Matzav

In a landmark decision that is already sparking widespread debate, Israel’s High Court of Justice has ruled that women must be permitted to sit for the rabbinical ordination exams administered by the Chief Rabbinate. Justice Noam Sohlberg, delivering the ruling, ordered that a previous conditional injunction be converted into a binding, final order—effectively obligating the Rabbinate and the Religious Services Ministry to open the exams to women, even if they are not intended to serve as rabbis.

The ruling states: “Preventing women—darshaniyot, tzidkaniyot, and chachmaniyot—from taking the tests administered by the Chief Rabbinate constitutes unlawful discrimination. There is no sufficient justification for this exclusion—indeed, no justification at all.”

Justice Sohlberg sharply criticized what he described as a double standard in the current policy: “The Chief Rabbinate and the Ministry for Religious Services seek to have it both ways—on the one hand, barring women from the exams by claiming they are only meant for rabbinic ordination, which they argue is unavailable to women; on the other hand, allowing any man to sit for the exams and receive certificates and various benefits, regardless of whether he actually intends to serve as a rabbi. This approach is clearly untenable.”

The petition, filed by a group of women who have studied halacha in various institutions, argued that barring them from the exams is a violation of the principle of equality. The Rabbinate responded that the exams are solely for official rabbinical positions, roles to which women are not appointed under current guidelines. But Justice Sohlberg rejected this argument, stating that without a separate testing mechanism for women, there is no legitimate basis to exclude them from the existing system.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump stated that progress is being made regarding the situation in Gaza, hinting that a breakthrough may be on the horizon. “We’re doing pretty well on Gaza,” he said, adding, “we could have something fairly soon to talk about.”

Back on June 27, Trump had forecast that a ceasefire might be reached “within the next week,” signaling optimism about a potential resolution.

While speaking from the Oval Office, Trump made critical remarks about Israel’s 2005 disengagement from Gaza, referring to the decision as “one of the worst real estate deals ever made.”

“They gave up the oceanfront property… [and] it was supposed to bring peace… [but] it brought the opposite,” Trump says.

{Matzav.com}

The simmering coalition crisis surrounding the chareidi draft law has erupted into a dramatic showdown. On Monday night, Degel HaTorah lawmakers were instructed to immediately resign from the government and coalition following an urgent letter from Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Rav Dov Landau. The unprecedented directive includes stepping down from all parliamentary roles.

The move came after it became clear that Likud has no intention of advancing the draft law in the form that had been previously promised to the chareidi parties. In anticipation of a full withdrawal, Degel HaTorah MKs gathered at the office of MK Moshe Gafni to begin preparing resignation letters.

The handwritten note declared: “Since the governing authorities are showing an intent to degrade lomdei Torah and have failed to uphold their commitments — my view is that participation in the government and coalition must cease immediately.”

At the same time, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu — furious over the delay in moving the draft bill forward — personally went to the office of Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein on Monday evening, entering through a rear entrance to avoid media attention.

Sources indicate that Netanyahu attempted to apply direct pressure on Edelstein to finalize and present the law. A senior coalition official commented: “Edelstein is behaving like Yoaz Hendel — stalling for time, pretending to be statesmanlike, while the government is collapsing from within.”

Despite the chaos, coalition insiders remain cautiously hopeful. “The chareidi pressure has had an effect,” one source said. “We’re hopeful that a draft version of the law will finally be presented tonight.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The town of Efrat issued a statement Monday evening mourning the loss of Sergeant Shlomo Shrem, who fell in combat while serving in Gaza.

“Shlomo was a tank crew member in the 401st Brigade, the son of Shaul and Hindi, residents of Rimon. Our hearts go out to his family in their difficult time and we send our condolences to his parents, sister and two brothers. The members of the council will be by the side of the family and will accompany them hand in hand on their difficult and painful journey,” the message from the municipality stated.

In tribute, the municipality expressed its intention to line the streets with Israeli flags as a sign of respect as Shlomo is brought to his final resting place.

The funeral for Shlomo Shrem will take place on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the military cemetery in Kfar Etzion. The levayah will begin from the family’s home, located at 4 Ma’ale Ya’ara Street in Efrat.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Andrew Cuomo is reportedly planning to remain in the race for New York City mayor, running as an independent candidate, despite his decisive loss to Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary last month.

Sources told NewsNation that Cuomo intends to make his plans public later this week.

A Cuomo representative confirmed to 1010 WINS that an official statement will be made shortly.

According to the report, Cuomo is urging all other non-Mamdani candidates to commit to withdrawing from the race by mid-September if they are not polling in first place. He is also pledging to follow that same condition himself.

Mayor Eric Adams, whose campaign has been hampered by low approval ratings and the collapse of a federal investigation, previously announced his own independent run. Another candidate, Jim Walden, is also pursuing the office as an independent.

Mamdani made history earlier this month by securing more primary votes than any previous NYC mayoral candidate, defeating Cuomo by a 12-point margin despite polls suggesting Cuomo held the edge early on.

Both Adams and Curtis Sliwa have dismissed Cuomo’s call for unity, with Adams accusing Cuomo of “wasting time and dividing voters,” and Sliwa asserting that he is the only contender who has “a real path to victory” over Mamdani.

Political commentator Ben Max said Cuomo’s continued presence in the race “makes it more of a free-for-all,” though he acknowledged, “polls early on have shown Cuomo has the best shot of anyone to defeat Zohran Mamdani.”

Max added, “In the unlikely event that Eric Adams and Curtis Sliwa agree to stop campaigning and back Cuomo, that would give Andrew Cuomo a decent chance at defeating Zohran Mamdani.”

Mamdani is still leading in initial polling for the general election, even as both Cuomo and Adams have previously pressed one another to step aside.

Mamdani’s unexpected primary triumph has sparked renewed interest in Adams’ candidacy, with some Democrats searching for an alternative now that Cuomo has lost the primary. The mayor recently pulled in more than $1 million during a single fundraiser in Manhattan.

The assemblyman’s dramatic win has triggered a wave of discussions about consolidating support behind a single viable contender to prevent Mamdani from taking the mayoralty in November.

While Mamdani’s critics say his platform—including free public transit and municipally operated grocery stores—is too extreme, his supporters argue that his campaign message focusing on affordability hit home with Democratic voters, who turned out in record numbers to back him.

{Matzav.com}

Donald Trump, during his campaign, made it clear that he plans to put an end to the longstanding policy of handing out foreign aid without cost. Despite resistance from Democrats, legal experts, and members of the judiciary, Trump insists that his approach is a much-needed correction to decades of imbalanced global relations, especially concerning trade and military support.

“The United States of America has been ripped off on trade (and military!), by friend and foe, alike, for decades,” Trump stated in a Truth Social message early Monday. “It has come at a cost of trillions of dollars, and it is just not sustainable any longer – and never was!”

Trump emphasized that the era of America footing the bill while other nations benefitted freely is finally over.

“Countries should sit back and say, ‘Thank you for the many year’s long free ride, but we know you now have to do what’s right for America,'” his message continued. “We should respond by saying, ‘Thank you for understanding the situation we are in. Greatly appreciated!'”

This statement follows expectations that Trump will unveil a military aid package for Ukraine, which will reportedly include Patriot missile batteries and other high-end defense systems, to assist in fending off ongoing aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Although Trump had previously advocated for Ukraine to seek peace through negotiations—once cautioning President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he lacked leverage and should seek a resolution—he appears to have lost patience with Putin’s duplicitous behavior.

“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people: He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night.

“But there’s a little bit of a problem there. I don’t like it.

“We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that’s the way we want it.”

Trump is also scheduled to hold a meeting this week with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, where they will address the situation in Ukraine along with broader strategic concerns.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump revealed Monday that the United States will funnel a massive cache of weapons to Ukraine by way of its NATO partners — and warned that unless a ceasefire is secured within the next 50 days, his administration will slam Russia with 100% tariffs.

“I’m disappointed in [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin, because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago, but it doesn’t seem to get there,” Trump said during a meeting in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

He clarified that the weapons being supplied would not be free of charge. “We are going to be sending them weapons and they’re going to be paying for them,” Trump said. Rutte echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that European nations ought to “step up” and shoulder the financial burden for the American-made arms.

Trump did not specify which types of weapons or military equipment would be included in the shipment.

The president also declared that the United States is prepared to implement secondary sanctions against Russia if a peace agreement is not finalized, signaling that any entities still doing business with Moscow would also face penalties.

While Trump has long been cautious about enacting tough sanctions on Russia, his patience appears to be wearing thin amid Putin’s continued refusal to finalize a peace deal with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

{Matzav.com}

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When Akiva Zuravin set out to develop Jerusalem Estates, he wasn’t simply building luxury apartments—he was making a statement. Tucked into the historic Schneller compound in the heart of the frum neighborhoods and within walking distance of prominent Chassidic centers, Jerusalem Estates became more than just a sought-after address. It became a symbol of what’s possible when vision, values, and execution align.

“We weren’t just creating buildings,” Zuravin reflects. “We were shaping something that felt deeply connected to its surroundings—authentic, beautiful, and thoughtfully done.”

It was that mindset that set Jerusalem Estates apart—and that continues to define Zuravin’s approach today. With Ir Olam, his most ambitious development yet, the goal is even broader: not just to build homes, but to shape the rhythm of modern life in Jerusalem.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Located adjacent to Givat Shaul, Kiryat Moshe, and Beit Hakerem, and minutes away from Har Nof, Ir Olam rises from the grounds of the old flour mill—once an industrial area and now envisioned as one of Jerusalem’s most forward-looking quarters for living, working, and gathering.

Where Jerusalem Estates was a residential landmark, Ir Olam is a full-scale quarter, featuring three luxury residential towers, two LEED Platinum-certified office buildings, a boutique shopping boulevard, green rooftops, shuls, co-working areas, a school, and a central piazza designed to foster everyday connection.

But beyond design and functionality lies a deeper intention: community. At Jerusalem Estates, Zuravin prioritized buyers who shared common values—people who could not only live alongside one another but thrive together. That same care is being applied at Ir Olam.

“When people share the same rhythm of life,” Zuravin explains, “the entire experience becomes more meaningful. The gym, the shul, the party room—they’re not just amenities. They’re points of connection.”

In Ir Olam, where residents will share workspaces, rooftops, lounges, and lifestyle services, community isn’t just a feature—it’s part of the architecture. The goal is a natural, respectful cohesion that allows for privacy and belonging to coexist.

The project was conceived by Yashar Architects, whose signature blends functionality with elegance, and is being built to international standards of environmental sustainability and urban planning. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, with user experience at the core.

Crafted for those who know.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

A deepening rift shook Israel’s ruling coalition as Degel HaTorah issued an ultimatum: if the long-promised draft law is not brought to a vote in the Knesset, they will exit the coalition. The unfolding drama has sparked finger-pointing within the government, with one high-ranking coalition figure placing the blame squarely on Shas party leader Aryeh Deri.

“Deri is choosing to ‘burn down the house’ and dismantle the government, while trying to pin the blame on United Torah Judaism,” the source told Arutz Sheva – Israel National News.

The official alleged that Deri had recently blocked a previous effort to disband the Knesset, but is now actively steering the coalition toward collapse. “He’s being dragged by extremist haredi elements into breaking apart the right-wing government over the draft law,” the source said, further claiming that Deri has been leaning on UTJ lawmakers to walk away from the coalition. That pressure, the official noted, ultimately led to Degel HaTorah’s leadership issuing a clear withdrawal directive Monday night.

The official also issued a warning aimed directly at Deri, suggesting political consequences could follow: “He’ll pay a steep price. This will hurt him in the elections. His voters aren’t naive—they’ll flock to Likud,” the source warned.

The crisis escalated earlier in the evening when Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch ordered Degel HaTorah’s Knesset representatives to abandon the coalition unless the draft legislation was immediately introduced. A statement released from Rabbi Landau’s residence indicated that the end of the 17th of Tammuz fast would serve as the government’s final opportunity to act. While a few extra hours were given in hopes of reaching a deal, the ultimatum was clear: failure to deliver means the coalition no longer has their support.

Political analyst Amit Segal reported that Degel HaTorah had previously tried to convince Shas to sign onto a bill that would dissolve the Knesset and force elections. The plan was to secure 61 signatures, but Shas refused, unwilling to be associated with Arab factions backing the move.

Despite that hesitation, Shas insiders are now warning that their own exit from the government may not be far off if the draft bill remains stalled as the Knesset nears the end of its session. “Our patience is running out,” a party official cautioned.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The BBC released the results of an internal probe on Monday into its controversial Gaza documentary, admitting to serious lapses in both editorial judgment and journalistic standards.

The investigation centered on Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone?, a program that was pulled from iPlayer in February after it emerged that the 13-year-old boy narrating the film was the son of senior Hamas figure Ayman Al-Yazouri, who holds the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the terrorist group’s de facto government.

The review found that the documentary violated the BBC’s editorial policy on accuracy. It revealed that three staffers at Hoyo Films, the outside production company behind the program, had been aware of the narrator’s connection to Hamas leadership but never disclosed it to the BBC. Though the broadcaster was not informed of the link before the film aired, the review faulted the BBC for failing to perform adequate editorial due diligence, saying the network was not “sufficiently proactive” in vetting the material.

Responsibility for the breach was primarily placed on Hoyo Films, but the investigation also held the BBC accountable for its lack of fact-checking before broadcasting such sensitive content.

In response to the findings, BBC Director-General Tim Davie committed to tightening editorial procedures. “We are taking this seriously and will implement changes to ensure such errors are not repeated,” he stated.

Hoyo Films, for its part, said it would be reviewing and improving its internal review protocols to prevent similar mistakes in the future.

The scandal drew sharp condemnation from Israeli leaders. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel called once again for Davie to resign, saying: “This is not an isolated incident, but part of a systemic problem. The BBC must uphold standards of fairness and accuracy. Its repeated failures only deepen mistrust and contribute to rising antisemitism.”

Haskel also cited previous controversies, such as the BBC’s coverage of the Glastonbury Festival, which she claimed included “calls for death against Israel.” She warned that persistent editorial missteps risk reinforcing institutional bias within the network.

Independent journalist David Collier added fuel to the fire, alleging that one of the film’s producers is a Palestinian activist who praised the October 7 Hamas attacks. Collier also accused the filmmakers of staging segments and pointed to conflicting details surrounding the narrator’s identity — including a November 2023 Channel 4 interview in which the boy reportedly used a different last name and misrepresented his father’s occupation.

The BBC had already issued a public apology earlier this year and confirmed that the documentary would not be made available again on any of its platforms.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reported Monday afternoon that a joint operation between the IDF and the Shin Bet (ISA) on June 19, 2025, led to the targeted killing of terrorist Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita in the vicinity of Gaza City.

Quneita served in the military intelligence division of Hamas’ Al-Furqan Battalions. He was among those who crossed into Israel during the horrific events of October 7 and had held Emily Damari captive in his home in the early stages of the conflict.

“The IDF and ISA will continue operating against the terrorists who took part in the brutal October 7th massacre,” the military stated.

Emily Damari was abducted from her residence in Kfar Aza on that dark day. During the attack, she sustained a gunshot wound to her hand, resulting in the loss of two fingers. Her dog was also fatally shot.

{Matzav.com Israel}

United Torah Judaism is intensifying its protest over the continued holdup of the Draft Law, according to a report published by Hamodia on Monday morning.

The report stated that UTJ’s boycott of Knesset activity will now extend beyond just votes, encompassing committee deliberations as well. Senior members of the party have made it clear that if progress on the legislation is not seen soon, they may move to leave the coalition entirely in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Kan 11’s Michael Shemesh reported that Aryeh Deri, head of the Shas party, has instructed his inner circle to prepare for the possibility that both Shas and United Torah Judaism may exit the government together.

Despite this, the report noted that Shas does not intend to side with the opposition or support a move to dissolve the Knesset. Rather, the party would prefer to promote the Draft Law independently from outside the government, even if it means doing so from the opposition benches.

Later on Monday, UTJ is expected to deliberate whether to cooperate with efforts by opposition parties to bring back a vote on dissolving the Knesset, an initiative that has been stalled since its initial failure last month.

On Sunday, it was reported that Yesh Atid began gathering signatures from opposition lawmakers, aiming to reach the 61 needed to submit a formal request to Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana to reopen debate on the dissolution bill. Although the bill was previously rejected, opposition members are now attempting to circumvent the six-month waiting period by arguing that there has been a “change of circumstances” significant enough to warrant renewed consideration.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Elon Musk lashed out at President Trump, criticizing him over a statement defending Attorney General Pam Bondi’s role in the ongoing controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein.

The tech mogul responded on X, the social media platform he owns, to a user who posted a screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social remarks from earlier that day. The user captioned the screenshot, “This is in the running for worst post ever made.”

Musk replied bluntly: “Seriously,” and mocked Trump’s post by saying, “He said ‘Epstein’ half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein.”

He followed that up by urging action: “Just release the files as promised,” Musk wrote.

Shortly after, Musk responded to another post that labeled the Epstein case as Trump’s “Achilles’ heel.” He criticized Trump for previously vowing transparency about the Epstein documents and now seemingly brushing the issue aside.

“This is a very big deal,” Musk said. “What the … kind of system are we living in if thousands of kids were abused, the government has videos of the abusers and yet none of the abusers are even facing charges!?”

Earlier in the day, Trump had published a long post on Truth Social defending Bondi after she came under fire. This followed a Justice Department memo released on Monday concluding that Epstein did not possess a blackmail list of elite individuals and reiterating that his 2019 death was ruled a suicide.

Despite that, many within Trump’s base have grown increasingly critical of Bondi, especially after she previously claimed that the so-called client list was on her desk and ready for release.

Trump, however, voiced unwavering support for Bondi, writing in all caps, “LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT!”

“What’s going on with my ‘boys’ and, in some cases, ‘gals?’ They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and ‘selfish people’ are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Trump went on to suggest that the Epstein files being circulated were manufactured by political enemies looking to divide the MAGA movement and discredit his administration.

“For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration, who conned the World with the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, 51 ‘Intelligence’ Agents, THE LAPTOP FROM HELL,’ and more? They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called ‘friends’ are playing right into their hands,” Trump wrote.

He questioned why his political opponents hadn’t released damaging information from the Epstein documents earlier, if it truly existed, and compared it to the continued secrecy around high-profile historical investigations.

“Why didn’t these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn’t they use it? They haven’t even given up on the John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr. Files,” Trump said.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

The release of the new Mendy Wald medley by Joey Newcomb, produced by Doni Gross, has struck a deep chord with me—and clearly with many others as well.

On the surface, it’s a nostalgic, well-arranged throwback to the golden years of 1990s Jewish music. But beneath the upbeat melodies and familiar tunes lies a sobering truth, one that’s hard to ignore: the meteoric popularity of a medley made up of songs that are over three decades old is, in reality, an unflinching indictment of today’s Jewish music scene.

Let’s be honest. The fact that a collection of songs from the 1990s and early 2000s is currently topping the 24/6 charts in 2025 isn’t just remarkable. It’s revealing. It screams of a generation desperately thirsty for music that means something. Music that’s not just catchy, but heartfelt. Music that doesn’t just fill the background but fills the neshamah. What this medley has accomplished, perhaps unintentionally, is shine a glaring light on what today’s music is lacking.

Yes, we live in an age of digital convenience. With platforms like 24Six, Spotify, and Apple Music, access to Jewish music has never been easier. But with all that accessibility, there’s a glaring absence: the music doesn’t stick. There’s no longevity. No real connection. Ask around: How many people can name the composer of the last hit song? How many know the arranger? How many even know the name of the song they’re humming in the car?

Contrast that with how we related to Jewish music “amohl.” Back then, we knew the songs. We didn’t just hear them. We internalized them. We knew who composed them, who arranged them, who sang the backup vocals. We learned the harmonies by heart. Albums were studied and cherished. Every new release by MBD, Avraham Fried, Dedi and, yes, Mendy Wald, was an event. There was a depth, a soul, a neshama—and yes, a musical integrity that has been slowly and tragically draining out of today’s hits.

Today, songs come and go like the swipe of a screen. Playlists are shuffled, attention spans are short, and there’s no reason to “linger” with a song long enough for it to leave a mark. And maybe that’s because many of today’s compositions simply don’t have what it takes to leave that mark. Too often they feel formulaic, recycled, or empty, songs built around a catchy drop or a trendy beat rather than around a niggun that moves the neshamah or lyrics that elevate the spirit.

And now, here we are, with a medley of songs from an era gone by—songs that were written with care, sung with sincerity, arranged with warmth—suddenly dominating the conversation. The fact that people are not only enjoying it, but enthusiastically sharing and replaying it—and asking for another such medley—says everything. It says that people are starved for authentic music. For music that carries meaning. For melodies that actually last.

While countless new singles come and go, rarely leaving an impression, a medley of 30-year-old songs becomes a sensation. You can’t make this up.

And so, the message is loud and clear. The Jewish music world has talent…tremendous talent. But what it’s lacking is direction. Substance. A willingness to invest in musical craftsmanship and not just musical trends. The audience is not as shallow as some may think. People don’t just want noise. They want music. They want to feel something again. They want the next 1990s album moment—the one you listened to on repeat until the tape got stuck in the player.

This Mendy Wald medley is more than a walk down memory lane. It’s a wake-up call.

Sincerely,
A Frustrated But Hopeful Listener

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{Matzav.com}

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Registration for the 2025/2026 school year is now open at Bnot Chaya Academy! Welcome New High School Principal, Mrs. Devorah Krawiecz

Bnot Chaya Academy is pleased to welcome Mrs. Devorah Krawiecz as its new High School Principal. Mrs. Krawiecz is a well-known and respected Mechaneches in the Lakewood community with many years of experience. She is also a beloved camp head counselor during the summer. We wish Mrs. Krawiecz much hatzlacha in her new role and look forward to her success with each and every girl in BCA.

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President Joe Biden offered an explanation for why he employed an autopen to sign off on clemency orders, addressing the issue during an interview with the New York Times amid growing scrutiny over the move.

The discussion revolved around the final clemency decisions of Biden’s presidency, when he used an autopen to affix his signature to official documents rather than signing each one by hand.

In the last stretch of his term, Biden granted clemency to over 1,500 people—a move the White House at the time called the most sweeping single-day act of its kind by any U.S. president.

During the Thursday interview with the Times, Biden insisted, “I made every decision” personally.

“We’re talking about [granting clemency to] a whole lot of people,” Biden remarked.

Nonetheless, the Times noted that, based on what Biden and his advisers said, he had not personally vetted every individual included in the large-scale pardons.

“Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, [Biden] signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence,” the paper reported.

Rather than have Biden manually re-sign every updated version of clemency paperwork, aides relied on an autopen to finalize the documents with his authorized signature.

In June, President Donald Trump issued a formal memo to the Department of Justice, instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to probe whether the use of the autopen reflected an effort to hide any deterioration in Biden’s mental health.

“In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that former President Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority,” Trump wrote.

“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.”

Speaking to reporters that same month, Trump criticized the very idea of using an autopen, regardless of precedent.

“Usually, when they put documents in front of you, they’re important,” Trump said. “Even if you’re signing ambassadorships or – and I consider that important, I think it’s inappropriate.”

“You have somebody that’s devoting four years of their life or more to being an ambassador. I think you really deserve that person deserves to get a real signature… not an autopen signature.”

{Matzav.com}

Elmo, the famously cheerful red puppet from Sesame Street, was at the center of a disturbing online incident Sunday when his official social media account was taken over by an unknown hacker. The breach led to a wave of vile and antisemitic messages, far removed from the character’s usual family-friendly image.

The now-deleted posts shocked users as Elmo’s account, typically associated with educational and positive messaging, suddenly began spewing hate speech and wild conspiracy theories. Among the offensive content was a post that read: “Elmo says ALL JEWS SHOULD DIE. [profanity] JEWS. DONALD TRUMP IS NETANYAHU’S PUPPET BECAUSE HE IS IN EPSTEIN FILES. JEWS CONTROL THE WORLD AND NEED TO BE EXTERMINATED.”

Another post said: “RELEASE THE FILES [Donald Trump] CHILD [profanity] ,” while a separate message simply read: “Kill all Jews.”

Although the disturbing content was quickly removed, no official comment has yet been issued from the account’s handlers or from Sesame Workshop, which owns the Elmo character.

This incident is not without precedent. In the past, major brand accounts have also been hijacked to spread hateful rhetoric. Last year, Ford Motor Company’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) posted a series of anti-Israel messages that appeared out of character for the company.

While Ford didn’t confirm the exact origin of the posts, the automaker told FOX Business that its account had been compromised. “Our X account was briefly compromised and the previous three posts were not authorized or posted by Ford. We are investigating the issue,” the company said at the time.

{Matzav.com}

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A complete handwritten and autographed letter by Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky, the Steipler, brother-in-law of the Chazon Ish and father of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, of blessed memory.

The Jewish community of Chicago had consulted with the Steipler regarding efforts to bring back Rabbi Chaim Kreiswirth, the Gaavad of Antwerp, to serve once again as Rav in their community. (Rabbi Kreiswirth had taught at Beis Medrash LeTorah in Skokie, Chicago not long before the writing of this letter.)

A troubling new report from the Anti-Defamation League shows that although most Americans oppose antisemitism, a significant portion—one in four—believes that recent violent incidents targeting Jews in the U.S. were “understandable.”

The findings follow a wave of assaults carried out by individuals claiming to act in solidarity with Palestinians. These include the April arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence, the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C. in May, and the firebombing of a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado last month.

“As the Jewish community is still reeling from recent antisemitic attacks that killed three people, it’s unacceptable that one-quarter of Americans find this unspeakable violence understandable or justified — an alarming sign of how antisemitic narratives are accepted by the mainstream,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, in a statement condemning the results.

The survey was conducted by the ADL’s relatively new Center for Antisemitism Research, which aimed to measure how the American public views antisemitism in the wake of these attacks.

The data revealed that 60% of Americans acknowledge antisemitism as a serious concern, and approximately 75% expressed a desire for stronger governmental efforts to fight it. Notably, Democrats were nine percentage points more likely than Republicans to view antisemitism as a serious issue.

The overwhelming majority of those polled rejected the recent attacks, with at least 85% saying the violence was unjustified and morally wrong, and stating that they would not associate with individuals who celebrated such actions. Seventy-eight percent of respondents recognized the incidents as antisemitic in nature.

However, the June 10 poll of 1,000 adults also found a concerning minority who either rationalized or supported the violence. Around 24% agreed that the attacks were “understandable,” and an equal number subscribed to the theory that the incidents were staged to elicit sympathy for Israel. The ADL noted that about half of those who found the violence understandable also believed the events were false flag operations.

Both the Boulder and Washington attackers reportedly shouted “free Palestine” during the incidents. Meanwhile, the suspect in the arson attack on Governor Shapiro’s home told investigators he acted out of anger over “perceived injustices to the people of Palestine.”

The survey also found that 15% of respondents considered the violence “necessary,” while 13% went as far as to describe it as “justified.” The survey allowed participants to rate their level of agreement with each statement.

Perhaps most notably, 38% of those surveyed said they believed that attacks on American Jews would end if Israel announced a ceasefire in its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

A newly opened kosher eatery in Athens was the target of a violent attack over the weekend, which the owners have described as antisemitic in nature. Greek officials are treating the incident as a suspected hate crime.

The restaurant, King David Burger, which launched in May in the Greek capital, shared a post on social media Sunday detailing the assault. According to the statement, around 10 p.m. Motzoei Shabbos, six masked individuals stormed the premises and caused significant damage.

The assailants threw flyers throughout the dining area and sprayed hateful slogans on walls and furniture. Messages included phrases like “No Zionist is safe here,” “Smash Zionism, fascism, colonialism,” and “Israel Death Forces — rapists, torturers, murderers.”

Footage from the attack, showing the vandalism in progress, was posted to the restaurant’s Instagram and TikTok accounts, clearly displaying the antisemitic graffiti.

The establishment is situated on Ermou Road, a bustling pedestrian street not far from Syntagma Square. Owned by Israeli entrepreneur Tzvika Levinson, the restaurant was created to cater to both local Jewish residents and visiting tourists, offering kosher fast food in a central location.

“The restaurant displays kosher certification, clearly identifying it with Israel,” Levinson told Yisroel Hayom on Sunday.

Levinson explained that the perpetrators were “pro-Palestinian anarchists” and that the whole incident unfolded within seconds, leaving no time to stop them.

At the time of the attack, all staff members present were Greek citizens, according to Levinson. “My only Israeli employee wasn’t there when it happened — he arrived after it was all over,” he noted.

“When one employee attempted to leave, [the vandals] threatened him, saying, ‘If you come out, it’s over for you,’” Levinson told Yisroel Hayom.

Though he is currently in Israel, Levinson said he stayed in constant contact with his staff as the situation unfolded.

He added that several suspects had been taken into custody and that the incident was being investigated as a hate crime. However, there has not yet been any formal statement from the Greek police on arrests.

Separately, police in Greece confirmed that a leader of the Rouvikonas anarchist group had been brought in for questioning following a pro-Palestinian march on Friday, during which demonstrators wearing black outfits adorned with Palestinian flags marched through central Athens.

Following the attack at King David Burger, supporters of the restaurant arrived almost immediately, even before the scattered flyers were cleaned up, as seen in videos shared on the eatery’s social media.

“We wanted to say that such actions only strengthen us and the understanding of how much strength and unity our people have,” the restaurant said in its statement about the incident.

Operations resumed as normal on Sunday, and the restaurant remained open for business.

Levinson called on the city of Athens to take proactive measures to ensure such attacks don’t recur, stressing the city’s popularity with Israelis.

“Hebrew dominates conversation throughout this Athens neighborhood,” he said. “Over 5,000 Israelis visit daily. Losing this Israeli presence would be tragic.”

{Matzav.com}