s establishment appeared to formally close ranks around Mamdani’s candidacy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced his support on Friday, writing that Mamdani had “explicitly committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers.” His endorsement followed that of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who months earlier had praised Mamdani as “the best choice for NYC mayor,” citing his “grass-roots movement fueled by everyday people.”

Ocasio-Cortez used her time on stage to push back against critics who have labeled the progressive left as extreme. “We must remember in a time such as this, we are not the crazy ones, New York City. We are not the outlandish ones, New York City. They want us to think we are crazy. We are sane,” she told the energized crowd, drawing loud cheers.

Recent polling shows that both Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani remain deeply popular among Democratic voters. A survey released in July by a pro-Palestinian organization reported that 68 percent of respondents viewed Mamdani favorably, while 75 percent had a positive view of Ocasio-Cortez. That same poll also indicated broad Democratic support for two of Mamdani’s more controversial positions — backing an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and halting U.S. arms shipments to Israel.

Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has benefited from a shifting political landscape within the party. A study released in September by the Democratic Socialists of America Fund found that a majority of Democrats now identify more closely with socialism than with capitalism, with 74 percent saying that democratic socialism best expresses their beliefs.

The growing influence of figures like Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani has not gone unnoticed beyond New York. During an August episode of HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher highlighted the two — along with Sen. Elizabeth Warren — as examples of left-wing Democrats who have refused his repeated invitations to appear on the show. Maher complained that despite the fact he “voted for them,” they continue to decline, while Republicans, he said, “show up and take their beating like a man.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said aboard Air Force One on Monday that a potential 2028 ticket pairing Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be virtually unbeatable, calling the duo “unstoppable.”

Traveling between Malaysia and Japan, Trump fielded questions about the political future but declined to commit to seeking a third term himself — a move currently restricted by the U.S. Constitution’s Twenty-second Amendment. “I haven’t really thought about it. We have some very good people, as you know, but I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had,” he said. “I mean, I just solved eight wars, and a ninth is coming, I believe Russia–Ukraine will happen.”

He pointed to his administration’s recent diplomatic successes, specifically citing the peace deal signed in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend between Cambodia and Thailand. “You know, we just left it. When you look at the treaty we just did, that was a war that was thousands of people were already shot at the border. And when you look at what we just did it was pretty amazing. We got a lot of good credit,” Trump said, adding, “And I really have to thank Malaysia for that, because the Prime Minister and everybody really helped get the two countries together.”

When pressed about who he views as rising stars for the 2028 race, Trump immediately mentioned the current vice president and his secretary of state. “We have, JD, obviously, the vice president is great,” he said as Rubio, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. “Marco is great… I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable. I really do, I believe that.”

Trump closed the exchange by reiterating his confidence in his current popularity and record. “I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever,” he said with a smile before turning back to discuss his next stop on the Asia tour.

{Matzav.com}

Letter from HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau ahead of Thursday’s planned “Atzeres Ha’Million”. In a public notice, yeshiva bochurim and avreichim across Eretz Yisroel are urged to participate in the mass gathering in Yerushalayim, organized under the direction of Gedolei Yisroel in protest of the ongoing draft decrees. The announcement details coordination efforts for talmidim from […]

[By Y.S. Gold / Photos: Yaakov Cohen] Thousands gathered at Moshav Bror Chayil in southern Israel for the central hillula marking a decade since the passing of Rabbi Yoram Abergel zt”l. The event, led by his son and successor Rabbi Yisroel Abergel shlit”a, began with a hachnasas Sefer Torah and concluded with a moving seudat […]

Zohran Mamdani has been caught changing his story after claiming his Muslim “aunt” faced harassment for wearing a hijab in public after 9/11. It’s now revealed that the person he referred to was actually his late father’s cousin, Zehra Fuhi.

WATCH: Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he doesn’t regret the anti-tariff ad featuring Ronald Reagan that has escalated his feud with President Trump.

Sec. Scott Bessent: “We managed to find the money in the middle of October to pay our brave servicemembers, and I think we’ll be able to do it on November 1st, but we’re going to be out of money on November 15th.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she spoke with US President Trump, and that the two agreed to extend a looming trade deadline for ‘a few more weeks’ to discuss pending issues with Washington