Matzav

Two yeshiva bochurim who had been held in military prison for refusing to report for IDF service were released and greeted by friends with singing, dancing, and a red carpet laid out in their honor.

After ten days in military custody, Yair Saada, a talmid of Yeshiva Kisei Rachamim, was freed on Thursday morning. At the same time, Yitzchak Rebibo, a talmid of Yeshiva Rabbeinu Chaim Ozer, was released after spending 17 days in military prison. Dozens of friends arrived to welcome the two, breaking out in song and dance as the young men emerged.

Saada was arrested on December 25, by military police after refusing to present himself for military service. The arrest took place at his family home in Be’er Sheva. At the time, Saada was unwell, suffering from a high fever, and had been brought home by his parents from yeshiva. Several hours later, military police arrived and arrested him while he was in bed.

Rebibo was arrested earlier, on December 16, 2025, in Ramat Gan, shortly after lighting neiros Chanukah with his family. Three weeks before his arrest, military police had already attempted to detain him on charges of draft evasion but were unsuccessful. He was later tracked by authorities and arrested several weeks afterward.

An earlier attempt to arrest Rebibo on November 26, near the Bnei Brak–Ramat Gan border sparked large demonstrations. Alerts circulated through protest hotlines associated with the Yerushalmi faction, drawing hundreds of demonstrators to the scene. Large numbers of yeshiva students and avreichim, mobilized by assistance organizations, protested the arrest attempt.

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Retired NYPD Chief of Department John Chell warns of a ‘massive’ problem if NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani ‘alienates’ himself from police officers due to rhetoric and political appointments on ‘Fox News Live.’

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A new survey released Friday in Ma’ariv indicates a modest uptick for Likud, which gained two seats in the latest weekly polling. The findings come after Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s visit to the United States and his meeting with President Donald Trump. The poll was conducted by the “Lazar Research Institute.”

As Likud strengthened, the governing coalition as a whole also improved its standing, rising by two seats to a total of 52. At the same time, the bloc opposing Netanyahu—excluding Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am—slipped to 58 seats, largely due to a drop in support for Naftali Bennett’s party, which fell from 21 seats to 19.

Based on the poll’s breakdown, if elections were held today Likud would emerge with 27 seats. Naftali Bennett’s party would secure 19 seats, while the Democrats, Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beiteinu, and Otzma Yehudit would each receive 10. Yashar would follow with 9 seats, Shas with 8, and United Torah Judaism with 7. Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am would each earn 5 seats.

The Religious Zionist Party remains below the electoral threshold, though it is currently the closest among parties that have not crossed it. Trailing further behind in the rankings are the Reservists’ Party, Blue and White, and Balad.

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Amid escalating unrest across Iran, President Donald Trump warned Friday morning that the United States could step in if Iranian security forces open fire on demonstrators. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J.TRUMP,” signaling a readiness to act should the situation deteriorate further.

Reports from Iranian media a day earlier indicated that violence linked to the protests has already proven deadly. According to those accounts, five people were killed over a 24-hour period during clashes tied to the broader wave of demonstrations spreading across the country. The deaths were said to have occurred during confrontations with police in Lorestan, in western Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the unrest by calling for a focus on public welfare, saying the government must guide the nation in assisting all citizens. He stressed that “the livelihood of the people is a red line,” and added, “There is no problem that cannot be solved.”

U.S. officials have also publicly aligned themselves with the demonstrators. Earlier in the week, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz expressed solidarity with those protesting Iran’s leadership. “The people of Iran want freedom. They have suffered at the hands of the Ayatollahs for too long,” Waltz wrote on social media.

He continued by stressing American backing for the demonstrations nationwide, saying, “We stand with Iranians in the streets of Tehran and across the country as they protest a radical regime that has brought them nothing but economic downturn and war.”

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Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli issued a forceful response after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moved to undo executive actions aimed at countering antisemitism that had been put in place by his predecessor, Eric Adams.

Chikli argued that the mayor’s early decisions were deliberate and revealing. “It is no coincidence that one of Mayor Mamdani’s first actions was an attempt to cancel the IHRA definition of antisemitism. He knows very well that, according to that definition, he himself falls under the category of antisemitic,” Chikli said. “Instead of confronting reality, he is trying to change the rules.”

He went on to accuse the mayor of pursuing a broader rollback of policies tied to Israel and antisemitism. “It does not stop there. At the same time, he is working to lift the ban on boycotts of Israel and to erase official statements made by his predecessor, a friend of Israel, Eric Adams, regarding antisemitism in New York. This is a systematic attempt to erase the fight against antisemitism and to legitimize extremist positions under the guise of social justice.”

Chikli warned that the location of these developments heightened their significance. “The fact that such moves are taking place in New York City, the city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, is a serious warning sign.”

In closing, he offered a stark assessment of the situation. “We must say things clearly. Today, the mayor of New York is an overt antisemite and a supporter of terrorism. Anyone who tries to obscure this reality or wrap it in polite language is cooperating with a dangerous process that threatens not only the Jewish community of New York but the very legitimacy of the fight against antisemitism in the Western world,” Chikli concluded.

Mamdani was sworn in as mayor shortly after midnight on January 1 and quickly moved to cancel executive orders issued by Adams. Among the actions set to be rescinded was a June 2025 order that formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism. Another order, signed last month, barred mayoral appointees and city agency staff from participating in boycotts or disinvestment campaigns targeting Israel.

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

Daroff warned that the policy shift could have concrete consequences. “Its cancellation reduces New York’s ability to identify and respond to antisemitism at a time when the number of incidents continues to rise. New York City should clearly lead in moral integrity and determination in confronting antisemitism. This decision signals the opposite direction.”

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities announced Friday that an 18-year-old from the Charlotte suburbs has been taken into custody on terrorism-related charges tied to an alleged plan to carry out violence on New Year’s Eve.

According to law enforcement, Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill, North Carolina, is accused of preparing to target a grocery store and a fast food restaurant using knives and hammers. Details of the alleged plot were first reported by WSOC-TV.

Investigators said the case was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Charlotte office, which determined that Sturdivant was “directly inspired to act” by ISIS.

Officials drew a connection between the disrupted plot and a deadly attack carried out last year in New Orleans, when an ISIS-inspired assailant drove a truck into crowds celebrating New Year’s Eve on Bourbon Street. That attack, carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, left 14 people dead and 57 others wounded as festivities were coming to an end.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly aligned himself with demonstrators challenging Iran’s ruling authorities, posting a message of solidarity on X late Friday.

Writing in Farsi, Ben-Gvir addressed Iranians directly, declaring, “The Iranian people deserve to be free, free of the murderous dictator Khamenei.” He closed the message with a statement of support, adding, “We are with you!”

The post also featured an AI-generated image depicting a shattered bust of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei alongside a noose and a burning flag of the Islamic Republic. Text embedded in the image read “Death to the dictator” in Farsi and “The dictator must fall” in English.

Earlier the same day, President Donald Trump issued a warning tied to the ongoing unrest in Iran, cautioning Tehran against violent repression of demonstrators. “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote.

{Matzav.com}

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.

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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}