Matzav

UTJ chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf issued some of his sharpest criticism yet of proposed draft legislation in Israel, warning in a radio interview that the bill would severely damage the Torah world and place tens of thousands of yeshiva students at immediate risk.

Speaking Tuesday evening with Avi Mimran on Kol Chai’s flagship program, Goldknopf broke a lengthy public silence and framed the debate in the context of Chanukah. He said that current efforts in Israel to undermine Torah learning were having repercussions far beyond the country’s borders. “Today they are trying to ‘make us forget Your Torah’ in Eretz Yisroel, and this affects the entire world and causes harm to Jews. We need unity,” he said, adding that former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak himself had recently stated that those for whom Torah learning is their profession must be allowed to continue without limitation.

Goldknopf made clear that he would not support the draft bill being advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth, arguing that it fundamentally redefines the status of Torah learners. “The proposal that Bismuth is bringing to the table harms existing Torah learners. Someone who says he wants to learn Torah is harmed in at least eight areas — no travel abroad, no eligibility for housing programs, no daycare subsidies. He becomes a third-class citizen, worse than terrorists,” he said.

Addressing enforcement concerns, Goldknopf warned of a dramatic escalation if the law is passed. “If the law passes, the situation will be much worse than it is today. How many arrests are there now? Thirty? Here we are talking about tens of thousands of Torah learners who will be harmed severely and immediately,” he said.

Goldknopf continued his criticism without restraint, calling on the entire chareidi public to stand united against the legislation. “We must insist that Torah learners cannot be harmed — the entire chareidi community with one voice. The current law is a disaster. A rav is supposed to be placed in the mizrach, and here they are harming Torah learners in the most severe way,” he said.

Toward the end of the interview, Goldknopf also addressed other issues he has been involved with in recent years. He praised Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu for intervening to prevent road construction on Shabbos, saying the prime minister deserved recognition for that step. At the same time, he said attention was now turning to air travel. “Many people from abroad want to come to Israel on flights that do not desecrate Shabbos, and therefore we want to summon the CEOs of Arkia and Israir for clarification. We are not talking about a boycott, only about clarification,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

In remarks following Sunday’s deadly attack on a Jewish Hanukkah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Vice President-elect JD Vance addressed the broader debate over antisemitism, particularly among younger generations and within American politics.

Vance has rejected claims that antisemitism is surging within Republican circles, saying he has not witnessed such attitudes in his own interactions. Speaking last week to NBC News, he stated: “Judging anybody based on their skin color or immutable characteristics, I think, is fundamentally anti-American and anti-Christian.”

He said he does not hesitate to confront bigotry when it appears, but stressed that his experience tells a different story. “I do think it’s important to call this stuff out when I see it,” Vance said, adding that in his conversations with young conservatives, “I don’t see some simmering antisemitism that’s exploding.”

The vice president-elect also weighed in online late Monday, responding to excerpts from an Atlantic article that examined what it described as rising antisemitism among younger demographics. Vance dismissed the framing of the piece, arguing that it missed critical context.

“Mainstream journalism is just profoundly uninteresting and lame, consumed by its own pieties,” he wrote, criticizing what he described as shallow analysis.

He took particular issue with how generational trends were discussed, saying: “To write an article about the ‘generational divide’ in anti-semitism without discussing the demographics of the various generations is mind boggling.”

Vance went on to argue that public policy plays a central role in addressing ethnic hatred more broadly. “The most significant single thing you could do to eliminate anti-semitism and any other kind of ethnic hatred is to support our efforts to lower immigration and promote assimilation,” he said. “But these guys won’t do that, because they all lack curiosity and introspection.”

As part of his argument, Vance shared an analysis cited by Manhattan Institute fellow Charles Fain Lehman, which concluded that “foreign-origin is a much better predictor of antisemitism than ideology or age.”

At the core of Vance’s comments was a distinction he said is often ignored in public discourse — the difference between criticism of Israeli government actions and animus toward Jews. “I would say there’s a difference between not liking Israel (or disagreeing with a given Israeli policy) and anti-semitism,” Vance said in a reply to his post on the US social media company X.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has denied a request by former President Joe Biden to invoke executive privilege in connection with ongoing congressional investigations into his administration’s use of the autopen, Fox News Digital reports.

White House Counsel David Warrington formally rejected the request in a letter sent to the National Archives and Records Administration, arguing that Congress has a compelling need to review the records at issue and that executive privilege should not be used to block scrutiny of serious allegations surrounding Biden’s presidency.

“As President Trump has stated, the abuse of the autopen that took place during the Biden Presidency, and the extraordinary efforts to shield President Biden’s diminished faculties from the public, must be subject to a full accounting to ensure nothing similar ever happens again,” Warrington wrote.

He added that other actions by the Biden administration also warrant full examination. “Similarly, President Biden’s repeated abuses of the rights of American citizens during the pandemic and his politically motivated efforts to investigate Members of Congress must also be subject to a full accounting to ensure nothing similar ever happens again. Congress has a compelling need in service of its legislative functions to understand the circumstances that led to all these horrific events,” the letter continued.

Warrington further pointed to concerns about the authenticity of Biden’s signature on the privilege request itself, noting discrepancies when compared with signatures used on other documents. “Remarkably, that letter demonstrates the importance of these congressional investigations. President Biden’s signature does not match the one he used to pardon his family or his son,” Warrington wrote, attaching images showing three different signatures.

Biden’s request for executive privilege was made in a letter dated Oct. 1, 2025, addressed to the Archival Operations Division of NARA. In that letter, Biden argued that releasing the records would undermine the presidency as an institution. “I am concerned that disclosure of these materials would damage important institutional interests of the Presidency, including by impairing the ability of future Presidents to receive robust, candid advice from their close advisers. For these reasons, I hereby assert executive privilege over the documents listed,” Biden wrote.

He also claimed cooperation with prior congressional requests, while drawing a line at the current demand. “I have raised no objections to multiple requests for Presidential records from my Administration, and hundreds of documents have already been provided to Congress pursuant to those requests, but the records now proposed for release include documents reflecting presidential decisionmaking and deliberations and other materials that are protected by executive privilege,” Biden wrote.

An autopen is a mechanical device designed to replicate a person’s signature and has been used by U.S. presidents for decades. However, the practice became a focal point of controversy after Biden left 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, as lawmakers launched investigations into whether the machine was used to sign official documents without his direct approval.

Biden has denied those allegations, dismissing them outright. “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” Biden said in a statement issued in June. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”

The controversy gained momentum earlier in 2025, when the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project reported that the same signature appeared on numerous executive orders and official documents, while Biden’s signature on the document announcing his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race appeared noticeably different. Those findings fueled speculation that aides, rather than Biden himself, may have approved sweeping executive actions and pardons.

President Trump repeatedly cited the findings, warning publicly that “whoever controlled the autopen controlled the presidency,” and later declaring, “I think it’s the biggest scandal maybe of the last 100 years in this country.”

In December, Trump announced that he would invalidate documents allegedly signed by the autopen. “The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, asserting that roughly 92% of Biden-era documents bore the machine-generated signature. “The Radical Left Lunatics circling Biden around the beautiful Resolute Desk in the Oval Office took the Presidency away from him.”

Congressional scrutiny has unfolded on parallel tracks in both chambers. In the House, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., spearheaded an investigation, while the Senate Judiciary Committee held a June hearing titled “Unfit to Serve: How the Biden Cover-Up Endangered America and Undermined the Constitution.”

In October, Comer released a report summarizing the House investigation and urged the Department of Justice to review all executive actions signed during Biden’s presidency. The probe focused on whether aides concealed signs of mental decline and whether the autopen was used to authorize actions without Biden’s knowledge.

Investigators interviewed several figures from Biden’s inner circle, including former White House physician Kevin O’Connor, former White House staff secretary Neera Tanden, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, and others.

The committee’s report concluded: “Faced with the cognitive decline of President Joe Biden, White House aides — at the direction of the inner circle — hid the truth about the former president’s condition and fitness for office.”

Comer expanded on those findings in an October statement. “The Biden Autopen Presidency will go down as one of the biggest political scandals in U.S. history. As Americans saw President Biden’s decline with their own eyes, Biden’s inner circle sought to deceive the public, cover-up his decline, and took unauthorized executive actions with the autopen that are now invalid,” he said.

House Democrats issued a rebuttal, rejecting the conclusions and saying the investigation uncovered no misconduct. “Following more than a year of inquiry, extensive witness interviews, and significant time and effort expended by both Republican and Democratic staff, the Oversight Majority has failed to produce any evidence to support their allegations against President Biden,” Democrats said in their response.

Warrington countered that argument in his letter, writing that “the available evidence to date establishes a sufficient factual predicate for Congress’ investigations.” He also criticized the media, stating, “Any American, save for those paid to cover the President as ‘reporters’, could see that President Biden struggled to perform his duties.”

He concluded that the situation warrants extraordinary transparency. “These are unique and extraordinary circumstances. Congress is examining an assault on the President’s constitutional duties, the civil liberties the Constitution provides all Americans, and the democratic institution of Congress itself. The constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield, from Congress or the public, information that reflects a clear and apparent effort to subvert the Constitution itself,” Warrington wrote.

Concerns about Biden’s mental acuity had circulated for years among conservatives, intensifying dramatically after his poor debate performance against Trump in June 2024. Pressure from within the Democratic Party mounted soon afterward, culminating in Biden’s decision to exit the race.

Biden formally ended his 2024 campaign in a Sunday afternoon post in July, endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris went on to lose the general election to Trump after a campaign lasting just over 100 days.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump opened his remarks at the White House Chanukah celebration by addressing the deadly terror attack against Jews at a Chanukah gathering in Australia earlier in the week.

“All nations must stand together against the evil forces of radical Islamic terrorism, and we’re doing that,” Trump said.

As he continued, the president turned his attention to what he described as a troubling shift on Capitol Hill, telling guests that Congress “is becoming antisemitic” and arguing that Jewish political influence in Washington has diminished. While he initially spoke broadly, Trump then focused his criticism on progressive Democrats known as the Squad, even as the White House has sought to minimize growing skepticism toward Israel among some Republicans.

“My father would tell me, the most powerful lobby that there is in this country is the Jewish Lobby. It’s the Israeli lobby. It’s not that way anymore,” Trump reflected, reprising a theme he has raised in past comments.

Trump assured attendees of his continued support for the Jewish community, drawing applause from a crowd that was noticeably smaller than in previous years due to ongoing construction in the White House East Room.

“I will always be a friend and a champion to the Jewish people,” Trump said.

During the evening, Trump invited several guests to take part in the program, offering shoutouts to supporters and calling some to the podium. Conservative radio host Mark Levin introduced himself by praising Trump as “the first Jewish president.”

Trump also invited Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson to speak, joking about the scale of her political contributions.

“$250 million doesn’t buy what it used to,” he quipped.

Adelson told the audience that she had recently spoken with attorney Alan Dershowitz, who, she said, told her it would be legal for Trump to seek a third term.

Later in his remarks, Trump highlighted what he described as his record of support for Israel while in office, including recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“I sold the rights to the Golan Heights to Israel… It could be worth trillions of dollars,” he said.

U.S. military operations targeting drug trafficking near Venezuela have intensified in recent months, with officials confirming a series of strikes aimed at disrupting narcotics smuggling routes. Since September, there have been at least 22 strikes on suspected trafficking boats operating in waters near Venezuela, resulting in 87 deaths, according to U.S. officials.

American officials view these maritime actions as part of a broader pressure campaign directed at Caracas, intended not only to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States but also to weaken the grip of Nicolás Maduro on the oil-rich country.

That campaign escalated sharply this week after President Donald Trump announced that U.S. authorities had seized an oil tanker known as the “Skipper” off Venezuela’s coast. The move significantly raised tensions between Washington and Caracas. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the vessel was confiscated for allegedly transporting sanctioned oil linked to both Venezuela and Iran.

According to the administration, the “Skipper” is part of a shadow network of roughly 1,000 vessels that move oil from countries under international sanctions, including Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. These tankers operate covertly, often avoiding detection as they traverse major shipping lanes.

Officials say such so-called “ghost ships” typically sail under foreign flags to disguise their origins, frequently change names, cycle ownership through shell companies, shut off tracking transponders, and conduct ship-to-ship transfers at sea to conceal the source of their cargo.

Reuters reported that the “Skipper” had taken on approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil earlier in December and transferred an estimated 200,000 barrels shortly before U.S. authorities seized the vessel.

Based on prevailing oil prices, the value of the cargo was estimated to range from several million dollars to more than $100 million. Fox News Digital contacted the White House seeking further clarification on the valuation but did not receive an immediate response.

Against this backdrop, President Trump announced sweeping new measures against Venezuela, ordering a complete shutdown of oil tanker traffic tied to the country and formally designating the Maduro government as a foreign terrorist organization. He accused the regime of profiting from assets he said were stolen from the United States and using them to bankroll criminal enterprises.

“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America,” Trump said on Truth Social. “It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before – Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us.”

He went on to accuse Caracas of using oil revenues to fuel violent and illicit activity. “The illegitimate Maduro Regime is using Oil from these stolen Oil Fields to finance themselves, Drug Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Murder, and Kidnapping,” he continued. “For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.”

Trump then formally announced the blockade, tying it to broader immigration and national security efforts. “Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,” Trump added. “The Illegal Aliens and Criminals that the Maduro Regime has sent into the United States during the weak and inept Biden Administration, are being returned to Venezuela at a rapid pace. America will not allow Criminals, Terrorists, or other Countries, to rob, threaten, or harm our Nation and, likewise, will not allow a Hostile Regime to take our Oil, Land, or any other Assets, all of which must be returned to the United States, IMMEDIATELY.”

{Matzav.com}

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What was meant to be a holiday gift from Bloomingdale’s instead sparked outrage online after a customer alleged a store employee placed a handwritten “free Palestine” note into the package of Chanukah pajamas, prompting an internal investigation by the retailer.

“Yesterday, on the first night of Chanukah, my …friend gave me a gift he ordered from Bloomingdale’s. Holiday pajamas covered in Jewish stars from P.J. Salvage,” Arielle Harris said in a social media video shared on Dec. 15. The note, seemingly written on a store-branded card, was tucked into the clothing on top of a receipt, she said.

“This never should have happened, and Bloomingdale’s needs to answer for their employees,” Harris said.

She added that her boyfriend, Andrew Jones, had not opened the package before giving it to her.

“Craziest part is how many commenters think I faked this,” Jones wrote. “Typical denials of antisemitism. My heart dropped when this happened. Totally twisted a nice night of celebrating.”

Jones and Harris told JNS that a senior Bloomingdale’s executive contacted them with a “preliminary apology” and invited the couple to speak further.

Jennifer Chadroff, director of brand communications for Bloomingdale’s, confirmed that the brand had connected with the customers and that the “matter is currently under investigation.”

“This was an unauthorized and unacceptable act,” she told JNS.

“Antisemitism, or discrimination in any form, has absolutely no place in our business and does not align with our values or our care for our customers,” Chadroff said. “Please know we are treating this with the utmost seriousness.

Jewish leaders condemned the alleged incident after it spread online.

“A ‘free Palestine’ note in a Bloomingdale’s Chanukah gift. No limits. No shame,” stated Deborah Lipstadt, former U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

Joan Leslie McGill, executive director of the U.S. Israel Education Association, stated, “Jewish identity does not require permission, and it will not be intimidated.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

A Israeli media investigation has revealed that a public campaign backing the Israeli government’s controversial milk reform was in fact a fictitious initiative financed by the Religious Zionism party, headed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The disclosure comes amid an ongoing public battle over the proposed dairy reform, which has drawn sharp opposition from various quarters. While Smotrich has been actively confronting critics of the reform on social media, it now appears that behind the scenes additional efforts were underway to manufacture public support.

According to a report aired by Channel 12 News, the group presenting itself as a civic organization advocating for the milk reform is not an independent body at all. Instead, it is allegedly a fabricated entity funded through party money from Religious Zionism.

In recent weeks, advertisements praising the reform appeared across social media platforms, on websites serving the religious public, and in Shabbos leaflets distributed in shuls. Smotrich himself amplified some of these promotional messages, lending them further visibility.

The campaign was reportedly advanced by right-wing media consultant and political activist Berel’e Crombie, who is closely associated with the current governing coalition.

The Religious Zionism party did not deny the report, stating that it is “committed to and actively engaged in lowering the cost of living for all citizens of Israel.” Smotrich declined to comment personally.

Crombie, for his part, said in response: “Just like countless social initiatives and campaigns I have led in recent years, I also initiated and am leading this campaign as a private citizen and activist.”

{Matzav.com}

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A violent stabbing targeting a Jewish man unfolded Tuesday evening in Crown Heights, as police launched a manhunt for the suspect amid growing concern over antisemitic attacks in the neighborhood.

According to the victim, the assault occurred around 5:00 p.m. while he was walking along Kingston Avenue near Lincoln Place. He reported that a man approached him, pulled out a knife, and made antisemitic remarks before attacking him.

The assailant stabbed the 35-year-old victim multiple times in the chest and then ran off along Kingston Avenue, authorities said.

Emergency responders transported the victim to Kings County Hospital, where he was treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The suspect is described by police as a Black male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 170 pounds. At the time of the attack, he was wearing a black varsity jacket, blue jeans, and white sneakers. NYPD officials said the search for the suspect is ongoing.

The stabbing came against the backdrop of heightened anxiety within the Crown Heights community over a recent increase in violent antisemitic incidents. Earlier Tuesday, Rabbi Chanina Sperlin and representatives of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council met with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch at an event in New York City to raise those concerns.

Following the meeting, Shmuel Rosenstein relayed the commissioner’s response, saying, “The Commissioner said that she takes this very seriously.” He added, “She said that there will be extra security added in Crown Heights.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] At a White House Chanukah celebration held this evening, President Donald Trump invited several families of American-Israeli hostages to join him before the assembled guests, turning the festive gathering into a deeply emotional moment.

Among those brought to the stage were Ronen and Orna Neutra, whose son, Captain Omer Neutra, was killed after being taken hostage, and Adi and Yael Alexander, parents of Edan Alexander, an American-Israeli lone IDF soldier who was held captive, later freed, and has since returned to military service.

During his remarks, Trump told attendees that the remains of all 28 deceased hostages had been recovered. He spoke at length about the determination shown by families whose loved ones did not survive captivity, drawing a comparison to parents fighting for the return of living children.

“We got all of them…and we did something that was an amazing thing to me, because the parents of those that had died….they had the same intensity as people that wanted to get their living child. The same exact intensity. In some cases, they even said more than they wanted to get their son home. And you are the best example of all,” Trump said. “And we got all 28 of them out, every single one of them.”

Following those remarks, Ronen Neutra gently corrected the record, noting that one deceased hostage has not yet been brought home from Gaza. Addressing the president directly, he expressed gratitude while underscoring the unfinished task.
“I just want to say one thing. You did an amazing job for us, for Israel, for the Jewish people. We are so, so thankful. There’s so many people here, including our friends, that we owe so much. But your amazing leadership brought us to the point where we got our kid back. There’s still one left. Ran Gvili, he’s still there. I want to say thank you to everyone. We know you’re going to bring him back.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A federal advisory committee selected by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recommended earlier this month that routine hepatitis B vaccination at birth be limited to specific cases, advising that newborns receive the shot only if their mothers are infected with hepatitis B or if the mother’s status cannot be confirmed.

Acting on that guidance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday that it has changed its national policy, no longer requiring all newborns in the United States to receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Under the revised approach, parents may now decide, together with a healthcare provider, whether infants born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B should receive the vaccine, including the birth dose.

The agency also updated its timing recommendations for infants who do not receive the vaccine shortly after birth, stating that the first dose should be given no earlier than two months of age.

Public health experts have cautioned that the shift could increase the risk of hepatitis B exposure among children, but the decision represents a significant victory for Kennedy, a longtime critic of vaccine mandates, who has pursued sweeping changes to U.S. vaccination policy since taking office.

{Matzav.com}

Jews are among the religious groups in the United States most likely to retain their childhood faith, according to a new Pew survey.

Among Americans who say they were raised Jewish, 76% continue to identify with the religion. That number is similar to the percentage of Hindus, Muslims and Protestants who remain in their childhood faith (82%, 77% and 70%, respectively) and substantially higher than the retention rate among Catholics at 57% or Buddhists at 45%.

Jews also give different reasons than Catholics or Protestants for why they continue to observe their faith. According to the survey, respondents said they are more likely to cite tradition, a sense of community and Judaism’s teachings on social and political issues, and less likely to credit belief in the religions’ teachings, spiritual needs or giving meaning to their lives than Christians.

“Among U.S. adults who were raised Jewish and still identify as Jewish by religion, 60% say liking the traditions is an extremely or very important reason they are Jewish, and 57% cite liking the sense of community,” the survey authors write. “About half of Jews say they are Jewish because it’s their family religion and/or because it’s something they’re familiar with.”

Americans who say they are “atheist, agnostic or ‘nothing in particular’” account for some 29% of the U.S. population, despite 86% of American adults reporting that they were raised in a particular faith.

Childhood religious experiences appear to be a key predictor of whether children retain their faith as adults. The survey found that 84% of adults who say they had a positive religious experience as a child report being in the same faith today, while 69% of those who say they had a negative experience are no longer affiliated with any religion.

Among adults who switch religions, including to no religion at all, 85% report doing so before the age of 30, with 46% switching during childhood.

In line with previous surveys, Pew also found substantial differences in the religious lives of Republicans and Democrats.

“Among U.S. adults who were raised in a religion, 73% of Republicans and independents who lean toward the Republican Party still identify with the religion in which they were raised, compared with 56% of Democrats and Democratic leaners,” Pew writes. “Meanwhile, Democrats who were raised in a religion are more likely to be religious ‘nones’ today compared with Republicans who were raised in a religion.”

The poll also found that among those who were not raised in a religion, Republicans were more likely than Democrats to identify with a faith as an adult. JNS

{Matzav.com}

A senior delegation from the federal Otisville Correctional Facility paid a visit to the Satmar Chassidic community in Monroe, New York, following an initiative led by the Satmar Rebbe on behalf of Jewish inmates.

The visit came in the wake of the Rebbe’s appearance several weeks ago at the Otisville federal prison, where many Jewish inmates are currently incarcerated. During that visit, the Rebbe met personally with the prison’s warden and extended an invitation for him to visit Kiryas Yoel in Monroe to observe firsthand the fabric of Jewish communal life and gain insight into the community’s strong social structure and notably low crime rates.

That invitation was realized when the prison warden arrived together with senior prison officials for an extensive tour of Satmar institutions. The delegation visited the yeshiva ketana, the central kollel complex, and the Bais Rochel girls’ school. At Bais Rochel, the warden addressed the students directly, expressing deep admiration for the educational standards, discipline, and atmosphere he encountered.

The highlight of the visit took place at the Rebbe’s residence, where the federal officials were received with marked respect. During a roughly 40-minute meeting, the Rebbe devoted his full attention to advocating on behalf of Jewish inmates, pressing two central issues.

First, the Rebbe reiterated a proposal he had raised during his prison visit: that Jewish inmates nearing the end of their sentences be granted temporary release for Shabbos or for rare family celebrations, as part of existing reintegration and rehabilitation programs designed to ease the transition back to normal life.

Second, the Rebbe forcefully addressed concerns regarding kosher food, emphasizing the urgent need to ensure that inmates receive food that fully meets halachic standards—an area that, he noted, has been neglected in recent times.

According to those present, the meeting concluded with a dramatic and encouraging commitment. The prison warden assured the Rebbe that concrete steps would be taken to implement these requests, including significant improvements in kosher food provisions and progress toward facilitating temporary releases under appropriate conditions.

{Matzav.com}

All are asked to daven for the renowned mekubal Rav Dovid Batzri, who has been hospitalized and is in need of rachamei Shomayim.

Rav Batzri, 85, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas HaShalom in Yerushalayim, was admitted to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim. He was transferred from Bnei Brak to Yerushalayimso that he could be treated at the medical center where his full medical records are on file, following a serious medical episode in the past from which he recovered with siyata d’Shmaya.

In recent years, Rav Batzri has resided on Rechov Harav Landau in Bnei Brak.

Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri visited Rav Batzri at Hadassah Ein Kerem on Tuesday, accompanied by former Health Committee chairman MK Yoni Mashriki. Deri has been closely involved in overseeing the rov’s medical care since his hospitalization, working to ensure that senior physicians and department heads are directly involved in his treatment in order to provide the best possible care. A statement from Shas indicated that there has been a slight improvement in Rav Batzri’s condition.

All are asked to daven for Rav Dovid Shalom ben Victoria.

Medical staff at Yerushalayim’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center were left astonished this week after an 11-year-old boy emerged completely unharmed following the accidental swallowing of a pair of scissors, an incident that ended without surgery or injury in what doctors described as an extraordinary occurrence.

The boy, identified only as Y., was brought late at night to the pediatric emergency department at Shaare Zedek after ingesting scissor blades measuring approximately three centimeters in length. An initial X-ray revealed the scissors inside his stomach, with the blades visibly open, raising immediate concern over the risk of serious internal injury.

Specialist teams in pediatric surgery and pediatric gastroenterology were urgently summoned, and preparations were made to take the child into surgery to remove the object. However, while Y. was already under full anesthesia in the operating room, a follow-up X-ray produced a startling development.

The imaging showed that the scissors had somehow closed on their own, passed safely through the stomach, and advanced deep into the small intestine—significantly reducing the immediate danger.

“There was a real concern that the open scissors could cause damage to the esophagus or stomach, which is why we planned to locate and extract them,” explained Dr. Esther Orlinsky-Mayer, a pediatric gastroenterology specialist at Shaare Zedek. “Miraculously, and for reasons we cannot explain, we saw that the scissors had closed by themselves, dramatically lowering the risk of injury to the digestive tract.”

Following consultation among all relevant medical teams, doctors decided against surgical intervention. Instead, Y. was transferred to the pediatric surgery ward for close monitoring.

Over the next two days, the medical team closely tracked his condition. Ultimately, the scissors exited his body naturally, without causing any internal damage. The boy remained in very good condition throughout and required no further treatment.

The child’s mother described the outcome as nothing short of miraculous. “It’s one huge miracle,” she said. “By incredible Divine mercy, my son wasn’t harmed at all.” She added words of gratitude to the medical staff, praising the pediatric emergency team for their immediate response and the gastroenterology and surgical teams for their professionalism and swift decision-making during the late-night hours.

Shaare Zedek officials noted that while foreign-object ingestion is not uncommon in children, the safe passage of a sharp object of this kind without injury is exceptionally rare.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli military police on Tuesday evening arrested a yeshiva student at his home in Ramat Gan, weeks after an earlier attempt to detain him was blocked by mass protests.

The detainee was identified as Yitzchak Rebibo, a talmid at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Ozer in Bnei Brak. According to reports, military police officers detained him outside his residence shortly after he had finished lighting Chanukah candles with his family.

Approximately three weeks ago, military police sought to arrest Rebibo on allegations that he failed to report to an induction office. That attempt was thwarted when hundreds of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim from across the chareidi community converged on the area following an emergency call circulated among activists. The demonstrators physically blocked the arrest, staging a protest against what they described as the unjust detention of a yeshiva student engaged in Torah study.

During the earlier confrontation, a military police vehicle was overturned amid the unrest. In the aftermath, police carried out arrests of individuals suspected of involvement in that incident.

The advocacy organization Notnim Gav has taken up Rebibo’s case and is providing support to him and his family. The group arranged legal representation, with attorney Shlomo Chadad handling the matter on his behalf.

Campus and law enforcement officials confirmed Tuesday that a Jewish, pro-Israel professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was killed in a shooting at his residence in Brookline, Massachusetts.

The victim was identified as Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, 47, a nuclear science and engineering professor originally from Portugal. Authorities said he was shot at his apartment Monday night and later died from his wounds Tuesday morning at a Boston-area hospital.

Brookline police said officers were dispatched to the scene at approximately 8:30 p.m. following reports of gunfire. Investigators have not made any arrests, and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office said the matter remains “an active and ongoing homicide investigation.”

A neighbor told CBS News that they heard “three loud bangs” coming from the apartment, initially thinking someone was “kicking in a door.”

Loureiro joined MIT’s faculty after an extensive academic career in physics. He earned his undergraduate degree from Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon in 2000 and completed his doctorate at Imperial College London in 2005, according to his university biography.

Widely respected in his field, Loureiro was known for advanced research into plasma dynamics — the component of blood that carries platelets and cells throughout the body — as well as his work on developing clean fusion energy as a response to climate change. Earlier this year, he was appointed director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center.

{Matzav.com}

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A SHATTERING ACT OF HATE has ripped through our community!

On Sunday December 14, 2025, a day of joy and light was brutally transformed into a scene of unimaginable horror at Bondi Beach. The annual Chanukah by the Sea celebration, a beacon of unity for the Jewish community, was mercilessly targeted in a DEADLY TERRORIST ATTACK!

THIS IS NOT JUST NEWS—THIS IS A CATASTROPHE!

At least two armed fanatics opened fire on innocent men, women, and children gathered to light the menorah, turning a celebration of faith into a massacre. Multiple lives were extinguished in a blaze of hate, and dozens more are fighting for their lives with critical injuries.

THIS WAS A STRIKE AGAINST US ALL!

This cold-blooded rampage is a vile act of antisemitic terror that has been condemned by every decent voice across Australia and the globe. But condemnation is not enough!

WE MUST ACT NOW!

 * Families are shattered!

 * Friends are grieving in shock!

 * Survivors need immediate, sustained support!

THE NEED IS CRITICAL. THE TIME FOR SOLIDARITY IS OVERDUE! We must rally immediately to support the victims, their families, and the wounded community. DO NOT let this act of hatred triumph!

ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE IN BOTH THE USA AND AUSTRALIA

All fund distribution will be overseen by the campaign committee and The Jewish House, NSW

Rabbi Aycee Abrahams

Rabbi Menachem Aron

Rabbi Mendel Kastel

Rabbi Sender Kavka

Rabbi Aron Moss

Rabbi Mendy Schapiro

Rabbi Levi Wolff

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky

Endorsed by Merkos – Chabad World Headquarters and Chabad NSW

Donate to the general fund to support all the victims and their families.