Matzav

Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has directed retailers to pull several imported food products from store shelves after uncovering significant irregularities in their kashrus representations. The Rabbinate’s Kashrus Fraud Division released an update detailing what it described as serious deficiencies and misleading labeling involving dairy, fish and meat items sold in major food chains.

One case involves long-life whole milk containing 3.7% fat, sold in one-liter cartons and manufactured in Belgium by Solarec. The product is imported by Euro Dairies Europe (Gold Frost) Ltd. of Yavne. The packaging carries a claim that the milk is Chalav Yisrael under the supervision of Badatz Beit Yosef and with the approval of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. However, a review conducted by the Rabbinate’s Import Department determined that the product never received such approval. Authorities have therefore ordered that the milk be immediately removed from shelves and returned to the importer.

In a separate matter, officials identified a significant concern with “100% smoked cod liver in fish oil,” packaged in 115-gram containers. The item is produced in Iceland and brought into Israel by G. Willifood International Ltd. Although the packaging indicates that the product is kosher with the approval of the Rabbinate and under the supervision of the private kashrus organization OU, the Import Department had denied authorization for production batches beginning in January 2025.

Addressing the issue, the Rabbinate stated that “the refusal to approve the fish product stems from a lack of essential details regarding parasite treatment, as well as the absence of clarification as to whether the required close supervision was maintained concerning bishul Yisrael.”

Concerns were also raised in the meat sector. Inspectors discovered a labeling discrepancy involving frozen beef shank No. 8 produced by Marcovif in Argentina and imported and distributed by Tnuva. During an on-site review, officials found that the outer red weighing label described the meat as kosher-chalak, while the stamp directly on the meat indicated only kosher, without the chalak designation.

“In light of this discrepancy, which constitutes misleading a consumer who is careful about a specific level of kashrus, the Rabbinate has instructed that these products be returned to Tnuva in order to prevent the continued halachic stumbling block of marketing meat that does not correspond to its external kashrus declaration,” the Rabbinate said.

Following the announcement, the Kosharot organization issued its own response urging heightened awareness. “We call upon the general public and kashrut supervisors to pay attention to the details of the kashrut update and to remain vigilant when purchasing imported products marketed contrary to the kashrut procedures of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, in order to avoid, G-d forbid, any halachic mishap.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Dov Landau voiced sharp criticism over the practice of screening girls during seminary (high school) admissions based on aptitude and “suitability,” even when they and their families are regarded as spiritually exemplary.

During a conversation that was recorded and later circulated, a questioner described the situation: “Girls who are outstanding in spirituality, their families are outstanding in spirituality, but the girls are not the most brilliant.”

Rav Landau responded pointedly: “What is this? Yeshivos?”

The questioner continued, noting that “the major seminaries don’t want them.”

Rav Landau reiterated: “What is this, yeshivos?!”

At that point, a grandson present added, “Yes! It’s terrible and awful. He is right.”

Rav Landau concluded emphatically: “It will not be kli gever al isha,” invoking the Torah prohibition of adopting inappropriate models from the opposite gender, in a clear rejection of applying yeshiva-style academic selectivity to girls’ seminaries.

The remarks come against the backdrop of ongoing tensions surrounding seminary admissions in Yerushalayim. At the beginning of the current academic year, a major dispute erupted when the municipality imposed student placements on several seminaries. In response, a number of institutions delayed opening the school year for days.

Subsequently, at Rav Landau’s personal request, an agreement was reached to open two additional ninth-grade classes at the Beis Yaakov Teachers Seminary (“the old seminary”) in Yerushalayim. The move ensured placements satisfactory to all girls who had remained at home without assignments.

In a personal letter to the seminary’s director, Rabbi Yisrael Levin, Rav Landau wrote that “the cry of the students is piercing and it is impossible to stand aside,” instructing him to open the additional classes. Following that intervention, Rav Landau directed that the school year begin in all ninth-grade classes throughout the city’s seminaries once the arrangements were finalized.

{Matzav.com}

In the wake of the recent arrest of several yeshiva bochurim by Israeli military authorities for the “offense” of learning Torah, the senior posek, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, penned a special letter of chizuk addressed to the bochurim who were taken into custody.

The letter was written to strengthen the detained bochurim, as well as their parents and families, many of whom are anxious and uncertain about what lies ahead. Rav Zilberstein framed the painful events within the timeless perspective of Chazal, emphasizing that everything unfolds with precise hashgachah from Shamayim.

At the beginning of the letter, Rav Zilberstein wrote:

“To the dear bochurim who were taken to prison because of Torah learning, and to all the bochurim and their parents who are worried and do not know what tomorrow will bring: In Maseches Berachos (61b) it is stated that once the wicked government decreed that Klal Yisroel should not engage in Torah study. Pappus ben Yehuda came and found Rabbi Akiva publicly assembling gatherings and learning Torah. He said to him: Akiva, are you not afraid of the government?”

The letter continues with the well-known mashal brought in the Gemara:

“He said to him: I will tell you a parable. To what is this comparable? To a fox walking along the riverbank who saw fish… He said to them: Why are you fleeing? They said to him: Because of the nets that men bring against us. He said to them: Would you like to come up onto dry land and dwell together, you and I, just as my ancestors dwelled with your ancestors? They said to him: Are you the one they call the cleverest of animals? You are not clever, but foolish. If in the place of our life we are afraid, in the place of our death all the more so. So too, we—now that we sit and engage in Torah, about which it is written ‘For it is your life and the length of your days’—if we go and neglect it, how much more so. It was not many days before they seized Rabbi Akiva and imprisoned him, and they also seized Pappus ben Yehuda and imprisoned him with him. Pappus said to him: Who brought you here? He replied: Fortunate are you, Rabbi Akiva, that you were seized for matters of Torah; woe to Pappus who was seized for idle matters.”

Rav Zilberstein then elaborated on the identity of Pappus and the deeper lomdus underlying the exchange.

“Who was Pappus?” Rav Zilberstein wrote. “The Vilna Gaon explains that he was among the gedolei hador, for he addressed Rabbi Akiva simply as ‘Akiva,’ implying that he was his colleague. If so, there was a genuine halachic discussion here—whether one is permitted to be moser nefesh for the sake of publicly gathering kehillah gatherings for limud haTorah. At first glance, Pappus seems correct, for we are commanded to give up our lives only for the three cardinal aveiros, and not for limud haTorah b’rabim.”

In concluding, Rav Zilberstein cited the explanation of the Birchas Shmuel:

“The Baal Birchas Shmuel explained that Pappus, too, understood that one must be moser nefesh for limud haTorah. Even though nothing is more beloved before the Ribbono Shel Olam than Rabbi Akiva and his chaveirim when they are alive in this world and learning Torah, nevertheless the continuity of Torah learning is the kiyum of the entire Torah. For if the young goats are not taught, there will be no mature rams—meaning that without transmitting Torah to the next generation, there is a bitul of the entire Torah. For that, one must be moser nefesh. This is a simple and clear matter.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he has encouraged President Donald Trump to act decisively against Iran’s leadership, arguing that the current moment presents a rare strategic opening that should not be squandered. In an interview with CNBC, Cruz described what he believes is a historic opportunity for sweeping geopolitical change if hostile regimes collapse and are replaced with governments aligned with the United States.

“We are at a moment where, in the next six months, we could realistically see the regimes in Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba all fall, and we could see them replaced with governments that want to be friends with America,” he stated.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2026338689215766914

While acknowledging the risks involved in such dramatic shifts, Cruz stressed the magnitude of the potential outcome. He conceded that “there are a thousand ways that can go wrong,” but he emphasized, “if that happened, that would be the biggest geopolitical shift since the fall of the Berlin Wall.”

Cruz said he spoke with the President last week and argued that Iran’s government is in a uniquely vulnerable position following its loss in the 12-Day War with Israel in June 2024. “They’re teetering. There are real-world consequences to losing a war.”

He explained that he urged Trump to capitalize on what he sees as a fleeting chance to weaken or remove the ruling clerical leadership in Tehran. “What I’ve urged the President is: Do not miss this opportunity. If the Ayatollah is removed from power, it will make America much safer,” he said. “This is the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world. The Iranian regime is responsible for murdering hundreds of American servicemen and women. They fund terrorism all over the world. So, What I’ve urged the president is, number one, support the protesters and arm the protesters. Let the people of Iran have the ability to overthrow their government.”

Cruz also suggested that limited U.S. military action could be imminent, though he made clear he does not anticipate a large-scale ground deployment. He said that “there’s a very real possibility we will see potentially in a matter of days limited strikes. What we’re not going to see is boots on the ground.”

Earlier Tuesday, former State Department official Aaron David Miller speculated that President Trump could use his State of the Union address to announce military action against Iran.

“Rubio briefing Congress hours before SOTU, delaying his trip to Israel from Saturday to Monday, wouldn’t surprise if Trump announces beginning of strikes against Iran in speech,” Miller wrote.

“No President has ever announced the start of military conflict in a SOTU. Why would they? That’s reason enough for Trump to do it,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

What a busha.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani characterized Monday’s confrontation in Washington Square Park as a “snowball fight,” even as police officials confirmed that several NYPD officers were injured and required hospital treatment for facial cuts after being struck while responding to a disturbance call.

According to an NYPD spokesperson, officers were dispatched to the park following reports of a large, unruly crowd. While attempting to manage the situation, multiple officers were hit in the head with snowballs.

After the incident, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch issued a statement condemning what occurred, calling the conduct “disgraceful” and “criminal,” and confirming that detectives have opened an investigation.

When questioned about the matter during a press conference Tuesday, Mamdani said he had watched footage of the encounter and maintained that “it looked like kids at a snowball fight.”

The mayor further indicated that he does not believe those involved should be charged with assaulting a police officer.

Authorities confirmed that, as of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the episode.

Police unions, however, sharply rejected the mayor’s characterization. The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) told Fox News Digital that while “some people” may attempt to dismiss the incident as “college hijinks or harmless kids throwing snowballs,” deliberately hurling objects at uniformed officers engaged in official duties amounts to assault.

“We cannot condemn strongly enough the recent disgraceful and dangerous attacks on NYPD Police Officers while responding to a 911 call in Washington Square Park,” SBA president Vincent Vallelong wrote in a statement. “The behavior of the people throwing the snowballs, many of whom are believed to be NYU students, was reckless and unlawful, and put the lives and safety of others at risk.”

Vallelong said those responsible for throwing snow and ice at officers “cross[ed] a clear line.”

“[Officers] are tasked with maintaining public safety in crowded public spaces, often while facing hostility simply for wearing the uniform,” he wrote. “When individuals choose to turn a park into a launching ground for attacks on police, they cross a clear line. Today it is snowballs. Tomorrow it could be rocks, bottles, or worse.

“No worker in this city should be subjected to having objects thrown at them while they do their job — least of all the men and women who run toward danger to protect others. This conduct emboldens further disorder and undermines respect for the rule of law.”

Vallelong also questioned why the mayor, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and NYU leadership had not forcefully denounced the incident.

“We call on city leadership, prosecutors, and the courts to treat these incidents with the seriousness they deserve,” he wrote. “… The members of the NYPD will continue to serve and protect every New Yorker — even those who show them disrespect. But they deserve the full support of city officials and the public when they are so brazenly attacked.”

The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York likewise blasted the events as “unacceptable and outrageous.”

“This is the environment that NYC police officers are up against,” the association wrote in a statement. “Our police officers are being treated for their injuries, but the case CANNOT end there. The individuals involved must be identified, arrested and charged with assault on a police officer. And all of our city leaders must speak up to condemn this despicable attack.”

The Detectives’ Endowment Association also criticized those who targeted officers in the park.

“What we saw in Washington Square Park today was not harmless fun — it was a deliberate, outrageous, and dangerous attack on uniformed police officers,” the group’s President Scott Munro wrote in an X post. “The Detectives’ Endowment Association is calling on Mayor Mamdani and District Attorney Bragg to ensure every individual responsible for this illegal behavior is prosecuted. No free pass. No get out of jail free card.”

“Make no mistake: detectives will do what they always do,” he added. “They will identify those involved and they will apprehend them. Our men and women in blue deserve to be safe. They deserve to be protected. And they deserve to be respected. They earn it every single day.”

Although Mamdani did not directly address accusations that dismissing the incident was “an overreaction,” he later posted a message on social media urging respect for law enforcement.

“I’ve seen the videos of kids throwing snowballs at NYPD officers in Washington Square Park. Officers, like all city workers, have been out in a historic blizzard, keeping New Yorkers safe and cars moving. Treat them with respect. If anyone’s catching a snowball, it’s me,” Mamdani wrote.

Political leaders, including Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also pressed the mayor to unequivocally condemn the attack.

“This is disgraceful,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., wrote on X. “@NYCMayor and every elected official in our city should denounce this juvenile attack on our #NYPD. Back the blue and hold those who disrespect them accountable.”

Cuomo added that Mamdani, “who has a history of calling the police ‘racist, evil, wicked and corrupt’” had “set the tone.”

“Words have consequences,” Cuomo wrote on social media. “We are seeing that in the growing disrespect for law enforcement — just as we’ve seen it in the rise in antisemitism. Real leaders understand that. This mayor does not. @NYCMayor must denounce this at once.”

Former NYPD Chief of Department John Chell also condemned the episode, calling it a “f—ing disgrace,” and noting that the officers “were outnumbered — yet stood tall the best they could.”

He said he expects a firm response from City Hall.

“Tomorrow morning at about 0800 hours the @NYPDnews better be in full force in Washington Square Park and other parks in full force,” he said in another post. “Let me be clear — if one snowball hits a cop, there should be very forceful arrests – make it legally painful.”

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara informed the Israeli High Court of Justice on Tuesday that the government’s failure to revoke personal economic benefits from yeshiva students obligated to enlist constitutes a “lapse,” arguing that the lack of sanctions contradicts prior court rulings and harms both the army’s needs and the principle of equality in bearing the burden of service.

In her response to petitions questioning why no sanctions have been imposed on members of the chareidi community who received draft orders but did not report for service, Baharav-Miara wrote: “The government has not formulated a plan to revoke personal economic benefits from those evading service, despite the fact that personal and economic sanctions against draft evaders from the chareidi public have proven effective. This lapse contradicts the High Court’s ruling, harms the needs of the army, and undermines equality in the burden of service.”

At the outset of her submission, the Attorney General emphasized that the respondents recognize their obligation to take effective personal enforcement measures against individuals who were issued draft orders and failed to appear. Such enforcement, she wrote, is necessary to ensure equal application of the draft requirement to the entire public. This includes both criminal proceedings and the development of an effective, equitable, and proportionate government enforcement policy that incorporates complementary economic-civilian measures against evaders, in accordance with the principles established in the relevant High Court ruling.

Baharav-Miara noted that, in recognition of this duty, IDF authorities have for some time been working to enforce the draft requirement on members of the chareidi community through continued implementation of the army’s enlistment plan and increased enforcement efforts. As part of this process, draft appearance orders were gradually issued to all eligible chareidi draft candidates, marking what she described as a milestone enabling equal enforcement. Following the issuance of these orders, the “enlistment chain” began, eventually leading to a significant increase in the number of draft-eligible individuals who completed the summons process, many of whom were later formally designated as draft evaders.

At that stage, she explained, authorities are able to take personal enforcement steps using tools available to the military, including arrests at border crossings and coordinated enforcement and arrest operations in civilian areas, subject to coordination with Israel Police.

According to updated data cited in the filing, implementation of the army’s enforcement plan and what she described as unprecedented outreach efforts have led to an increase in the number of chareidi recruits compared to the corresponding third of the previous recruitment year. Military officials estimate that during the first third of the 2025 recruitment year (July–October 2025), approximately 1,100 chareidi recruits enlisted.

However, the Attorney General stressed that the upward trend remains far from meeting the army’s operational needs or satisfying the value of equality. She therefore underscored the importance of expanding the measures that led to the increase, including strengthening and refining enforcement tools, with particular emphasis on personal enforcement steps.

She further wrote that the government must, without delay, formulate an effective enforcement policy that fully utilizes available tools and economic sanctions, including revocation of personal financial benefits. According to professional officials in the Finance Ministry, such measures are expected to have a particularly significant impact on enlistment numbers. These officials assess that combining enforcement actions with economic sanctions would increase incentives to enlist, enhance deterrence against draft evasion, and lead to further growth in recruitment figures.

In addition, Baharav-Miara stated that, in the view of government professionals, the expectation within the chareidi sector that legislation will be passed effectively granting exemptions from service and canceling criminal and disciplinary proceedings against those declared evaders currently serves as a negative incentive for enlistment. Absent such expectations, she argued, enforcement efforts would likely yield even higher results.

She also highlighted the significance of the IDF Chief of Staff’s July 2025 decision to issue blanket summons orders to all draft-eligible members of the chareidi public and to shorten the time frame for declaring an individual a draft evader.

According to assessments by professional officials in the army and various government ministries, the use of personal sanctions—such as detention and arrest at border crossings—is a vital tool in strengthening the standing army and combating draft evasion. These measures, she wrote, have a substantial deterrent effect and prompt eligible recruits to regularize their status.

She explained that only after a draft-eligible individual is formally declared an evader—following exhaustion of all summons procedures—can authorities initiate proactive enforcement actions or pursue disciplinary or criminal proceedings, depending on the circumstances. With the broad issuance of summons orders and adjustments made to the enlistment process that shortened the timeline to evader designation, those personal sanctions now apply to a larger group of draft-eligible individuals, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of draft enforcement.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran is eager to reach an agreement with the United States but continues to stop short of explicitly renouncing its pursuit of nuclear weapons, a sticking point he highlighted just hours before delivering his State of the Union address.

The President made the remarks during a meeting at the White House with television anchors from several major networks, where he discussed themes expected to feature prominently in his speech.

“Iran wants to make a deal more than I do, but they just say the sacred phrase, we won’t build nuclear weapons,” the President told the anchors, as quoted in The Hill.

A day earlier, Trump dismissed media reports claiming that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine had cautioned him against proceeding with a potential strike on Iran. The President pushed back on the characterization and rejected suggestions that he was facing internal resistance over military options.

In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump also denied reports that he was weighing limited strikes against Iranian targets. At the same time, he reiterated his warning to Tehran that failure to reach an agreement would carry serious consequences, stating that if a deal is not made, “it will be a very bad day” for them.

As tensions continue to simmer, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, cautioned that any military action against his country would have far-reaching effects.

“We call upon all nations committed to peace and justice to take meaningful steps to prevent further escalation,” Gharibabadi said during a speech at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

He further warned that an attack would not remain confined to the targeted state, stressing that those who initiate or back such measures would ultimately be held accountable for the fallout.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump will address a joint session of Congress tonight for his first State of the Union address since returning to the White House just over one year ago. It’s an opportunity for the president to tout his agenda and shape his party’s messaging ahead of this year’s midterm elections.

The president is expected to begin at 9 p.m. ET., and if history is any indication, prepare for a long night. Last year, in what was technically not a State of the Union speech, Trump addressed Congress for over 90 minutes, breaking records as the longest joint address in at least 60 years.

WATCH LIVE:

The State of the Union is tonight, and President Donald Trump is scheduled to give his diagnosis on how the country is doing one year into his second term.

The nation’s attention will be on the president, but the audience may be where the action happens.

Not too long ago, members were expected to watch the speech respectfully. They could clap or stand to express approval, but otherwise had to be quiet. Increasingly, members of Congress are using the speech as a platform for their own political stances and making themselves the main characters of the night.

When one Republican, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, shouted “You lie!” at President Barack Obama during a 2009 address before a joint session of Congress, it was a national scandal. The House voted to formally reprimand Wilson in a bipartisan move.

In 2006, Beverly Young, the wife of then-Rep. Bill Young of Florida, was ejected from the House chamber ahead of President George W. Bush’s State of the Union for wearing a T-shirt supporting the Iraq War. Cindy Sheehan, an anti-war protester, was arrested at the same speech for wearing a T-shirt protesting the war.

Not for yelling. Not for interrupting. For a T-shirt. (The U.S. Capitol Police chief said later that he regretted removing the women from the chamber.)

Those norms are changing. In recent years, there have been a variety of theatrics that make calling the president a liar look positively quaint. Jeers and boos are the norm. Former representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) caused President Joe Biden to pause his speech in 2024 by shouting the name of nursing student Laken Riley, who had been killed by an undocumented immigrant.

In 2023, she repeatedly screamed “liar” during his address when he said some Republican lawmakers wanted to sunset Social Security, and she was hardly the only one. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Eli Crane (R-Arizona) joined her on their feet, and a chorus of Republicans booed the president in an attempt to drown him out.

Democrats have also used the speech to express disapproval in ways that have become more visible over time. During his first address to Congress as president in 2017, Democratic congresswomen wore white in homage to the women’s suffrage movement and in rebuke of Trump’s sexist comments. Dozens of Democratic congresswomen have continued to wear white since.

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi dramatically tore up Trump’s speech in 2020 from the dais, later telling reporters it was “a manifesto of mistruths.” During last year’s speech, several Democrats simply left the chamber.

Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was removed from the House floor last year for yelling “you have no mandate to cut Medicaid” while waving his cane, after which he was censured, with 10 Democrats joining all Republicans.

Many Democrats are uneasy with the outbursts like Green’s, fearing they distract from the party’s more measured formal rebuttal after the speech (this year given by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger). House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told his fellow Democrats this year to either be quiet or don’t come.

“The two options that are in front of us, in our House, is either attend with silent defiance, or to not attend, and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion, which will include participation in a variety of different alternate programming,” Jeffries said during a news conference last week.

Several Democratic lawmakers are planning to speak at a “People’s State of the Union,” organized by left-leaning advocacy groups on the National Mall.

For reporters who sit in the chamber, watching the audience is often the biggest part of the job. Where we sit, high up behind the dais, we can’t see (and often can’t hear) the president but have a clear view of almost every seat on the floor. Not everything we notice is dramatic enough to make the headlines, but members’ behavior does give us an insight into where they stand on policy.

It’ll be interesting to watch how pro-free-trade Republicans react to Trump’s rhetoric on tariffs, a topic he’s almost certain to bring up tonight following the Supreme Court’s ruling last week that shot down much of his trade policy.

Trump is also weighing a strike on Iran, building up the U.S. military presence near the country. If he engages in an extended operation in Iran, he would be going back on a major promise made in his campaign: that he wouldn’t engage in new wars or nation building. We’ve already seen a scattering of Republicans voice opposition to an attack on Iran. Will more refuse to clap tonight?

Expect tonight’s speech to be long – Trump said it would be “because we have so much to talk about.” In case you missed it, Amber Phillips of The 5-Minute Fix newsletter (you can sign up here) wrote about what’s on Trump’s mind ahead of tonight’s speech. Be sure to follow our team’s coverage from the chamber tonight.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

A veteran former State Department official said Tuesday that President Donald Trump may use his State of the Union address to reveal the start of US military action against Iran, an unprecedented move that would mark a dramatic escalation in tensions.

Aaron David Miller, a longtime diplomat who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, raised the possibility in a post on X hours before the president’s scheduled speech.

“Rubio briefing Congress hours before SOTU, delaying his trip to Israel from Saturday to Monday, wouldn’t surprise if Trump announces beginning of strikes against Iran in speech,” Miller wrote on X today (Tuesday).

He added, “No President has ever announced the start of military conflict in a SOTU. Why would they? That’s reason enough for Trump to do it,”

Miller previously served as an adviser on Arab-Israeli negotiations to six Secretaries of State between 1988 and 2003.

President Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday night.

The speculation follows Trump’s forceful rejection on Monday of media reports claiming that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine had cautioned him against launching a strike on Iran.

In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump also pushed back against reports suggesting he was weighing limited military action against the Islamic Republic. He reiterated that Tehran faces severe consequences if it fails to reach an agreement with Washington.

“Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to War with Iran. The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect,” wrote Trump.

He continued, “General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won. He knows Iran well in that he was in charge of Midnight Hammer, the attack on the Iranian Nuclear Development. It is a Development no longer, but rather, was blown to smithereens by our Great B-2 Bombers. Razin Caine is a Great Fighter, and represents the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World. He has not spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about, he only knows one thing, how to WIN and, if he is told to do so, he will be leading the pack.”

Trump also dismissed broader coverage of a possible confrontation as inaccurate and politically motivated.

“Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so. I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country and, very sadly, its people, because they are great and wonderful, and something like this should never have happened to them,” stated Trump.

{Matzav.com}

Five Israeli yeshiva bochurim were arrested and transferred to Israeli military police custody over the past 24 hours, according to the Notnim Gav organization, which assists families and provides legal support to detainees. The arrests, some of which took place late at night and involved Israel Police officers, have sparked protests in Yerushalayim.

According to the organization, a bochur from Yeshivas Ateres Yaakov in Beit Shemesh was arrested at approximately 2:00 a.m. Family members claimed that 12 military police officers arrived at the home, six of whom entered the apartment, conducted a search, and left the residence in disarray. The bochur is receiving legal assistance from the Chayei Olam organization and was sentenced to 20 days in military detention. Another yeshiva bochur was also reportedly sentenced to 20 days.

In a separate case, a bochur described as a “prosecution draft evader” was transferred at 4:00 a.m. by police to military police authorities in Beit Shemesh. Both detainees are being represented by attorneys Shlomo Hadad and Itai Cohen on behalf of the Hatzalah LaAchim organization.

Another yeshiva bochur was arrested this morning at Ben Gurion Airport and is receiving legal representation from attorney Shlomo Hadad on behalf of Notnim Gav.

In addition, a further arrest took place yesterday at the IDF induction center in Tel Hashomer. According to the organization, the bochur had arrived with exemption documents after being absent for only three days. He was also sentenced to 20 days in military detention and is being represented by attorney Shlomo Hadad on behalf of the organization.

Amid the arrests, demonstrators blocked Rechov Shivtei Yisrael in Yerushalayim in recent hours. Police forces are operating at the scene to manage traffic. As of now, no additional arrests have been reported during the protest.

{Matzav.com}

The state of Maryland is suing to stop the Department of Homeland Security from turning a warehouse into an immigration detention facility.

DHS paid more than $100 million for a commercial warehouse near the town of Williamsport, Maryland, in January as part of a nationwide effort by the Trump administration to dramatically expand its detention capacity. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could potentially use as many as two dozen such sites across the country as “mega centers” for detaining immigrants.

According to a lawsuit filed by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, the Williamsport facility is to be outfitted with 1,500 beds.

“Defendants have run roughshod over federal law and trampled on the state’s interests,” in their pursuit of the project, Brown wrote.

A DHS spokesperson said the facilities would be “very well-structured” and built to the agency’s detention standards.

“Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe,” the spokesperson said. “It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the US and is actively working to expand detention space.”

Brown accused the government of violating federal law by failing to prepare an environmental impact statement for the project, and for not considering alternatives. Construction could negatively impact local waterways and wildlife, Brown said, and the facility could overwhelm sewer lines once fully operational.

The site could also lead to traffic congestion, increased burdens on law enforcement and emergency services, Brown said. The attorney general also pointed to the risk of disease outbreaks and sanitation concerns based on reported conditions in other ICE facilities.

Maryland is asking a federal judge to vacate the purchase of the warehouse and declare the agencies’ actions unlawful. Brown seeks a court order halting any construction or conversion of the facility already taking place.

Lawmakers from Arizona are pushing back on similar plans for an ICE warehouse conversion west of Phoenix. In a post on the social media platform X, Representative Greg Stanton, a Democrat, said the acquisition of the building in Surprise, Arizona, did not go through the normal procurement process involving the Government Services Administration.

“They didn’t tell anyone they were doing this,” Stanton said, “and they paid cash money for this facility.”

(c) 2026, Bloomberg 

A young child in Lakewood, NJ was rescued alive yesterday after being completely buried under heavy snow when a bulldozer clearing the streets inadvertently pushed large piles of snow on top of a snow igloo in which he was playing.

The frightening incident unfolded during snow removal operations following one of the region’s most intense winter storms. The child had been inside a snow structure he had built when a large bulldozer operator, unable to see the igloo, pushed a massive accumulation of snow directly over it. Within moments, the child was entirely covered.

Family members soon realized the boy was missing, triggering an immediate and frantic search. Relatives and neighbors began combing the area, fearing the worst as precious minutes ticked by.

For two hours and forty-five agonizing minutes, the search continued as rescuers worked desperately to locate him beneath the deep snow. The urgency intensified as the realization set in that he may have been trapped without air under the heavy accumulation.

Finally, after nearly three hours, the child was located and pulled from beneath the snow. In what family members described as nothing short of a neis, he was found alive and rescued.

“It’s a neis,” a Chaveirim members told Matzav.com. “Nothing short of it.”

Emergency responders evaluated the child at the scene.

The incident left the family and local residents shaken but deeply grateful, as they reflected on what could have ended in tragedy.

{Matzav.com}

New York City will not dismantle homeless encampments during one of the most severe snowstorms in its history, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday, even as many people living on the streets declined repeated offers of shelter.

The powerful winter system, known as Winter Storm Hernando, brought a fresh challenge for Mamdani’s administration. His handling of a major January storm drew sharp criticism after it spiraled into a deadly crisis during his opening weeks in office.

“The blizzard is a time when our focus should be not on physical infrastructure, but on people and on getting them indoors,” Mamdani argued during a news conference over Winter Storm Hernando.

The earlier storm resulted in 19 deaths across the city, many linked to hypothermia, fueling accusations that City Hall had failed to move vulnerable residents into safe housing quickly enough.

Just days ago, Mamdani had shifted course on his prior stance against dismantling homeless encampments, announcing that the city would resume clearances but provide individuals with seven days’ notice before any action was taken.

During the current storm, outreach teams helped 79 people enter shelters while snowfall totals approached two feet, according to the mayor. He emphasized that none of those placements were forced.

Still, some individuals remained outside despite the dangerous conditions. On the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian walkway, several tents were buried in snow on the Manhattan side as FDNY personnel, NYPD officers, and a private ambulance crew checked on those inside.

“I’m alright,” one man said, shaking his head as responders peeled back the tarps.

An FDNY EMT said the man had rejected appeals made in both English and Spanish.

“We can’t remove them. People have the right to be homeless in New York City,” the EMT said.

Two NYPD officers remained nearby while outreach workers attempted to persuade those sheltering in tents to relocate, but the man was not taken from the scene.

Police officials said officers made contact with 130 homeless individuals during the storm, and 127 declined offers to enter shelters. Only two agreed to accept city assistance.

Although outreach staff did not compel anyone to leave the streets, police did carry out one involuntary removal after determining the person posed a danger to themselves, according to a department spokesperson.

Under city policy, officers may remove someone against their will if they are considered a threat to themselves or others, though emergency medical technicians lack authority to enforce such removals.

These involuntary transports are distinct from broader encampment clearances, commonly referred to as “homeless sweeps.”

Both policies were heavily debated during January’s storm, when Mamdani faced intense backlash over the 19 outdoor deaths while maintaining that involuntary removals should remain a measure of last resort.

City officials said outreach teams accompanied by licensed clinicians conducted 33 involuntary removals between Jan. 19 and Feb. 10, encompassing the prior storm and the following cold spell.

During that same period, NYPD officers carried out 52 removals, according to a police spokesperson.

As of Monday, the mayor said there had been no confirmed fatalities connected to the latest blizzard.

“We are not aware of any deaths related to this blizzard on our city streets or in public areas,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

The Washington Post reports that the United States has amassed an unprecedented concentration of military power in the Middle East, including roughly one-third of its active naval fleet, a deployment that would allow Washington to carry out anything from limited, targeted strikes to a wide-ranging bombing campaign against Iran.

The report comes amid recent claims that elements within the U.S. military establishment oppose a potential strike on Iran being considered by President Donald Trump. According to the Post’s counter-report, however, the scale and scope of the current buildup signal that the administration now has a full spectrum of operational options at its disposal.

According to the report, the U.S. military has assembled forces sufficient to sustain either a prolonged military campaign or a series of focused, limited strikes. Contrary to earlier reports suggesting a short, five-day intensive assault, the Post indicated that the American forces currently positioned in the region could support a broader and more significant operation.

Dana Stroul, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, told the newspaper that the massive concentration of forces gives President Trump the ability to implement virtually any operational decision, ranging from limited missions to an extensive kinetic campaign.

Defense analysts cited in the report assessed that the military assets now in place point to preparations for a multi-day air operation, though not one that would include a ground invasion.

The scale of the U.S. military presence in the region is considered one of the largest in more than two decades, rivaling levels seen in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003.

The buildup follows the conclusion of a second round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran on February 17 that ended without a breakthrough, as well as President Trump’s warnings that Iran could face military action if no agreement is reached to curb its nuclear ambitions.

While Tehran has maintained that an agreement remains achievable but requires additional time, Washington has accelerated its force deployments beyond the reinforcements observed prior to American strikes last June.

Flight tracking data and satellite imagery cited in the report show that more than 150 aircraft have been transferred to bases in the Middle East and Europe since the collapse of negotiations.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrived Monday off the coast of Crete carrying dozens of aircraft, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently stationed off the coast of Oman.

The arrival of the Ford underscores that approximately one-third of the United States’ active naval vessels are now concentrated in the Middle East region.

Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has become a central hub for U.S. forces. Satellite images from Friday reportedly showed more than 60 aircraft stationed there, including F-35 fighter jets used to neutralize air defense systems.

At the same time, more than half of the recently deployed aircraft have landed at bases in Europe. Experts cited in the report explained that positioning aircraft in Europe places them outside the range of Iranian missile systems, reducing their vulnerability while preserving the ability to rapidly move personnel and equipment as needed.

The reinforcements also include the deployment of one-third of the U.S. fleet of E-3G Sentry airborne early warning aircraft, as well as F-22 fighter jets stationed in the United Kingdom and F-16 aircraft positioned in Portugal.

U.S. defense officials confirmed the large-scale deployment but declined to provide specific operational details for security reasons. Military analysts noted that the emerging strategy appears designed to enable swift, high-intensity action while minimizing the risks of severe retaliatory strikes.

{Matzav.com}

At the conclusion of Monday’s shiur kloli at Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dovid Levy addressed thousands of talmidim, calling on them to reinforce the well-established Purim learning sedarim observed in the yeshiva each year.

The shiur klali focused on a sugya in the second perek of Maseches Bava Basra, a weighty discussion involving the laws of tumah and taharah. During the shiur, Rav Levy cited a foundational teaching from his rebbi, Harav Shmuel Rozovsky zt”l, regarding the parameters of tumah in cases involving less than the minimum shiur.

Following the shiur, the Rosh Yeshiva delivered special remarks in anticipation of Purim. Continuing the longstanding tradition instituted at Ponovezh by Rosh Yeshiva Harav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, the yeshiva prepares unique learning frameworks for both the night of Purim—immediately after the reading of the Megillah—and for Purim day itself.

As part of these sedarim, thousands of bochurim sit and learn Torah for extended, uninterrupted hours, filling every available seat throughout the batei medrash and the various wings of the yeshiva. The sight, observers say, is awe-inspiring, with no empty spaces in the botei medrash, reminiscent of the atmosphere on the night of Shavuos. The sedarim are organized by Rav Shimon Margulies, a close associate of the Rosh Yeshiva, and conclude with a large public tefillah led by the yeshiva’s nosi, Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, together with the entire student body.

In his remarks, Rav Levy referenced the Rambam’s teaching that although all the moadim will be nullified in the future era of Moshiach, the days of Purim and Megillas Esther will never be annulled. From this, he said, it is evident that Purim is an exceptionally elevated time, and it would be a loss to squander it on trivial matters such as excessive drinking and the like. Instead, he urged the bochurim to devote the day to vigorous and enthusiastic Torah study, as is customary in the yeshiva, where extended sedarim known as “Kimu V’Kiblu” are held. Through these sessions, he explained, the talmidim symbolically accept the Torah anew each year with love and willingness.

The Rosh Yeshiva further emphasized that especially in these times—when “our enemies have raised their heads” and seek to uproot Torah from Klal Yisrael and restrict the yeshiva world—it is incumbent upon the bochurim to publicly demonstrate their unbreakable bond with Torah. That connection, he said, must remain firm without interruption—even on Purim itself.

Concluding his address, Rav Levy expressed hope that from Ponovezh, the light of Torah on Purim would radiate throughout the entire yeshiva world, and that in turn the influence would return to Ponovezh. Just as waves travel from place to place, he said, so too should the voice of Torah spread from one makom Torah to another, strengthening dedication and diligence in Torah study during these especially auspicious days of Purim.

{Matzav.com}

Feb. 24 marks four years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine — an assault widely expected at the outset to conclude within days but which has instead evolved into one of Europe’s bloodiest wars since World War II.

Putin’s move to attack a sovereign neighboring state upended long-standing international norms and has resulted in immense human and physical devastation. The war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, left millions wounded, and reduced large swaths of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure to ruins.

Because both Moscow and Kyiv tightly control the release of battlefield data, establishing precise casualty figures remains impossible.

Still, independent assessments paint a grim picture of the scale of the conflict:

• Combined military casualties — including those killed, injured, or missing — are estimated to reach as many as 1.8 million. Of that total, Russia is believed to have suffered about 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 fatalities, while Ukraine’s losses are estimated at roughly 500,000 to 600,000, with as many as 140,000 dead.

• Ukrainian government data indicates that approximately 55,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed, with many others either wounded or unaccounted for.

• Civilian suffering has also been severe. The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission reports at least 14,999 civilian deaths and more than 40,600 injuries in Ukraine since 2022, though the actual numbers are widely believed to be higher.

• At least 763 children are among the civilian dead, and 2025 has proven to be the most lethal year yet for non-combatants since the war began.

Altogether, even conservative tallies suggest that the total number of dead and wounded on both sides approaches or surpasses two million — underscoring the enormous human cost of the war.

Numerous diplomatic initiatives and international summits have failed to produce a durable ceasefire.

In August 2025, President Donald Trump welcomed Putin to Alaska for a much-anticipated summit focused on ending the fighting.

Those discussions concluded without an agreement to halt hostilities. Reports afterward indicated that Russia’s demands — including territorial concessions and formal recognition of annexed areas — were deemed unacceptable by Ukraine and its Western allies.

Moscow also continued to insist that Ukraine be denied meaningful security guarantees from the United States, NATO, or leading European powers.

Following the summit, Russian forces intensified their campaign, carrying out ongoing drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, power systems, and other civilian infrastructure.

Just in the past week, Russia unleashed a large-scale wave of drones and missiles aimed at energy facilities and residential districts in several Ukrainian regions, killing and injuring civilians and highlighting the ongoing instability.

Ukraine, increasingly exasperated by stalled negotiations, has answered with expanded strikes inside Russian territory, targeting military and industrial assets in an effort to undermine Moscow’s war-making capabilities.

Human rights groups, U.N. observers, and independent investigators have documented numerous alleged breaches of international humanitarian law during the conflict:

• Russian forces have been accused of deliberately striking civilian sites, including hospitals, schools, electrical grids, and housing complexes — actions that run afoul of the Geneva Conventions.

• Episodes such as the April 2025 airstrike in Sumy, which killed 35 civilians, including children, and wounded 129 others, have been cited as evidence of indiscriminate attacks.

• The International Criminal Court has issued war crimes charges and arrest warrants for Putin and senior Russian officials, including allegations related to the unlawful deportation of children and other offenses, emphasizing the seriousness of the accusations tied to the war.

Many analysts describe repeated attacks on civilian and non-military targets as clear violations of accepted rules of armed conflict and, in some cases, as war crimes.

Policy experts caution that without stronger backing from the United States and its allies, the conflict could settle into a prolonged and destructive stalemate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with numerous Western security specialists, argues that Russia will press forward militarily unless it faces sustained pressure on the battlefield and through diplomacy, calling on Washington to maintain defensive assistance and leadership.

Recent analysis suggests that the war’s consequences extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Zelenskyy has portrayed Putin’s campaign not merely as a regional war but as a trigger for broader global instability comparable to the early stages of a Third World War, urging more robust guarantees from the United States and NATO to deter further escalation.

As the war enters its fourth year, Putin’s original calculation — built on expectations of a rapid triumph and divided Western resolve — has not materialized.

Instead, the conflict has settled into a grinding deadlock that continues to take lives, destroy communities, and alter the security landscape of Europe.

The international community looks on, with hopes that renewed unity and determination from the United States and its partners might yet help Ukraine achieve a just resolution — one that ends the violence and ensures accountability for those responsible.

{Matzav.com}

A judge in Utah is set to determine Tuesday whether the local prosecuting team should be barred from handling the case against the man accused of killing conservative figure Charlie Kirk, after it emerged that the daughter of a senior prosecutor witnessed the shooting.

Earlier this month, Utah County District Court Judge Tony Graf convened a hearing to consider a motion filed by attorneys for Tyler Robinson, who argue that lawyers from the Utah County Attorney’s Office should be taken off the case due to a potential conflict of interest.

According to the defense, the 18-year-old daughter of a high-ranking prosecutor was present when the fatal shooting occurred on September 10.

They contend that the office’s move to pursue capital punishment less than a week after the killing reflected a “strong emotional reaction” by Chad Grunander, a deputy county attorney whose daughter notified him of the shooting through a series of text messages.

Grunander took the stand and rejected the claim that his daughter’s involvement influenced the office’s decision. He testified that prosecutors sought the death penalty only after concluding that the evidence against Robinson was strong enough to support it.

“We felt there’s simply no conflict here,” Grunander told the Provo, Utah, court during a Feb. 3 hearing.

Court proceedings and filings have not addressed who would assume responsibility for prosecuting the case if Judge Graf rules that Grunander and his colleagues must step aside. Defense attorneys have previously asked that the Utah Attorney General’s Office respond to their allegations of a conflict, rather than the Utah County Attorney’s Office.

Robinson, 22, had been training to work as an electrician. Authorities allege that he fired a single shot from a rooftop, killing Kirk while the conservative activist was engaged in a debate with students at Utah Valley University in Orem as part of a nationwide campus tour.

Kirk was widely recognized for energizing young voters who contributed to President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. His killing, carried out before a large crowd, underscored what many have described as a disturbing rise in political violence across the country.

Robinson faces charges of aggravated murder, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice. He is not expected to enter a plea until after a preliminary hearing that is currently anticipated to take place in mid-May.

{Matzav.com}

The family of Nancy Guthrie, the missing 84-year-old mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, announced Tuesday that they will offer a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her recovery or an arrest.

In a tearful video message 24 days after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, Savannah Guthrie said the family realized their mother may no longer be alive but still hoped to bring her home. Guthrie pleaded for anyone with morsels of information to come forward so the family “can either celebrate a glorious miraculous homecoming or celebrate the beautiful, brave and courageous and noble life that she has lived.”

“We need to know where she is,” she said in the video. “We need her to come home.”

The high-profile case has drawn intense interest from people across the world who have followed closely as investigators sought to uncover evidence, news reports surfaced about purported ransom notes, and Savannah Guthrie and her siblings pleaded for help. It took nearly two weeks for federal officials to describe a suspect they were pursuing. Even then, after expansive searches through the remote Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson where Nancy Guthrie resided, there were no signs of her.

Savannah Guthrie said Tuesday that her family would also donate $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which helps families put in the same position as them. On Instagram, Guthrie wrote that the reward would be subject to the same criteria as the FBI’s $100,000 reward, paid for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.

“We’re hoping that the attention that has been given to our mom and our family will extend to all the families like ours who are in need,” Savannah Guthrie said.

Guthrie, 84, spent the evening before she disappeared at the home of her daughter, Annie, for a game night. She returned home around 9:45 p.m., Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a news conference.

The next day – Feb. 1 – her family realized she was missing and called 911 around noon. A sprawling search ensued.

By nightfall, word had spread that the mother of the “Today” show host had disappeared, kicking off a storm of media coverage. In several Instagram videos, Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings pleaded with their mother’s captor and said they would pay for her return. They also asked the public to pray and to report any useful information to law enforcement. They told their mother they loved her.

The White House and President Donald Trump pledged support for the investigation. Thousands of calls flooded the FBI’s tip line. But the case remained at a standstill.

Then, on Feb. 10, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office revealed they had recovered footage from Guthrie’s doorbell camera. They released photos and video showing an “armed individual” wearing a ski mask and backpack walking up to the front door. That night, the sheriff’s office said they had detained and questioned someone in the case but released the man soon after. The office later told reporters in an emailed update that it had executed two search warrants and was processing evidence from those searches but did not specify where they happened.

Two days later, officials described the person seen in the doorbell camera footage as a suspect – a man around 5 feet 9 inches tall with an average build. He wore a black 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack in the video from the doorbell camera, according to the FBI.

After that description went public, tips kept pouring in. Authorities again searched the area around Guthrie’s home and recovered additional evidence, including multiple gloves that were sent for lab analysis. On Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said that there were no DNA matches found in federal records for a sample from the gloves found closest to Guthrie’s house, about two miles away.

Investigators are also attempting to locate Guthrie’s pacemaker, according to the sheriff’s department, and are working with Walmart, which sells the same model of backpack the suspect was seen wearing. Detectives canvassed local businesses to show owners the doorbell camera footage in case someone recognized the suspect.

Over the weekend, as the investigation neared its third week, Savannah Guthrie made another plea.

“It is never too late to do the right thing, and we are here,” she said in the video, directly addressing a possible captor. “We believe, and we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, and it’s never too late.”

Days earlier, Savannah Guthrie published another post on Instagram. But instead of an address to her mother’s potential abductors or a request for help, this one was a home video.

In the footage, Nancy Guthrie and her then-young children could be seen picking flowers and giggling.

“Our lovely mom,” Savannah Guthrie wrote in the caption. “We will never give up on her. Thank you for your prayers and hope.”

(c) The Washington Post

[Photos and videos below.] An Israel-to-JFK flight that was unexpectedly diverted to Detroit turned into a powerful display of achdus and chesed, as members of the Detroit Jewish community mobilized within hours to provide passengers with kosher food and emergency assistance.

The flight, originally scheduled to land at JFK Airport in New York, was rerouted to Detroit due to unforeseen circumstances, leaving dozens of passengers stranded far from their intended destination. With little notice and limited airport food options that met kosher standards, the situation quickly became challenging for the frum travelers.

Enter Daniel Greenbaum, owner of Metropolitan Dry Cleaners, who immediately began coordinating a community response. Working together with the owners of Jerusalem Pizza and members of Hatzalah Detroit, Greenbaum helped organize a large-scale food delivery to the airport to ensure that every passenger in need would be taken care of.

Within a short time, cars were packed and dispatched to the airport loaded with an extraordinary amount of food and supplies. The shipment included 65 large pizza pies, 8 gluten-free pies, and several vegan and cheeseless pies to accommodate a range of dietary needs. In addition, volunteers prepared and delivered 150 individually plated orders of fries and 50 tuna and egg sandwiches.

Several cases of water and Snapple were also included to make sure passengers had drinks after hours of unexpected delay.

Community members described the effort as seamless and inspiring. Volunteers worked quickly to prepare, pack, and transport the food, transforming what could have been a stressful and uncomfortable ordeal into a moment of genuine ahavas Yisroel.

Hatzalah Detroit members were also on hand to assist with any medical or emergency needs, ensuring that passengers had access not only to food but to support and reassurance as well.

What began as a routine international flight disruption became an unforgettable example of how a Jewish community—no matter the city—steps up instantly when fellow Yidden are in need.

Passengers expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of support, many noting that after a long and uncertain travel interruption, the sight of cars arriving filled with hot kosher food was both comforting and uplifting.

{Matzav.com}