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A shocking act of vandalism at the Ridbaz Shul in Tzfas left the local chareidi community reeling on Sunday after an intruder allegedly entered the building and caused widespread destruction, tearing seforim, smashing light fixtures, breaking chairs, and extensively damaging the beis haknesses.

The Ridbaz Shul serves as the central beis haknesses for the city’s Litvishe community in southern Tzfas.

Shmuel Levy, the gabbai of the beis haknesses, said that the incident occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m.

“When I arrived at the beis haknesses around 2:15, I saw complete devastation,” Levy said. “There were torn seforim, shattered light fixtures, broken chairs, and extensive destruction throughout the building. Even the shelter beneath the beis haknesses had been overturned and damaged, and glass cups in the restrooms had been smashed.”

According to Levy, bochurim from Yeshivas Revavos Ephraim, who regularly come to the beis haknesses to learn during their afternoon break, were the first to discover what had happened.

“When the bochurim arrived, they heard someone shouting inside the beis haknesses,” he recounted. “They went in and immediately saw the extent of the destruction. They called me right away, and by the time I arrived, they had already begun cleaning up.”

Community members believe the suspect may be a 16-year-old youth who they say was previously involved in another vandalism incident at a different beis haknesses in Tzfas.

Levy said the community has not yet filed a police complaint, explaining that they first want to determine whether the suspect is indeed the same individual believed to have been involved in the earlier incident. Once that determination is made, they will decide whether to involve law enforcement.

Members of the community expressed profound shock over the desecration of the beis haknesses and the damage inflicted on the seforim, expressing hope that the individual responsible will soon be identified and held accountable.

{Matzav.com}

Leaders of Israeli chareidi kindergarten networks are warning that thousands of families could face severe disruption when the next school year begins unless the Ministry of Education acts quickly to overhaul its funding model. They say widening budget shortfalls, combined with a growing shortage of qualified kindergarten teachers, have pushed the system to the brink, threatening the continued operation of many preschools across the country.

During a special panel discussion hosted by Kikar HaShabbos, Rabbi Yisroel Golomb, CEO of Agudas Yisroel’s kindergarten network; Yaakov Segal, CEO of the Gan Eitz HaDaas network; and accountant Avigail Shikovitzky painted a troubling picture of an educational system struggling each month to meet payroll while grappling with mounting deficits and no long-term government solution. Matzav.com provides a synopsis of select portions of the discussion, which was conducted in Hebrew.

Funding No Longer Covers Teacher Salaries

According to Rabbi Golomb, the heart of the crisis is the ever-widening gap between the salaries that kindergarten teachers are legally entitled to receive and the amount of funding provided by the Ministry of Education.

“We are legally obligated to pay teachers every shekel they are entitled to, but the funding we receive simply does not reflect the actual cost,” he said. “As a result, we are forced to cover enormous shortfalls with money we simply do not have.”

He stressed that the problem has grown far beyond an isolated financial challenge.

“We are not threatening to shut down kindergartens,” Rabbi Golomb said. “We’re simply reaching a point where we no longer have the financial ability to continue operating them under the current conditions.”

He noted that the crisis is especially severe in Modiin Illit, where many veteran kindergarten teachers with decades of experience are employed. Without a solution, he warned, thousands of children could be left without appropriate educational frameworks next year.

Experienced Teachers Becoming a Financial Burden

Shikovitzky explained that the current funding formula is based on salary averages that bear little resemblance to the reality on the ground.

“The funding is calculated according to much lower salary grades than what teachers actually earn,” she said. “When a teacher with 20 or 25 years of experience works in a kindergarten, the network has to absorb the difference between what the Ministry funds and what the teacher is legally entitled to receive.”

In communities with large numbers of veteran educators, she said, those funding gaps can create annual deficits amounting to millions of shekels.

“The absurdity is that the system effectively punishes networks that retain experienced, highly qualified teachers,” she said.

‘Nobody Wants to Replace a Veteran Teacher’

Segal rejected any suggestion that the kindergarten networks are trying to replace longtime teachers with less experienced graduates.

“We’re not looking to replace a teacher with 25 years of experience with someone who just graduated from seminary,” he said. “Quite the opposite. Veteran teachers bring experience, professional training, emotional maturity, and skills that simply cannot be replaced.”

The real problem, he argued, is that the funding model makes employing experienced teachers financially unsustainable.

“It is inconceivable that an educational system would tell a 40- or 45-year-old teacher that her career is effectively over simply because she costs more,” Segal said. “Yet that’s exactly the direction this system is pushing us.”

Fewer Young Women Choosing the Profession

Beyond the funding crisis, participants warned of a rapidly growing shortage of future kindergarten teachers.

According to the panelists, enrollment in kindergarten teacher training programs at chareidi seminaries has dropped dramatically in recent years. Programs that were once among the most sought-after have either closed entirely or are operating with only a handful of students.

“Young women see the uncertainty, the salary disparities, and the way the profession is being treated, and they’re choosing other career paths,” Segal said. “In a few years, we could be facing a genuine nationwide shortage of kindergarten teachers.”

He added that the problem extends well beyond the chareidi sector, noting that Israel’s entire educational system is already experiencing a growing shortage of qualified preschool educators.

Calls to Extend ‘Ofek Chadash’ Reform

One of the central issues raised during the discussion was the government’s failure to implement the Ofek Chadash educational reform in chareidi kindergartens.

Network administrators argued that a teacher in the state school system, despite having identical qualifications and performing essentially the same job, can earn thousands of shekels more than her counterpart in the chareidi system.

“We’re talking about the same professional training, the same work, and in some cases even kindergartens operating in the very same building,” Rabbi Golomb said. “There is no logical explanation for why one teacher receives all the salary benefits and reforms while another is left behind.”

They argued that extending the reform to chareidi kindergartens would significantly improve salaries and help restore the profession’s attractiveness.

Sick Leave Costs Also Unfunded

Segal also pointed to another growing burden: sick leave.

He said teachers receive all the benefits required by law, but the government funding provided to the networks does not fully reimburse those expenses.

“We pay every benefit the teachers deserve,” he said. “The problem is that there is no matching budget to cover those payments. It’s yet another expense that keeps adding to an already growing deficit.”

Appeal to the Ministry of Education

The panelists emphasized that they are not seeking across-the-board budget increases but rather a funding formula that accurately reflects actual employment costs.

Among their primary demands are individualized funding based on each teacher’s experience and qualifications, full reimbursement for salary components that currently go unfunded, and the immediate implementation of the Ofek Chadash reform for chareidi kindergartens.

“Everyone understands there’s a problem,” Rabbi Golomb concluded. “The officials know it, the Ministry of Education knows it, and the Finance Ministry knows the numbers. The only question is when that understanding will finally be translated into action. We’ve reached the limit of what we can absorb, and now the responsibility rests with the decision-makers.”

Without meaningful changes in the coming months, he warned, many kindergarten networks may be unable to open some of their classrooms when the new school year begins—a development that could affect thousands of children and families throughout the country.

{Matzav.com}

Ukraine intensified its campaign against Russia’s energy infrastructure overnight, launching drone strikes on two major oil refineries in what analysts say is an increasingly effective effort to undermine one of the pillars of the Russian economy. The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare public acknowledgment that the country is going through a “difficult period,” underscoring the mounting pressure on Russia’s fuel industry.

According to Russian authorities, debris from intercepted Ukrainian drones sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the city of Slavyansk-na-Kubani, in the Krasnodar region east of Crimea. One person was killed and another was injured in a nearby village. At the same time, Ukrainian special forces confirmed they had also struck the Yaroslavl refinery, one of Russia’s five largest facilities and a major supplier of fuel to the Moscow region and central Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said both operations were successfully carried out. Russia, meanwhile, claimed its air defenses intercepted 213 Ukrainian drones overnight. At the same time, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched its own large-scale assault, firing 142 drones and eight missiles at Ukrainian targets.

The latest strikes are part of Kyiv’s sustained effort to cripple Russia’s refining and fuel distribution network. According to industry analysts, the campaign is beginning to have a significant impact. More than 20 percent of Russia’s oil refining capacity is reportedly offline, while production of refined petroleum products fell by approximately 13 percent in May compared to the same month last year.

The strain is also becoming increasingly evident in daily life across Russia. Dozens of regions are now experiencing fuel shortages or sales restrictions. In major cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, gasoline purchases have reportedly been limited to about 20 liters per customer. Reports indicate that between 55 and 56 regions are currently facing either official or unofficial restrictions on fuel supplies.

Against that backdrop, Putin publicly addressed the crisis for the first time during a conference of Russia’s ruling party.

“We are going through a difficult period, but it has made us stronger,” Putin said, adding that Russia would “overcome all the challenges,” including attacks on its infrastructure and territory.

In an effort to stabilize the situation, the Russian government has implemented a series of emergency measures. These include a ban on gasoline exports that has been in place since August 2025, a prohibition on jet fuel exports through November 2026, and consideration of a broader ban on diesel exports as well. Authorities have also established an emergency task force to ensure fuel deliveries to affected regions and have relaxed fuel quality standards, permitting the sale of gasoline with sulfur levels significantly higher than those typically allowed in Europe.

Despite those efforts, the pressure on Russia’s energy sector continues to mount. With Ukrainian drones repeatedly targeting key refining facilities and logistical hubs, the attacks are increasingly disrupting one of the most critical sectors of Russia’s economy and exposing growing vulnerabilities on the home front.

{Matzav.com}

Leading Sephardic gedolei Yisroel have issued an urgent public call urging the Torah community to participate in a massive protest rally Monday night in Bnei Brak on behalf of bnei yeshivos who have been imprisoned in Israeli military jails for refusing to abandon their Torah learning.

The gathering is expected to draw tens of thousands of Sephardic bnei Torah and will be led by the former Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, president of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, together with prominent Sephardic rabbonim and Torah leaders.

Ahead of the rally, senior Torah leaders—including Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah; Rav Shlomo Machpud, a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah; and Chacham Nissim Ben Shimon—issued a special proclamation under the heading, “Lech Kenos Es Kol HaYehudim” (“Go, Gather All the Jews”).

In their letter, the gedolim described the current situation as a time of grave spiritual danger, expressing deep concern over what they called decrees threatening bochurim and avreichim devoted to Torah study.

They wrote that the imprisonment of bnei yeshivah for learning Torah in Eretz Yisroel constitutes a profound desecration of Torah honor. Citing the words of Chazal that “one who causes others to sin is worse than one who kills,” they lamented that precious bnei Torah are being confined in military prisons, surrounded by influences completely foreign to their way of life.

The proclamation states: “Because of the difficult situation prevailing in our land, and because of the decrees of spiritual destruction threatening our precious bochurim and avreichim… and because of the humiliation of holy Torah scholars who are imprisoned in filthy prisons, in the contamination of the desires of this world, under harsh and cruel authorities, solely because they are learning Torah here in the Holy Land—woe to the ears that hear this, woe to the eyes that witness it, woe to us that this has occurred in our generation.”

The rabbonim added that every Jew who possesses yiras Shomayim has an obligation to protest publicly against the situation.

Calling for maximum participation, they wrote: “We hereby call upon all bnei Torah, avreichim, bnei yeshivos, and every Jew whose heart is filled with fear of Hashem to come and participate in the great assembly in the streets of the holy city of Bnei Brak… It is a sacred obligation upon every individual to attend. Let no one be absent.”

The rally is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Eshel Avrohom and Harav Rabinov Streets in Bnei Brak’s Ramat Elchanan–Ramat Aharon neighborhood. Organizers are expecting an enormous turnout in what is expected to be one of the largest public demonstrations held by the Sephardic Torah community in response to the imprisonment of bnei yeshivah.

{Matzav.com}

An attempt by Israeli Military Police to arrest a yeshiva bochur at his family home in Maale Adumim ended without an arrest early Monday morning after dozens of protesters rushed to the scene. The forces ultimately withdrew, and those gathered broke into celebratory dancing after it became clear the bochur was not at home.

The incident began shortly after 12:30 a.m., when the Tzeva Shachor alert system reported that Military Police officers were attempting to arrest a bochur at his family’s residence on Tzemach HaSadeh Street in Maale Adumim. About 30 minutes later, the system reported that the officers had left the area.

It later emerged that the yeshiva bochur whom the Military Police had sought to arrest was actually at the yeshiva where he studies in Yerushalayim’s Ramat Eshkol neighborhood and was not at his family home when the officers arrived. His brother, who is scheduled to be married in the coming days, was at the house.

Following the alert, dozens of people converged on the home in an effort to prevent the arrest. After the Military Police withdrew, participants gathered outside the Nager family’s home and celebrated with singing and dancing alongside the chosson, the bochur’s brother.

Video published by Kan 11 reporter Daniel Groveis captured one of the officers telling protest organizers, “Look, I didn’t bring even one police vehicle. I came alone.” Protesters responded, “Kol hakavod.”

The attempted arrest came amid growing tensions between the chareidi parties and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over legislation concerning the military draft of bnei yeshivos.

As previously reported, Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs recently sent a letter to Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth outlining proposed legislation intended to prevent the arrest of lomdei Torah through what he described as “effective supervision.”

In the letter, Fuchs wrote that, as a direct result of the High Court’s ruling, yeshivos enrolling draft-eligible students have lost all government funding, while the students and their families have also been subjected to various financial sanctions. He said that, following the ruling, the Attorney General instructed the IDF to carry out frequent arrest operations in cooperation with the Israel Police.

A senior source in the chareidi parties remarked, “We’ve had enough of words and promises. Netanyahu will be judged only by his actions. As long as we don’t see action, no legislation will move forward in the current Knesset until it is dissolved.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that work will soon begin on restoring the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after Independence Day celebrations conclude, accusing what he called “Radical Left Vandals” of deliberately damaging the landmark and causing extensive deterioration.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the pool has only recently returned to service after undergoing major repairs and claimed that vandals were responsible for sabotaging the project.

“The Reflecting Pool is now in full use after suffering great damage from Criminal, Radical Left Vandals, people that truly hate our Country,” Trump wrote.

He said the pool will be drained immediately after the nation’s 250th anniversary festivities so repairs can be completed.

“It never worked properly until last week and, right after July 4th, when we will drain the water to treat the damage caused by these ‘animals,’ it will again be in perfect shape,” he added.

Trump also said the algae problem has been eliminated for now and that landscaping repairs are underway.

“In the meantime, it is working well, the criminally made algae is gone, and the grass, which was destroyed, is being replaced shortly.”

The administration invested nearly $15 million earlier this year to overhaul the iconic reflecting pool. The project included installing a new blue liner, repairing persistent leaks, and adding advanced “nanobubbler” technology designed to prevent algae growth. Despite those upgrades, the pool soon experienced a significant algae bloom, while portions of the new lining reportedly began peeling.

Trump and the National Park Service have maintained that the damage was intentional, alleging that vandals cut through the protective liner with a sharp object.

“They cut the lower surface of a very expensive and strong waterproof padding, in the color of American Flag Blue, and put their hands underneath the surface, and ripped it,” Trump said in his Sunday post.

The reflecting pool project is one of several major renovation efforts undertaken during Trump’s second term. Among the most high-profile has been the construction of a new White House ballroom, a project that required demolition of the East Wing and has generated considerable public debate.

Trump also revealed that he recently toured the East Potomac Golf Links, describing the historic municipal course as being in severe disrepair.

Calling the property “dilapidated, worn out, and very dangerous,” Trump pledged that his administration will transform it into “one of the Greatest Golf Courses anywhere in the World,” while emphasizing that it will remain open for public use and offer panoramic views of Washington’s monuments.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack Sunday against two New York Times reporters over their forthcoming book about his administration, accusing them of fabricating events and conversations that allegedly took place inside the White House Situation Room.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump dismissed the book as fiction and singled out veteran Times reporter Maggie Haberman for sharp criticism.

“Based on a very quick and boring briefing concerning the Magot Hagerman book about me, it is mostly made up, Fake News, largely fiction, as have been most of the things she has written about me for so many years,” Trump wrote.

He continued, “She is a third rate writer and intellect, who has made a first rate income because of your favorite President, ME.”

The criticism came ahead of the release of Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, co-authored by Haberman and Jonathan Swan, a former Hill reporter who now covers the White House for The New York Times.

Excerpts from the book claim that senior Trump administration officials discussed the possibility of suspending habeas corpus and debated how to respond to renewed scrutiny surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a confidential meeting inside the highly secure White House Situation Room.

The authors also recount what they describe as detailed exchanges from that meeting, including direct quotations attributed to Vice President JD Vance, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.

The level of detail included in the reported conversations has fueled speculation that the reporters may have obtained an audio recording of the classified meeting or had access to someone with unusually detailed knowledge of what transpired.

Haberman and Swan have declined to say whether any recordings were provided to them, stating only that they are “not going to comment” on the matter. At the same time, both reporters have defended the accuracy of their reporting.

The reports have reportedly unsettled some administration officials. Vice President Vance acknowledged concerns about the possibility that recordings of internal White House meetings could exist, saying he is “legitimately worried” that such audio may have been made.

{Matzav.com}

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is facing fierce criticism after publicly celebrating Somali Independence Day and declaring that the city stands with its Somali community, remarks that quickly reignited debate over immigration, public spending, and a massive federal fraud case involving Somali-owned organizations in Minnesota.

Happy Somali Independence Day!

Here in Minnesota, home to one of the largest Somali communities in the United States, we celebrate the resilience, culture, and leadership that continue to enrich our city and community. pic.twitter.com/RP7jlgO5ar

— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) June 28, 2026

In a post on X, Frey shared a video commemorating the occasion, praising the Somali community for its contributions to Minneapolis. He wrote that the city was honoring “the resilience, culture, and leadership that continue to enrich” both Minneapolis and its residents.

In the accompanying video, Frey emphasized that Somali residents are viewed as members of the community rather than outsiders.

“Through the most difficult of times and through Operation Metro Surge, we all saw that they tried to come for some of us,” Frey said. “And, when that happens, we say that you’re coming for all of us. In Minneapolis, we love our neighbors. In Minneapolis, we do not see you as immigrants, we see you as our family.”

He continued, “You are our brothers, you are our sisters. You have done so much for this incredible city, and for that, we stand with you.”

According to Kare11 News, Somali Independence Day is observed annually on July 1, marking the day Somalia gained independence from European colonial powers and unified as a nation.

The mayor’s comments quickly drew criticism online, with several conservative commentators and independent journalists pointing to the massive Feeding Our Future fraud scandal that centered on numerous Somali-run organizations in Minnesota.

Commentator Matt Van Swol wrote on X, “The Somali community in Minnesota alone stole $250 million from federal child nutrition programs meant to feed hungry underprivileged children.”

Independent journalist Nick Sortor also criticized the mayor, asking, “Are you really too stupid to understand the Somalis simply see you as their useful idiot?”

Townhall columnist Dustin Grage took aim at Frey’s priorities, writing, “Jacob Frey’s Independence Day references. America: 4, Somalia: 10.”

Another social media user sarcastically questioned the mayor’s praise, asking, “Minnesota taxpayers, do you feel enriched?”

The controversy follows previous criticism of Frey over his outreach to the Somali community. After winning reelection in November 2025, he delivered portions of his victory speech in Somali, a move that also generated backlash.

More recently, federal authorities carried out coordinated raids at more than 20 locations across Minneapolis, including childcare centers, as part of an investigation into alleged fraud involving Somali-owned businesses.

Citizen journalist Nick Shirley has also drawn attention to the issue through videos documenting visits to several Minnesota childcare centers that reportedly received millions of dollars in federal funding. According to Shirley, many of the facilities appeared empty during his visits, with no visible signs of children despite receiving substantial government assistance.

{Matzav.com}