Feed aggregator

Israel’s former Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, sharply criticized the conduct of the Israeli military police regarding the arrest of yeshiva students, charging that the enforcement is discriminatory and disproportionately targets Sephardic youth.

Speaking last night at the start of his weekly shiur at the Yazdim Shul, Rav Yosef addressed what he described as a clear pattern in the recent initiated arrests, noting that all detainees thus far have been from Sephardic backgrounds.

During his remarks, Rav Yosef commented pointedly on the issue, turning to the guest rov next to him and saying: “The rov lives in France. If he were living in Israel, he would learn from the authorities to arrest only Sephardim. There is discrimination. Baruch Hashem, he is in France — there, there is no discrimination.”

Rav Yosef also referenced a recent meeting he held last week with Avraham Malul, a talmid at Yeshiva Or Yehuda, who had been arrested and jailed after being classified as a draft evader and was later released.

Addressing the matter further during the meeting, Rav Yosef said: “Unfortunately, we see that they are mainly arresting Sephardic boys, residents of the periphery. Hashem should save us.”

In recent months, Rav Yosef has repeatedly spoken out on the issue during his weekly shiurim, delivering especially forceful criticism of the nighttime arrests. In one such address, he said: “They are arresting mainly Sephardim. They know the mother is weak, the father is weak. You need to strengthen yourselves. What is this, Russia? Is this a communist regime? Bolsheviks? They go and arrest yeshiva boys in the middle of the night, banging loudly on the door. If they knock, look through the peephole. You need to be strong. Hashem should help that this period pass. It is a very difficult period.”

The criticism was echoed by Rav Yehuda Cohen, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah of Shas and rosh yeshiva of Be’er HaTalmud, who spoke in particularly blunt terms. “Listen — all of those arrested are Sephardim only. Only Sephardim!” he said. “Those who choose them in all those parties should know well how much they love Sephardim.”

He added: “They don’t dare arrest Ashkenazim — only Sephardim. I already said two years ago: they are Ashkenazim, they will never touch them. Only the Sephardim. They think we are nothing, absolutely nothing.”

{Matzav.com}

Palestinians entering Israel illegally were seen near the Atarot area and the Palestinian town of Al-Ram the same area from which the terrorist who carried out last Friday’s terrorist attack entered Israel.

Secretary Turner: “At HUD, this year alone, we have helped over 1 million first-time homebuyers… cutting red tape, taking down burdensome regulations… these policy actions that have been taken will continue to happen to bring down [costs].”

Unverified reports emerging from Tehran claim that trading activity has effectively collapsed, following a sharp spike in the prices of gold and the U.S. dollar. According to the reports, the sudden surge has triggered panic in financial markets, leading to widespread disruption in commerce. Iranian authorities have not issued any official confirmation, and the situation […]

[COMMUNICATED]

You’ve Always Cared. Now You Can Get Trained.

•  Competitive pricing. 
•  Faculty who honor community values.
•  Relevant, practical coursework.
•  The support and flexibility you need to balance everything.

Get your MSW without putting your life on hold, and turn your compassion into a career.

Fully online. Small cohorts.

NEW SPRING START DATE!

Register by January 30

Classes begin February 22

Not ready yet? Next start date will be Fall 2026

Click HERE to register!

📞 877-746-4884

From scraped knees to unexpected emergencies, parents deserve to know their children are in the best hands. The all-new Pediatric ER at Maimonides Children’s Hospital combines specialized pediatric expertise with compassion, communication, and comfort — so families feel supported when it matters most. Little adventures. Big peace of mind.My Bklyn. My Care. https://api.jewishadgroup.com/13QNiX

Jonathan Karl: What side of Russia-Ukraine is Trump on? GOP Rep. Mike Turner: I, you know, clearly, ummp, Trump is on the side of peace.

TRUMP: I am pleased to announce that the breakout fighting between Thailand and Cambodia will stop momentarily, and they will go back to living in PEACE, as per our recently agreed to original treaty.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Miami for a meeting with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

Israel’s High Court has rejected petitions against the appointment of David Zini as head of the Shin Bet, upholding the nomination in a 2–1 ruling. The majority justices said the court should show restraint regarding senior security appointments, especially when they have already been reviewed by the advisory committee. Chief Justice Yitzhak Amit dissented, saying […]

Clashes erupted in Syria’s coastal city of Latakia during demonstrations calling for a transition to a federal system, with protesters confronting Syrian security forces. Syrian media report at least three people were killed — including a security officer — and around 60 others, both civilians and security personnel, were wounded.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have delivered the first operational Iron Beam high-power laser system to the Israel Defense Forces, marking the technology’s transition from development to active deployment, the ministry said.

United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzchok Goldknopf sharply criticized the Likud after the party released an official statement during Shabbos, calling the move a serious affront to religious sensitivities.

The statement in question was issued Friday night by Likud spokesman Guy Levy, after the onset of Shabbos. The message reiterated accusations against Qatar Gate suspect Eli Feldstein, who previously served as military spokesman in the Prime Minister’s Office, while at the same time expressing support for another Qatar Gate suspect, Yonatan Urich, an adviser to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

Goldknopf said the decision to publish the announcement at that time was entirely unnecessary and should never have been done on Shabbos.

“Publishing an official political message at the height of Shabbos crosses a red line and constitutes severe harm to Shabbos’ sanctity and to the status quo, which are basic values of the State of Israel as a Jewish state,” he said.

He added that beyond the substance of the statement itself, the timing reflected a troubling disregard for the Shabbos-observant public. “In addition to the contents of the statement, the very decision to publish such a statement on Shabbos expresses contempt for the Shabbos-observant public and severe harm to the public. There is no justification, not political and not media-related, to violate Shabbos for the sake of managing denials and political spins.”

{Matzav.com}

HAPPENING NOW: A Peleg Yerushalmi protest has begun on Route 4 at the Coca-Cola Junction, with the roadway currently blocked to traffic. Heavy traffic congestion is also being reported throughout Bnei Brak, particularly on routes leading out of the city, as motorists experience significant delays.

A family was rescued earlier today by Southern District firefighters after their vehicle became partially submerged in floodwaters on Route 80.

ELON MUSK TRUTH: “Democrats are trying to import voters. That’s why there’s no voter ID.” “The biggest outcry is from the Dems, who don’t want the waste and fraud to be turned off, because it is a gigantic magnet to attract illegal immigrants!”

Tzvachi Havkin, a retired police detective, was identified on Sunday as the former investigator in the cases against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who is suspected of criminal ties to the Musli crime family. The Jerusalem District Court lifted a gag order on his identity on Sunday morning. Havkin and three other police officers were arrested […]

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is now in a stronger position than it was during the recent 12-day conflict with Israel. He added that although the country still faces challenges, Iran’s forces are now better equipped and more capable than they were at the start of the 12-day conflict.

Israel on Sunday marked a major milestone in modern warfare with the delivery of the world’s first operational high-power laser air defense system to the IDF. The Defense Ministry announced that Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has handed over the first operational “Iron Beam” laser interception system to the IDF, following extensive testing in which the […]

The Peleg Yerushalmi announced that it will resume protests across Israel today, warning of widespread traffic congestion due to the protestors.

The demonstrations are being organized in response to the continued arrests of yeshiva students.

According to an announcement, the Peleg protests were ordered by the movement’s leadership, which instructed supporters to take to the streets in what it described as a firm and forceful stand against the arrests.

Demonstrations are scheduled to begin at approximately 4:30 p.m. Protest locations were not disclosed beforehand, a decision organizers said was made in order to prevent advance preparations by police.

Peleg has frequently demonstrated in the past along Road 4 near Bnei Brak, as well as in areas surrounding the main entrance to Yerushalayim. Authorities are bracing for significant traffic delays in those regions and possibly elsewhere as the protests unfold today.

{Matzav.com}