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As a first-time attendee walking into the Torah Umesorah Convention at the Kalahari Resort last week, I didn’t have such high expectations, perhaps an enjoyable Shabbos given as a bonus from my school—nice hotel, decent amenities, a few sessions, and that’s it. Within minutes, I realized this was something entirely different, which made me wonder: What exactly is the purpose of this Convention?

From the energy alone—hundreds of mechanchim moving, talking, learning—I understood that the purpose is to strengthen the people who build the next generation of Klal Yisrael. Every part of the program is designed to elevate what we do in the classroom every day. (And every attention to detail made us feel royally treated!)

I went from session to session, amazed at how much practical knowledge was being shared: uplifting drashos and spirited shailos u’teshuvos panels from Gedolim on chinuch’s burning issues, preschool strategies, general studies techniques, leadership tools—real, usable ideas. The Chinuh Expo was filled with resources I never knew existed, and I kept thinking, “If this didn’t exist, how would any of us find these things?”

I was attuned to the buzz in the hallways, too. Everywhere I went, I overheard reactions that confirmed what I was experiencing. “Torah Umesorah has its finger on the pulse of chinuch,” someone said. “Learning to converse with my talmidim—even more than teach—was eye-opening.” Another remarked, ”I heard Rav Elya Brudny’s clarity on AI—that even as technology changes from ‘Tuesday to Shabbos,’ Hashem is makdim refuah l’makkah and gives us the tools to handle whatever arises.” And every hallway was buzzing with chinuch discussions—swapping strategies, brainstorming. No, not your average Convention by far!

I met educators from across the world—Portland, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Montreal, Manchester, Panama, Brazil—each one eager to share and learn. Hearing Hebrew echo from the South American delegation showed me just how far the reach of Torah Umesorah extends. I met many veteran attendees who told me that every year brings new experiences—which is why they return annually without fail.

The Executive Directors had a powerful panel with Rabbi Aaron Kotler, Reb Chaim Rajchenbach, and Reb Shmuel Boruch Tress, who spoke about their fathers’ askanus and the enduring lessons that continue to guide chinuch.

The Gedolim—Rav Elya Brudny, Rav Aharon Feldman, Rav Hillel David, Rav Yosef Eichenstein, Rav Chaim Y. Hoberman, Rav Aharon Dovid Goldberg, Rav Yaakov Bender and Rav Reuven Feinstein—were present and remarkably accessible. I felt privileged to approach them directly with questions, just as so many others did, and to receive such personal hadracha. This is where the chinuch industry standard is set—where approaches shift and systems across the country are recalibrated to meet the needs of our dor; there is truly no other address for this.

The guest speakers brought the fire: Rav Ephraim Wachsman, Rav Uren Reich, Rav Uri Deutsch, Rav Noach Orlowek, Rav Nechemia Grama, and Rabbi Dovid Perets from Panama—each delivering messages that felt immediately usable. Every time I walked out of a session, I had something to bring back to my students. And the tefillos—hundreds of voices rising together—gave me chizuk that I am part of a greater whole, full of yearning and kedusha.

I received a clear and insightful answer to the question I had when I first registered: What does this Convention actually accomplish? It creates a space where pressing issues—struggling students, building character, inspiring pride in Yiddishkeit—are addressed with real solutions. It channels the wisdom of our Gedolim directly to thousands of teachers and sends us home with clarity and direction that we cannot get on our own.

I heard a mechanech say, “This is my chinuch vitamins for the entire year,” and I understood exactly what he meant. Conversation after conversation reminded me that we’re part of a global mission to raise the next generation of Klal Yisrael. By the end, it was clear that the Convention doesn’t just inspire; it tangibly elevates the chinuch of each of our children.

At some point, I realized something else: even those who never stepped foot into the Kalahari Resort were, in a sense, “in attendance.” Because the ideas, the guidance, the clarity, the solutions—what every mechanech takes home—flow directly into classrooms across the country. The future of Klal Yisrael sits in those classrooms. When you strengthen the mechanchim, you strengthen every child. And when you strengthen every child, you strengthen all of Klal Yisrael.

Which led to a final question: If this Convention didn’t exist, what would be missing? We would still be teaching, but without this infusion of hadracha, achdus, knowledge, and solutions that lift everything we do. Walking out, I understood that Torah Umesorah isn’t hosting an event—they’re elevating the chinuch of tens of thousands of children. In that sense, Klal Yisroel itself is the real attendee—and the real beneficiary.

And as a first-time attendee, I left saying, “How did I ever do chinuch without this?”

Here’s a glimpse of some of the insights that shaped my first time at the Torah Umesorah Convention:

The Power of a Rebbi’s Connection (Rav Elya Brudny)

The foundation of all chinuch is having a deep, personal kesher with every talmid. Reb Feivel, a Holocaust survivor, became a beloved melamed in Yeshivas Eitz Chaim, he once said, “I speak with the talmidim even more than I teach them.” As a bochur, Rav Brudny watched Rav Avraham Pam, zt”l, spend the week after Rav Aharon Kotler’s petirah not immersed in more learning, but speaking to talmidim about what a Rebbi is, what an Adam Gadol is, and what ahavas haTorah looks like. He recalled visiting his Zayde in Bnei Brak, who remembered a certain day as a Yom Tov, because thirty years earlier, Reb Chatzkel Levenstein, zt”l, told him after getting the aliyah of Birchas Yaakov, “You are gebensht.” That is the lasting imprint of a Rebbi’s words.

Strength Without Drama: Lessons From Home (Rav Yaakov Bender)

My mother, a young widow, never raised her voice. Her strongest rebuke was, “Yankel, I’m disappointed in you.” During the shiva for my father, after thieves stole our tefillin bags, she told us crying children, “We don’t cry about what can be replaced with money.” I am reminded of Rav Elchonon Wasserman delivering his drasha in the Ninth Fort shortly before his murder, anchored in absolute menuchas hanefesh.

“Just a Rebbi? You Built Worlds.” (Rav Uren Reich)

When a Rebbi goes to shomayim after 120 and says, “I was just a Rebbi,” the response will be: “Just a Rebbi?! You built worlds.” The Chazon Ish said that helping even a single Rebbi creates more zechus than supporting many others through a large gemach.  When a bochur asks his Rosh Yeshiva to be mesader kiddushin when he is already a metzuyan. But the sixth-grade Rebbi—the one who took a struggling boy and built him into that metzuyan—often doesn’t even receive a wedding invitation. The melamed creates him; the Rosh Yeshiva receives him.  And building means seeing the glow in every child.  Yitzchak could have missed who Eisav really was: Eisav’s exceptional kibbud av created a constant spiritual “glow” whenever he stood before his father. Yitzchak always saw Eisav in that glow. And the brachos? Hashem ensured they went where they belonged. For mechanchim, the lesson is to identify the mitzvah or strength where each child “shines,” focus on that point of light, and trust Hashem with the rest.

The Hidden Light of the Melamed (Rav Yosef Eichenstein)

Torah belongs to those with refined middos, and the chinuch must instill a sense of tzelem Elokim—the child’s true spiritual self. When Moshiach comes, every melamed will step forward and say, “Shalom aleichem,” and when Moshiach asks who he is, he will respond, “Me?  I brought you here.” Like the hidden light of stars, a Rebbi’s impact is often unseen but eternal. He stressed the centrality of kriah—not just literacy but the ability kriah gives a talmid to connect deeply with Torah. Even capable students may feel detached because of gaps in skill or comfort. Rebbeim must help them access the “light” in the letters themselves, enabling genuine menuchas hanefesh through being able to open a sefer and easily learn Torah.

Two Roles, One Chinuch (Rav Reuven Feinstein)

Parshiyos Vayeira and Chayei Sarah teach the complementary roles of father and mother in chinuch. The mother often notices the issue; the father decides how to act. One may give discipline while the other offers warmth—this isn’t undermining, but completing the process. Children need both firmness and comfort to grow.

Gashmiyus Covers, Ruchniyus Shines (Rav Aharon Feldman)

A Jew does not take pride in gashmiyus. Our dignity is the neshama. After the cheit, Hashem clothed Adam and Chava in kosnos or to show that physical needs are covered because true glory is within. Chinuch is not merely the transfer of information but the transmission of identity. A Rebbi who lives humbly and is uninterested in materialism shows that true greatness is the neshama serving Hashem, that pride belongs in Torah and refined middos, and that our purpose is to bring Hashem into the world. When a talmid sees this lived reality, he internalizes: “I am a Yid with a purpose in this world.” This is the essence of chinuch and its greatest gift.

Guarding What Is Hashem’s (Rav Chaim Y. Hoberman)

It’s been a turbulent year for Klal Yisrael—missiles, global anti-Semitism, and rising danger—but one of extraordinary resilience of Torah. The recent gathering of 500,000 in Yerushalayim was reminiscent of ancient aliyos l’regel. He quoted Chazal comparing Torah to a princess entrusted to us: “If you guard what is Mine, I will guard what is yours.” Teachers are entrusted to safeguard both Torah and the neshomos of their students. True love grows from being loved; for talmidim to love Torah, their Rebbeim must show love, model middos, and create joy in learning. 

Mesirus Nefesh Creates Mesorah (Rav Dovid Perets, Panama)

There has been a dramatic transformation of chinuch in Panama through Torah Umesorah, with a clear rise in yiras Shamayim, hashkafas haTorah, and overall school culture. True chinuch requires mesirus nefesh, just as Yitzchak Avinu gave the berachos with total commitment. Chinuch delivered with self-sacrifice secures the netzach Yisrael and transmits Torah across generations. Stressing the importance of mesorah, he told a story about a man who did not marry the non-Jewish woman he lived with for two years, simply because he missed his mother’s cholent.  

Seeing Each Child With the Eyes of the Neshama (Rav Uri Deutsch)

True menuchas hanefesh is when a Jew’s neshama intuitively resonates with Hashem’s will.  A  Rebbi must truly see each child individually. That kind of attention shapes a talmid for life. Mechanchim must strive with all their strength while recognizing human limitations, to be aware of the deep, yet subtle impact they can make on every neshama.

The Hidden Greatness of Our Generation (Rav Ephraim Wachsman)

Although our generation may appear spiritually weak, it carries the accumulated strength of earlier generations and is uniquely prepared to greet Moshiach. The core of chinuch is not technique but genuine Yiddishkeit. “When talmidim see the fire and passion in their teachers… this is a critical aspect of chinuch.”

If You Don’t Use Your Brain, You Lose Your Brain (Rav Nechemia Grama)

In answering how we can reach students in a generation distracted by digital stimulation and instant gratification, Rav Grama said we must be careful not to feed the problem—for example, with comic books or overused visual aids. “If you don’t use your brain, you lose your brain.” Students need to think. The key to keeping them engaged is to teach by asking questions and to end each lesson with one—it draws them in and makes the learning stick.

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President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that South Africa will be excluded from next year’s G20 gathering in Miami, announcing at the same time that the United States will halt all financial support to the country. His decision followed what he described as violent targeting of white citizens in South Africa and what he viewed as improper conduct by South African officials during this year’s G20.

Trump explained his position in a series of comments on Truth Social, beginning with his assertion that “the United States did not attend the G20 in South Africa, because the South African Government refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners, and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers.”

He sharpened the accusation further, writing, “To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them. Perhaps, worst of all, the soon-to-be-out-of-business New York Times and the fake news Media won’t issue a word against this genocide. That’s why all the Liars and Pretenders of the Radical Left Media are going out of business!”

The president also tied his decision to the summit’s closing moments, saying that South Africa rebuffed a routine diplomatic transition. “At the conclusion of the G20, South Africa refused to hand off the G20 Presidency to a senior representative from our US Embassy, who attended the closing ceremony. Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will not be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the great city of Miami, Florida, next year.”

In his final statement, Trump announced a complete financial cutoff, stating, “South Africa has demonstrated to the world it is not a country worthy of membership anywhere, and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

{Matzav.com}

Two National Guard members were struck by gunfire in downtown Washington on Wednesday, an attack that unfolded only a few blocks from the White House and left one of the soldiers fighting for his life, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the scene.

Authorities say the shooting took place in the area of Farragut Square, a busy stretch of Northwest DC less than half a mile from the White House. Images captured immediately after the incident showed one of the victims with an apparent head wound. DC’s Metro Police confirmed the location at 17th and I Street, NW, and noted that a suspect had already been taken into custody. Agents from the FBI, ATF, and the Secret Service also rushed to the area.

At the moment of the attack, both President Trump and Vice President JD Vance were out of Washington — Trump in Florida and Vance meeting with troops stationed in Kentucky.

Shortly after being briefed, Trump posted a strongly worded message on Truth Social: “The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price.” He followed it with another statement reading, “God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!”

Emergency crews secured the plaza, which sits amid restaurants, offices, and shops between the Farragut West and Farragut North Metro stations. According to initial accounts, CPR was administered to at least one of the wounded soldiers. The suspect was transported to a DC hospital.

The shooting rippled into the broader region as security officials issued a temporary ground stop at Ronald Reagan National Airport for departing flights. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, “The White House is aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation. The President has been briefed.”

Photographs showed Secret Service personnel sprinting toward the square moments after multiple rounds were fired. Early indications pointed to National Guard troops as the intended targets, and witnesses relayed to one bystander that they heard no fewer than seven shots.

{Matzav.com}

A sweeping challenge to President Trump and a group of his allies over the 2020 election came to an abrupt end on Wednesday, when the newly installed prosecutor announced he was abandoning the case entirely. Within minutes, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee signed off on the request, bringing the long-running prosecution to a full stop.

Judge McAfee issued a brief ruling granting the motion almost immediately after it was filed, writing simply: “This case is hereby dismissed in its entirety.”

The move came from Peter Skandalakis, who had stepped in to run the case after a year-long ordeal in which he attempted — unsuccessfully — to find an outside attorney willing to take over following the removal of District Attorney Fani Willis. In a 23-page explanation, Skandalakis admitted that the sprawling prosecution “is on life support and the decision [on] what to do with it falls on me and me alone.”

He went on to argue that the matter never belonged in state court to begin with. Skandalakis pointed directly to Jack Smith’s decision to abandon the federal version of the Georgia allegations after Trump’s 2024 victory, noting that the special counsel had concluded the case was barred by Department of Justice policy prohibiting charges against a sitting president. “If Special Counsel Jack Smith, with all the resources of the federal government at his disposal… concluded that prosecution would be fruitless,” Skandalakis wrote, “then I too find that, despite the available evidence, pursuing the prosecution… would be equally unproductive.”

Trump’s attorney Steve Sadow welcomed the development and praised the prosecutor, saying, “The political persecution of President Trump by disqualified DA Fani Willis is finally over. This case should never have been brought. A fair and impartial prosecutor has put an end to this lawfare.” Sadow described Skandalakis as “a fair and impartial prosecutor.”

Skandalakis had announced earlier this month that he was assuming responsibility for the case after being unable to secure “another conflict prosecutor,” warning that the deadline to appoint someone was reaching its end and risked dismissal if no replacement was found.

The original indictment, issued on Aug. 14, 2023, named Trump and 18 others on charges ranging from racketeering to conspiracy. Nine days later, Trump traveled to Atlanta for booking, becoming the first president in American history to sit for a mugshot. The roster of co-defendants included figures such as Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro, Mark Meadows, Jeffrey Clark, Michael Roman, Scott Hall, Cathy Latham, David Shafer, Ray Smith, Robert Cheeley, Shawn Still, Harrison Floyd, Misty Hampton, Stephen Lee, and Trevian Kutti. Four of them — Chesebro, Ellis, Hall, and Powell — entered guilty pleas in late 2023, receiving probation and other penalties.

But the case’s momentum had already been severely damaged by the scandal involving Willis and Nathan Wade, whom she had appointed as a special prosecutor. After revelations that the two had been in a personal relationship, Wade was pushed off the case in March 2024. The Georgia Court of Appeals then barred Willis and her office from any further involvement on June 3. Her final attempt to stay on the matter ended in September 2025, when the state’s Supreme Court refused to hear her appeal.

In his dismissal motion, Skandalakis laid out several reasons the case could not responsibly continue. He pointed out that the trial might not begin for a decade, given that Trump is not due to leave office until January 2029. He also emphasized that his office lacks the staff and resources required to manage a massive RICO prosecution of this size, and questioned the entire theory of the indictment. Actions listed as part of the alleged conspiracy — he wrote — were nowhere near sufficient to support a racketeering charge. “Overt acts such as arranging a phone call, issuing a public statement, tweeting to the public to watch the Georgia Senate subcommittee hearings… are not acts I would consider sufficient to sustain a RICO case,” Skandalakis wrote.

With Wednesday’s ruling, all criminal cases against Trump have now been closed. The only remaining courtroom battle is his appeal of the Manhattan verdict on 34 counts related to business records, for which he was given no punishment at sentencing.

{Matzav.com}

A forceful public letter was released today by the Chief Rav of Israel, Rishon LeTzion Rav David Yosef, addressing the frightening rise of domestic abuse and urging Klal Yisroel to eradicate this destructive behavior from our midst.

In strong language, the Chief Rav wrote that any form of assault within the home is a grave aveirah that runs counter to the very foundations of Torah life. He stressed that batei din are obligated to deal with such cases immediately and without leniency.

Rav Yosef lamented that “Sadly, we sometimes hear about severe cases of fighting and violence within families, even to the point of raising hands. Such acts are like those of the gentiles, devoid of manners and values, who have lost all human dignity. Our holy Torah calls such a person: ‘a wicked man.’” He described these episodes as foreign to a Jewish home and contrary to every value embedded in halachah.

He invoked the powerful warnings of his father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, who repeatedly denounced anyone who dares strike his wife. As he wrote, “As is known, my revered father, Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, warned many times and said sharp and precise words against the ‘wicked’ man who dares to raise his hands, especially against his wife, the queen of his home. ‘Cut off the hand of anyone who raises a hand against his wife. This is a serious sin, this is the act of gentiles, not the act of a Jew.’”

The Chief Rav made clear that the psak in batei din is unequivocal: “Any manifestation of violence, of any kind, is handled immediately, with great severity and seriousness by the esteemed judges.” He stressed that there is no tolerance or delay when dealing with such behavior.

Turning to the rabbanim and leaders in the field, Rav Yosef urged them to take an active role in helping victims and guiding them toward proper support. He wrote, “From here, I call on all community rabbis and public leaders in their respective areas, to stand by the victims, guide and direct them, and at times even immediately involve treatment agencies and law enforcement authorities, and to eradicate this scourge from among us, as it is a matter of life and death.”

Rav Yosef closed his powerful letter with an appeal to every member of Klal Yisroel: “To all our brothers and sisters, all the children of Israel, I send this call with affection: honor and cherish your wives. The woman is the crown of the home; she is the blessing of the home. Woe to the soul of anyone who does not know how to respect the honor of his wife, as this is one of the foundations of our Judaism.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli officials have begun advancing steps tied to President Donald Trump’s Gaza framework, according to a Kan News update on Wednesday, as Washington intensifies its demands and the number of murdered hostages still inside Gaza continues to fall.

Military sources say the IDF is gearing up to bring large engineering vehicles into Rafah soon—possibly within the coming week—to start removing debris. This clearing work is intended to pave the way for a new humanitarian zone for Gazan civilians, one that would be completely out of Hamas’ hands.

Defense officials indicated that Israel has already updated the armed factions working alongside it in the area, explaining that the coordinated effort is meant to build a section of territory insulated from Hamas control. They described this as an early, practical step toward initiating the next part of the plan.

Under the American outline, a multinational force is eventually supposed to take responsibility for this secured zone, dubbed “New Gaza,” which currently remains under Israeli oversight. However, while several countries have signaled readiness to send troops, they remain unwilling to operate in “Old Gaza,” where Hamas still maintains its grip.

IDF units have already begun some of the groundwork in Rafah, including removing unexploded munitions and filling tunnels with concrete. Military officials said that even if discussions over the plan move forward, Hamas’ steadfast refusal to disarm means that these engineering activities still serve Israel’s goal of weakening and dismantling terrorist networks.

The scope of these preparations does not extend to Rafah’s Janina district, which Israeli intelligence believes still shelters dozens of underground Hamas operatives.

{Matzav.com}

As diplomatic pressure intensifies, Hamas officials are continuing to defend their stance on the group’s weapons, even as outside actors push for commitments ahead of the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire framework.

During an interview with al-Hadath/al-Arabiya, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem reiterated that decisions about arms cannot be imposed from the outside. He insisted that “the issue of weapons should first be resolved within national dialogue and internal consultation, reaching political understandings related to the overall Palestinian situation,” making clear that internal agreement must drive any decision.

Qassem underscored that the conversation around disarmament “is connected to internal consensus, and is also tied to a real political process that leads to an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, far from the Israeli logic that speaks of disarmament and similar terms.” He framed the debate as inseparable from broader political objectives.

He stressed that Hamas views its participation in ceasefire talks as proof of its readiness to advance. According to him, the organization has “fully committed to everything required in the first stage in order to open the way for transitioning to the second stage, which Israel continues to obstruct,” a claim he said explains the current deadlock.

Qassem described recent engagements with international actors as part of that effort. Hamas, he said, has been conducting discussions with Egyptian, Turkish, and Qatari representatives, as well as with other Palestinian groups, “to consult and engage in dialogue, and to reach agreed-upon national political understandings to move into the second stage,” noting that this next phase “contains further matters and complications and requires national consensus before entering it.”

He also said the movement has tried to show goodwill during these talks, explaining that “the movement is working seriously to reach the second stage, with all the arrangements it requires regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip.” He pointed to the delegation’s trip to Cairo as evidence that Hamas “is serious” about preparing for what comes next.

The roadmap announced by President Donald Trump on October 10, 2025, sought to halt hostilities and chart a political course for Gaza, calling for the Strip’s disarmament and the creation of a technocratic Palestinian administration overseen by the international community.

While those provisions remain key sticking points, Hamas officials have continued to say that the weapons question remains open. Earlier in the week, senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya maintained that the matter “is tied to the end of the Israeli occupation,” indicating that the group does not view disarmament as imminent.

At the same time, international pressure is growing. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that his government is urging Hamas to accept the necessity of disarmament, noting that Doha believes the group is signaling readiness to step away from governing Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

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by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.) 

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE Shas, Rashi & Tosfos IN JUST ONE YEAR!

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact. 

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own. 

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden. 

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

Beyond the Grave

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory. 

ShasYiden.com

Dr. Anthony Fauci spent the pandemic years burying critical information about where COVID-19 came from, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary alleged in a fiery appearance on “Pod Force One,” accusing the longtime federal health official of directing an intentional and far-reaching concealment.

Makary, who previously taught at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, told host Miranda Devine that while leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Fauci aggressively shut down discussion of a possible lab leak in China — a suppression effort that, he argued, went largely unnoticed inside the medical world. “One thing that’s extremely obvious that very few people realize, and certainly hardly anyone in the medical establishment where I come from realized, is that [Fauci] was involved in a massive cover-up of the origins of COVID, a massive cover-up,” the FDA commissioner said.

He emphasized that the concealment was indisputable, regardless of whether Fauci had any personal involvement in the underlying experiments. “Whether or not he was involved in the experiments or funding the experiments that led to the origins of COVID, he was clearly 100% involved in the cover-up,” he added.

Fauci — who also held the role of chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden — received a sweeping presidential pardon last December, insulating him from prosecution for any potential offenses dating back to 2014. Makary suggested that this blanket pardon was not coincidental, arguing that Fauci’s alleged actions in hiding the virus’s origins overshadow even the “massive disagreements” he has with Fauci’s public health guidance during the crisis.

According to Makary, Fauci took the manipulation of scientific discourse to a new level. “[O]nly recently did Anthony Fauci take it to the next level of using science as political propaganda,” he told Devine. “He commissioned the pieces that lied about the COVID origins. The author who submitted the article said this was commissioned by Dr. Fauci and [Dr. Francis Collins, the former director of the National Institutes of Health] in that cover letter.”

Evidence released in 2023 by the House Oversight Committee showed that Fauci requested, reviewed, and approved a scientific paper — “The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2” — written early in 2020 to push back against the notion that the virus originated from a Wuhan research facility.

Two months later, Fauci appeared at a White House briefing beside President Trump and cited that paper while arguing that a lab leak was unlikely.

The paper’s timing raised further questions: it was drafted just four days after Fauci and Collins held a call with its authors to address growing reports that COVID-19 could have escaped from the Wuhan lab.

Makary described the internal scramble during that period. “If you think back to the end of January, just before COVID became a thing in the news in the United States, January, February, what was Dr. Fauci doing? He was frantically engaging in a massive cover-up with 3 a.m. emails and phone calls,” he said. He added that the scientists involved originally told Fauci, “‘We think it came from the Wuhan lab,’” only to publish a letter days later asserting the opposite — after some reportedly received “millions of dollars in funding from Fauci’s agency.”

“This is not rocket science. It’s a no-brainer where it came from,” Makary fumed.

Beyond the origins debate, Makary accused Fauci and Collins of systematically weakening Obama-era restrictions on gain-of-function work and approving grants for risky viral manipulation projects. He argued that “They did everything you could do bureaucratically,” and said Fauci subsequently “parsed his words to basically lie to Congress” about the research.

He called the alleged deception “an American tragedy,” expressing disbelief that leading academics missed what he views as obvious. “What I’m shocked by coming from the faculty at Johns Hopkins is none of my colleagues knew any of this,” Makary said. “I could not believe that my colleagues had no idea of the origins and the facts surrounding the origins and the massive cover-up that Fauci and Collins led.”

Makary contended that Fauci and Collins managed to shape the narrative because of the immense influence they wield — influence tied deeply to federal research dollars. He said the Wuhan lab maintained “the safety standards of a poorly managed dental office,” yet the medical establishment still rallied behind Fauci and Collins.

“They have achieved sainthood, and they have tremendous power.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Editor,

There have been countless podcasts, articles, speeches, and discussions about the rising cost of frum living. There’s no denying it: living a frum life is expensive. Yes, there are many contributing factors, and everything from the shidduch crisis to basic capitalism has been blamed. But one thing is clear: if we, as a community, take real steps to reduce costs, then costs will come down.

I’d like to suggest a simple first step. Every shul should establish straightforward guidelines for making a kiddush, bar mitzvah, aufruf, or any similar event within the shul. For example: if you’re making a kiddush here, you choose from two or three preset tiers. Naturally, the Rav should speak with the membership to determine what is truly affordable, and the available options should reflect the financial reality of the shul’s families.

I can already hear the reactions: “But what about people who won’t make the kiddush in the shul?” And the answer is — you’re right. You can’t force anyone to do anything once they’re outside the shul. But if 90% of the membership follows the system, it’s absolutely worth it. And let’s be honest: many of the wealthier members would probably prefer preset options anyway. It gives them less to worry about, and it even provides a built-in excuse — “I would’ve done something fancier, but the Rav doesn’t allow it.”

This is not a massive national initiative that requires an Agudah convention session. We don’t need a new organization or a fundraising drive to make it happen (give your maaser to the tzedakah of your choice). All we need is for our rabbonim and our shul members to look around and finally say: enough is enough.

C.J.

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

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A new wave of anger is sweeping through the 9/11 survivor and responder community after New York City acknowledged the existence of dozens of long-absent toxin-related records—files many say should have been available decades ago to protect first responders’ health.

The Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA), which represents thousands of FDNY firefighters, sounded the alarm after learning that 68 boxes of documents tied to environmental hazards at Ground Zero had been located. Union leaders say the people who dug through the rubble, breathed the toxic dust, and developed illnesses deserve complete transparency, not confusion over missing paperwork.

City officials recently confirmed that these materials—once described as nonexistent—had indeed been found, sparking widespread concern about how such a trove could vanish for so long. The timing adds tension to an already strained system, as the World Trade Center Health Program is confronting a $3 billion budget gap that could begin limiting services by 2027. More than 92,000 responders and survivors rely on the program.

Attorney Michael Barasch, who represents tens of thousands of 9/11 victims, including the family of Detective James Zadroga, placed responsibility squarely on the city. “You do not find 68 boxes by accident,” Barasch said. “You either hid them or ignored them, and families paid for that choice with funerals, chemo, and empty chairs at the table.”

Barasch labeled the discovery “a betrayal” and pressed for federal oversight, arguing that such records could have accelerated diagnoses and benefits for cancer and respiratory-disease patients who were exposed to toxic dust after the towers fell.

Data from the CDC shows the staggering scope of the health crisis: 9/11-linked cancer cases have climbed 143% in just five years, with over 48,000 confirmed cases and at least 8,215 deaths—now outnumbering the victims killed on the day of the attacks itself.

Responding to the uproar, City Hall issued a statement to FOX 5 NY defending its handling of the situation. “As one of the many first responders at Ground Zero on 9/11 and in the weeks that followed, Mayor Adams has been unwavering in his commitment to ensuring victims, their families, first responders, and survivors receive the care and services they deserve. While we cannot comment on the specifics of pending litigation, the city has begun turning over documents to plaintiff’s counsel, and both parties are working out a schedule to continue this process.”

For families still fighting cancers and lung diseases two decades later, the appearance of these documents raises hopes that long-buried details about contamination levels, cleanup decisions, and environmental risks may finally come to light. Advocates like Barasch insist that only full transparency—and reliable federal funding—can ensure that first responders are not, in their words, “sacrificed twice.”

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic confrontation overnight at the Bnei Brak–Ramat Gan border escalated into a major street riot, after military police attempted to arrest a chareidi yeshiva bochur wanted for draft evasion. The arrest operation failed, triggering large-scale clashes, damage to military police vehicles, and multiple arrests.

According to initial reports, military police forces arrived to detain a student from Yeshivas Rav Chaim Ozer at his home. However, the bochur was not at home—he was in yeshiva at the time. News of the attempted arrest immediately spread through the emergency alert lines of the Yerushalmi Faction, drawing hundreds of protesters within minutes.

A massive crowd of avreichim and yeshiva students responded to the call from local assistance groups, flooding the scene and confronting the military police.

Radio journalist Daniel Grobais of Galei Tzahal reported that demonstrators overturned military police patrol vehicles, vandalized additional equipment, and even stole military gear and handcuffs from the vehicles. Border Police officers were eventually dispatched to rescue the military police personnel from the area.

Photos from the scene showed an overturned military police car lying on its side. Witnesses described a chaotic environment as the crowd surged around the security forces.

The Israel Police released a statement early Wednesday morning, saying: “The police operated tonight to disperse an illegal demonstration in Ramat Gan and arrested two rioters. A report was received of a gathering of protesters on Meir Baal Haness Street in Ramat Gan, following military police activity at the scene and attempts to harm the forces.

“Dan District officers arrived immediately and began dispersing the rioters and extracting the military police teams. The rioters continued to gather, damaging military police vehicles and overturning a car. Officers worked to disperse the demonstration and arrested two suspects, who were brought in for questioning at the police station.”

Video footage from the scene showed Border Police officers flipping the damaged military patrol car upright while securing the area.

One of the arrested individuals is a well-known yeshiva student from the chareidi community. Local sources claim that the draft-dodging bochur initially targeted for arrest managed to flee during the chaos, escaping to his yeshiva under the cover of the clashes.

{Matzav.com}

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has announced that it will once again prosecute Pedro Hernandez in the notorious case of Etan Patz, the 6-year-old Jewish child whose disappearance and murder in 1979 shook the nation and transformed how America responds to missing children.

Hernandez, who was convicted in 2017, saw that conviction thrown out earlier this year after an appellate court ruled that the jury had been given flawed legal instructions. That decision wiped out the verdict from his second trial, forcing prosecutors to determine whether they could bring the case forward again.

With a December 1 deadline approaching, prosecutors reviewed the file and informed the court that they intend to proceed. In their formal filing, they wrote, “The District Attorney has determined that the available, admissible evidence supports prosecuting defendant on the charges of Murder in the Second Degree and Kidnapping in the First Degree in this matter, and the People are prepared to proceed.”

Etan Patz vanished in May 1979 on the very first morning his mother allowed him to walk alone to his school bus stop in Manhattan. His disappearance led to one of the most intensive searches in New York City history and marked the beginning of a nationwide transformation in how missing children cases were handled. His photograph was among the first to appear on milk cartons in an effort to enlist the public in the search. Despite decades of investigations, his body was never located.

Years later, another individual was deemed responsible in a civil case, but that man was released in 2012 after Hernandez was criminally charged. Now, more than four decades after Etan’s disappearance, prosecutors plan once again to bring the case before a jury.

{Matzav.com}

Russian officials moved quickly on Wednesday to contradict President Trump’s assertion that Moscow had already signed on to certain compromises toward ending the war, dismissing the idea of imminent agreement even as their military unleashed another devastating drone barrage on Ukrainian civilians.

After Trump said the day before that US envoys had made headway in talks with both Kyiv and Moscow — and that Russia had signed off on unspecified concessions — the Kremlin publicly pushed back, saying no such progress had been reached.

In Moscow, senior officials stressed that the idea of Russia softening its stance was pure fiction. Sergei Ryabkov, a deputy foreign minister, declared that “There can be no talk of any concessions or surrender of our approaches to the key aspects of resolving the problems facing us, including in the context of the special operation [in Ukraine],” a firm rejection of any notion that an agreement is in sight.

Trump did not elaborate on what concessions he believed had been secured, but the Kremlin made clear that none existed.

Pressed on whether a breakthrough might be close, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov brushed off the suggestion, responding: “It’s premature to say that yet.”

As this diplomatic back-and-forth played out, Russian forces launched one of their largest recent drone assaults on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday night, leaving at least 19 people injured and entire residential blocks burning.

Regional governor Ivan Fedorov said the onslaught ignited widespread fires, tore through apartment buildings, and destroyed vehicles across multiple neighborhoods. “A rescue operation is currently underway at 12 locations,” he reported in an online video, adding that “The maximum number of units from the State Emergency Services, national police and our medical teams has been deployed.”

Photos and videos shared on social media captured firefighters struggling to contain towering flames, twisted vehicles, and charred high-rise facades.

Ukraine’s air force later announced it had intercepted 72 of the 90 drones Russia launched overnight, along with two ballistic missiles, in one of the heaviest nationwide barrages in weeks.

{Matzav.com}

An internal military review released today paints a stark picture of what unfolded in Moshav Yated on October 7, 2023: while Hamas terrorists broke through the border and the Israel Defense Forces struggled with paralyzing command failures, the community’s own defenders stepped in and stopped what could have become another large-scale massacre.

The investigation, overseen by Brig. Gen. (res.) Itamar Ben-Haim and signed off by Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, is part of a sweeping series of inquiries into the events of that day, when thousands of terrorists crossed into Israel, murdered roughly 1,200 people, and dragged 251 captives into Gaza. This report focused specifically on how Yated—located just three miles from Gaza—faced its encounter with 11 Hamas attackers.

Drawing on a year of testimonies from residents, security team members, intelligence personnel, video footage, communication records, and reenactments, investigators mapped out a timeline in which the IDF’s absence stood in sharp contrast to the swift actions of local defenders.

The moshav first came under fire at 6:29 a.m., when Hamas launched its massive rocket barrage. The attacks masked the infiltration of terrorists who moved on foot and by vehicle into the surrounding area. Barely ten minutes later, Yated’s security coordinator activated the community’s standby squad, locked the gates, opened shelters, positioned armed civilians around the perimeter, and began sweeping for intruders.

Despite the chaos, Yated’s residents repeatedly managed to locate, capture, or neutralize terrorists before they reached homes. At 9:15 a.m., the security coordinator and his deputy detained one attacker near the fence and held him inside a resident’s home. Minutes later, another resident reported an Arabic-speaking man at her door—leading the defense team to engage two more terrorists, one hiding between houses and another crawling under the gate. By flanking them from multiple angles, residents wounded one, cornered others, and ultimately stopped four additional infiltrators who were lying low in nearby brush.

At the same time, Route 232 became the scene of an intense gunfight. A joint force of Paran Regional Brigade soldiers and the LOTAR Nitzana counter-terror team was ambushed by terrorists disguised in semi-military clothing at 9:40 a.m. The fighters left their armored vehicles under a hail of fire and engaged attackers who were firing from several directions. A request for an attack helicopter was made, but the aircraft did not arrive for 40 minutes.

While attempting to cross between vehicles at 9:51 a.m., Cpt. (res.) Iftach Gorny—part of the LOTAR force—was fatally shot while stopping terrorists from seizing IDF weapons. The brigade commander attempted lifesaving measures, but Gorny died at the scene.

A tank crew from the Caracal Battalion arrived at 10:05 a.m. and began firing northward according to the brigade commander’s orders. By 10:30 a.m., five captured terrorists from inside the moshav were transferred to a secured location. Nasreen Yousef, a Druze resident whose home stands near Yated’s entrance, recalled the improvised methods used to restrain them. “I was in flipflops, running backward and forward with bits of string and cable ties to tie them up, with towels and floor rags for hoods,” she said in a 2024 interview.

Later that morning, the military force on Route 232 located weapons abandoned by fleeing terrorists. An attack helicopter eventually struck retreating attackers near a junction. Through the rest of the afternoon and evening, IDF units together with the local standby squad patrolled the area, cleared homes, and accounted for residents. Reinforcements from the Bahad 1 officers’ school arrived at 8 p.m., though they were redirected to another mission two hours later.

Overnight into October 8, additional military backup reached Yated and took up defensive lines. At 3 a.m., intelligence suggested the possibility of a second infiltration, prompting heightened readiness. At 6:10 a.m., a soldier spotted movement at the fence line, leading to the discovery of another breach and another infiltration alert. Within minutes, Paran Brigade forces, LOTAR fighters, and Shaldag commandos were on site.

After hours of searching with no findings, most forces withdrew. But around 11 a.m., a resident checking the same area where the fence had been breached spotted five terrorists lying on the ground and surrendering. He alerted the coordinator, and the standby squad—together with a Caracal team—handcuffed the men and moved them to a holding point.

By midday, the community began planning the evacuation of residents in armed convoys. Those evacuations started around 1 p.m., with the coordinator and two defenders staying behind until nightfall. Volunteers from a nearby yeshiva joined them to provide extra manpower. The captured terrorists held on October 8 remained in the moshav until Caracal forces transported them to the Netivot police station on October 9.

Investigators concluded that the scale of Hamas’s simultaneous attacks—combined with a total breakdown in operational control on October 7—left the IDF unable to defend Yated in the crucial early hours. In contrast, the report emphasized that the moshav’s defenders mounted a disciplined and coordinated response that saved the community.

Yousef noted in her 2024 account that her ability to speak Arabic allowed her to question the terrorists and gather vital information. “If I hadn’t gone out and asked questions and spoken, probably half our community, or most of them, wouldn’t be around anymore,” she said.

The report also credited the IDF units battling along Route 232—especially Gorny and his teammates—with preventing dozens more terrorists from reaching Yated and neighboring farming communities.

In the final assessment, investigators wrote that the civilians of Yated were the decisive line of defense when the army could not be.

{Matzav.com}

A new initiative in Queens is set to create a lasting public tribute to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as to the survivors who built new lives in New York. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams joined Queens Borough President Donovan Richards on Tuesday to unveil plans for the “Queens Holocaust Memorial,” which will rise on the landscaped grounds of Queens Borough Hall.

According to the mayor’s office, the project is intended to function as a year-round space for education, remembrance, and communal reflection. The memorial will be formally sited on Borough Hall property, with the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services handling the official designation process in concert with community and civic partners.

The city and the Queens Borough President’s office have put forward a combined $3 million to move the project from concept to reality. DCAS will coordinate the logistics, while the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ “Percent for Art” program will run the artist selection process, working closely with historians, cultural experts, and survivors to shape the final design.

Plans call for a commemorative garden and a central public artwork that will anchor the memorial. Once in motion, the design phase will invite artists to propose concepts that honor memory while speaking to today’s challenges.

“It is not enough to say ‘never again’ – we have to live it with our actions too. By preserving the stories of both victims and survivors, by creating a permanent space for remembrance and reflection, by promoting understanding and solidarity across generations, this memorial will live out the meaning of ‘never again,’” said Mayor Adams.

He continued by stressing the city’s broader mission. “As our city and our country confront the rising tide of antisemitism, our administration will not remain silent. We will use our office to call out hate wherever we find it, encourage compassion wherever we need it, and create a city where everyone can live side by side in harmony.”

Richards echoed that sentiment, tying the project to the increasing need for vigilance and truth in the face of modern distortions. “No matter how much time passes since the evils of the Holocaust, New York City’s commitment to the pledge of ‘Never Again’ must never waver. That is why, in the face of rising tides of heinous anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial across our society, I could not be prouder to lead this effort alongside the administration and the Queens’ Jewish community in creating this critically important memorial here at Queens Borough Hall,” he said.

He noted that the borough feels a profound responsibility to honor those who settled here after the war. “The Queens Holocaust Memorial will not only pay a touching tribute to the six million innocent Jews murdered by the Nazis and the survivors who settled in our borough afterward, but it will also serve as daily inspiration for our fight to forge a future free of antisemitism. I thank all our city and community partners for their commitment to see this memorial through.”

Moshe Davis of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism underscored the broader context. “When hate crimes, vandalism, and extremist rhetoric targeting Jewish communities are happening both nationally and globally, this memorial will stand not only as a powerful testament to those lost and to those who rebuilt, but also as a rebuke to intolerance and a reminder of our imperative to confront hatred with moral clarity,” he said.

New York remains home to the largest population of Holocaust survivors of any city in the world. After liberation, thousands made their way to the city, and many put down roots in Queens, contributing to the borough’s growth, shaping its institutions, and strengthening Jewish life across the metropolitan area.

The original push for the project came from the Queens Jewish Community Council, which partnered with local rabbonim, civic organizations, and neighborhood leaders to advocate for a dedicated site. The City will issue a DCAS assignment letter to formally designate the space for the memorial, after which the Queens Jewish Community Council will take the lead on further private fundraising to support the artwork and garden.

Once completed, this will stand as the first major Holocaust memorial in Queens. It is expected to host remembrance gatherings, school programs, and educational events that bring together New Yorkers of all backgrounds to learn, reflect, and confront hate with unity and clarity.

{Matzav.com}

A Namibia local politician whose name mirrors that of the Nazi dictator is on track to secure another electoral victory — and he maintains that the infamous name was given to him without any understanding of its horrific legacy. Adolf Hitler Uunona, 59, is expected to win reelection on Nov. 26 in the country’s north, where he previously dominated the 2020 vote with an overwhelming 85% share.

Uunona, a member of the left-wing Swapo party, became an international curiosity after his landslide win in the Ompundja constituency four years ago. The renewed spotlight brought questions about his name, prompting him to clarify its origins.

His father “probably didn’t understand what Adolf Hitler stood for. As a child, I saw it as a totally normal name,” he told the German outlet Bild in 2020.

He said that only later in life did he realize the weight attached to the name. “Only as I grew up did I understand this man wanted to conquer the whole world. I have nothing to do with any of these things,” he added.

Though his wife still refers to him as Adolf, Uunona generally avoids using the “Hitler” portion of his name in public settings. Still, he has no intention of altering it.

“It’s in all official documents. It’s too late for that,” he told Bild.

Namibia’s history as a former German colony has left many Germanic names embedded in the country’s geography and culture, and names such as Adolf remain fairly common.

In 2020, a vehicle in Oshana — Uunona’s home region — drew attention when it was photographed with “Adolf Hitler” and a Nazi swastika slapped across its rear window. Uunona distanced himself from the disturbing display, noting that the car was not his and that he had no involvement with the offensive imagery.

{Matzav.com}

A newly surfaced recording has shed light on behind-the-scenes maneuvering between President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, revealing guidance on how Russia could appeal to Trump personally while shaping negotiations over a possible Ukraine settlement. Bloomberg obtained a transcript of the Oct. 14 exchange, in which the two discussed preparations for a potential call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the brief conversation, Witkoff proposed that the Kremlin open with praise for Trump before turning to the substance of the peace framework. He emphasized that the Russian side should kick off any conversation by highlighting Trump’s accomplishments and expressing admiration.

“I would make the call and just reiterate that you congratulate the president on this achievement, that you supported it, supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace, and you’re just, you’re really glad to have seen it happen,” Witkoff said.

Ushakov, appearing to embrace the suggestion, responded, “Hey Steve, I agree with you that he will congratulate, he will say that Mr. Trump is a real peace man, and so and so. That he will say.”

Witkoff also walked Ushakov through what he believed would ultimately be required to secure a deal, arguing that some form of territorial compromise was unavoidable. He told the Kremlin adviser, “Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere.”

At the same time, he encouraged Ushakov to keep the tone of their joint messaging more positive, adding, “But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here.”

Witkoff pointed to his prior work on the 20-point Gaza peace proposal and urged Moscow to consider a similar model for the Ukraine negotiations. “We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace, and I’m thinking maybe we do the same thing with you,” he said.

The exchange took place just days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington for talks at the White House. Witkoff urged Ushakov to arrange a conversation between Trump and Putin before that meeting. “I will go to that meeting because they want me there, but I think if possible, we have the call with your boss before that Friday meeting,” he said.

Asked about the leaked audio, Trump said he had not yet heard it, but insisted that the nature of the discussion reflected routine diplomatic work. “That’s a standard thing. He’s got to sell this to Ukraine, he’s got to sell Ukraine to Russia, that’s what a dealmaker does. You got to say, look, you want this, you got to convince them of this,” Trump told reporters.

“That’s a very standard form of negotiation. I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was a standard negotiation, and I would imagine he would say the same thing to Ukraine, cause each party has to give and take,” he continued.

The dynamics hinted at in the call matched the general contours of the 28-point peace plan later advanced by Trump’s team — a proposal widely criticized for provisions heavily favoring Moscow’s interests. Those elements included Ukraine relinquishing the full Donbas region, scaling back its military by one-third, and dropping its pursuit of NATO membership.

However, following pressure from American and Ukrainian officials, the proposal was cut down to 19 points and no longer required Ukraine to surrender parts of the Donbas that Russia has failed to seize in more than 11 years of conflict.

Moscow is expected to reject the revised agreement, making it increasingly likely that the war will continue at least through Dec. 25.

{Matzav.com}

A major test is already landing on Zohran Mamdani’s doorstep before he even sets foot inside City Hall: whether he’ll sign off on a sweeping salary hike for himself and the City Council. The proposal, driven by Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-Queens), seeks an increase of more than 16% for New York’s elected officials and is positioned to reach Mamdani once he becomes mayor on Jan. 1.

Williams had initially hoped to muscle the bill through before the new administration arrived. But that effort fizzled fast when lawmakers realized they were legally barred from voting on pay raises during the post-election stretch, forcing them to abandon the accelerated timeline.

The scramble raised suspicions across City Hall. Some insiders speculated that council members were trying to either bypass Mamdani entirely or shield him from making an awkward early call on elected officials’ pay.

“The only thing is I think they are worried that the mayor-elect won’t do it,” said Kalman Yeger, a Democratic state Assemblyman and former council member. “They are afraid if they pass it in January and he’d have to veto. How does the mayor-elect justify it, saying the working man can’t afford milk? He can’t sign off to give them a $20,000 raise.”

The legislation Williams unveiled already has a crowded roster of supporters — 32 co-sponsors — including several of Mamdani’s closest political allies: Crystal Hudson, Lincoln Restler and Chi A. Ossé, all Brooklyn Democrats.

But even with that backing, the bill creates an uncomfortable dilemma for the new mayor, who campaigned as a champion of affordability and working-class families. Approving it would signal, critics say, that “making New York more affordable for the political class” is his first priority — as one well-connected source joked.

Under the proposal, the City Council would receive its first salary increase in nearly ten years, lifting its overall payroll from $7.5 million to $8.8 million. Individual members would see their pay rise from $148,500 to $172,500.

And council members wouldn’t be the only ones cashing in. The raises apply across the top ranks of city government, including the mayor, public advocate and borough presidents. For Mamdani, that would mean a jump from $258,750 to $300,500. Comptroller pay would rise from $210,000, the public advocate from $184,000, and borough presidents from $180,000 — each climbing 16% under the bill.

The timing of the push followed growing frustration from several lawmakers who say their salaries have been frozen since 2016 while other city employees have seen steady increases. Williams brought those complaints into the open when she introduced the bill — a move first reported by the New York Daily News.

Her plan to engineer a December vote, however, evaporated when officials noted the city charter blocks any pay decisions between Election Day and January 1. That obstacle forced her to pivot and schedule a hearing instead, which she argued preserves the bill into the next legislative session.

“If we have a hearing on the bill this year, we don’t need a hearing on it next year. It’s pre-considered,” Williams told The NY Post Tuesday.

Asked whether council leadership intended to pass the salary hike early in the new year, Williams was blunt: “That’s the goal.”

Outgoing Speaker Adrienne Adams, who exits office at year’s end, shifted blame toward Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams for letting the pay issue languish. Whether she believes the bill should move forward now, she wouldn’t say, offering only a shrug on her way out the door.

“I’m out of here. I’m out,” she said. “That’s something for the new members.”

{Matzav.com}

New York State officials say the massive rollout of Inflation Refund Checks is now largely complete, with more than 8.2 million payments delivered to residents across the state in an effort to counter rising living costs. Governor Kathy Hochul said the initiative is already putting much-needed cash back into the hands of families feeling the squeeze.

“Today marks the day that over 8.2 million inflation refund checks have been mailed out, putting money back into the pockets of individuals across the state. We followed through on our commitment to deliver meaningful relief to hard-working New Yorkers, and will continue to look for additional opportunities to deal with the nation’s ongoing affordability challenge,” Hochul said.

The administration noted that the Inflation Refund Check program — established as part of the FY 2026 State Budget — stands as the largest direct-aid package ever undertaken by New York State. The effort represents $2.2 billion in unrestricted, household-level relief.

Although most checks have already arrived, state officials say the Tax Department is still processing the eligibility of additional residents, which means more payments will roll out in smaller batches over the next few weeks.

Every corner of the state has now received its share of the funding, according to data provided by the Governor’s Office. That includes 585,000 recipients in Western New York getting $152.7 million; 513,000 in the Finger Lakes drawing $134.3 million; and 251,000 residents in the Southern Tier receiving $66.7 million. Central New York saw 321,000 checks totaling $83.8 million, while the Mohawk Valley’s 198,000 beneficiaries collected $52.4 million.

North Country recipients numbered 156,000, with $42.4 million distributed. The Capital Region saw 475,000 people receive $122.8 million, and Mid-Hudson residents received $234.2 million across 924,000 households. New York City accounted for the largest portion — 3,536,000 recipients and $828.8 million — while Long Island saw 1,251,000 checks totaling $316.4 million. Altogether, more than 8.21 million New Yorkers have received just over $2 billion to date.

State officials emphasized that these refund checks represent just one component of Hochul’s broader Affordability Agenda. That agenda also includes cutting middle-class tax rates to their lowest point in seven decades, expanding the Child Tax Credit to as much as $1,000 per child, and implementing universal free school meals — a move projected to save families about $1,600 per child each year.

{Matzav.com}