Matzav

President Trump said Monday that American energy companies could be active in Venezuela far sooner than many expect, predicting that operations could begin within a year and a half — and possibly even earlier.

“I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News.

According to the president, the financial burden would initially fall on the private sector. “A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue,” he said.

Trump’s comments came in the wake of a U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Following that development, the president said the United States would maintain a role in the country “as it pertains to oil.”

He explained that before any large-scale drilling can resume, American firms would first need to overhaul Venezuela’s deteriorated oil infrastructure, which has suffered years of neglect and mismanagement.

At present, Chevron is the only major U.S. oil company still operating in Venezuela.

Other major players exited long ago. ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil pulled out nearly two decades ago after then-president Hugo Chávez nationalized foreign-owned energy assets.

Trump said the scale of investment required would be massive. “It’ll be a very substantial amount of money,” he said. “But they’ll do very well.”

“And the country will do well,” the president added.

He also argued that restoring Venezuela as a major oil producer would have broader economic benefits for the United States. “Having a Venezuela that’s an oil producer is good for the United States because it keeps the price of oil down,” Trump said, adding that expanded drilling would “reduce oil prices.”

Trump said that while his administration did not notify U.S. oil companies in advance of the military operation, discussions had been taking place in more general terms. Officials had been “talking to the concept of, ‘what if we did it?’” he said.

“The oil companies were absolutely aware that we were thinking about doing something,” Trump said. “But we didn’t tell them we were going to do it.”

Looking ahead, Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to meet later this week with executives from Exxon and ConocoPhillips to discuss Venezuelan oil, according to Bloomberg News.

NBC News, citing a White House official, reported that Wright has been assigned to lead the administration’s efforts to restore and rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.

{Matzav.com}

All are asked to be mispallel for Rav Dovid Magid, formerly rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Bayonne, NJ, who is in need of rachamei Shomayim after suffering a medical episode on Motzoei Shabbos.

Rav Magid was transported for medical care following the incident, and family members have since asked that his condition be kept in mind during tefillah.

The rosh yeshiva‘s name for Tehillim is Elchonon Dovid Aryeh Leib ben Itta Faiga.

{Matzav.com}

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani moved Monday to tamp down speculation at City Hall after an executive order he signed prompted talk that New York City’s police commissioner had been sidelined.

The rumors began circulating after Mamdani’s first-day order granted his first deputy mayor, Dean Fuleihan, oversight authority over the New York City Police Department. Some observers read the move as a demotion of Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, leading to widespread chatter that her standing in the administration had been reduced.

Mamdani addressed the issue publicly, insisting that the reporting structure at the top of the department remains unchanged.

“My police commissioner will continue to report directly to me,” he said while speaking to reporters at an unrelated event.

The order signed on New Year’s Day placed the New York City Police Department within the first deputy mayor’s portfolio for day-to-day administrative matters, a framework that had been common under earlier city leaders.

That structure was altered under Mayor Eric Adams, who instead created a first deputy mayor for public safety role and had the police commissioner report through that office — a position that had not existed since the 1990s.

Phil Banks, who served in that public safety role under Adams, later came under scrutiny for allegedly interfering in police operations and ultimately stepped down amid a wide-ranging federal corruption investigation.

Although Mamdani’s order largely reverted the NYPD to a previous bureaucratic arrangement, it was interpreted by some as a dramatic shakeup that could weaken the department’s independence. Additional speculation spread that Mamdani had stopped receiving daily intelligence briefings from the police commissioner.

Those concerns led the National Jewish Advocacy Center to send a sharply worded letter to the mayor, particularly in light of its earlier objections to Mamdani rescinding executive orders related to antisemitism.

Tisch has been viewed by many inside and outside City Hall as a stabilizing influence within Mamdani’s democratic socialist administration. Both she and the mayor have acknowledged disagreements on certain policy issues, including matters connected to Israel.

Pressed again about the order, Mamdani emphasized the distinction between administrative supervision and ultimate accountability.

“My police commissioner, just like my schools chancellor, will report directly to me,” he said.

“The executive order is in terms of the question of coordination. This is about the daily minutiae of coordination.”

{Matzav.com}

Federal officials moved Monday to halt more than $10 billion in social services and child care funding to several Democrat-led states, citing concerns that taxpayer dollars were improperly diverted to non-citizens, according to administration sources, the NY Post reports.

The funding freeze affects California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York, with the Department of Health and Human Services set to pause distributions from three major federal programs: the Child Care Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Social Services Block Grant.

The largest portion of the freeze involves TANF, with approximately $7.35 billion slated to be withheld from the five states. An additional $2.4 billion in CCDF funding will also be blocked, along with roughly $869 million from the Social Services Block Grant program.

Administration officials said the decision would be formally communicated through letters sent Monday to each state, outlining concerns that benefits were fraudulently provided to non–U.S. citizens.

The action follows earlier scrutiny of state-administered programs. More than six years ago, the HHS Office of Inspector General determined that New York City improperly charged the federal government over $24.7 million for child care subsidies.

Minnesota has been a particular focus of federal investigations. In December, HHS sent letters to Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioning whether billions in taxpayer funding had unlawfully helped “fuel illegal and mass migration,” a development first reported by The Post. Those inquiries were followed by investigations launched by the Treasury Department and the House Oversight Committee into a growing fraud scandal involving nonprofits tied to the Somali community in the Twin Cities.

According to the Pew Research Center, Minnesota was home to about 130,000 illegal migrants as of 2023, up roughly 40,000 from 2019 and accounting for about 2% of the state’s population. The state’s Somali diaspora exceeds 100,000 people, most concentrated in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area.

Federal prosecutors have already obtained dozens of convictions connected to a $250 million fraud scheme involving Feeding Our Future, a Somali-linked organization accused of using stolen funds to buy luxury vehicles and real estate. First Assistant Minnesota U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson has alleged the scope of the fraud is far larger, claiming as much as $9 billion may have been skimmed.

“What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It’s staggering, industrial-scale fraud,” Thompson told reporters in a Dec. 18 news conference.

Public attention intensified after YouTuber Nick Shirley visited about 10 child care centers that collectively received $111 million in taxpayer funds. Subsequent reporting by the Minnesota Star Tribune found that fewer than half of those facilities appeared to be operating.

Gov. Walz addressed the issue Monday during a press conference in which he also announced he was ending his bid for a third term.

“We cannot effectively deliver programs and services if we can’t earn the public’s trust,” the Minnesota Democrat said, before criticizing President Trump and his “allies in Washington.”

“We’ll win the fight against the fraudsters, but the political gamesmanship we’re seeing from Republicans is only making that fight harder,” he added.

President Trump responded with a Truth Social post later Monday, accusing Walz and others of massive corruption.

“Minnesota’s Corrupt Governor will possibly leave office before his Term is up but, in any event, will not be running again because he was caught, REDHANDED, along with Ilhan Omar, and others of his Somali friends, stealing Tens of Billions of Taxpayer Dollars,” Trump wrote.

“I feel certain the facts will come out, and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous, and rich, group of ‘SLIMEBALLS,’” the president added.

“Governor Walz has destroyed the State of Minnesota, but others, like Governor Gavin Newscum, JB Pritzker, and Kathy Hochul, have done, in my opinion, an even more dishonest and incompetent job. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!”

Democratic lawmakers sharply criticized the funding freeze. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York denounced the move as politically motivated.

“To use the power of the government to harm the neediest Americans is immoral and indefensible,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “This has nothing to do with fraud and everything to do with political retribution that punishes poor children in need of assistance. I demand that President Trump unfreeze this funding and stop this brazen attack on our children.”

Officials in several affected states said they had not yet received formal notification. A spokesperson for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said “the state has not been officially notified of any changes to these funding sources,” adding that if accurate, “it would be awful to see the federal government targeting the most needy families and children this way.”

A representative for California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration likewise said the state had not been given guidance on funding changes, but emphasized that California is “committed to safeguarding the integrity of all child care subsidy payments and takes any potential misuse of funds seriously.”

{Matzav.com}

Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman said his party would oppose a proposed military draft law if it proves to be a political façade, warning that the High Court of Justice should not interfere in legislative matters.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with journalist Yishai Cohen on the Kikar HaShabbat studio program, Rothman addressed his ongoing confrontation with Israel’s judicial system, the judicial overhaul he sought to advance, the so-called “Qatargate” affair, remarks made by former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak, the controversy surrounding the draft law and the status of yeshiva students, and the possibility that the High Court could order the dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Rothman sharply rejected Barak’s recent claim that Israel is no longer a liberal democracy and is instead ruled by a single individual. According to Rothman, “The system really is being run by one person — and that person is Yitzchak Amit, who involves himself in every issue even when he has no authority to do so. But this is coming to an end. I think Yitzchak Amit knows it’s ending, and so does Aharon Barak. Their one-man rule is over, and that’s why we’re hearing these cries of alarm.”

Rothman also said he does not recognize Amit as president of the Supreme Court, stressing that Amit currently serves only as acting president under the law. “He’s sitting there as an acting president, and that’s fine — that’s what the law provides,” Rothman said. “The committee that selected him — who convened it? Was it convened by a lawfully elected chair? These are basic questions.”

Turning to the possibility that the High Court of Justice could order Ben-Gvir removed from office, Rothman urged Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to ignore such a ruling if it is issued. “Under no circumstances,” Rothman said. “If Netanyahu makes it clear from day one that he will not comply with such a delusional, exhausting, and unlawful ruling, that is what matters here. If a court says it doesn’t care about the law and the government obeys it anyway, then the responsibility lies with the government. You must not listen to an illegal ruling like that — it’s a blow to democracy.”

Rothman also launched an attack on Supreme Court justices often described as conservatives, arguing that no such category truly exists on the court. He singled out Justice Noam Sohlberg, saying that while some have labeled him conservative, Rothman always viewed him as merely “less activist.” Rothman criticized Sohlberg’s silence amid recent judicial developments, calling it “shocking” and accusing him of a lack of leadership. “With the level of leadership he is showing today,” Rothman said, “I don’t think he’s suitable to serve as president of the Supreme Court at all.”

Addressing the contentious draft legislation, Rothman emphasized that he would abide by the decision of his party faction. “I was very clear,” he said. “Support or opposition to the law — I will accept whatever decision my faction makes. As Simcha Rothman, I am not demanding anything personally. The same body that made life-and-death decisions, such as hostage releases — I said I will stand with my faction.”

He added that, on a personal level, he would favor a return to the Tal Law framework or treating chareidi yeshiva students similarly to religious women who are exempt from military service on religious grounds. Rothman concluded with a warning that if the draft law turns out to be an “Isra-bluff” — a hollow compromise — his party will not support it.

{Matzav.com}

Emotional scenes were recorded this week in Afula, when a special delegation from Hatzalah and the Gilboa regional unit visited the home of a local resident who was seriously injured in last Friday’s deadly terror attack and survived against the odds.

The visit was intended both to strengthen the survivor and to complete a powerful “closing of the circle” with the volunteers who were among the first to arrive at the scene and administer the initial, life-saving medical care.

Among those attending were Afula Mayor Avi Elkabetz, Rav Ben Tzion Kook, Gilboa regional coordinator for Hatzalah Mendy Itzkovitz, and paramedics Moshe Dachs and Yossi Farber. The two medics were among the earliest responders to reach the scene of the attack and, with exceptional presence of mind, provided rapid and professional treatment during the most critical minutes—actions credited with saving the victim’s life.

The survivor, visibly moved as he welcomed the delegation into his home, shared his reflections on the ordeal. “Only afterward did I truly understand how critical every single second was,” he said. “I thank you for being there not only at the scene, but also at the hospital and in supporting my family. I was given my life as a gift.”

Gilboa regional coordinator Mendy Itzkovitz emphasized the mission that drives the organization. “Saving lives is our calling,” he said. “I thank the mayor and the city leadership for the ongoing cooperation and assistance that allow our volunteers to drop everything and respond immediately when lives are on the line.”

Hatzalah Director-General Yaakov Yuzef added that the meeting encapsulated the essence of the organization’s work. “This encounter illustrates the ‘why’ behind everything we do,” he said. “All the logistical investment, the equipment, emergency vehicles, and wide deployment converge into moments like this. It’s not a slogan—it’s the daily reality of saving lives. The direct bond between volunteers and those they rescue is part of our DNA and reflects, in practice, the supreme value of preserving life as a daily mission.”

Mayor Avi Elkabetz concluded the moving gathering by praising the close cooperation between the city and emergency responders. “This event is living proof of how vital rapid response times are,” he said. “The combination of advanced equipment and devoted Hatzalah volunteers is what saved a life here.”

{Matzav.com}

An online entry edited within hours of the Trump administration’s dramatic operation against Venezuela took aim not at the mission’s outcome, but at its framing. A Wikipedia page devoted to Cilia Flores, the wife of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, was quickly updated to characterize the event as an “abduction,” drawing attention for its wording almost as soon as the news broke.

President Trump publicly confirmed that U.S. forces, working alongside American law enforcement agencies, had carried out the operation that removed Maduro from power. “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

According to reporting by Breitbart News, the mission came against the backdrop of years of U.S. efforts to bring Maduro to justice. American authorities had placed a $50 million reward on information leading to his arrest or conviction, reflecting the seriousness of the charges leveled against him.

Those charges date back to a 2020 U.S. indictment accusing Maduro of playing a central role in the Cartel of the Suns, an alleged cocaine trafficking network tied to senior Venezuelan officials. Prosecutors said the organization sought to “flood” the United States with cocaine as part of a campaign to harm the country, according to Breitbart News correspondent Christian K. Caruzo.

Breitbart has also reported that Maduro retained control in Venezuela through what it described as a series of sham presidential elections, while remaining a fugitive from U.S. justice on multiple narco-terrorism counts.

The operation itself unfolded dramatically late Saturday, when explosions rocked Caracas. In the aftermath, Maduro and Flores were “captured and flown out of the country,” marking a decisive end to his rule and setting off a fresh political dispute — not only over the strike itself, but over how the episode is being described online.

{Matzav.com}

Federal health authorities announced a sweeping change Monday to the nation’s childhood immunization guidance, cutting back the list of vaccines routinely recommended for children and leaving some shots, including those for influenza, to parental discretion without explicit federal direction.

According to the New York Times, “Federal health officials on Monday announced dramatic revisions to the slate of vaccines recommended for American children, reducing the number of diseases prevented by routine shots to 11 from 17.”

Officials involved in the revision stressed that the updated schedule does not eliminate access to any vaccines and will not affect insurance coverage, emphasizing that families can still obtain all recommended immunizations if they choose.

Despite those assurances, medical professionals reacted with alarm, warning that scaling back official recommendations could discourage vaccination, lower immunization rates, and lead to the return of preventable diseases.

“The announcement is a seismic shift in federal vaccine policy, and perhaps the most significant change yet in public health practice by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, who has long sought to reduce the number of shots American children receive.”

The move follows a directive issued in December by President Donald Trump, who asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to study how other countries structure their vaccine recommendations and to explore whether the U.S. schedule should be revised to more closely mirror international approaches.

{Matzav.com}

A four-year-old jab from Joe Biden aimed at President Donald Trump suddenly returned to center stage this weekend, after Trump authorized the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro on drug-trafficking and terrorism charges — a move that set off sharp reactions across the political spectrum.

The remark, originally posted in June 2020 in response to an Axios report, resurfaced rapidly as critics and supporters alike revisited Biden’s earlier assessment of Trump’s Venezuela policy.

“Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolás Maduro,” Biden wrote at the time.

“As President, I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy,” Biden added.

Following the dramatic weekend operation at Miraflores, Maduro’s official residence, conservatives — joined by at least one left-leaning activist — circulated the comment as an example of what several users described as rhetoric that “aged like milk.”

“A tweet that did not age well,” Fox News host and former Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany commented.

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, now running for governor, reacted bluntly.

“Whoops,” Tuberville wrote.

“And now, every Democrat is denouncing an operation to execute a federal warrant while we slept,” he added.

Tuberville went further, arguing that the backlash revealed a deeper problem.

“Democrats have no principles [and] it’s about whatever way the left wind is blowing to gain power,” he said.

“Yesterday’s margaritas with Kilmar Abrego Garcia is today’s Maduro,” Tuberville continued. “They’ll support a drug-trafficking dictator because this was another Trump win. Guaranteed.”

The Trump campaign’s “Rapid Response 47” account also amplified the moment, reposting Biden’s old message alongside an image of Maduro blindfolded aboard a U.S. government aircraft after his arrest.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, whose Butler County district includes the site of Trump’s near-assassination in 2024, added a jab of his own.

“Has anyone called to see if Joe is still sleeping?” Bernstine asked.

One user replied by posting a clip of Earl Sinclair from the 1990s ABC sitcom Dinosaurs, showing the character dropping a glass in shock.

“This aged well,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, remarked of Biden’s earlier post.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee echoed that sentiment in a separate social media post, praising Trump’s approach.

“Doesn’t just talk tough, he is tough,” Blackburn said.

“Does Joe Biden have anything to say now?” she asked, as others noted that Biden himself had previously labeled Maduro a dictator and condemned his “human rights violations and extrajudicial killings.”

Former NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro drew a broader comparison.

“Wait. You mean ‘Don’t’ diplomacy didn’t get it done?” Mauro wrote.

He was referring to Biden’s widely replayed response when asked what message he would send Iran to deter interference in Israel.

“Don’t,” Biden said before exiting the stage at an event hosted by Al Sharpton’s National Action Network.

Critics also revisited moments from the Biden administration that appeared to soften its posture toward Caracas. In 2022, climate envoy John Kerry was filmed smiling and shaking hands with Maduro at the UN climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

When questioned about the interaction, Kerry spokesman Ned Price said the Venezuelan leader had “interrupted what was an ongoing meeting at COP27,” describing the encounter as “very much an unplanned interaction.”

Others pointed out that the initial bounty on Maduro was established in 2015 under Barack Obama and later increased by the Biden administration, before being doubled to $50 million under Trump.

Ja’Mal Green, a former Chicago mayoral candidate and community activist who once aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders but now identifies as “politically independent,” argued that Biden’s posture lacked follow-through.

“Joe Biden hated Maduro just as much. He just wasn’t bold enough to get him,” Green said.

“All [Biden] did was impose sanctions and never get the money owed. Democrats have to stop.”

Green accused the Biden administration of standing by while Maduro tightened his grip on Venezuela.

“Under Biden, he watched as Maduro slaughtered and oppressed the people of Venezuela. He watched as Maduro lost the election but still declared himself the winner. He then just allowed millions of Venezuelans to come to America to claim refuge, costing us hundreds of billions of dollars,” Green said, adding that he has also criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson over the city’s handling of illegal immigration.

“Under Trump, Maduro FAFO. He swooped in and took him out of the country altogether,” Green said.

He concluded by framing the arrest as a necessary break from failed engagement.

“Regardless of our disagreements, sometimes diplomacy doesn’t work, and we must use aggression to free a nation. Trump freed Venezuelans today and I hope one day they can go home to a stable country.”

Green also mocked protests against Trump, saying the most bizarre reaction was from “socialist[s] crying about Trump taking Maduro” while accusing the president of seeking regime change.

“Maduro didn’t win the election. He’s only there because he took over the country,” Green said. “I thought y’all didn’t want kings.”

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back sharply at CBS News host Margaret Brennan after she challenged the Trump administration’s decision to limit its Venezuela operation to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, rather than dismantling the entire regime in one sweep.

The exchange unfolded Sunday on “Face the Nation,” where Brennan questioned why other indicted figures tied to the Venezuelan government were not taken into custody during the mission. “I’m curious because you just described the regime as still in place, essentially. I’m curious why the Trump administration decided to leave it intact and only arrest Nicolás Maduro and his wife,” she said.

As Brennan ticked off names of alleged regime associates who remain in the country, she underscored her skepticism. “I’m confused. Are they still wanted by the United States? Why didn’t you arrest them if you are taking out the narco-terrorist regime?”

Rubio immediately rejected the premise of her questions. “You’re confused? I don’t know why that’s confusing to you,” he replied, after Brennan insisted that regime figures were still holding power.

He went on to argue that expanding the operation would have dramatically increased risks and international backlash. “Yeah, but you’re going to go in and suck up five people? They are already complaining about this one operation. Imagine the howls we would have from everybody else if we actually had to go and stay there four days to capture four other people,” Rubio said.

The secretary of state stressed that the mission focused on the highest-value target. “We got the top priority. The number one person on the list was the guy who claimed to be the president of the country that he was not, and he was arrested, along with his wife, who is also indicted. And that was a pretty sophisticated and, frankly, complicated operation.”

“It was,” Brennan acknowledged.

Rubio then described the scope and danger involved in the raid itself, citing helicopter landings at Venezuela’s largest military base, the breach of Maduro’s residence, his arrest and removal from the country, all without American casualties or lost equipment. “That’s not an easy mission, and you’re asking me why didn’t we do that at five other places at the same time? I mean, that’s absurd,” he said.

Brennan later returned to her original concern, noting that other regime members remain inside Venezuela. “I’m asking why you chose that this was the limit of the military operation,” she said, prompting Rubio to again emphasize that Maduro had falsely claimed the presidency and was the primary objective.

According to U.S. officials, the Trump administration carried out a targeted nighttime operation on Jan. 3 that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both were transported to the United States, where federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against them.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moved swiftly after taking office to nullify a broad set of executive orders signed by his predecessor, Eric Adams, a decision that had the effect of canceling directives tied to antisemitism and Israel, according to a report by the New York Times.

The mayor framed the move as a matter of administrative principle rather than policy substance. By wiping out all Adams-issued executive orders dating back to September 2024, Mamdani was able to characterize the action as routine “good governance,” the report said.

Behind the scenes, however, advisers acknowledged that the elimination of two specific orders was always the objective. Those directives had formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and barred mayoral appointees and agency staff from participating in boycotts or divestment campaigns targeting Israel. Advisors cautioned Mamdani that openly revoking those measures could provoke backlash from Jewish organizations, particularly after he had publicly pledged to take antisemitism seriously.

Mamdani’s legal team laid out two possible approaches. One option was to individually review each Adams-era order and rescind them selectively. The other was to cancel all of the orders issued during Adams’ final period in office. Mamdani opted for a hybrid approach, rescinding every executive order Adams signed after his corruption indictment in September 2024, effectively sweeping away the antisemitism- and Israel-related directives along with the rest.

The decision drew sharp condemnation from Jewish leaders in the United States. William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish organizations, said: “Mayor Mamdani’s decision to cancel New York’s adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, along with related presidential orders aimed at addressing antisemitic discrimination, is a troubling indicator of the direction he is leading the city, just one day after taking office.”

Daroff warned that undoing the orders would weaken the city’s ability to confront a growing problem. “Its cancellation reduces New York’s ability to identify and respond to antisemitism at a time when the number of incidents continues to rise. New York City should clearly lead in moral integrity and determination in confronting antisemitism. This decision signals the opposite direction,” he said.

Criticism also came from Israel. Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli accused Mamdani of acting out of self-interest rather than principle. “It is no coincidence that one of Mayor Mamdani’s first actions was an attempt to cancel the IHRA definition of antisemitism. He knows very well that, according to that definition, he himself falls under the category of antisemitic,” Chikli said. “Instead of confronting reality, he is trying to change the rules.”

Chikli argued that the rollback went well beyond a single definition. “It does not stop there. At the same time, he is working to lift the ban on boycotts of Israel and to erase official statements made by his predecessor, a friend of Israel, Eric Adams, regarding antisemitism in New York. This is a systematic attempt to erase the fight against antisemitism and to legitimize extremist positions under the guise of social justice. The fact that such moves are taking place in New York City, the city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, is a serious warning sign,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s energy minister has ordered preparations to sever utility services to facilities operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, invoking newly passed legislation to advance the move. The directive follows Knesset approval last week of a law sponsored by MKs Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beytenu and Limor Son-Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit that authorizes the disconnection of UNRWA public buildings from infrastructure services.

Under the instruction issued Monday, the Israel Electric Corporation and Yerushalayim’s water provider, “Hagihon,” were told to initiate the disconnection process and to dispatch advance warning notices ahead of any cutoffs. The notices are to be sent to UNRWA public buildings located in the Yerushalayim neighborhoods of Ma’alot Dafna and Kafr Aqab.

Energy Minister Eli Cohen described the step as part of a broader campaign to halt UNRWA operations, which he labeled a “terror supporter.” He also directed officials to identify additional UNRWA facilities and to proceed with full implementation of the new law as further locations are confirmed.

{Matzav.com}

A fire broke out today at a Bais Medrash Govoah residential development site on Cedarview Avenue in Lakewood, NJ drawing a response from local fire crews.

The incident took place inside one of the apartment buildings currently going up as part of a housing initiative intended for yungeleit.

Authorities confirmed that no one was hurt in the blaze.

Officials did not immediately disclose what sparked the fire.

The structure involved is part of a major construction effort launched by Bais Medrash Govoah on land it acquired several years ago from Georgian Court University.

The overall plan calls for six residential buildings that will together provide roughly 600 apartments for yungeleit once the project is finished.

{Matzav.com}

A year after New York City rolled out congestion pricing in Manhattan, new data indicates that traffic is moving more efficiently, with buses and taxis seeing noticeable improvements in travel times.

The pricing program, which marked its first anniversary on Monday, requires most private vehicles to pay a $9 fee during peak hours to enter Manhattan below 60th Street, with higher charges imposed on trucks based on size. Since its introduction, traffic in the congestion zone has declined by roughly 11%, according to figures from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the city’s transit system and put the tolling plan into effect.

That reduction in vehicle volume has translated into faster trips for professional drivers. Taxis operating south of 60th Street averaged 7.3 miles per hour between January and October of last year, representing a 1.4% increase compared with the same months in 2024, before the toll went live. The increase reverses a multiyear trend in which average taxi speeds had been slipping steadily since 2021, according to the new analysis.

Bus riders are also seeing gains. Local, limited, select, and express bus services collectively moved about 3% faster within the tolled area as of November, benefiting commuters who rely on surface transit through some of the city’s most congested corridors.

Traffic counts reinforce the trend. Vehicle volumes through tunnels leading into the congestion pricing zone dropped by 3.1%, while bridge and tunnel crossings into the area during the first ten months of 2025 matched 100% of 2019 levels. That marks a decline from 2024, when crossings reached 103.6% of pre-pandemic volumes.

The findings come from a joint report by the Regional Plan Association, a nonprofit focused on regional economic health and quality of life, and the Sam Schwartz Transportation Research Program at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.

Beyond easing congestion, the tolling system is generating significant funding. The MTA projects that congestion pricing will produce $548.3 million in net revenue in 2025, money slated for upgrades and modernization across the city’s aging transit infrastructure.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk posted a new image that quickly drew attention, showing him seated at a table with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Alongside the photo, Musk struck an upbeat tone about the year ahead, writing, “Had a lovely dinner last night with @POTUS and @FLOTUS. 2026 is going to be amazing!”

The image, which Musk shared on X, shows the tech billionaire dining with the president and the first lady, a public display that contrasts sharply with the tensions that have marked his relationship with Trump in recent months.

The post follows a long-running dispute that erupted after Musk exited the Trump administration, where he had led the Department of Government Efficiency. After leaving that role, Musk launched sharp criticisms of Trump, a rupture that played out openly and fueled speculation that the two had permanently fallen out.

That strain was particularly evident when Musk attacked Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill. During the dispute, Musk labeled the legislation “pork-filled” and “a disgusting abomination.” In the midst of the feud, he also claimed that the reason files connected to convicted child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein’s client list had “not been made public” was because Trump was “in the Epstein files.”

Republicans pushed back at the time, arguing that Musk’s criticism of the legislation stemmed from the bill’s removal of green energy tax credits rather than from any broader policy concerns.

Signs of a possible thaw began to surface months earlier. In September, Breitbart News reporter Nick Gilbertson noted that Trump and Musk were seen together at a tribute service for Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated. During the event, the two men were observed sitting near one another and exchanging a handshake.

That appearance marked the first public reunion between Trump and Musk since Musk’s departure from the administration and his subsequent attacks, which had sparked a very visible rift. The interaction prompted talk that relations might be easing.

At the tribute, Trump and Musk were seen conversing as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took the stage to honor Kirk. When Hegseth concluded his remarks, Trump and Musk shook hands, after which Musk left his seat — a moment that hinted at at least a partial reconciliation.

{Matzav.com}

Colombia’s president escalated tensions with Washington on Monday, warning that he would personally resist any American military action against his country after President Trump publicly hinted that Bogotá could be next in a broader anti-drug campaign.

The sharp exchange followed a dramatic U.S. operation over the weekend that led to the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, an event that Trump cited while suggesting Colombia and its leader could face similar pressure.

In a message posted online, President Gustavo Petro invoked Colombia’s history of conflict and peace, saying he would abandon a long-held personal pledge if the nation were attacked. “I swore not to touch a weapon again since the 1989 Peace Pact, but for the homeland, I will take up arms again,” Petro wrote on X.

He went on to frame the confrontation as a popular struggle rather than a personal one. “Know that you are facing a commander of the people. Free Colombian forever,” he added.

Petro said the Colombian military and security services had been instructed to protect the country’s leadership and population from any foreign incursion, stating that forces had orders to fire on “the invader.”

Responding to Trump’s rhetoric, the left-wing president insisted that his administration has been actively battling narcotics trafficking and warned that an attack on Colombia’s government would only strengthen criminal organizations. He argued that destabilizing the state would hand an advantage to the very cartels the U.S. claims to be fighting.

Petro also cautioned that airstrikes against drug groups would have devastating civilian consequences, accusing cartels of operating among noncombatants. “If you bomb even one of these groups without sufficient intelligence, you will kill many children,” Petro said. “If you bomb peasants, thousands of guerrillas will return in the mountains.

“And if you arrest the president whom a good part of my people want and respect, you will unleash the popular jaguar,” he added, using a metaphor for mass unrest among Colombians.

The Colombian leader’s remarks came after Trump warned that Petro should “watch his a–” in the aftermath of the U.S. raid in Caracas that captured Maduro and his wife.

Petro had publicly denounced that operation and urged the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency session to address Maduro’s detention.

Trump, for his part, intensified the feud by branding Petro “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” a claim the Colombian president flatly rejected.

Petro dismissed any suggestion of ties to drug cartels and said his finances are fully transparent, insisting he has no involvement with criminal networks.

In a final warning, Petro turned his attention inward, cautioning members of Colombia’s security establishment against siding with Washington. “Every soldier of Colombia has an order from now on: every commander of the public force who prefers the flag of the US to the flag of Colombia must immediately withdraw from the institution by order of the bases and the troops and mine,” Petro said.

{Matzav.com}

Large numbers of Americans are increasingly using ChatGPT as a substitute source for medical guidance, with roughly 40 million people saying they turn to the tool for health-related information, according to new findings cited by OpenAI and reported by Axios. The report indicates that health questions now account for more than 5 percent of all messages sent to the AI system worldwide, even though medical decisions are often highly personal and depend on individual circumstances.

The data suggests that many users rely on ChatGPT when traditional medical care is harder to access. Underserved rural areas alone generate “an average of nearly 600,000 health care-related messages every week,” and seven out of ten health-related questions are submitted outside standard office hours, Axios reports.

Beyond symptom-related concerns, users are increasingly employing the technology to navigate the financial side of health care. The report estimates that between 1.6 million and 1.9 million insurance-related searches are conducted weekly, with people seeking help to understand coverage, compare prices, identify possible overcharges, and even challenge denied claims.

Survey responses included in the report show that a majority of U.S. users have turned to ChatGPT for direct medical exploration. Among respondents, 55 percent said they had used the tool to “check or explore symptoms,” 48 percent reported using it to “understand medical terms or instructions,” and 44 percent said they relied on it to “learn about treatment options.”

The report notes that its findings focus solely on ChatGPT usage and do not account for other artificial intelligence tools, including AI-generated responses that appear at the top of Google search results.

{Matzav.com}

An urgent meeting of leading roshei yeshiva and rabbonim from across the tri-state area was convened last night in Lakewood, NJ to address what participants described as the growing spiritual dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and the need to safeguard yeshivos from its influence.

The gathering was held at Ateres Chana Hall at Bais Faiga and drew senior Torah leadership. The meeting was called amid rising concern that rapid advances in AI technology present unprecedented challenges to kedusha, focus, and the integrity of the Olam HaTorah.

Those in attendance included Rav Yosef Mermelstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Novominsk; Rav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Tiferes Yerachmiel; Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta of Lakewood; Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg; Rav Elya Kanarek, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Hameir of Peekskill; the roshei yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah, Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Dovid Schustal, Rav Yeruchem Olshin, and Rav Yisroel Neuman; Rav Yisroel Ehrlich, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mishkan Hatorah; Rav Eliyahu Yagid, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Keren Hatorah; Rav Avrohom Bromberg, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Shaar Hatalmud; Rav Yaakov Horowitz, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Meir; Rav Dovid Breslauer, rosh kollel of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg; Rav Shmuel Abba Olshin, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah of Hillside; Rav Yitzchok Lichtenstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rav Simcha Bunim Paler, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mekor Chaim; Rav Uri Meir Kanarek, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Noam Hatalmud; Rav Moshe Pruzansky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chemdas Hatorah; and other rabbonim.

Speakers emphasized that while technology in general — and AI in particular — is advancing at a pace never before seen, the Torah world must respond with clarity and firm boundaries. The discussion focused on how AI tools can quietly penetrate yeshiva environments, affect purity of thought, undermine discipline, and introduce influences that can be damaging to a ben Torah.

In his remarks, Rav Wachtfogel framed the challenge in stark but nuanced terms, describing AI as an “Eitz Hadaas Tov V’Ra.” He explained that the difficulty lies precisely in the fact that AI contains elements that are beneficial alongside components that are deeply harmful. “Halevai that it should only be ra, if only it would only have bad components,” he said. If that were the case, he noted, the battle would be far simpler. It is the blend of usefulness and danger, he explained, that makes AI so complex and so perilous for the Olam HaTorah.

Speakers stressed that what makes AI especially threatening is not only what it can do, but how subtly it can enter a person’s life, reshape thinking, and erode sensitivity without immediate awareness.

The assembled rabbonim spoke about the responsibility of roshei yeshiva and mechanchim to act proactively and establish clear policies.

At a public gathering marking the return home of a yeshiva bochur who had been released from Israeli military prison after refusing to report to the Draft Office, Rav Tzemach Mazuz delivered pointed remarks urging reconciliation and mutual respect across Israeli society.

The rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Kisei Rachamim focused his comments on tensions between the chareidi community and the Israel Defense Forces, warning that internal strife only weakens the nation.

Calling for a shift in mindset, Rav Mazuz stressed that the relationship between Torah learners and soldiers should not be viewed as adversarial. “It’s a shame that we have baseless hatred, as if we and the army are against each other. No, we complement each other!”

He went on to invoke the historical consequences of division, urging the public to replace animosity with genuine care and unity. “Enough with baseless hatred, it caused the destruction of the Second Bais Hamikdosh. Let’s increase ‘baseless love.’ I love every soldier. I love the army. They are doing their job, and we are doing our job. Together, with G-d’s help, Am Yisroel chai.”

{Matzav.com}

A defamation lawsuit seeking half a million shekels has been filed by Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Zini against Haaretz, alleging that the paper carried out a coordinated effort to damage his reputation and that of his family. The suit was submitted through his legal team, Dr. Yehiel Weinrot, Tal Shachaf, and Yehuda Schwartz.

According to the filing, the campaign began on September 4, 2025, when a prominent article appeared on the front page of a Haaretz weekend supplement. Written by Hilo Glazer, the piece carried the headline “There Have Been Extremists in Israel’s Leadership, But a Shin Bet Head Like David Zini Has Never Been Seen.”

The lawsuit claims the presentation of the article was designed to cultivate what it describes as a “dramatic and dark atmosphere,” featuring oversized text and a black background. The article allegedly cast suspicion on Major General David Zini, the incoming head of the Shin Bet, and focused particular attention on his uncle, Rabbi Eliyahu Zini.

At the center of the complaint is Glazer’s assertion that Rabbi Zini authored an article in the book Baruch HaGever. In that piece, Glazer allegedly wrote, Rabbi Zini praised the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs and claimed that “the prohibition of ‘Do not kill’ does not apply to a Jew who kills a non-Jew.”

Rabbi Zini flatly denies those claims, calling them entirely fabricated. The lawsuit states that “the plaintiff never wrote or contributed an article to this book; his name does not appear in the list of authors; there is no reference to him regarding the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs; and he has never made the claims attributed to him on any platform.”

The suit further alleges that the accusations were repeated weeks later. On September 22, 2025, another Haaretz article, this time by Doron Koren, again attributed the same statements to Rabbi Zini, adding what the lawsuit describes as heightened “sensationalism,” including the claim that “His nephew (Rabbi Dr. Zini) praised the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs in an article in the book Baruch HaGever and claimed that ‘Do not kill’ does not apply to a Jew who kills a non-Jew.”

According to the filing, additional Haaretz writers echoed the allegations after the initial publication, including in an editorial titled “Zini’s Test” and in a separate article by Yossi Klein.

Rabbi Zini contends that the cumulative effect of these publications amounted to a “coordinated and timed campaign of intimidation designed to tarnish the reputation of the family and relatives of the new head of the Shin Bet, Major General David Zini, with the goal of thwarting his appointment.” He argues that readers could reasonably come away believing he praised the massacre, an assertion he insists is completely untrue.

{Matzav.com}