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Just a typical Monday morning at the Ezreinu office:

9:02 

“Hello, Ezreinu!”

 “Hi! You sent us a volunteer last Sunday for my daughter? Basically, my sister who lives out-of-town invited us for the simcha she’s making this week. We just got a call from the family hosting us that our daughter can’t come along… Can you find someone to take her for Shabbos?” 

9:18

 Hi, My care manager told me about your organization. Do you know of someone who can do a thorough evaluation for my 8-year-old daughter? She’s really struggling in school and at home. We suspect she might have ASD or another undiagnosed issue. Not sure if we can afford someone private… About how much would an eval cost? Thanks, Reuven

 9:39 

“Hello, Ezreinu!” “Hi… Um… So I got your number from my neighbor. Maybe you can help…? No one else could. My son has learning and behavioral challenges. He was in Yeshivas Torah for elementary. It was okay, but high school’s been a nightmare… He started in a small mainstream place, but they couldn’t accommodate his needs. They dumped him in their self-contained class for kids with all kinds of struggles. He calls other boys in class “weirdos”. He’s miserable. He used to be the class leader; he has great social skills and had so many friends. Now, he feels like a nebach… I can’t watch my son suffer like this.” 

10:05

 “Hello, Ezreinu!” “Hi. My son’s been getting ABA after school for years, but the agency just informed us that they aren’t accepting his insurance anymore… They’ll continue to service him if I switch to a different insurance, but I don’t know where to begin the process, or if there’s something I should know that the agency isn’t telling me. And what if this change will affect his other services? I’m so confused. Can you help me figure this out?” 

Ezreinu, a support organization for families of children with special needs, is a one-stop-shop where parents can access much-needed respite volunteers and receive referrals for anything their child needs, including therapists, medical professionals, special ed program placement, and guidance navigating government services. Ezreinu keeps over 1,100 families afloat with their compassionate guidance and support – for free. To support Ezreinu’s essential work, click HERE.

Click HERE to Donate!

Anticipation is building across the Torah world as the distinguished Staten Island Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Reuven Feinstein, will headline the upcoming National Business Halacha Summit with a keynote address titled “Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life.”

The Rosh Yeshiva, known for his profound clarity in Torah and practical insight into contemporary issues, will share timeless Torah perspectives on navigating the complexities of today’s business world.

The event will take place Monday and Tuesday, November 24–25, at The Westin in Lombard, Illinois. Following the keynote, participants will be treated to a special Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage directly with Harav Feinstein and hear guidance on real-world halachic and ethical dilemmas in commerce, finance, and everyday business dealings.

The H3 National Business Halacha Summit—known as the Hub of Halacha and the Hub of Business—brings together business professionals, rabbanim, and halacha experts for two days of immersive learning, networking, and inspiration. The Summit provides a unique forum where Torah values meet professional practice, ensuring that those engaged in business do so with yiras Shamayim and halachic precision.

Organized under the auspices of Agudath Israel of Illinois, the Summit has become a cornerstone event for Torah-observant businesspeople across North America. Attendees will explore topics ranging from partnership agreements and financial ethics to modern technology’s impact on halacha. Each session is crafted to offer practical application of halachic principles in the fast-paced world of commerce.

Registration is now open at H3Summit.org.

{Matzav.com}

Iran announced today that its Revolutionary Guards had taken control of a tanker transporting petrochemical products through the Gulf, claiming the vessel violated maritime regulations. The incident marked the first reported seizure by Tehran since Israeli and U.S. strikes targeted Iran in June.

According to Iranian state media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that “the tanker was in violation for carrying unauthorized cargo.” The statement offered no additional clarification about what rules were broken or what prompted the action.

Maritime security officials and a U.S. government source confirmed on Friday that Iranian forces had intercepted the oil products tanker and forced it into Iranian territorial waters. The seized vessel, the Talara, is registered under the Marshall Islands flag and was sailing near the United Arab Emirates when the incident occurred.

The Talara had been transporting high-sulfur gasoil from Sharjah in the UAE to Singapore, traveling through the Indian Ocean when it was stopped, according to shipping data and maritime reports.

Columbia Shipmanagement, which operates the vessel, said contact was lost early Friday about 20 nautical miles off Khor Fakkan’s coast. The company reported that it was working with the vessel’s owner and international maritime security authorities to reestablish communication.

Ownership records show the ship belongs to Cyprus-based Pasha Finance. The U.S. military acknowledged it was “aware of the incident and was actively monitoring the situation,” according to an official statement.

Over the past several years, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have occasionally detained commercial ships transiting the Gulf, often justifying the seizures by accusing vessels of smuggling or other technical violations.

A U.S. official, who requested anonymity, remarked that the move came unexpectedly since Iran had not conducted such actions for several months. The last known instance of a similar seizure occurred in April 2024, before Iran appeared to scale back its naval operations following the joint Israeli-American bombing campaign in June.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance talks all things working alongside President Donald Trump, the possibility of him running for President in 2028 and more on ‘Hannity.’

WATCH:

President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Friday eliminating tariffs on a range of imported goods — including beef, coffee, and tropical fruits — in a bid to reduce food costs for American consumers.

The decision came as frustration over rising prices continued to mount. After voters in recent off-year elections identified economic struggles as their top concern, resulting in strong Democratic showings in key states like Virginia and New Jersey, the administration moved quickly to show action on inflation.

Announcing the order aboard Air Force One, Trump revealed that the United States had reached framework agreements with Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Argentina to scale back import levies on agricultural products from those nations. The White House described the move as part of a larger push to bring down grocery costs while maintaining fair trade relationships across the hemisphere.

When asked if more tariff reductions were in the works, Trump indicated he believed the latest action would be sufficient. “I don’t think it’ll be necessary,” he said. “We just did a little bit of a rollback. The prices of coffee were a little bit high, now they’ll be on the low side in a very short period.”

Trump noted that this week’s adjustments were targeted specifically at easing costs for consumers. “We just did a little bit of a rollback,” he repeated, explaining that Americans could expect to see cheaper coffee and related goods soon thanks to the removal of import duties.

The president had hinted earlier in the week that coffee tariffs might soon be reduced, saying it was time to “help increase its importation.” His administration has consistently argued that tariffs do not necessarily drive consumer prices upward, a claim that has drawn debate among economists.

Many of the commodities included in the new executive order — such as tropical fruits and certain types of coffee — are not produced domestically, making them logical candidates for tariff relief. But beef, a staple of the American diet, has been at the center of growing concern as prices have surged to record highs.

Trump acknowledged that his own tariffs on Brazilian beef had contributed to those elevated costs and said Friday’s move was intended to correct that. “The prices of coffee were a little bit high, now they’ll be on the low side,” he reiterated, expressing confidence that consumers would soon feel the impact at the supermarket.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is rolling out a sweeping review of the nation’s food aid system, requiring millions of Americans receiving benefits to reapply in an effort to eliminate fraud and misuse, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins revealed in an interview with Newsmax.

Appearing on Rob Schmitt Tonight, Rollins explained that her department is preparing to overhaul the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, saying, “I plan to have everyone reapply for their benefits, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through … food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable and they can’t survive without it.”

Rollins said the decision followed an extensive investigation across 29 red states, uncovering shocking irregularities. “186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check,” she reported. “Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data what we’re going to find?”

She said the discoveries will lay the groundwork for deep structural reform of the program. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program,” Rollins stated.

Among the more egregious examples of fraud, Rollins cited a man who was found collecting the same federal benefit in six different states. “So, these are the things that we’re uncovering that for years no one has really ever dug into because the feds didn’t have the system in place to do it,” she said. “But we do now. The president has made this a priority. We will fix this program.”

According to Rollins, enforcement has already begun, with authorities taking decisive action against those abusing the system. “We are actively with the [Department of Justice], with a lot of the other investigation units around the country, already arresting. There’s a lot of people already sitting in jail, but I think we’re just at the very tip of the iceberg and what we’re going to find,” she said.

She added that roughly 120 individuals have already been arrested for “committing fraud on the system,” and that further investigations are underway as part of what she called a long-overdue cleanup of federal food aid.

{Matzav.com}

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President Donald Trump brushed aside renewed curiosity about his recent medical exam, saying he was unaware of the specifics of the MRI he underwent during his last physical but confident the outcome was outstanding.

“I have no idea what they analyzed,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while flying to Mar-a-Lago. “But whatever they analyzed, they analyzed it well, and they said that I had as good a result as they’ve ever seen.”

He described the imaging as a routine part of his regular health checkups. “The MRI was part of my semiannual physical and very standard,” he explained.

The discussion followed Trump’s visit to Walter Reed Military Medical Center in October, after which his physician released a brief statement saying he was in “excellent overall health.” The president later casually mentioned that an MRI had been performed, a revelation that sparked speculation since such imaging is rarely included in a typical physical examination.

Despite persistent questions, no further information has been released about what prompted the scan or what it revealed.

When asked about the matter earlier this week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reassured reporters that the president was in top shape. “As stated in the memo provided on Oct. 10, President Trump received advanced imaging at Walter Reed Medical Center as part of his routine physical examination,” Leavitt said at a press briefing.

“The full results were viewed by attending radiologists and consultants, and all agree that President Trump remains in exceptional physical health, which I know all of you will see with your own eyes this evening when he opens up his dinner to the press,” she added.

Leavitt emphasized that there was no cause for concern, reiterating that the MRI was conducted as part of “a comprehensive preventive care process,” and that Trump’s health “continues to be excellent.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump intensified his public feud with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, launching into a scathing attack on Truth Social and mocking her as a “Republican in Name Only.”

“Lightweight Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Brown (Green grass turns Brown when it begins to ROT!), betrayed the entire Republican Party when she turned Left, performed poorly on the pathetic View, and became the RINO that we all know she always was,” Trump wrote.

He didn’t stop there, continuing his tirade with another swipe at other conservatives he accused of disloyalty. “Just another Fake politician, no different than Rand Paul Jr. (Thomas Massie), who got caught being a full fledged Republican In Name Only (RINO)! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

The fiery post came just one day after Trump officially revoked his endorsement of Greene, a move signaling a complete rupture with one of his most vocal supporters from previous election cycles. He also hinted that he would back a primary challenger to unseat her.

Greene responded with a lengthy message on X early this morning, suggesting that Trump’s anger stemmed from her recent decision to join a bipartisan discharge petition demanding the Justice Department release all remaining documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I never thought that fighting to release the Epstein files, defending women who were victims of rape, and fighting to expose the web of rich powerful elites would have caused this, but here we are. And it truly speaks for itself,” Greene wrote. “There needs to be a new way forward.”

She was one of only four Republicans to sign onto the petition, despite Trump’s clear opposition. Greene added that Trump’s push to keep GOP lawmakers away from the issue was a “huge miscalculation.”

Meanwhile, both House Democrats and the Republican-led Oversight Committee published additional materials related to the Epstein investigation, including leaked emails implying that Trump may have had more knowledge of Epstein’s connections to underage girls than he had previously acknowledged. Trump forcefully rejected those claims and directed the Justice Department to investigate potential Democratic involvement with Epstein’s network.

In her posts, Greene also criticized U.S. foreign aid policies — including funding for Israel and Ukraine — and noted that she has not accepted donations from AIPAC. “This and the Epstein files is why I’m being attacked by President Trump,” she said. “It really makes you wonder what is in those files and who and what country is putting so much pressure on him?”

Despite the heated exchange, Greene ended her remarks on a conciliatory note. “I forgive him and I will pray for him to return to his original MAGA promises,” she wrote.

Trump fired back shortly after with another stinging retort on Truth Social: “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Green is a disgrace to our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY!”

{Matzav.com}

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was recovering at home today after a fall left him hospitalized with a deep facial injury and a long line of stitches running from his eyebrow to his nose.

Posting on X, the senator shared a close-up photo of his face and wrote, “20 stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home with @giselefetterman and the kids. I’m overwhelmed + profoundly grateful for all the well-wishes. Truly.”

In the same post, he expressed appreciation for his medical team, writing, “Grateful for @UPMC for the incredible medical care that put me back together. THANK YOU SO MUCH. See you back in DC.”

According to his spokesperson, the senator was hurt “during an early morning walk” close to his Braddock residence.

“Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries,” the spokesperson said. “He is doing well and receiving routine observation at the hospital. He has opted to stay so doctors can fine-tune his medication regimen.”

The aide added that, in typical fashion, Fetterman managed to inject humor into the situation. “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!” the senator quipped in a Thursday statement.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I was appalled to come across a recent print advertisement boasting of “Torah camping designed to perfection for ‘discriminating’ bnei Torah mishpachos.” Yes, you read that correctly — “discriminating.” I had to read it twice to make sure it wasn’t satire. Sadly, it wasn’t.

Have we lost all sense of what it means to be a ben Torah? Since when is “discriminating” a badge of honor for a Torah family? Since when is elitism wrapped in religious language something to advertise proudly? It’s not clever. It’s not classy. It’s the opposite of Torah.

If you want to say your program is geared toward bnei Torah, there’s a respectful, refined, and honest way to do so. Say that it’s meant for mishpachos who appreciate a Torah environment. Say it’s a place where kedushah and tznius are valued. Say it’s for those who want their summer surroundings to reflect their spiritual standards. But don’t dare use the word “discriminating” — as if being a ben Torah means being picky, judgmental, or too refined to mix with the “lesser” crowd.

This kind of phrasing betrays a mindset that is entirely foreign to Torah values. The greatness of bnei Torah lies in anivus, in humility, in seeing the tzelem Elokim in every Jew — not in creating tiers of who’s “elite” enough to share a campfire. When we start turning Torah into a social label, when being a ben Torah becomes a marketing slogan instead of a sacred calling, something is deeply broken.

It’s painful to watch the language of Yiddishkeit being hijacked for the sake of pretentious advertising. Whoever wrote that line may have thought it sounded sophisticated. In truth, it only reveals how far we’ve drifted from the simplicity, sincerity, and emes that define real Torah life.

If the goal was to attract bnei Torah, perhaps start by speaking like one.

 A Non-Discriminating Ben Torah Family

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Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth clarified that the government’s updated giyus proposal would maintain long-standing exemptions for those immersed in full-time Torah learning, while establishing a gradual framework to draft some members of the chareidi public who are not actively in yeshiva.

Speaking on Channel 12’s Meet the Press, Bismuth dismissed what he called “fake” reports about the law’s contents, assuring that it did not represent a sweeping change but a realistic plan designed in full coordination with the prime minister. “The law is more or less ready. I am in full coordination with the prime minister. The prime minister wants this law; very much so,” he said. Using a metaphor, he added, “The locomotive is ready to leave the station [and is] waiting for passengers.”

While the bill would allow full-time bnei Torah to continue learning without fear of conscription, Bismuth said that “within five years, 50 percent of those not in yeshiva” would be drafted — a figure he described as “huge.” He declined to elaborate on how the army would decide who among the non-learners would be enlisted and who would remain exempt.

He emphasized that the new structure would include oversight and sanctions but only limited national service participation. “There will be an oversight mechanism,” he said, noting that merely 10% of those mobilized would serve in civilian national service rather than in the IDF. He rejected talk of a “revolution” in chareidi enlistment, comparing the slow, steady process to the way women’s participation in combat units increased over time. “Two decades ago, there were debates over women in combat, but today, when my daughter comes back from Gaza with a red beret, it’s obvious. It’s the same with chareidim — each one who enlists is an ambassador,” he said.

For the past year, gedolei Yisroel and askanim have urged lawmakers to protect lomdei Torah from the draft, after the High Court declared that blanket exemptions for full-time yeshiva students were unconstitutional. Roughly 80,000 chareidi men between ages 18 and 24 are currently registered as eligible for service but remain in yeshiva. The IDF, facing manpower shortages due to the war against Hamas and other fronts, has sought an additional 12,000 recruits.

Bismuth assumed the chairmanship of the committee in August after Shas and United Torah Judaism temporarily exited the coalition in protest over the government’s delays in advancing the new giyus framework, which critics derisively called an “evasion bill.” Upon taking the post, Bismuth discarded the earlier draft prepared by Yuli Edelstein — which had been met with outrage from chareidi representatives — and began redrafting it from scratch.

He explained that his vision for the law sought to find the equilibrium between the world of the yeshiva and the needs of national defense. “I admire those who wear the uniform, but just as much — and I say this out loud — I admire those who study the Torah,” Bismuth said, stressing that he wanted a law that both safeguarded Torah learning and would withstand scrutiny by the High Court.

According to Hebrew media reports, the current version keeps the exemption age at 26 and sets a target for drafting half of the annual chareidi cohort within five years. Government support for yeshivos would only be affected if institutions failed to meet agreed-upon enlistment benchmarks after a year. Penalties for individuals who decline to serve would begin only after two years, and only if the overall enlistment goals were not met.

Last month, Bismuth told Channel 14 that he hoped to bring the final bill for its remaining Knesset votes in December, estimating that “10,000 chareidim” would be drafted within two years, with the number rising gradually thereafter. He underscored that “there will be sanctions — there will be personal sanctions, there will be institutional sanctions, there will be serious sanctions,” while emphasizing that the intent was not to provoke or demean the chareidi public.

Having met with many leading rabbanim, Bismuth said the message he heard consistently was that those immersed in Torah should continue undisturbed, while others should fulfill their civic duty. “I have met with many rabbanim from across the chareidi community,” he said. “The consensus among them was that those engaged in studying Torah full-time should be allowed to continue, while those who don’t should enlist.”

{Matzav.com}

A major new study suggests that women under 50 who regularly consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods face a significantly greater likelihood of developing precancerous colon polyps. The findings were published Thursday in JAMA Oncology.

Researchers analyzed data from 29,105 female nurses under the age of 50 and discovered that women who ate an average of three servings of ultra-processed foods daily had a 3% risk of developing a precancerous polyp. For those consuming 10 or more servings each day, the risk rose to 5%. Participants in the highest consumption group were found to have a 45% higher risk of adenomas — the type of growth that can precede colorectal cancer.

Ultra-processed foods cited in the study include items like sodas, chips, cookies, crackers, candy, boxed macaroni and cheese, frozen or ready-to-eat meals, lunch meats, jerky, and hot dogs.

The research, carried out jointly by Harvard University and Mass General Brigham between 1991 and 2015, did not conclusively establish that these foods cause the polyps, but the correlation was strong. Each participant underwent at least two lower endoscopies before turning 50 and completed detailed dietary questionnaires every four years, allowing scientists to estimate long-term eating patterns.

“Our findings support the importance of reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods as a strategy to mitigate the rising burden of early-onset colorectal cancer,” said senior author Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and a professor at Harvard Medical School.

Chan added that “the increased risk seems to be fairly linear, meaning that the more ultra-processed foods you eat, the more potential that it could lead to colon polyps.”

The study’s authors also considered other known contributors to colorectal cancer, including weight, Type 2 diabetes, and low fiber intake. “Even after accounting for all these other risk factors, the association with ultra-processed foods still held up,” Chan said.

{Matzav.com}

Two senior members of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s governing coalition sharply criticized him for failing to publicly reject the idea of a Palestinian state, after a US-led coalition of nations issued a statement endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace framework as “a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that Netanyahu “make it clear to the entire world” that “a Palestinian state will never be established,” condemning what he described as the prime minister’s ongoing “silence” on the matter as a “diplomatic disgrace.”

“Two months ago, immediately after several countries announced their unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, you committed to respond decisively on the matter as soon as you returned from the United States. Since then, as mentioned, two months have passed during which you chose silence and a diplomatic disgrace. The deterioration we are now witnessing regarding this issue is dangerous and is your responsibility due to your silence,” Smotrich wrote on social media.

He went on to urge Netanyahu to “formulate immediately an appropriate and decisive response that will make it clear to the entire world [that] a Palestinian state will never be established on the territory of our homeland.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voiced similar outrage, declaring in a separate statement that “there is no such thing as a ‘Palestinian people’” and that “they certainly do not deserve a reward for the terror, murder, and atrocities they have sown everywhere, especially from Gaza — the place where they received self-rule.”

Ben Gvir said his Otzma Yehudit party “will not be part of any government that agrees to this,” insisting that “the only real solution in Gaza is to encourage voluntary emigration, and certainly not a reward-state for terror, which would serve as a base for continued terrorism.”

“I call on the prime minister to make it clear that the State of Israel will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in any form,” he added.

The criticism came after Washington coordinated a joint declaration from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan expressing support for the UN Security Council resolution to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza.

“We emphasize that this is a sincere effort, and the Plan provides a viable path towards peace and stability, not only between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but for the entire region,” the joint statement read. “We are looking forward to this resolution’s swift adoption.”

{Matzav.com}

Noam party leader Avi Maoz has launched a blistering attack on both US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, accusing them of undermining Israel’s sovereignty and advancing Palestinian statehood.

In a fiery post, Maoz charged that Trump is “advancing a Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria,” using the Biblical term for the West Bank. His remarks followed an international statement — coordinated by Washington and signed by several nations — claiming that Trump’s post-war Gaza initiative “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Maoz did not spare Israel’s leadership either, slamming Netanyahu’s “full-right-wing government” for what he called efforts to block his sovereignty legislation from progressing to its first Knesset reading. The bill, which would extend Israeli sovereignty to all settlements in the West Bank, has been a flashpoint within the coalition.

Although Maoz’s proposal narrowly passed a preliminary vote in late October, Netanyahu strongly opposed it. The Likud faction staged a boycott of the session, with the exception of MK Yuli Edelstein, who broke ranks and cast the deciding vote in favor — a move that cost him his position on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Following the initial approval, the measure was sent to the committee stage, where it has remained stalled. Observers believe Netanyahu will prevent it from advancing any further, wary of international repercussions and internal coalition instability.

Undeterred, Maoz this week appealed directly to committee chairman Boaz Bismuth of Likud, urging him not to drag his feet on the legislation and to move it forward for debate.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration appears ready to abandon the planned deployment of an international stabilization force to Gaza — a central pillar of its postwar peace blueprint — in order to accelerate reconstruction of the devastated enclave, according to an Israeli television report today.

Negotiations over the next stage of the ceasefire have reached a standstill, with disputes centered on Hamas’s disarmament and who will govern Gaza once the fighting ends. As one Israeli official described it, the shift in Washington’s stance has created a “deadlock” in ongoing talks with Israel over the territory’s future.

An Israeli security source told Channel 13 that the White House has struggled to recruit nations willing to take part in the demilitarization of Hamas and has therefore started exploring “interim solutions, which are currently unacceptable to Israel.”

“This interim situation is the worst there is,” one senior Israeli official warned. “Hamas has been strengthening in recent weeks since the end of the war.”

“There can be no rehabilitation before demilitarization. It is contrary to Trump’s plan. Gaza must be demilitarized,” another Israeli security official stated emphatically.

Despite the tension, Washington is moving ahead with a draft UN Security Council resolution set for a vote on Monday. The text, previously obtained by The Times of Israel, incorporates all 20 points of President Donald Trump’s peace framework — a plan that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu publicly endorsed alongside Trump in September.

Under the proposed resolution, UN member states would “establish a temporary International Stabilization Force,” authorized to operate in Gaza through 2027. Countries that have considered sending troops reportedly insisted they would only do so with formal UN backing.

In anticipation of the resolution’s approval, Israel has already begun logistical groundwork to accommodate “thousands of foreign soldiers,” according to a report released today by the Kan public broadcaster. Israeli officials expect the international force to have wide authority to dismantle Hamas’s arsenal, but most nations involved have signaled that they would limit their role to peacekeeping rather than active disarmament.

On Friday, the US coordinated a joint statement from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, all expressing support for the upcoming UN vote and describing the process as one that “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Moscow, however, is advancing an alternative draft that sidesteps the creation of a peacekeeping body altogether. The Russian proposal, circulated to Security Council members, acknowledges “the initiative that led to the ceasefire” but omits Trump’s name and merely calls on the UN secretary-general to study “the possibilities of deploying an international stabilization force” in Gaza.

As the diplomatic wrangling intensified, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Netanyahu by phone today. The Kremlin said the discussion focused on Gaza, Iran’s nuclear activity, and developments in Syria.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Putin initiated the call, which followed a series of recent conversations between the two leaders. The PMO said the talks “dealt with regional issues,” without offering further details.

{Matzav.com}

Anxiety is rippling through New York’s Jewish community as many residents rush to purchase firearms and undergo training ahead of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration, Arutz Sheva reports. With growing fears of weakened police presence and a potential rise in antisemitic incidents, gun ownership among Orthodox Jews has surged to levels unseen in decades.

In Marine Park, Brooklyn, 30-year-old Michael Bergida has become an unexpected symbol of this trend. The Orthodox businessman recently launched Samson Armory—Brooklyn’s first new gun store in over fifty years—and says the timing has brought a wave of customers from across the Jewish community. “We’re probably the only gun store to have a minyan,” Bergida quipped to the New York Post, describing prayer gatherings inside his shop. According to him, the election has spurred panic. “People are freaking out over Mamdani – anyone who has Judeo-Christian values,” he said, adding that “chaos” and NYPD understaffing are among his clients’ biggest concerns.

Bergida, who is certified by the NRA, has also begun coordinating with local synagogues on safety measures and emergency preparedness. “It’s like doomsday prepping – people are loading up ammo,” he said. “We’re here to stay. We’re not victims anymore.”

That same sense of unease is evident across other gun training centers. Veteran instructor Lance Dashefsky said requests for concealed-carry classes spiked immediately after Mamdani won the Democratic primary. “I always ask people why they want a gun,” Dashefsky said. “And now the answer is Mamdani.” NYPD statistics confirm the rise: concealed-carry permit applications jumped from 620 in June to 706 by August. The process, which requires an 18-hour state course, can take up to a year in New York City.

Ross Den, another firearms trainer in Brooklyn, said many previously hesitant Jews are now applying for permits. “There are plenty of Rabbis who carry – synagogues are where the greatest threat is,” he explained, noting that armed volunteers designated by the congregation are legally allowed to carry during services.

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and former state assemblymember, has long courted controversy for positions seen as hostile by parts of the Jewish community. His past support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, along with comparisons between NYPD policing and Israeli military actions, has sparked fierce backlash. Mamdani has defended his stance, saying it stems from “concerns about human rights and policing.”

Election data reveals the extent of Jewish opposition to Mamdani: heavily frum neighborhoods such as Borough Park and Crown Heights voted overwhelmingly against him, favoring former Gov. Andrew Cuomo instead. The distrust runs deep—particularly among Israeli-born New Yorkers who say they no longer feel confident relying solely on law enforcement.

“We are Jewish and we will protect ourselves – even if the mayor despises us,” said one Israeli-American mother of four who applied for a firearm license the day after the election. “We want a say in our own protection and not have to rely on others.”

{Matzav.com}

Tensions over Israel’s controversial draft legislation escalated violently in Yerushalayim this evening when Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur was assaulted by extremist youths. According to witnesses, Ben Tzur’s vehicle was surrounded and attacked, with rioters smashing his car windows before police forces arrived to restore order. His office described the assault as a “lynch attempt,” while others at the scene said he “was beaten.”

In a statement, the Shas party expressed outrage at the assault, declaring that it “strongly condemns the serious attack on the vehicle of MK Yoav Ben Tzur that was carried out this evening in Yerushalayim by a small group of rioters.” The party emphasized that “acts of violence of this sort, which cause a desecration of God’s name, are not the way of the Torah and do not represent any God-fearing public.”

Political leaders from across the spectrum weighed in. Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman blamed the broader social culture surrounding military exemptions for the incident. “When you accustom a person to idleness and draft-dodging—he becomes violent when you try to take the idleness away from him,” Lieberman said. He continued, “The attack by dozens of charedim on MK Ben Tzur of Shas is yet another example of why we must bring everyone into line immediately. All citizens of the State are subject to one, single, uniform, legal system. Zero tolerance for lawbreakers—from draft-dodgers and refusers to the crime militias and protection rackets. Very soon, we will bring order here!”

MK Boaz Bismuth, who chairs the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, also denounced the assault, calling it “a severe crossing of a line and a blatant attempt to intimidate elected officials.” Bismuth urged that complex national debates like the draft law must be handled “in the appropriate place, in serious dialogue, with proper judgment and through democratic decisions. Not in the street and not under threats by extremists.”

{Matzav.com}

A letter of clarification has been issued by Dayan Rav Yisroel Marmarush, following the publication of a recent psak halacha opposing Israel’s proposed draft law. The dayan stressed that anything publicized in his name is subject entirely to the ruling and guidance of the Gedolei Yisroel.

The clarification came hours after a psak signed by several prominent poskimwas published. That psak stated that “even if, by doing so, many yeshiva students who are currently learning will be saved from being drafted, one may not push aside one soul for another.”

Signatories on the ruling included HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, HaRav Nosson Kopshitz, HaRav Yisroel Marmarush, HaRav Avrohom Pozen, and HaRav Moshe Mordechai Karp and HaRav Amram Fried.

In his clarification letter released Thursday evening, Rav Marmarush, who serves as rav of Kehillas Chaneichei HaYeshivos in Bnei Brak’s Shechunas Gimmel, wrote that it is important to state unequivocally that under the current circumstances, “the decision rests solely in the hands of the Gedolei Yisroel shlita.”

Additionally, HaRav Eliezer Cohen, confidant and gabbai of HaRav Amram Fried, also issued a statement Thursday night clarifying that Rav Fried’s signature did not appear on the version of the letter that was circulated publicly, and that the content had been taken out of context.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani took aim at Eric Adams on Thursday, blasting the outgoing mayor for decisions made during his final months in office. He said it was “no surprise” that Adams was using his remaining time “to cement a legacy of dysfunction and inconsistency.”

Speaking to reporters during a visit with Pre-K students at the Friends of Crown Heights Education Center in Flatbush, Mamdani voiced strong opposition to Adams’ move to designate the Elizabeth Street Garden as official city parkland. The decision effectively halts a long-debated plan to develop affordable senior housing on the site—something Mamdani said symbolized City Hall’s failure to address real needs. “What New Yorkers are looking forward to is a City Hall where they can expect taking on these crises as opposed to creating them themselves,” he remarked.

Reports have also surfaced that Adams intends to appoint several landlord-friendly members to the Rent Guidelines Board before leaving office, potentially jeopardizing Mamdani’s pledge to freeze rent for residents in rent-stabilized apartments. The move is being interpreted as a last-minute challenge to the mayor-elect’s progressive housing agenda.

Despite his sharp criticism, Mamdani acknowledged that the outgoing administration has been cooperative as the transition begins. “I will say that while I vehemently disagree with a number of the decisions that he’s taken, his administration has also been open in the transition work that we are doing,” Mamdani said. He added that he looks forward to meeting with Adams upon the mayor’s return from Israel to discuss the path forward.

{Matzav.com}