Matzav

World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel issued a sharp rebuke of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after the city moved to revoke its prohibition on boycotts targeting Israel, calling the decision “deeply troubling.”

Hagoel underscored the heightened dangers facing Jews worldwide, saying, “Jews around the world have been facing relentless Antisemitic campaigns since October 7, 2023. Just two weeks ago, 15 people were murdered in a brutal Antisemitic terrorist massacre in Sydney, Australia.” He pointed to that climate as reason for heightened vigilance, not policy reversals he believes could embolden hostility.

Emphasizing public safety, he warned that local leadership carries responsibility for the wellbeing of Jewish residents, stating that “the Jewish communities of New York must be able to live in safety, and I sincerely hope that Mayor Mamdani does not continue down a path that fuels Antisemitism against the Jews living in his city.”

He framed the moment as requiring firm lines rather than accommodation, declaring, “This is the time for zero tolerance toward Antisemitism.”

Hagoel also said the World Zionist Organization is actively coordinating with communities to address threats, adding, “The World Zionist Organization is in close contact with Jewish communities and will do everything in its power to protect Jews in New York and around the world.”

{Matzav.com}

Fire and Rescue officials who arrived this week to close a well-known yeshiva in Elad ultimately agreed to delay the shutdown after being deeply impressed by the atmosphere of Torah learning and holding an extended discussion with the rosh yeshiva.

Personnel from Israel Fire and Rescue Authority conducted a safety inspection at Yeshivas Knesses Yechezkel, led by Rav Baruch Mordechai Ettinger. Following the inspection, officials initially determined that the yeshiva did not meet legally required safety standards and ordered its immediate closure.

However, after a lengthy conversation with Rav Ettinger and a visit inside the beis medrash—where they encountered the powerful sound and intensity of ongoing Torah study—the inspectors agreed to postpone the decree for several months. This reprieve is intended to allow the yeshiva time to bring its facilities into compliance with safety regulations.

At the same time, Fire and Rescue officials instructed that most of the dormitories, which are housed in caravans lacking proper fire-safety standards, must be closed within a few months unless significant upgrades are completed.

In response, the yeshiva’s administration has been working around the clock to find immediate solutions and prevent any interruption to the learning. According to information obtained by Matzav.com, the yeshiva is considering launching a matching fundraising campaign to raise the approximately 2.5 million shekels required to carry out the necessary safety renovations and repairs.

{Matzav.com}

New details reveal that just one month before the October 7 massacre, Israel actively pressed Qatar to expand the flow of cash into the Gaza Strip, funds that went directly to the Hamas government. At the time, Israel’s security establishment assessed that Hamas was not interested in a full-scale escalation and was instead using limited confrontations along the border fence as leverage to extract additional economic concessions.

According to a report by Ynet, a key meeting took place in September 2023 at a hotel in Yerushalayim. During that meeting, official Israeli representatives asked a senior Qatari official to increase the transfer of funds to Hamas in Gaza, citing threats by the terror organization to escalate violence in the enclave.

The central figure at the meeting was Mohammed al-Emadi, the Qatari official who for years oversaw the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars into Gaza. These transfers were carried out with the knowledge and approval of successive Israeli governments.

The report states that Israel’s entire security system believed Hamas was not seeking a broader conflict. Instead, officials assessed that Hamas was deliberately managing friction near the border in order to secure economic relief and additional concessions.

Israeli officials also received assurances from Qatar that Hamas was interested in preserving stability. At the same time, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reportedly demanded an increased allocation of fuel for Gaza’s power station during the August–September period, citing the extreme summer heat.

During September, Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to Doha for meetings with senior Qatari officials to coordinate the continuation of the cash transfers. According to the report, Qatari officials directly asked whether they should keep transferring money to Hamas. Barnea responded affirmatively, acting under the explicit instructions of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

The report further notes that Barnea had opposed the transfer of Qatari funds to Hamas even before assuming his role as Mossad chief. Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, as well as his predecessor Nadav Argaman, were also firmly against allowing Qatari money to reach Hamas. Despite this opposition, Netanyahu repeatedly set the priority of maintaining calm in Gaza at almost any cost and instructed officials to coordinate that policy with Qatar.

It now emerges that Israel was not merely interested in continuing the existing funding mechanism. According to the report, Israeli officials sought to expand the financial transfers and grant additional economic concessions, largely in line with Sinwar’s demands, in what is described as a desperate attempt to purchase quiet.

In hindsight, the cost of that policy is now tragically clear.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Aryeh Zilberstein zt”l, the rov of the Gerer kehillah in Bnei Brak, who was niftar early Friday morning at Hadassah Ein Kerem. He was 67 years old.

Rav Zilberstein’s levayah  began at the Gerer Beis Medrash on Yirmiyahu Street in Yerushalayim. From there, the levayah continued to Bnei Brak, with kevurah at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.

Rav Aryeh was born on 15 Kislev 5719 (1958) as the eldest son of his father, Rav Shlomo Zilberstein zt”l, who served as rov of the Gerer kehillah in Bnei Brak. He was a grandson of Rav Zev Zilberstein, one of the prominent figures of the Gur court, known for his influence and presence in the famed shtiebel on Kishon Street.

His mother, Mrs. Chava a”h, was a daughter of Rav Meir Shcharnesky, founder of the first seminary of the New Yishuv in Eretz Yisroel.

In his youth, Rav Zilberstein studied at Ger’s Yeshivas Imrei Emes and Sfas Emes. In 1982, he married his wife, Mrs. Rochel, daughter of Rav Shmuel Malavsky of Bnei Brak.

He received semichah from Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner and served for several years as a dayan and moreh hora’ah at the Zichron Meir beis hora’ah.

In 1994, he was appointed by the Pnei Menachem of Ger to serve as rov of the Gerer kehillah in Kiryat Gat. Following the passing of his father in 2009, Rav Zilberstein was appointed by the current Rebbe of Ger to succeed him as rov of the Gerer kehillah in Bnei Brak. In addition to his rabbinic duties, he later established a kollel for rabbanim and dayanim, which he headed.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A possible agreement to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is close to being finalized, but key issues remain unresolved, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his New Year’s address to the nation.

Speaking in a 20-minute speech devoted largely to the war, Zelenskyy said a draft deal is largely complete but stressed that the remaining gaps are decisive. “Ten percent remains … Those 10 percent contain, in fact, everything,” he said. “Those are the 10 percent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe, how people will live.”

Zelenskyy explained that while Ukraine’s arguments have been presented on the global stage, they have yet to win full acceptance. “Have our arguments been heard? We very much hope so. Have they agreed with us? Not fully. Not yet. That is precisely why, for now, we speak of 90 percent, not the full 100 percent, readiness of a peace agreement,” he said.

The president underscored that Kyiv will not agree to a settlement it views as fragile or dangerous. “What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want the end of the war — not the end of Ukraine,” he said, adding that a weak deal would “only fuel war.”

During his address, Zelenskyy thanked nearly every European country for backing Ukraine but conspicuously excluded Hungary. Alluding to Budapest’s position on Moscow’s invasion, he said: “A Budapest-style piece of paper will not satisfy Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy also commented on President Donald Trump, noting: “The U.S. president always mentions our people and talks about how bravely Ukrainians are fighting.”

Despite acknowledging the strain on the population, Zelenskyy said the country remains determined. Ukrainians, he said, are “tired,” but “not ready to surrender.” He pointed out that Russia’s full-scale invasion has now lasted longer than the Nazi occupation of Ukraine during World War II.

He rejected claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin that a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas would end the war. “That is how deception sounds when translated from Russian … Does anyone still believe them? Unfortunately. Because too often, the truth is still avoided and called diplomacy, though in reality it is simply lies in suits,” Zelenskyy said.

Reiterating his broader warning to the international community, the Ukrainian leader said: “Either the world stops Russia’s war, or Russia drags the world into its war.”

Even as Zelenskyy spoke of diplomacy, fighting continued. He said Russia launched another overnight assault late Wednesday, firing more than 200 attack drones. Although most were intercepted, strikes were reported in the Volyn, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions.

“If the strikes do not stop even during the New Year holidays, then air defense deliveries cannot be delayed. Our allies have the necessary scarce equipment. We expect that everything agreed with the United States at the end of December for our protection will be delivered on time,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Officials have said Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with international leaders in France on January 6, as diplomatic efforts continue into the new year.

{Matzav.com}

When Zohran Mamdani officially took the oath of office as New York City mayor on Thursday, control of City Hall’s official social media presence shifted along with the job. The @NYCMayor account on X and other platforms now bears Mamdani’s name, even on posts published long before he entered office.

That transition produced an unexpected visual contrast online: Mamdani’s name now appears alongside posts authored by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including several strongly supportive of Israel. Among them is a post describing Adams’ September meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, complete with a photograph of the two leaders together.

Social media users quickly noticed the odd juxtaposition, given Mamdani’s well-documented record of harsh criticism of Israel. Commentators highlighted the irony of seeing the new mayor’s name attached to content that runs counter to his past rhetoric.

Mamdani has repeatedly declined to disavow the slogan “globalize the intifada” and drew sharp criticism for attacking Israel on October 8, 2023, just one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel. He has also accused Israel of committing war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Adding to the contrast, Mamdani has publicly pledged that he would arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader were to visit New York City, citing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. That stance has made the inherited post documenting Adams’ meeting with Netanyahu particularly striking to observers.

At the same time, users on X have pointed out that members of Mamdani’s team have begun removing older posts from the account, including messages in which Adams promised to stand firmly with the Jewish community. As a result, the Netanyahu meeting post — and other similar content — may soon disappear from the mayoral feed.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump pushed back against renewed scrutiny of his health in a wide-ranging interview, insisting he feels fine and explaining why he continues to ignore his doctors’ advice to cut back on aspirin.

Questions about the president’s condition have followed him throughout his second term, particularly after he became the oldest individual to take the oath of office last year. Trump opened the discussion with visible irritation at the recurring focus on his well-being. “Let’s talk about health again for the 25th time,” he said early in the interview. “My health is perfect.”

Trump attributed recent speculation in part to photographs showing bruising on his hand, which the White House has said are a side effect of aspirin use. According to the president, he has been taking a full-strength aspirin daily for more than 20 years as a preventive measure for his heart, a routine he is reluctant to change.

“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said in the interview with The Wall Street Journal, published Thursday. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”

His physician, Sean Barbabella, has recommended that Trump reduce his daily dosage from 325 milligrams to what is considered a low-dose aspirin, typically around 80 milligrams. Trump acknowledged that advice but said he has chosen to stay the course. “They’d rather have me take the smaller one,” he said. “I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.”

The president also clarified details of medical testing performed during his October visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, saying he underwent a CT scan rather than an MRI, as had previously been reported. He suggested the testing itself fueled unnecessary speculation. “I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’ Well, nothing’s wrong,” he said.

While the White House has repeatedly described Trump as being in excellent health, the president readily acknowledged that his lifestyle does not include traditional fitness routines. He said he dislikes structured exercise and prefers golf. “I just don’t like it. It’s boring,” he told the Journal. “To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do, that’s not for me.”

Trump also rejected claims that he has been nodding off during recent public events at the White House, despite images that appeared to show him with his eyes closed. He said those moments have been misinterpreted. “I’ll just close. It’s very relaxing to me. Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Republicans on Capitol Hill are intensifying their focus on alleged fraud tied to public programs in Minnesota, with House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer announcing plans to call top state officials to testify before Congress.

Comer said the committee will open its inquiry with a hearing in January examining the consequences of suspected misuse of federally funded programs in Minnesota. He added that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison have been invited to appear before the panel in February.

The investigation centers on allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars were siphoned from state-administered nutrition and child care programs beginning in 2021. Federal prosecutors have brought charges against dozens of individuals, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday that 85 of the 98 people charged in the schemes are of Somali descent.

Comer accused Minnesota’s leadership of failing to stop the alleged misconduct. “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs,” he said in a statement. “American taxpayers demand and deserve accountability for the theft of their hard-earned money.”

The hearings are expected to sharpen Republican attacks not only on Walz but also on Minnesota’s Somali community. Those criticisms have increasingly been echoed by President Donald Trump and members of his administration, who have linked the fraud investigations to broader immigration enforcement actions.

Earlier this month, Trump referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage” during a White House event. On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services froze hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Minnesota child care programs, a move the administration framed as part of its response to the fraud allegations.

Trump continued that rhetoric in a social media post Wednesday, calling for the U.S. to “send them back from where they came, Somalia, perhaps the worst, and most corrupt, country on earth.”

The White House has also floated more aggressive steps. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is exploring whether citizenship can be revoked for U.S. citizens of Somali descent charged with benefits fraud, while conceding the effort could face legal challenges. “It’s something the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State is currently looking at right now,” Leavitt said in a Fox News interview. “We know that there are liberal activist judges across this country who will try to block and tackle this administration from pursuing justice at every turn. But that’s not gonna stop the president and his entire cabinet by acting on behalf of law-abiding, tax-paying citizens in the state of Minnesota and in states across the country who have been ripped off by people who have abused our immigration system.”

Walz’s office responded by signaling a willingness to cooperate with Congress while sharply criticizing both the committee and the president. “We’re always happy to work with Congress, though this committee has a track record of holding circus hearings that have nothing to do with the issue at hand,” the governor’s office said. “While the Governor has been working to ensure fraudsters go to prison, the President has been selling pardons to let them out.” The statement did not clearly state whether Walz would appear voluntarily.

The controversy has also been fueled by outside voices. Conservative influencer Nick Shirley recently released a viral video accusing several Minnesota day care centers of public fraud, amplifying attention on the issue after the clip was shared by prominent conservatives and Trump allies, including Elon Musk.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani began his first full day in office Thursday by unveiling a series of aggressive housing initiatives, signing multiple executive orders and announcing that the city will intervene in a private landlord bankruptcy case involving dozens of buildings.

The announcements were made at a rent-stabilized apartment building in Brooklyn, where Mamdani outlined what he described as a decisive shift in how City Hall will confront landlords and protect tenants.

“Today is the start of a new era for New York City,” Mamdani said. “It is inauguration day. It is also the day that the rent is due.”

Mamdani said the new administration intends to act immediately rather than delay, stressing that it “will not wait to deliver action” and “will stand up on behalf of the tenants of this city.”

He described conditions faced by many New Yorkers returning home after his inauguration, saying that residents are dealing with rising rents while living in apartments where, he said, “bad landlords do not make repairs,” and tenants contend with problems such as cockroaches and insufficient heat.

Among the measures announced were three housing-focused executive orders. The first revives the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, which Mamdani said will prioritize resolving complaints and enforcing accountability for dangerous housing conditions.

“We will make sure that 311 violations are resolved,” Mamdani said, adding that the city will pursue “slumlords” responsible for “hazardous and dangerous threats” to tenant well-being.

A second executive order establishes the LIFT task force, a land inventory initiative aimed at unlocking city-owned property for housing development. Mamdani said the task force will assess municipal land holdings and identify viable development sites by July 1.

The third order creates the SPEED task force — Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development — which Mamdani said will focus on eliminating bureaucratic and permitting obstacles that slow construction.

Both task forces will operate under the supervision of Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Lila Joseph.

“These are sweeping measures, but it is just the beginning of a comprehensive effort to champion the cause of tenants,” Mamdani said.

Earlier Thursday, Mamdani signed executive order No. 1, rescinding all mayoral executive orders issued by Eric Adams on or after Sept. 26, 2024, unless they are formally reissued by the new administration. He also signed a separate order establishing the structure of his administration, including the responsibilities of five deputy mayors.

The Brooklyn building where the mayor spoke, located at 85 Clarkson Ave., is owned by Pinnacle Realty, which Mamdani labeled a “notorious landlord.” He said tenants there have faced persistent issues, including roach infestations and a lack of heat.

According to Mamdani, the property is one of 93 buildings linked to the same landlord, whose portfolio is currently in bankruptcy proceedings. He said the properties are slated to be auctioned to another landlord he claimed ranks sixth on the city’s worst landlord list and collectively carry more than 5,000 unresolved hazardous violations and 14,000 complaints.

“This is an untenable situation,” Mamdani said. “So, today we are announcing that we will be taking action in the bankruptcy case and stepping in to represent the interests of the city and the interests of the tenants.”

He said he has instructed his nominee for corporation counsel, Steve Banks, to pursue what he described as “precedent-setting action” in the case.

“We are a creditor and interested party,” Mamdani said, adding that the city is owed money and intends to fight for “safe and habitable homes” while working to “mitigate the significant risk of displacement” facing residents.

A tenant who spoke at the event detailed long-standing safety problems in Pinnacle-owned buildings, saying that a section of hardwood flooring in the speaker’s mother’s apartment has gone unrepaired for seven years.

“When they filed for bankruptcy this spring, Pinnacle gambled on making our housing less affordable and our lives more miserable,” the tenant said.

{Matzav.com}

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The White House is seeking rapid approval for President Donald Trump’s proposal to construct a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the East Wing, aiming to move the project through federal review in roughly nine weeks—an unusually compressed schedule compared with similar large-scale undertakings that often take years.

According to planning documents, the first public briefing is set for Jan. 8 before the National Capital Planning Commission, followed by a Jan. 15 presentation to the Commission of Fine Arts. Final action is slated for Feb. 19 at the CFA and March 5 at the NCPC.

A White House official told The Washington Post that applications were formally submitted on Dec. 22 to both panels, which Congress has tasked with reviewing federal construction. The CFA has confirmed receipt of an application, while the NCPC said Tuesday that it had not yet received one.

The accelerated push comes as the project faces legal opposition. In December, the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed suit against President Trump and several federal agencies, arguing that required approvals had not been secured. The group contends the ballroom is moving forward without mandated reviews.

“No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else,” the lawsuit said.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon declined to issue a temporary restraining order, ruling that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated “irreparable harm” at this point. He added, however, that the government must be prepared to reverse any below-ground work that locks in a particular design.

The ballroom plan would far exceed the scope of other changes made since the president’s January return to office, which include gold accents added throughout the Oval Office and the conversion of the Rose Garden lawn into a paved patio reminiscent of Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

At a Hanukkah reception at the White House, the president said the proposed ballroom would carry a $400 million price tag, an increase from an earlier estimate of $300 million.

“President Trump has full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House — just like all of his predecessors did,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said recently.

{Matzav.com}

On his first day in office, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revoked all of the executive orders that his predecessor, Eric Adams, has issued since Sept. 26, 2024, including several designed to protect Jews, in order, he said, to have a “fresh start for the incoming administration.”

The mayor, who has said he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York City and who has many Jews in the city worried for their safety, didn’t say why he chose that date. But Sept. 26, 2024, was the day that Adams was indicted on federal bribery and campaign finance offense charges.

Mamdani stated at first in a release that he was revoking all order prior to Sept. 26, 2024, although the text of the order stated that it was discontinuing all of the orders post-Sept. 26, 2024. The mayor’s office sent out a second press release specifying that it was orders after that date.

In the waning hours of his mayorship, Adams and the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism released an annual report on combating Jew-hatred. Adams created that office on Jew-hatred on May 13 via executive order No. 51. The status of the office wasn’t immediately clear, although Moshe Davis, its executive director, still had his title listed on LinkedIn and on X as of press time.

In the Dec. 30 report on Jew-hatred, Adams and the mayor’s office noted other executive orders that he issued—which Mamdani now appears to have axed. On June 8, Adams adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of Jew-hatred via executive order No. 52.

On Dec. 2, Adams signed executive order No. 60, which barred city entities and personnel from boycotting or divesting from Israel, and No. 61, which directs the New York City Police Department to look into creating zones around houses of worship in which protesting would be prohibited.

After protesters blocked Jews from entering a Manhattan synagogue in November, Mamdani’s spokeswoman said that synagogues shouldn’t host pro-Israel events which, she said, violated international law.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Adams had created the New York City–Israel Economic Council via executive order in May or via another means, or what its current status is.

In his inaugural address on Thursday, Mamdani referred to the beginning of a “new era.”

“I stand alongside countless more New Yorkers watching from cramped kitchens in Flushing and barbershops in East New York, from cell phones propped against the dashboards of parked taxi cabs at LaGuardia, from hospitals in Mott Haven and libraries in El Barrio that have too long known only neglect,” he said. “I stand alongside construction workers in steel-toed boots and halal cart vendors whose knees ache from working all day.”

“Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed, but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try,” he said.

Mamdani added that the authors of the city’s story will “speak Pashto and Mandarin, Yiddish and Creole” and “will pray in mosques, at shul, at church, at Gurdwaras and Mandirs and temples—and many will not pray at all.”

“They will be Russian Jewish immigrants in Brighton Beach, Italians in Rossville and Irish families in Woodhaven—many of whom came here with nothing but a dream of a better life, a dream which has withered away,” he said. “They will be young people in cramped Marble Hill apartments where the walls shake when the subway passes. They will be black homeowners in St. Albans whose homes represent a physical testament to triumph over decades of lesser-paid labor and redlining.”

“They will be Palestinian New Yorkers in Bay Ridge, who will no longer have to contend with a politics that speaks of universalism and then makes them the exception,” he added.

Mamdani said that his movement was supported in part at “DSA meetings,” referring to the Democratic Socialists of America. “I was elected as a Democratic socialist and I will govern as a Democratic socialist,” he said. “I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical.”

“To live in New York, to love New York, is to know that we are the stewards of something without equal in our world. Where else can you hear the sound of the steelpan, savor the smell of sancocho and pay $9 for coffee on the same block?” he added. “Where else could a Muslim kid like me grow up eating bagels and lox every Sunday?” JNS

{Matzav.com}

Federal officials are now withholding child care funding from Minnesota as investigators widen probes into what they describe as massive fraud across state-administered social service programs, but warning signs about the system’s vulnerabilities were documented years earlier.

Health and Human Services officials have frozen payments to Minnesota while demanding proof that fraudulent billing has been eliminated. Other states are also under review and face similar funding suspensions unless they can demonstrate corrective action.

The scrutiny follows claims by First Assistant Minnesota U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson that billions of taxpayer dollars have been siphoned off over several years. At a Dec. 18 news conference in Minneapolis, Thompson said investigators estimate that since 2018, at least $9 billion intended for child care, nutrition, housing, health care, and related programs across 14 state-run systems has been stolen.

“The magnitude cannot be overstated,” Thompson said. “What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It’s staggering, industrial-scale fraud.”

The political pressure intensified after President Trump, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Republicans in Congress launched multiple investigations into Minnesota’s social service agencies, seeking records from state officials and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Federal data reviewed by The Post shows that since Walz took office in January 2019, Minnesota has received more than $2.1 billion in combined Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding.

Long before the current controversy, however, federal auditors had already identified systemic weaknesses. A Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General report released in July 2016 found that nearly 18.91% of all federal child care payments made to Minnesota providers in fiscal year 2012 were deemed “improper.” That amounted to roughly $16 million in questionable spending.

The audit also criticized state oversight failures, noting that Minnesota officials did not disclose how many providers receiving improper payments had been flagged internally or referred to law enforcement. Despite identifying billing problems, the state did not bar any of the suspected providers from continuing to receive taxpayer funds.

Auditors further found that state agencies had not “[c]hecked for multiple providers that are billing for the same child at the same time” and had failed to conduct “on site” inspections of sub-recipients, even as federal dollars continued to flow.

Nationally, the inspector general determined that about $311 million in improper payments were made through CCDF, the third-largest federal block grant program, behind TANF and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grants.

In Minnesota alone, CCDF reimbursed more than $85.5 million in child care costs in fiscal year 2015. Applying the earlier error rate would put erroneous payments at approximately $16.2 million for that year.

A decade later, the numbers grew far larger. Minnesota was slated to receive more than $185 million in CCDF funding, even though reported enrollment in child care programs had dropped by nearly half. That sharp contrast has fueled accusations that weak oversight enabled fraud on an even greater scale.

“The red flags are obvious,” Republican state Rep. Kristin Robbins said in a recent interview with NewsNation’s Rich McHugh. “It’s multiple services by one provider, and it’s an easier barrier to entry, not a lot of checks on the providers.”

Public attention escalated after YouTuber Nick Shirley posted a more than 40-minute video documenting visits to child care centers that collectively received $111 million in taxpayer funding but appeared closed or empty. Of the 10 facilities he visited, reporters from the Minnesota Star Tribune later found that only four had children present during follow-up checks.

For the most recent completed fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, CCDF allocated more than $11.6 billion nationwide for state child care services, more than double the amount distributed a decade earlier. Minnesota’s share, exceeding $185 million, had been earmarked for roughly 4,000 centers serving about 23,000 children — a ratio of roughly one center for every five or six kids.

By comparison, at the time of the 2016 audit, Minnesota providers were serving more than 47,000 children while receiving about $100 million less in federal funding.

Minnesota was one of only nine states cited in the inspector general’s report for exceeding a 10% threshold for improper payments, triggering a federal requirement for mandatory onsite monitoring going forward.

“The most common reason these States cited for not recovering improper payments was that the overpayments identified in the error rate reviews were due to caseworker or agency error, not to fraud,” the report stated.

The audit concluded with a broader warning that now appears prescient: “Given the CCDF program’s susceptibility to fraud and improper payments, as well as recent health and safety concerns, it is critical for ACF and States to employ effective measures to ensure the integrity of their CCDF programs.”

{Matzav.com}

Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, NJ announced a new increase in monthly kollel stipends, with yungeleit receiving an additional $40 per month.

The adjustment raises the standard kollel check to $1,140, up from $1,100, alongside an increase in the Yom Tov bonus to $942, compared to the previous $850.

The raise applies to all eligible yungeleit currently learning in the kollel at Beth Medrash Govoha, where 5,449 participants now receive regular stipends.

Taken together, the updated payments bring the annual kollel disbursement to approximately $83 million.

The increase is the latest step in the ongoing effort that began several years ago with the launch of the Adirei HaTorah initiative. Introduced in 2021, the campaign sought not only to strengthen financial support for kollel families, but to reaffirm the principle that a life devoted to Torah learning should be accompanied by a basic level of financial stability and dignity.

At the time of its launch, organizers emphasized that the initiative was built on a broader vision of partnership within Klal Yisroel, bringing together supporters and learners in a shared mission to reinforce the centrality and honor of Torah. The scope of the undertaking was significant: fully tripling kollel stipends required a dramatic expansion of the annual budget, growing from roughly $18 million to more than $83 million.

Despite the magnitude of the financial responsibility, the philanthropists and backers who assumed the burden committed themselves to sustaining the effort long-term.

{Matzav.com}

Following recent remarks by the Stoliner Rebbe permitting limited smartphone use under strict conditions, senior mashpi’im within the Stoliner chassidus have moved to sharpen and clarify his message, stressing firm boundaries and warnings against misuse.

At his Zos Chanukah tish, the Stoliner Rebbe addressed the issue of owning and using smartphones for work and livelihood. The Rebbe explained that it cannot be said that “smartphone use is categorically forbidden simply because it carries risks. Drawing a comparison, he said that just as driving a car is inherently dangerous yet permitted when used carefully, a smartphone may also be used with proper caution, strong protections, and safeguards in place.”

At the same time, the Rebbe emphasized that not every young man who gets married needs to immediately purchase a smartphone, stressing that doing so is certainly not a mitzvah. He also cautioned that even those who do use such a device should not make a point of displaying it publicly, such as using it openly in the street.

In the wake of these remarks, Stoliner mashpi’im have held conversations with chassidim over the past week to further define the parameters of the Rebbe’s guidance. While stressing that the Rebbe acknowledged the necessity and acceptability of smartphones for genuine needs, they stressed the importance of clear limits and discipline in their use.

According to those discussions, the mashpi’im warned strongly against chilul Hashem in the way smartphones are used. They reiterated the Rebbe’s view that “there is no justification for casual or unnecessary use in public spaces, such as on the street or on buses, and that usage should be strictly limited to real needs.”

They further clarified that the Rebbe’s comments “do not override the longstanding directive within the chassidus discouraging the purchase of smartphones before the age of 25, a guideline that remains fully in effect.” This, they noted, aligns with the Rebbe’s own words that there is “no obligation to acquire a smartphone immediately after marriage.”

Additionally, the mashpi’im addressed the question of daily usage time, urging that only those who genuinely need a smartphone should use one at all. Even then, they emphasized that it should not become a source of wasted time, recommending that use be “limited to a maximum of one hour per day.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, on Thursday delivered a sharp response to petitions challenging the continued tenure of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, urging the High Court of Justice to issue a conditional order requiring Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to explain why he has not removed Ben Gvir from his post.

In a formal submission to the High Court of Justice, the attorney general argued that a conditional order is necessary to shift the burden onto the prime minister to justify his inaction, given what she described as a substantial factual record regarding Ben Gvir’s conduct since his appointment.

According to Baharav-Miara, Ben Gvir has “abused his position” in an effort to exert improper influence over the Israel Police in some of the most sensitive areas of law enforcement and criminal investigations, actions she said undermine fundamental democratic principles. She maintained that the prime minister has failed to put in place safeguards or mechanisms to ensure the professional, impartial, and nonpartisan functioning of the police, despite repeated warnings.

Her response followed claims by petitioners that Netanyahu is obligated to exercise his authority and dismiss the minister. Summarizing her position, the attorney general concluded that the court should issue an order compelling the prime minister to explain why Ben Gvir has not been removed from office.

In her filing, Baharav-Miara wrote that, in light of the extensive factual foundation concerning the minister’s conduct—both since his appointment and prior to it—combined with the absence of guarantees for the proper and equitable operation of the police, and Netanyahu’s failure to act, the issuance of a conditional order is required to transfer the burden of persuasion to the prime minister.

About a month ago, the attorney general sent Netanyahu a strongly worded letter warning of what she described as “sweeping and systematic political interference” in police work. She cautioned that the minister’s actions could cause tangible harm to police operations and significantly erode the rule of law.

She further warned that excessive political intervention in police activity, particularly when carried out by bypassing professional command structures, raises serious concerns about “critical harm to police independence.” Such actions, she added, do nothing to address the ongoing need to strengthen public trust in and backing for the police.

Ben Gvir responded with an unusually harsh statement, launching a personal attack on the attorney general. “Gali Baharav-Miara is a criminal who obstructed investigations in matters where the High Court ruled that she was in a conflict of interest,” he said. “She fabricates cases against elected officials, public servants, and senior officers, openly works to carry out a coup against a democratically elected government, to cancel laws, sabotage decisions, and derail appointments—and now the peak: an attempt to remove elected officials.”

He concluded by vowing to continue fighting what he described as her actions, saying he would not rest “until her conduct is investigated,” and adding, “Israel will not be a mafia state.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, visited Thursday evening at the home of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch to receive his blessing and guidance ahead of the upcoming conference, which is scheduled to be held in Israel for the first time in seventy years.

The meeting lasted close to twenty minutes and focused primarily on the state of antisemitism around the world, particularly in Europe. During the conversation, Rav Goldschmidt raised several complex questions confronting rabbis in the diaspora, including the role of liberal rabbis, public criticism of Israel, and whether a rabbi may enter a church under specific circumstances. Rav Hirsch responded to the questions and indicated that it is possible he may personally attend the conference in Yerushalayim.

Earlier this week, Rav Goldschmidt also visited the homes of Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman and Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky to seek their brachos and invite them to the gathering.

The Conference of European Rabbis was established after the Holocaust to provide rabbinic and halachic leadership for surviving Jewish communities across Europe. Over the decades, the organization, under Rav Goldschmidt’s leadership, has become a central address for religious affairs, fighting government decrees against shechitah and kashrus and engaging in diplomatic efforts to combat antisemitism. The conference convenes a major international assembly once every two years.

This year’s conference was originally scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, but was postponed following the outbreak of the war in Israel. A later plan to hold the event in the month of Kislev was canceled at the last moment due to concrete security threats from Iran. Since the conference had not convened for several years, its leadership decided to move forward this year and hold it in Israel, both as a show of rabbinic solidarity with the Jewish state and for security reasons.

The gathering is now expected to take place in less than a month at the Olive Tree Hotel in Yerushalayim, with approximately 400 rabbis from around the world anticipated to attend.

During the visit, Rav Goldschmidt explained the scope and importance of the event and formally invited Rav Hirsch to participate. “The organization has existed for seventy years, and 300 rabbis will be coming to Israel for the conference in Jerusalem. We wanted to invite the rosh yeshiva to attend. Rabbis from all circles — from right to left — will be coming, all Torah-observant, and they need chizuk, because they are suffering from antisemitism,” he said.

Rav Goldschmidt then raised a question regarding Jewish communities in countries such as Spain and Norway, whose governments are strongly opposed to Israel yet continue to provide support to local Jewish communities. “There is a question I have been asked. In several European countries, like Spain and Norway, the government is very anti-Israel, but they still support the Jewish community. They are asking whether they should leave or stay,” he said.

Rav Hirsch asked for clarification: “From where to where do they want to move — to Israel or to other countries?” When Rav Goldschmidt replied, “Some to Israel, some to England — the question is a general one,” Rav Hirsch answered firmly, “There is no safe place. They should come.”

The discussion then turned to public criticism of Israel by rabbis abroad. Rav Goldschmidt described a recent incident in which around 100 rabbis, most of them from the United States and largely aligned with the political left, published a letter urging Israel to send food to Gaza during a period when humanitarian aid had been halted. He asked whether rabbis outside Israel should publicly express opinions or criticism of the Israeli government.

After a long pause, Rav Hirsch responded sharply: “In reality, everything that happened in Gaza is a lie — a lie of Hamas. They forget that they received Gaza from Prime Minister Sharon and could have built a normal society there. Instead, they chose to go out and massacre us and kill Jews. They forget the history.”

Rav Goldschmidt noted that some rabbinical court judges refuse to sit together with rabbis who spoke out against the Israeli government over Gaza. Rav Hirsch asked, “Did they really go out against the government — are these liberal rabbis?” Rav Goldschmidt replied, “Yes, they were Orthodox rabbis who are more aligned with the left.”

Rav Goldschmidt also recounted a recent meeting with the King of Spain, describing the pressure facing European leaders. “He told me that they always supported the Jewish community, but after what is happening in Gaza, they cannot support the Jews. I told him that on the contrary, now is exactly the time to support the Jewish community, because people on the street do not distinguish between Jews and the Israeli government. If you don’t support them, Jews will start getting killed in the streets — and he told me I was right,” Rav Goldschmidt said.

Rav Hirsch asked about the current situation, saying, “Even now, after the war, are Jews still suffering everywhere?” Rav Goldschmidt replied, “Today it is somewhat less, but there is a partial, silent boycott of Jews — in respect, in the economy, and in academia.”

Rav Hirsch responded, “Boruch Hashem, the economy in Israel is very strong. Many people from abroad are coming to invest in Israel. That is clear Divine assistance.”

A particularly sensitive halachic question was then raised regarding Chile, where a new Orthodox rabbi could be appointed as an adviser to the president. The role would require accompanying the president to church services twice a year. Rav Goldschmidt asked whether the rabbi could accept the position.

Rav Hirsch responded methodically. When asked whether entering a church would be part of the job, and hearing that it had been until now, he initially stated, “This is similar to what was said to Elisha — asking for forgiveness. I think it is forbidden to take the position.”

As the discussion continued and more details were clarified, Rav Hirsch asked what the rabbi would actually be required to do in the church. Rav Goldschmidt answered that he would merely need to enter alongside the president, without participating in any ritual. Rav Hirsch then ruled conditionally: “If that is the case, it may be permitted. It is a completely different matter if he does not have to do anything there.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Rav Goldschmidt renewed his invitation for Rav Hirsch to attend the conference. Rav Hirsch asked, “If I need to come, on which day would I come?” Rav Goldschmidt replied, “We will adapt ourselves to the rosh yeshiva, no matter which day.”

{Matzav.com}

A new and decisive public opinion poll points to a clear political picture if elections were held today, with the right-wing bloc securing a solid parliamentary majority and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu holding a commanding lead over all rivals in head-to-head matchups for the premiership.

The survey, broadcast Thursday evening on Channel 14’s main news edition hosted by Magi Tavori, was conducted by pollster Shlomo Filber among 736 respondents and is considered representative of the Israeli electorate as a whole. According to the findings, the right-wing bloc would win 66 Knesset seats, compared to 44 seats for the left-wing bloc and 10 seats for Arab parties — a gap that establishes a stable governing majority for the right.

Breaking down the projected seat distribution by party, Likud emerges as the largest faction with 35 seats. Shas and Naftali Bennett’s party follow with 11 seats each. The Democrats would receive 10 seats, Yisrael Beytenu 9, and both United Torah Judaism and Yesh Atid would win 8 seats apiece. Otzma Yehudit is projected at 7 seats, while Ra’am, Hadash–Ta’al, and Religious Zionism would each secure 5 seats. Balad and Blue and White would fail to cross the electoral threshold.

The poll also examined voter preferences for prime minister in direct suitability questions, revealing a wide margin in favor of Bibi Netanyahu. Netanyahu leads with 54 percent support, far ahead of Naftali Bennett at 23 percent. Gadi Eisenkot follows with 12 percent, while Yair Lapid and Avigdor Lieberman each receive 5 percent. Benny Gantz trails with just 1 percent.

{Matzav.com}