Matzav

President Donald Trump signed an executive order authorizing the imposition of tariffs on goods from any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba, a step that could intensify the severe energy shortages already gripping the island.

The measure is expected to place particular strain on Mexico, which has emerged as a key source of oil for Cuba and has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the Cuban government, even as President Claudia Sheinbaum has worked to cultivate a close working relationship with Trump.

In recent days, speculation has mounted that Mexico might significantly reduce its oil exports to Cuba as pressure from Trump grows for Mexico to distance itself from Havana.

Cuba, mired in a worsening economic and energy crisis—exacerbated in part by long-standing U.S. sanctions—has increasingly depended on foreign assistance and oil shipments from allies such as Mexico, Russia, and Venezuela, prior to a U.S. military operation that ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Following that operation, Trump declared that Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba would cease and asserted that the Cuban government was on the verge of collapse.

According to its latest report, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, Pemex, delivered nearly 20,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba between January and Sept. 30, 2025.

That same month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Mexico City.

After the visit, Jorge Pinon, an energy expert at the University of Texas Energy Institute who monitors shipments through satellite tracking, said deliveries had dropped to roughly 7,000 barrels per day.

Sheinbaum has offered limited clarity on Mexico’s position regarding the shipments.

Over the past week, she has provided indirect and noncommittal responses to questions about oil exports to Cuba, repeatedly sidestepping the issue during her morning press briefings.

On Tuesday, Sheinbaum acknowledged that Pemex had at least temporarily halted some oil shipments to Cuba, but she characterized the pause as part of routine fluctuations in supply and emphasized that it was a “sovereign decision” unrelated to pressure from the United States.

Sheinbaum has maintained that Mexico would continue to demonstrate solidarity with Havana, though she has not specified the nature or scope of that support.

On Wednesday, she said she never suggested that shipments had been fully “suspended” and stated that “humanitarian aid” to Cuba would continue.

She added that shipment decisions are governed by contractual obligations within Pemex.

“So the contract determines when shipments are sent and when they are not sent,” Sheinbaum said.

It remains uncertain how Trump’s order signed Thursday will ultimately affect Cuba, which has endured years of economic hardship under a U.S. embargo and recurring crises.

Tensions were already visible on the island this week, as long lines formed at gas stations and drivers waited anxiously for fuel, unsure of what developments might come next.

{Matzav.com}

A powerful moment of personal example and chizuk took place this week when Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein hosted rabbanim from the Chofetz Chaim B’Iyun kollel network in his home. The Chofetz Chaim B’Iyun kollel network is an organization dedicated to the study of the Chofetz Chaim and the strengthening of shemiras halashon.

During the gathering, as seen in the photo above, Rav Zilberstein surprised those present by physically showing them his teeth, explaining that they are all still intact. He then shared a well-known tradition about the Chofetz Chaim, who toward the end of his life displayed his own complete set of teeth and said that not a single one had fallen out, because he had never spoken lashon hara in his lifetime.

Those close to Rav Zilberstein added that his son-in-law, the mekubal Rav Dov Kook, has testified that his father-in-law likewise merited this brocha. According to Rav Kook, Rav Zilberstein retained all of his teeth for the same reason — “because he never spoke negatively about another Jew.”

{Matzav.com}

An extraordinary moment took place this week at the home of the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Dov Landau, leaving those present stunned by his brilliance and astonishing memory.

The episode occurred following a bris held in the Rosh Yeshiva’s home. After the bris, family members approached Rav Landau to receive brachos and introduced him to the baby’s grandfather, Rav Chaim H., one of his talmidim.

Rav Landau was visibly delighted to see him and immediately said, “What you said, that the Rabbanan disagree with Rav Yosi regarding gram kibui and grama on Shabbos — the Maggid Mishneh does not write that. Rather, the Rabbanan agree with Rav Yosi that gram kibui is prohibited.”

Rav Chaim H. paused, trying to recall what the Rosh Yeshiva was referring to and could not understand why Rav Landau was raising the point. Rav Landau then turned to him again and asked, “Don’t you remember this? I remember it clearly. It was decades ago — maybe 30 or 40 years ago.”

After reflecting further, the former talmid realized that Rav Landau was correct: the two of them had indeed discussed that very sugya together roughly 35 years earlier — the last time the topic had come up between them.

Those present were left in awe, struck by the Rosh Yeshiva’s extraordinary genius and razor-sharp memory, able to recall with precision a detailed Torah discussion from more than three decades earlier.

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations is confronting a severe financial emergency that could push the organization toward what its top official described as an “imminent financial collapse,” according to a letter sent to member states late last month.

In the message dated Jan. 28, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the organization’s financial position is rapidly worsening due to a combination of unpaid membership dues and restrictive budget rules. “The crisis is deepening, threatening program delivery and risking financial collapse. And the situation will deteriorate further in the near future,” Guterres wrote.

At the heart of the problem are mounting arrears from member states, which have left the U.N. struggling to meet its core financial obligations. The shortfall has affected both the regular budget and peacekeeping operations, creating cash-flow pressures that have become increasingly difficult to manage.

Guterres also pointed to a long-standing budget regulation that requires the organization to return unspent funds to member states, even during periods of acute financial stress. He described this rule as a structural flaw that exacerbates instability and limits the U.N.’s ability to plan responsibly.

The financial strain has been compounded by reductions in voluntary contributions from some major donors and delays in mandatory payments, further tightening available resources. As a result, the organization has been forced to consider cost-cutting measures and internal adjustments to keep operations running.

In his letter, Guterres cautioned that without immediate action, the United Nations could face a liquidity crisis within months. He urged member states either to pay their assessed contributions in full and on time or to agree to a fundamental overhaul of the organization’s financial rules to prevent collapse.

The growing cash crunch has raised concerns about the U.N.’s capacity to carry out essential missions, including peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and development programs worldwide. Officials warn that continued delays in funding could lead to reductions in services and undermine the organization’s global role.

Despite ongoing efforts to streamline operations and rein in expenses, Guterres made clear that internal reforms alone will not be sufficient. Without decisive action from member states, he warned, the financial outlook for the United Nations will continue to deteriorate.

Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal authorities on Friday, a development confirmed by Newsmax correspondent James Rosen and a Justice Department official with knowledge of the case.

According to Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, federal agents arrested the journalist in Los Angeles, where he had been reporting on the Grammy Awards.

Attorney General Pam Bondi later stated on X that the arrests of Lemon, along with Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, were carried out “at my direction.”

Lowell sharply criticized the action, calling it an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment.”

In a statement, Lowell said, “Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards.” He added, “Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done.”

The arrest followed a decision last week in which a magistrate judge declined prosecutors’ initial attempt to bring charges against Lemon.

Authorities are now pursuing allegations that include conspiracy to deprive rights and interference with religious freedom inside a house of worship.

The case stems from a January 18 incident in which Lemon livestreamed a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies in the area.

Lemon has said that he attended the event in his capacity as a journalist, explaining that while he had advance notice of the demonstration, he was unaware that activists intended to interrupt a religious service.

Video from the scene shows Lemon engaged in a heated exchange with a parishioner over immigration enforcement. Officials in the Trump administration swiftly denounced the protest, accusing those involved of intimidating Christian worshippers.

Lemon was scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing later on Friday.

Amid mounting tensions over the proposed draft law and the passage of the state budget, former minister and Knesset member Michoel Malchieli addressed the steps being taken by the chareidi parties, stressing that decisions are being made out of deep responsibility rather than narrow political calculation. According to Malchieli, the position of the Shas faction is grounded in clear rulings of the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah of Shas, with constant evaluation of the implications for the Torah world and the chareidi public at large.

Malchieli noted that months ago a firm decision was reached to withdraw from the government and later from Knesset committees, but not to bring down the coalition. “There was a very clear decision to leave the government, and afterward to leave the committees, but not to leave the coalition. All no-confidence motions and efforts to topple the government — we opposed them,” he said, emphasizing that even when the draft law stalled, there was no intention to cause the government’s collapse.

Turning to the budget vote, Malchieli described the choice as an exceptionally difficult one. “If the budget hadn’t passed its first reading last week, the government would have fallen — and then there would have been no budget at all. The impact on the chareidi public would have been dramatic: all the funds are outside the base budget and would move to monthly allocations of one-twelfth. That means no funding for education networks, kollelim, and institutions. Four months of elections without knowing what kind of government would emerge … that’s an extremely hard question.”

He said that the decision was made only after renewed consultations with the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of both Degel HaTorah and Shas. “A clear decision was reached: to support the first reading, based on the impression that there is genuine progress on the draft law, that it has a majority in the Knesset, and that this is not a political event but a purely legal one. We are sitting with legal advisers and trying to craft language that will also pass the High Court.”

Malchieli rejected claims that this is simply another meaningless delay. “In the past, this was a political event. The ones who removed Gallant and Edelstein weren’t us. It was Netanyahu, who understood that games were being played within his own coalition. Today, it’s a completely different situation. There is a majority, and the dispute is legal. That doesn’t mean we’ll do everything at any price, but we will try.”

Addressing pressure campaigns within the chareidi public opposing the law, Malchieli said such efforts have no impact on Gedolei Yisroel themselves. “Inside those homes sit people in their nineties whose entire lives are Torah. The posters don’t interest them.” Still, he acknowledged that there is an effect at the broader public level. “There are good people and bnei Torah who get drawn into this. You can’t ignore that.”

Malchieli claimed that external forces are behind some of the campaigns. “Behind the massive campaign and the huge money being invested against Aryeh Deri and against rabbanim are activists with limitless resources. They’ve operated inside the chareidi public to divide us. A nation of the book needs to ask who is funding this and who is amplifying it.”

Responding sharply to accusations that the chareidi parties are “selling the Torah world for power,” Malchieli said: “Gedolei Yisroel are updated almost daily. They don’t ‘read’ the law. They learn it, like learning a difficult sugya about permitting an agunah. They are studying the draft law like a sugya in Yevamos. To say we’re power-hungry is the opposite of reality. The easiest thing for us would be to put down the keys and go to the opposition. That’s where you get applause. But who would run religious services? Who would protect the yeshivos? Who would manage the draft law?”

He concluded by drawing a firm red line. “If in the end there is no law that our rabbanim approve, there will be no draft law. Period. We won’t do anything without a clear ruling from Gedolei Yisroel. The instruction we received is to stay on the field and manage it, not to sit in the stands. That is how we will act.”

All are asked to daven for the refuah sheleimah of Rav Elyakim Schlesinger, one of the ziknei roshei yeshivos, who is in need of great rachamei Shamayim.

Rav Schlesinger was born on 22 Cheshvan 5682 (November 23, 1921) in Vienna to Rav Dovid Schlesinger and his mother, Baila. In 1931, as a young child, he moved with his family to Eretz Yisroel, where they settled in Tel Aviv. His formative Torah education began under the guidance of Rav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky, and he later continued his learning at Yeshivas Kaminetz and at Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah.

Rav Schlesinger married his wife, Dina Yehudis, daughter of Rav Moshe Blau. Following the passing of his father-in-law, he was appointed Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Pnei Moshe in Yerushalayim, a mosad established in Rav Blau’s memory. At the recommendation of the Brisker Rov, Rav Schlesinger later relocated to Europe. He first served as Rosh Yeshiva in the city of Kapellen, Belgium, for two years, before moving to London, where he founded Yeshivas Harama. The yeshiva was named in honor of the Chasam Sofer’s son, the Kesav Sofer, and later also in recognition of the Daas Sofer, who had been one of Rav Schlesinger’s rabbeim.

Over the decades, Rav Schlesinger – who is today 104 years old – became one of the central figures of the chareidi community in England, maintaining close relationships with many of the gedolei Yisroel of his generation, including the Brisker Rov and the Chazon Ish. His personal recollections and insights into those figures were later recorded in his sefer Hador Vehatekufah, which offers a rare first-hand window into the Torah leadership of the previous generation.

Beyond his role as Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Schlesinger has been deeply involved in communal matters. He has long been active in the protection of kevorim across Europe and serves as chairman of the committee dedicated to safeguarding Jewish cemeteries on the continent. His principled stance on a range of public issues, particularly matters affecting Torah education and religious autonomy, has made him a prominent voice of daas Torah and the preservation of authentic Yiddishkeit.

Rav Schlesinger is the author of numerous Torah works, including multiple volumes of Beis Av on Shas, halacha, machshavah, and drush, as well as a Haggadah shel Pesach and other seforim that reflect his breadth in both learning and hashkafah.

All are asked to daven for Rav Elyakim ben Baila.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Vice President J.D. Vance used a moment during a White House Cabinet meeting to make clear that he is not the unnamed “fat” friend President Donald Trump frequently refers to while recounting a story about a failed attempt with a weight-loss drug.

The clarification came as Trump, 79, was once again telling officials about an overweight businessman who tried a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic and did not see results. Trump detailed the man’s experience while speaking in the Cabinet Room.

“I told him it wasn’t working. For him, it didn’t work,” Trump said. “He knows I’m talkin’ about him. It drives him crazy. He begs me not to mention it.”

Vance, 41, cut in at that point to distance himself from the anecdote and remove any doubt about who Trump was referring to.

“He’s not talking about me,” he said, drawing laughter from others in the room.

Trump has repeated versions of the same story many times, including in conversations with journalists and at public appearances. In his telling, the friend complains that Ozempic is significantly cheaper overseas than in New York, but still did not help him lose weight, leading Trump to joke that the drug “didn’t work” because the man is now “fatter than ever.”

The repeated anecdote has fueled speculation among critics about the identity of the person Trump is describing, with some pointing to high-profile figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk or White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, both of whom have publicly discussed weight-loss efforts.

Others have jokingly suggested that Trump could be referring to himself, particularly after he told The New York Times that he “probably” should be taking Ozempic but is not.

Vance, who lost roughly 30 pounds between 2022 and 2024, has generally not been included in those guesses.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the exchange.

Throughout Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, Vance mostly limited his participation to brief, lighthearted remarks, while other officials used their time to praise Trump’s leadership.

When Trump invited him to speak again near the end of the meeting, Vance kept it short and quipped, “I’m just here for the free coffee.”

Earlier in the session, Trump also pushed back on media reports suggesting he appeared to fall asleep during a prior Cabinet meeting, citing the length of that earlier gathering and attempting to dismiss the criticism.

The Thursday meeting was significantly shorter than the lengthy session held in December, with many Cabinet members voicing support for the president, though several officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, did not speak.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

[Videos below.] Large snow-melting tubs have been put back into service across New York City for the first time in nearly five years as crews work to clear lingering snow left behind by Sunday’s deadly winter storm, the NY Post reports.

City sanitation officials said Wednesday that eight of the specialized machines, known as snow melters, were deployed early Tuesday to remove snow from streets, sidewalks, and bus stops that would otherwise remain for weeks because temperatures have stayed below freezing.

“The snow is just not melting at all, [and] we want to make sure we have enough real estate for businesses and pedestrians to get around freely,” Acting Department of Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan told The NY Post.

“In the next couple of days, they’ll notice the difference,” he said.

Each of the snow melters is capable of liquefying between 60 and 120 tons of snow per hour. The machines have been placed at locations such as Broad and Water streets in lower Manhattan, where massive piles of snow—some spanning the size of a football field—are fed into the tubs, which operate at about 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the snow is melted, the resulting water is discharged directly into the sewer system with approval from the Department of Environmental Protection. Lojan said the placement of the melters depends on which sites receive the necessary environmental clearances.

The city last carried out a full-scale deployment of the snow-melting tubs in February 2021, after a powerful nor’easter blanketed New York with repeated rounds of heavy snow.

Sanitation officials also noted that the equipment was used on a more limited basis in February 2022.

Winter Storm Fern dumped close to 15 inches of snow in some neighborhoods, including 11.4 inches in Central Park and 14.9 inches in Washington Heights in upper Manhattan.

It marked the first time since 2021 that a single storm brought more than a foot of snow to the city.

The eight snow melters currently in use are part of a fleet of 27 owned by the Department of Sanitation and are positioned in Inwood and lower Manhattan, Orchard Beach in the Bronx, East New York and Red Hook in Brooklyn, Maspeth and Queensboro Hill in Queens, and South Beach in Staten Island.

Lojan said residents should expect to see the machines operating in neighborhoods for the next “several weeks.”

He added that another potential snowstorm forecast for the upcoming weekend could extend how long the melters remain in use.

“It depends on this weekend’s storm how much progress we make in the next few days,” the commissioner said.

“Obviously, we’re a little far out.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he has been in contact with Iran and hopes the standoff with the Islamic Republic can be resolved without the use of force, even as the United States continues to bolster its military posture in the region.

The President made the remarks while speaking with reporters as he arrived alongside First Lady Melania Trump for the premiere of a documentary focused on the First Lady. Asked whether he has recently communicated with Iranian officials and whether further discussions are planned, Trump responded, “I have had, and I am planning on it,” before adding, “We have a lot of very big, powerful ships sailing to Iran right now. It would be great if we didn’t have to use them.”

Pressed on what he conveyed to Iranian leaders, Trump said he delivered two clear demands. “I told them two things: number one, no nuclear, and number two, stop killing protesters. They are killing them by the thousands. I stopped 837 hangings two weeks ago. They are going to have to do something.”

.@POTUS on Iran: "We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now — and it would be great if we didn't have to use them." pic.twitter.com/hh9r4kpcrT

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 30, 2026

Trump’s comments came after a Wall Street Journal report that he has been briefed on a range of potential military responses to Iran. According to the report, the options were developed jointly by officials at the White House and the Pentagon.

Among the proposals reviewed was an expansive operation described as “the big plan,” which would involve widespread airstrikes against sites linked to Iran’s ruling clerics and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Other alternatives outlined to the President reportedly include limited attacks on high-profile regime symbols, with the option to intensify the campaign if Tehran continues advancing its nuclear program. The briefings also covered non-kinetic measures such as cyber operations against Iranian financial institutions and the tightening of economic sanctions.

Earlier Thursday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the armed forces are prepared to act if Trump authorizes military action against Iran.

“We’re having to rebuild how our enemies perceive us. And when President Trump said, we’re not getting a nuclear Iran, you won’t have a nuclear bomb, you meant it,” Hegseth said.

Trump has repeatedly paired his warnings with expressions of hope for a diplomatic resolution. On Tuesday night, he again said he wants Iran to reach an agreement with Washington, while pointing out that American forces have been reinforced across the Middle East.

Addressing supporters at a rally in Iowa, Trump said, “There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now. So we will see.”

“I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal,” he continued.

The President reinforced that message a day later on Truth Social, posting, “A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela.”

He followed with a sharper warning, writing, “Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!”

Trump concluded by invoking a previous confrontation, stating, “As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump, along with two of his sons and the Trump Organization, filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department, alleging the agencies failed to prevent the unlawful release of his tax information during his first term in office. The case stems from a breach for which a former IRS contractor admitted guilt in 2023.

The complaint, brought by Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and the Trump Organization, asserts that the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department failed in their “duty to safeguard and protect Plaintiffs’ confidential tax returns and related tax return information from such unauthorized inspection and public disclosure.”

According to the lawsuit, those failures led to “reputational and financial harm, public embarrassment, unfairly tarnished their business reputations, portrayed them in a false light, and negatively affected President Trump, and the other Plaintiffs’ public standing.”

The plaintiffs are seeking $10 billion in damages. The case was filed in federal court in Florida.

The suit follows criminal proceedings involving Charles Littlejohn, an IRS contractor who pleaded guilty in 2023 to unlawfully obtaining and leaking confidential tax records tied to Trump and thousands of other high-net-worth individuals to two media outlets in 2019 and 2020.

Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison. During his sentencing hearing in 2024, a federal judge described the disclosures as “an attack on our constitutional democracy.”

{Matzav.com}

American Airlines announced Thursday that it intends to restore daily service to Venezuela, pending approval from the U.S. government and the completion of security reviews, only weeks after the U.S. military carried out an operation that resulted in the seizure of the country’s leader.

Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump said he had urged the Department of Transportation to remove existing restrictions that prevent U.S. airlines from flying to Venezuela, following a conversation with the country’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez.

“American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there,” Trump said.

The airline halted its Venezuela routes in 2019 after U.S. authorities imposed a ban on flights. Earlier this month, the United States launched a military action in Venezuela and detained the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro.

American Airlines, which first began flying to Venezuela in 1987, said the planned service would support business travel, tourism, and humanitarian efforts. Prior to the suspension, the carrier was the largest U.S. airline operating in the country.

Before flights can resume, the Federal Aviation Administration must complete a series of safety evaluations, a process that is expected to take several months.

On Jan. 16, the FAA advised airlines to take extra precautions when operating over Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America, citing concerns over possible military activity and GPS signal disruptions.

The agency said it had issued Notices to Airmen for airspace over Mexico and Central America, as well as Ecuador, Colombia, and sections of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Relations between the United States and leaders in the region have grown increasingly tense following a significant U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean ordered by the Trump administration.

Earlier this month, Trump said drug cartels had effectively taken control of Mexico and suggested that U.S. forces could strike targets on land as part of efforts to combat them, one of several statements signaling a willingness to use military force against the cartels.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly cautioned that any unilateral U.S. military action on Mexican soil would amount to a serious breach of national sovereignty. At the same time, she has agreed to enhanced bilateral security cooperation with Washington in an effort to keep Mexico out of Trump’s direct focus.

Concerns over regional air safety intensified last month when a JetBlue flight headed to New York was forced to take evasive action to avoid a near-collision with a U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft near Venezuela that was not transmitting a transponder signal.

{Matzav.com}

New York City officials under Mayor Zohran Mamdani directed police officers and sanitation crews to stop dismantling homeless encampments just weeks before a brutal Arctic cold snap, after which 10 people were found dead outdoors, according to a report by The New York Post.

The directive was issued shortly after the democratic socialist mayor took office and effectively shifted responsibility for the encampments to the Department of Homeless Services, an agency that sources say was unprepared for the role and received little instruction from City Hall.

The policy change followed Mamdani’s December pledge to end homeless sweeps and took effect ahead of a severe winter storm and plunging temperatures that battered New York City over the past week.

During the previous administration, Mayor Eric Adams expanded the use of encampment clearings as the problem intensified during the COVID-era shutdowns, though the practice had been used by multiple mayors before him, including Mamdani ally Bill de Blasio.

According to insiders, NYPD officers have been instructed to limit their role to responding to calls and logging the locations of encampments, without disturbing anything that could be considered personal property.

Under the new rules, police may only intervene directly if someone inside a tent experiences a medical emergency.

Even in situations involving potential safety hazards, officers have been told they must elevate concerns to supervisors rather than act on their own, sources said.

Sanitation Department workers were also ordered not to interfere with encampments.

Instead, city employees were told to alert Department of Homeless Services staff.

However, City Hall has not yet provided DHS with clear guidance on how to address the makeshift shelters.

“The lack of guidance from City Hall is costing people their lives,” said Council member Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), whose office said it was unable to get an abandoned encampment removed.

“We have below-zero temperatures at night, but the administration is taking a smiley, milquetoast approach to Code Blue enforcement,” Ariola said. “It may sound nice to his idealist progressive supporters when he says he won’t enforce homeless sweeps, but the reality is that these sweeps get people indoors and out of the elements. Some people need that kind of tough love for their own good.”

Steven Fulop, the CEO of the Partnership for NYC, which represents more than 800,000 city workers in the business sector, also criticized the mayor’s approach.

“We are hearing broad and growing disagreement with the mayor’s position,” he said. “There is nothing humane about allowing people to live indefinitely in street encampments.

“It fails the homeless individuals who need real services and stability, and it fails the surrounding communities who are left without safe, workable public spaces. We are hopeful the mayor revisits his position here.”

A spokesperson for Mamdani did not respond directly to questions about the absence of guidance for DHS, instead offering a general statement on the situation.

“Our focus has been and continues to be bringing homeless individuals inside and off the streets during these extreme and dangerous temperatures,” said press secretary Dora Pekec.

Mamdani faced criticism even before taking office after announcing plans in December to end encampment clearings, with experts and former officials labeling the proposal “naive.”

During his single term, the Adams administration carried out roughly 8,000 encampment “clean out” operations, with monthly totals peaking at around 500 in late 2023.

Adams had made the issue central to his administration as he sought to restore order to city streets following the disruptions caused by the coronavirus shutdown.

De Blasio, a progressive Democrat who advised Mamdani during the transition, oversaw more than 10,000 sweeps across his two terms, a record that drew backlash from allies on the left.

WATCH:

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

Dan Sohail, 36, is suspected of driving a car five times into the doors to a synagogue at Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., on Wednesday evening, Joseph Kenny, chief of detectives at the New York City Police Department, said at a press conference.

The suspect, of Carteret, N.J., “had recently connected with the Lubavitch community,” and removed blockades from the same site the prior day, Kenney said.

“This incident is being investigated as a hate crime, and the NYPD’s hate crime task force took the lead on this case,” Kenny said. “We are collaborating with our state and federal partners.”

He added that Sohail has been charged with “attempted assault one and two as a hate crime, reckless endangerment two as a hate crime, criminal mischief two and three as a hate crime and aggravated harassment as a hate crime.”

The suspect claimed he lost control of the car because he was wearing clunky boots, the chief of detectives said. “It’s a hate crime based on his attack on the synagogue,” Kenny said, noting that the suspect knew it was a synagogue.

“We are seeing one antisemitic attack followed by the next on houses of worship, targeting Jews simply because they are Jewish,” he stated. “The attacks are only intensifying in New York, and the response requires more than a statement. We warned that changing the definition of antisemitism and lifting the ban on boycott initiatives against Israel could lead to an increase in attacks, and regrettably, that is what is happening.”

Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York City, axed all of his predecessors’ recent executive orders, including those designed to protect Jews in the city, within hours of taking over control of City Hall. Mamdani, who has said he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York, has also said that he is interested in divesting the city with the largest Jewish population outside of the Jewish state from Israel Bonds.

“This attack is part of a growing wave of antisemitic incidents driven by an organized, long-running campaign to dehumanize Jews and delegitimize the existence of the Jewish state,” Akunis stated. “Toxic and violent rhetoric is a central component of this propaganda. Antisemitism must be confronted decisively.”

‘A living, breathing thing’

Video footage that has emerged appears to show the suspect removing barricades and telling bystanders to move before he began ramming his vehicle into the entrance doors to Chabad’s global headquarters in Brooklyn.

The suspect was at the location weeks prior, reportedly claiming that he was Jewish, and young students were said to have offered him religious services.

The NYPD said that no one was injured in the attack and that the driver was arrested without incident. The department told JNS that it responded at about 8:45 p.m. to 770 Eastern Parkway, where officers saw a gray Honda sedan, which “collided into entrance doors at the bottom of a sloped driveway in front of 770 Eastern Parkway.”

Wednesday, the 10th of Shevat, is one of the most important days of the calendar for Chabad, with tens of thousands from around the world converging on the site to mark the 75th anniversary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe assuming the leadership role in 1951.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mamdani were among those who issued comments on Wednesday night. The governor said that “for the second day in a row, Jewish New Yorkers were the targets of antisemitic violence” and that “an attack against the Jewish community is an attack against all New Yorkers.”

The mayor, who has released several statements decrying antisemitism that has not related to anti-Zionism, said that the ramming at Chabad “is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world.”

“Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously,” added the mayor, who is reportedly considering two people, who are said to be anti-Chassidic, to run the city office to combat Jew-hatred. “Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable.”

Dan Mannarino, of PIX11 News, asked Mamdani about the incident on Thursday.

“I was there on the scene last night at 770 Chabad world headquarters, and it was a horrifying incident where a man repeatedly and intentionally crashed his car into the building,” the mayor said. “I am so thankful that no one was hurt, and we know that this is a building that has immense meaning to so many Jewish New Yorkers and those across the world.”

The mayor said that the attack “took place on the yahrzeit of Rabbi Schneerson and the leadership of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and this is just a day after the day when we remember the victims of the Holocaust.”

“We know that antisemitism is not simply something of the past to be learned about. It is a living, breathing thing that we have to combat every day,” he told PIX11.

‘A deeply disturbing act of violence’

Asked, in light of the New York City Council’s scheduled announcement of a task force to fight Jew-hatred, when he would name a leader to the mayoral office to combat antisemitism, Mamdani said that “we are actually in our final interviews for that position.”

“That is going to be a key position that delivers on our commitment to root out antisemitism across the five boroughs and make this a city where Jewish New Yorkers are not just safe but frankly celebrated and cherished,” the mayor said.

“Sometime next week?” Mannarino asked.

“We’re working on the timeline, but it is in the final stages,” Mamdani said.

The Orthodox Union stated that it stands “with the Chabad community and is thankful to the Almighty that there were no injuries in the disturbing car-ramming incident outside 770 Eastern Parkway, a place that holds deep meaning for many Jews around the world.”

“This incident is the latest reminder of the sacred responsibility of those in positions of authority to prioritize the safety and security of the Jewish community, especially during this time of unprecedented threats,” the OU said.

Yaacov Behrman, a Chabad spokesman, stated that the driver had trespassed previously at a Chabad house in New Jersey. CBS News reported that Sohail told people at the Chabad that he was homeless and wanted to convert to Judaism. Counselors called to the scene reportedly recommended that he seek mental health counseling.

Additional media reports suggested that Sohail was denied access to a yeshiva in the Garden State.

Motti Seligson, a spokesman for the Chabad movement, stated that the site where the ramming took place is “perhaps the most replicated building in the world because of the light, joy, Torah and a confident Judaism that emanates from it to all corners of the world.”

Both New York senators weighed in.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that “770 is not simply a religious institution. It’s an important spiritual home for the Chabad Jewish community, and this antisemitic attack against it is deeply disturbing.”

“This blatant act of antisemitism is not only an attack on this one building but an attack on Jewish people across New York and the world,” stated Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). “Chabad headquarters is a faith home for so many, and this is a deeply disturbing act of violence.”

Harmeet Dhillon, U.S. assistant attorney general for civil rights, said that she initiated a civil-rights investigation of the incident. JNS

{Matzav.com}

President Trump is expected to announce Friday that he intends to appoint Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve, replacing Jerome Powell, according to a report by the New York Post.

Sources told the Post that Trump met with Warsh on Thursday and later followed up with a phone call to ask whether he would accept the position. Warsh agreed, those sources said.

Rick Reider, a senior executive at BlackRock who had emerged in recent days as a serious contender for the role, was informed Thursday that he would not be selected, according to people familiar with the matter.

The remaining leading contenders — National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett and Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller — have recently seen their chances diminish.

White House officials cautioned that the decision is not final and noted that Trump could still reverse course.

Speaking with reporters after his meeting with Warsh on Thursday, Trump said he planned to disclose his choice for Fed chair on Friday morning, reversing an earlier plan to wait until next week.

“It’s going to be somebody…that’s known to everybody in the financial world,” Trump said late Thursday. “A lot of people think that this is somebody that could’ve been there a few years ago.”

Trump had previously weighed selecting Warsh for the role eight years ago, before ultimately choosing Jerome Powell.

At 55, Warsh is widely viewed as an interest-rate hawk, a stance that may reassure markets concerned about the Federal Reserve’s independence. At the same time, Warsh has sharply criticized Powell — echoing Trump’s views — for expanding the money supply during the Biden years, which both men blame for fueling inflation.

The timing of the move surprised many observers and underscored Trump’s reputation for unpredictability. Just weeks ago, Kevin Hassett was widely considered the front-runner to succeed Powell, whose term expires in May.

That changed after the Post reported that prominent CEOs had expressed concern that Hassett was overly aligned with MAGA-style economic policies, raising fears of market volatility. Following that reporting, Trump began evaluating alternative candidates.

Although Trump appointed Powell early in his first term, he has intensified his criticism of the Fed over the past year, repeatedly arguing that it should slash interest rates even as inflation remains well above the central bank’s 2% target.

On Wednesday, Powell sidestepped questions about his future at the Fed and about a criminal probe initiated by the Trump administration. He did, however, offer pointed advice to whoever succeeds him.

“Stay out of elected politics, don’t get pulled into elected politics. Don’t do it,” Powell said at his regular press conference after the Fed’s latest monetary policy decision.

{Matzav.com}

An emotional announcement was made this week in Belz, as the chassidus received final authorization to expand its massive bais medrash building at the Belzer center in Yerushalayim, a complex that has long struggled to accommodate the tens of thousands of chassidim who come to spend time in the presence of the belzer Rebbe.

Belz was the first chassidus to establish a massive world center of this scale in Yerushalayim, a model that was later followed by many other chassidic courts. Over the years, the central Beis Medrash has increasingly proven too small for the crowds that gather there from Eretz Yisroel and around the world.

The approval was granted on the Belzer Yom Hatzalah, the day observed in Belz to mark the miraculous rescue after the Holocaust of the brothers, the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Aharon of Belz, and his brother, the Bilgorayer Rav, who arrived in Eretz Yisroel destitute and with nothing but their lives. The day was established by Rav Aharon of Belz himself as a yom tov of thanksgiving and gratitude to Hashem.

After years of effort and persistence by askanim, led by Michel Halberstam, a member of the Yerushalayim city council, and communal activist Zevi Farkash, final approval was granted to allow continued development of the Belzer world center. Construction of the complex began more than four decades ago, built with extraordinary mesirus nefesh by the Belzer Rebbe and his chassidim.

Under the approved plan, the main Beis Medrash will be expanded on its eastern, western, and southern sides. In addition, the “Groyse Shtub,” the main tish hall, will be rebuilt into a vast multi-level space featuring surrounding galleries, significantly increasing capacity for major gatherings, tishen, and Yomim Tovim.

Within the chassidus, special recognition was given to the Beis Medrash’s architect and devoted askan Aharon Ostreicher, who invested years of planning and tireless work with multiple authorities to bring the project forward. Appreciation was also expressed for Elimelech Landman, who provided sustained assistance and support to the askanim throughout the process.

The administration of the Beis Medrash also thanked Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion and his deputy, Eliezer Rauchberger, chairman of Degel HaTorah and head of the city’s Planning and Building Committee, for standing firmly alongside the community and offering meaningful assistance until the long-awaited final approval was granted.

{Matzav.com}

The Slonimer Rebbe is scheduled to depart early Sunday morning for the United States, where he will undertake a chizuk visit with his chassidim, focusing this time on the Slonimer community in Monsey.

The Rebbe, who traditionally visits his American followers once a year, alternates destinations between Boro Park, Monsey, and Lakewood. On this trip, he will remain exclusively in Monsey, where hundreds of chassidim are expected to gather.

The centerpiece of the visit will be a large Shabbos gathering for Parshas Yisro in Monsey, with chassidim traveling in from Boro Park and Lakewood as well. Throughout the visit, the Rebbe will receive individuals for personal counsel and brachah.

It was learned that the Rebbe suffered a fall last week while walking to the mikvah, sustaining injuries to his face along with a strong blow to his leg and arm. Despite the incident, b’siyata d’Shmaya, the 81-year-old Rebbe has continued his regular daily schedule without interruption.

The fall occurred during the early morning hours as the Rebbe was walking alone from his residence on Rechov Rashbam in Bnei Brak to the mikvah, a route he had customarily taken without accompaniment. Since the incident, the Rebbe has been accompanied each morning.

Ahead of his departure to the United States, the Rebbe visited the Kosel this week.