Matzav

A brief security scare unfolded Tuesday evening at Ben Gurion Airport when a vehicle bearing a forged license plate broke through a security checkpoint at the airport’s main entrance from Road 1 and continued inside the perimeter before the driver abandoned the car and fled on foot.

Police said an extensive manhunt was launched immediately after the incident, with ground units and aerial support searching the area for the suspect. Authorities emphasized that there is no indication of a terrorist incident and that the event is believed to be criminal in nature.

According to Israel Police, officers from the Ben Gurion Airport district, together with security personnel from the Airports Authority, are conducting coordinated searches for the driver. A police helicopter was deployed as part of the operation.

Investigators said the vehicle arrived at the main entrance gate and ignored instructions from security guards. After forcing its way past the checkpoint, the driver exited the vehicle and escaped on foot, leaving the car behind.

The abandoned vehicle was examined by a police bomb disposal unit as a precaution. Officials confirmed that no explosive device was found and that the inspection ruled out any security-related threat.

Airport operations continued as usual following the incident, and police said updates would be provided if the suspect is located.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

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

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

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

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

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

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

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

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

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

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

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

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

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

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

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

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

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

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

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

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

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

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

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

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

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

ShasYiden.com

A draft U.S. Defense Department assessment warns that China is rapidly advancing its nuclear forces, including the loading of more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles into newly built silo fields near its border with Mongolia, according to a report seen by Reuters.

The document, which has not yet been formally submitted to Congress and could still change, says Beijing has likely placed over 100 solid-fueled DF-31 missiles into the silo complexes. While the Pentagon previously revealed the construction of these sites, it had not publicly estimated how many missiles were operationally deployed within them. The report does not specify potential targets for the missiles.

The Pentagon declined to comment when asked by Fox News Digital about the contents of the draft assessment.

The report portrays China’s military expansion as unmatched in speed among nuclear-armed states, stating that Beijing is growing and modernizing its nuclear forces faster than any other country with such capabilities. Chinese officials have routinely rejected these conclusions, saying they are meant to “smear and defame China and deliberately mislead the international community.”

Although China’s nuclear warhead inventory stood in the low 600s in 2024, the report says that number is still expected to surpass 1,000 by 2030, even with what it describes as a slower production rate in recent years.

The assessment also addresses diplomacy, concluding that Beijing remains uninterested in formal arms control negotiations. “We continue to see no appetite from Beijing for pursuing such measures or more comprehensive arms control discussions,” the report said.

Those findings stand in contrast to comments made last month by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he may seek denuclearization talks with China and Russia.

China publicly maintains that its nuclear posture is defensive and governed by a no-first-use policy, but analysts cited in the report argue that Beijing’s behavior increasingly undercuts that message. “For a country that still advocates a policy of ‘no-first use,’ China has become increasingly comfortable showcasing its nuclear arsenal, including parading its nuclear triad together for the first time in September,” said Jack Burnham, a senior research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Burnham added that China’s refusal to engage in arms control talks aligns with the scale of its weapons buildup. “China has no interest in locking in a long-term strategic disadvantage, and every intention of building an arsenal on par with its perceived place in the world, alongside and potentially eventually ahead of the United States,” he said.

Beyond nuclear forces, the Pentagon assessment warns that Beijing believes it could be capable of fighting and winning a conflict over Taiwan by the end of 2027. China claims the self-governed island as its territory and has never ruled out the use of force. According to the report, China is refining plans to seize Taiwan by “brute force,” including long-range strikes reaching up to 2,000 nautical miles from the mainland that could disrupt U.S. military operations across the Asia-Pacific.

The findings emerge as the 2010 New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms agreement between the United States and Russia, nears its expiration. That treaty caps each side at 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads.

Some analysts questioned the pace of China’s silo deployment. “What is surprising is that China has now loaded only about 100 of the silos it has built recently,” said Gordon Chang. “That’s an indication money is tight in the People’s Liberation Army.”

Chang also cautioned Washington against renewing New START without China’s involvement. “This is no time for the U.S. to agree to an extension of the New START Treaty with Russia,” he said. “Russia and China are de-facto allies, and they are ganging up on America. Without China in a deal — Beijing has flatly rejected every nuclear arms-control initiative of the U.S. —no treaty can be in America’s interest.”

Responding to the report, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Fox News Digital that Beijing follows a policy of “peaceful development,” adheres to a no-first-use nuclear doctrine, and keeps its nuclear forces “at the minimum level required for national security.”

Liu said China observes a moratorium on nuclear testing and cited a recently released arms control white paper as evidence of its commitment to disarmament and nonproliferation. He added that Beijing is willing to cooperate with other countries to strengthen the international arms control framework under the United Nations and promote global stability.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of talmidim of Yeshiva Birchas Shmuel gathered for a Chanukah mesibah attended by the yeshiva’s nosi, Chevron rosh yeshiva Hagaon Rav Dovid Cohen, who delivered a forceful address warning of what he described as an unprecedented threat to the Torah world.

The event was held for the first time in the yeshiva’s new and spacious beis medrash on its campus in Givat Shaul, following the yeshiva’s relocation earlier this year due to significant growth in enrollment.

Rav Uziel Leibowitz, one of the yeshiva’s roshei yeshiva, welcomed Rav Cohen and spoke of the privilege of having the yeshiva’s path guided directly by its president. He described the moment as the completion of the spiritual dedication of the new beis medrash, emphasizing the sense of divine assistance that accompanies the yeshiva’s growth and direction.

Rav Cohen then addressed the gathering, opening with words of gratitude for having accompanied the yeshiva since its founding and expressing deep emotion at seeing both its physical expansion and its spiritual growth. He said the development of the yeshiva, in students and rabbinic leadership alike, was profoundly heartening.

Turning to the message of Chanukah, Rav Cohen drew a sharp comparison between the Greek decrees of antiquity and the challenges of the present generation. “Greece wanted to turn all of Yisroel into a people living only for the body, like all other nations,” he said. “A world of nature — no spirituality, no soul — to secularize all of Israel. But Greece added one thing: ‘to make them forget Your Torah.’ Because as long as there is Torah, there can be no forgetting. Only through ‘making them forget’ can spirituality be uprooted.”

Citing classic Torah sources, Rav Cohen explained that without Torah, even the soul itself would be reduced to something purely intellectual. “Through the power of Torah, a person merits his soul,” he said, quoting the Ramchal’s teaching that “Torah is light that illuminates the soul of a person.” He added that the Chashmonaim restored that light by reestablishing Torah for generations.

At this point, Rav Cohen raised his voice in pain and delivered the sharpest warning of his address. “All the culture of the secular world outside the beis medrash — a world of moral filth — is entirely the war of Greek culture,” he declared. “All the war we are facing in our generation, a situation that no one ever imagined or dreamed we would reach, is a war of ‘to make them forget.’”

He continued with a stark comparison: “Today, in our generation, the decree is more severe than it was in Greece. Then, the Greeks wanted to make them forget Your Torah. Today, Jews want to make their brothers forget the Torah.”

Rav Cohen stressed that the struggle is being fundamentally misunderstood. “This war is not about more soldiers or fewer soldiers,” he said. “The war is about Greek culture — to secularize all of Israel, to remove them from the batei medrash, to destroy the entire standing of the Jewish people.”

He said he could not recall a similar battle throughout the long years of golus. “I do not know if in all the generations of galus there was ever such a thing,” he stated, emphasizing that the fighters in this battle are tragically “Jews themselves.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Cohen told the talmidim that the only true weapon against this threat is Torah itself. “The power to stand firm is the light of Torah,” he said. “The House of the Chashmonaim established Torah for generations, and today we light the light and cry out: ‘For they are our life.’ You have merited to be in a beis medrash of the highest level of learning, a beis medrash of true toil in Torah. Through this, we will merit the complete redemption, speedily in our days.”

{Matzav.com}

The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of London has issued a sharply worded letter to the Jewish community of Antwerp, warning that standards of modesty have weakened in recent times and urging renewed commitment, particularly among women, to strengthen this foundational value.

The letter was written following the Rebbe’s visit to Antwerp during Chanukah, at the request of the city’s rabbinic leadership and in response to an earlier call by the Pshevorsker Rebbe to address what has been described as a recent breach in communal norms of tznius.

In his message, the Rebbe said he was joining the appeal of Antwerp’s rabbanim and the Pshevorsker Rebbe to confront what he called serious lapses that have emerged in matters of modesty. He emphasized that earlier generations of Torah leaders devoted enormous effort to instilling sanctity and restraint within Jewish homes, a commitment that enabled them to raise generations of families shielded from negative influences of the surrounding culture.

He warned that in recent years those protective foundations have begun to erode in many Jewish homes, attributing the trend to what he described as a spreading culture of permissiveness. According to the Rebbe, these influences creep in gradually, step by step, until even communities known for their piety begin to relax standards that were once carefully guarded.

Describing the situation as an urgent responsibility, the Rebbe called on every family to reinforce these values actively. He stressed that parents bear a duty to guide their households with sensitivity and warmth, while remaining firm in preserving the path upon which previous generations were educated, and to treat the boundaries of modesty with respect and seriousness.

In a personal note, the Rebbe expressed gratitude to women who undertook additional commitments during a period of illness he experienced, specifically those who chose not to wear long shaitels. He offered brachos that their sacrifices be fully rewarded.

Citing teachings from earlier chassidic rebbes, the Rebbe linked a range of communal difficulties—including financial hardship—to breaches in modesty, stating that such problems have increased in recent generations largely as a result of weakened moral boundaries.

He concluded on an optimistic note, writing that strengthening resistance to the challenges of the modern era would bring blessing, including livelihood, worthy matches, and both material and spiritual success. By maintaining distinctiveness from surrounding cultures, he wrote, families would merit a heightened sense of divine presence in their homes and ultimately the revelation of hidden spiritual light.

{Matzav.com}

Hod HaSharon has officially filled its long-vacant rabbinic post, with Rav Erez Elcharar elected as the city’s chief rabbi by a decisive margin on Tuesday night.

Rav Elcharar secured the support of 24 members of the electoral body, prevailing after a prolonged and closely watched selection process. He serves as one of the senior heads of the Yechaveh Daas kollel and is regarded as a leading talmid of Rav Dovid Yosef, the Rishon LeTzion.

Following the announcement of the results, Rav Dovid Yosef personally contacted Rav Elcharar to congratulate him and praise the choice made by the city’s electors. “This is a day of good news for the city of Hod HaSharon,” he said. “Rav Erez is an outstanding Torah scholar who combines deep Torah knowledge with refined character and an ability to bring people closer.”

Rav Yosef added that he was confident the new chief rabbi would lead the city with wisdom and warmth, strengthen the standing of the rabbinate, and work to foster unity among all segments of the population. He concluded with a heartfelt brocha that Rav Elcharar be granted great siyata d’Shmaya in his sacred mission, increasing kavod Shamayim and endearing the Torah to the public in the path of Aharon HaKohen, “a lover of peace and a pursuer of peace.”

Later in the evening, Rav Yosef traveled to Hod HaSharon to take part in a festive thanksgiving gathering held in honor of Rav Elcharar’s election.

{Matzav.com}

As New York City prepares for a new mayoral administration, attention has also shifted to Rama Duwaji, the illustrator who will soon assume the ceremonial role of first lady. In a fawning profile published Tuesday by New York Magazine, Duwaji expressed frustration that public interest has focused almost entirely on her marriage to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani rather than on her own creative work.

Duwaji, 28, made clear that moving into public life will not mean stepping away from her profession. She said she plans to continue working as an artist after Mamdani is sworn in on January 1.

“I’m definitely not stopping that. Come January, it’s something that I want to continue to do,” she said.

Though she avoided media appearances throughout Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, Duwaji suggested she intends to use the visibility that comes with her new position to elevate emerging artists across the city.

“At the end of the day, I’m not a politician. I’m here to be a support system for Z and to use the role in the best way that I can as an artist,” she said, referring to her husband by his nickname.

“There are so many artists trying to make it in the city — so many talented, undiscovered artists making the work with no instant validation, using their last paycheck on material,” Duwaji said.

“I think using this position to highlight them and give them a platform is a top priority.”

Duwaji also reflected on how her life changed as Mamdani’s profile rose and she was thrust into public view. She said she gradually came to terms with the idea that her husband’s success automatically made her a subject of scrutiny as well.

“I realized that it was not just his thing but our thing,” she said.

“I wasn’t necessarily offended, but it was more the perception of being seen as someone’s wife. I was spiraling about how, that night, the first article to come out was like, ‘Who Is Zohran Mamdani’s Wife?’ Blah, blah, blah, blah.

“And I was so upset because that one article showed up when you searched my name and not an interview I did on my art, or my work, or the things that I’ve done and the achievements that I’ve had as an artist,” she said. “And now there’s, like, a bajillion of them.”

Despite her misgivings, the magazine noted that Duwaji has built a sizable online following since stepping into the spotlight, with admirers flocking to TikTok and other platforms.

Although she largely stayed quiet publicly as Mamdani drew headlines and controversy over his far-left positions, Duwaji acknowledged that politics play a central role in her own thinking and creative life.

“Speaking out about Palestine, Syria, Sudan — all these things are really important to me,” she said. “I’m always keeping up to date with what’s going on, not just here but elsewhere. It feels fake to talk about anything else when that’s all that’s on my mind, all I want to put down on paper.

“Everything is political,” she said. “It’s the thing that I talk about with Z… and my friends, the thing that I’m up to date with every morning, which is probably not great for my mental health. It’s what I talk about when I check on my family back home.”

The interview also touched on the couple’s upcoming move from their rent-stabilized apartment in Astoria, Queens, to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the mayor.

“It’ll be fine,” Duwaji said, pausing after what the reporter described as a deflated breath.

“I’ll be down the street from the Guggenheim and the Met. It’ll be really nice to just explore a new part of the city… And I’m right across the river from Astoria still, so it doesn’t feel too far away.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel has received a proposed roster of roughly 80 individuals who could form a temporary technocratic body to oversee civilian administration in the Gaza Strip, according to a report published Tuesday night. The list was compiled following Egyptian-led consultations with all Palestinian factions and is said to adhere to the “red lines” set by Israel.

The names are divided into two groups and are intended to constitute a non-political, interim civilian authority for Gaza. The goal, according to the report, is to ensure that anyone selected—whether viewed as closer to Fatah or to Hamas—would operate strictly within predefined limitations accepted in advance.

The renewed focus on a technocratic governing framework comes amid preparations for a second phase of the agreement and the need for a temporary civilian alternative to rule in Gaza. The proposed body would reportedly be made up of professionals such as economists, physicians, engineers, bankers, and systems managers who are not formally affiliated with, or identified as members of, any armed faction.

A Palestinian source said the issue is also tied to diplomatic visits and coordination with the White House. Israeli officials are not expected to deliver a final response until all outstanding details are clarified, particularly those related to security arrangements and weapons. “Without an international force, an agreed Israeli withdrawal, or another mechanism to address weapons, any civilian body that is established will be weak,” the source said.

A figure close to Hamas told Israeli media that the terror organization does not intend to force the appointment of specific individuals. According to that source, Hamas submitted a list that includes “independent figures” alongside people considered close to various factions, as well as names viewed as objective.

Among the candidates proposed by Egypt are individuals from the fields of economics, banking, and civil society who, over the years, have not been publicly identified with any of the major Palestinian political movements.

The discussions center on governance of the Gaza Strip, with Egypt acting as mediator between Israel and the Palestinian factions, including Hamas. Israel’s security establishment, alongside the Israel Defense Forces, continues to stress that any future administrative arrangement must prevent the rearmament of terror groups and ensure long-term stability.

{Matzav.com}

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Kamala Harris pushed back against criticism of her well-known laugh during a podcast appearance, arguing that the ridicule stems from old-fashioned expectations placed on women, while also offering advice to young women navigating relationships.

Speaking on the “Rich Little Broke Girls” podcast, Harris recalled being questioned by a reporter about claims that she lacks humility. She said the premise of that criticism misses a larger point about how women are expected to behave.

“I don’t aspire to be humble. Humility, yes, is very important,” Harris said. “[It’s] a very dated perspective on who women should be. To say, women should be humble. Women should be quiet. Women should laugh quietly,” she said as she covered her mouth and raised her eyebrows.

She continued by listing the types of behavior she believes critics implicitly discourage. “Women should not have a sense of humor. Women should not raise their voice,” she said.

Harris added that she has never felt constrained by those expectations. “I have never felt burdened by those very dated, and I think out-of-touch standards.”

During the same conversation, Harris shifted to sharing guidance aimed at young, single women and emphasizing everyday compatibility over appearances.

“Choose to be with someone who allows you to laugh at yourself and them,” she said. “Choose to be with someone who you know you like, going to the grocery store together, taking a walk together.”

She noted that priorities can change over time and that not every relationship fits neatly into one mold. “There are different phases in your life, and you may not know what phase you’re in,” Harris said.

{Matzav.com}

The Supreme Court declined to intervene in the Trump administration’s effort to immediately deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, leaving intact a lower court order that halted the move and marking a setback—at least for now—for President Donald Trump’s broader push to federalize Guard units nationwide.

The justices refused an emergency appeal seeking to undo a ruling by U.S. District Judge April Perry that blocked the deployment. A federal appeals court had already declined to step in, and the high court took more than two months before issuing its decision.

In its unsigned order, the Court said the administration had not shown it possessed the legal authority to proceed at this stage. “At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois,” the majority wrote.

Three members of the Court—Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch—publicly dissented. The outcome stands out as an uncommon loss for Trump, who has frequently prevailed in emergency appeals since returning to office in January.

Following the decision, the White House emphasized that the administration would continue pursuing its public safety goals. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the Trump administration plans to keep working “day in and day out to safeguard the American public.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson echoed that message in a statement, stressing that the ruling does not alter the president’s priorities. “The President promised the American people he would work tirelessly to enforce our immigration laws and protect federal personnel from violent rioters. He activated the National Guard to protect federal law enforcement officers, and to ensure rioters did not destroy federal buildings and property,” Jackson said. “Nothing in today’s ruling detracts from that core agenda.”

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul welcomed the Supreme Court’s action, framing it as a reaffirmation of constitutional limits on federal power. “Nearly 250 years ago, the framers of our nation’s Constitution carefully divided responsibility over the country’s militia, today’s U.S. National Guard, between the federal government and the states – believing it impossible that a president would use one state’s militia against another state,” he said. “The extremely limited circumstances under which the federal government can call up the militia over a state’s objection do not exist in Illinois, and I am pleased that the streets of Illinois will remain free of armed National Guard members as our litigation continues in the courts.”

The ruling follows a request filed by the Trump administration last week asking the justices to pause the lower court’s order while the case proceeds.

Civil liberties advocates also praised the outcome. Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU’s National Security Project, said the decision underscored how unusual domestic troop deployments are. “This decision reinforces that domestic deployment of troops is rare and exceptional, and it was absolutely unjustified in Illinois,” she said. “With each court decision against the President’s domestic troop deployments, it becomes clearer that his version of American cities as hellscapes, and protest against his policies as requiring troops, is plain false. We’re glad that the Supreme Court has upheld the order blocking this blatant abuse of presidential power because there’s no reason for any troops policing civilians in our streets.”

In its appeal, the administration argued that the lower court rulings interfered with presidential authority. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the Court that the decisions “improperly impinges on the president’s authority and needlessly endangers federal personnel and property.”

Sauer further warned that stopping the deployment could put federal officers at risk, saying it could “jeopardizing the lives and safety of DHS officers” and block what he described as “reasonable and lawful measures” to shield agents from what the administration characterized as “violent resistance” in Chicago.

Lawyers representing Illinois and the city of Chicago rejected those claims, telling the justices that the administration’s arguments “rest on mischaracterizations of the factual record or the lower courts’ views of the legal principles.”

They pointed to Judge Perry’s findings, which concluded that the government’s descriptions of protests in Chicago and nearby Broadview were “unreliable” and exaggerated both the level of violence and the challenges facing law enforcement.

“As the district court found, state and local law enforcement officers have handled isolated protest activities in Illinois, and there is no credible evidence to the contrary,” attorneys for Illinois said Monday.

The Chicago dispute is part of a wider legal battle as Trump seeks to send hundreds of National Guard troops into several Democratic-led cities, often over objections from governors and mayors.

Some federal courts have pushed back. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut described Trump’s actions in a restraining order as “untethered to reality” and inconsistent with conditions on the ground, though a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit later put her order on hold, allowing the administration to move forward with a deployment to Portland.

In Washington, D.C., another federal judge is scheduled to hear updates Friday on the status of National Guard troops in the capital, after the city’s attorney general said in a new filing that the deployment could extend through at least summer 2026. It remains unclear whether that timeline reflects the administration’s plans or how many of the roughly 2,500 Guard members sent to D.C. in August would remain.

Administration officials maintain that the deployments are needed to counter rising violent crime and protect federal personnel from protesters, including anti-ICE demonstrations.

Democrats counter that the president has not met the statutory requirements for federalizing the Guard under USC § 12406, which permits such action only in cases of foreign invasion, a “danger of a rebellion,” or when state authorities are unable to enforce the law. They argue that Trump’s descriptions of conditions are exaggerated and amount to a pretext for asserting federal control over Democratic-led states and cities.

{Matzav.com}

El Salvador’s president escalated his public dispute with Hillary Clinton by issuing a sharp rebuttal to her criticism of the country’s highest-security prison, CECOT, which has held migrants deported from the United States.

The exchange began after Clinton shared an 11-minute PBS Frontline video on X titled “Surviving CECOT,” highlighting the experiences of three Venezuelan men who were sent to El Salvador after being removed from the U.S. by the Trump administration. In her post, Clinton wrote: “Curious to learn more about CECOT? Hear Juan, Andry, and Wilmer share firsthand how the Trump administration branded them as gang members without evidence and deported them to the brutal El Salvadoran prison.”

According to the film’s description, the documentary centers on Juan José Ramos Ramos, Andry Blanco Bonilla, and Wilmer Vega Sandia, all Venezuelan nationals who say they were wrongly labeled as members of the Tren de Aragua gang. The men deny any affiliation with the criminal organization, despite U.S. government determinations that led to their deportation.

El Salvador’s president, Nayib Armando Bukele, responded online by saying El Salvador would cooperate fully if Clinton or others believe abuses have taken place inside the prison. He went further, proposing a sweeping and unusual offer involving the entire inmate population.

“We are willing to release our entire prison population (including all gang leaders and all those described as ‘political prisoners’) to any country willing to receive them,” he wrote. “The only condition is straightforward: it must be everyone.”

Bukele argued that such a move would also satisfy journalists and advocacy groups seeking testimony critical of his government. “This would also greatly assist journalists and your favorite NGOs, who would then have thousands of former inmates available for interviews, making it far easier to find additional voices critical of the Salvadoran government (or willing to confirm whatever conclusions are already expected),” he added. “Surely, if these testimonies reflect a systemic reality, a much larger pool of sources should only reinforce the claim, and many governments should be eager to offer protection.”

He concluded that until any such offer is accepted, his administration will continue focusing on public safety at home. “Until then,” Bukele said, “El Salvador will continue prioritizing the human rights of the millions of Salvadorans who today live free from gang rule.”

Bukele’s comments come amid deepening cooperation with President Donald Trump, whose administration has arranged for certain migrants deported from the U.S. to be housed at CECOT. Venezuelan nationals accused of gang ties have been sent to El Salvador after Venezuela declined to accept their return.

Meanwhile, the deportations have drawn legal scrutiny in the United States. On Monday, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide due process to a class of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador in March, giving the government two weeks to explain how it will comply—setting the stage for another significant confrontation between the White House and the federal courts.

{Matzav.com}

Eli Feldstein, who previously served as a spokesman to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, is claiming that the prime minister was fully aware of, and actively supported, the leaking of a sensitive intelligence document in September 2024 as part of an effort to influence public sentiment surrounding hostage negotiations.

In remarks made during the second installment of a two-part interview with Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, Feldstein directly contradicts the prime minister’s denials. “He knew everything,” Feldstein says. “He is the one who was ultimately behind the leak to Bild.”

Feldstein goes further, asserting that Netanyahu’s statements denying knowledge of the affair are a “lie,” and insisting the leak was not a rogue action carried out without political backing.

According to Feldstein, he maintained continuous contact throughout the episode with Netanyahu aide Jonatan Urich, beginning when Feldstein first received the classified material from military intelligence reservist Ari Rosenfeld and continuing through the document’s eventual publication in the German newspaper Bild.

The document at the center of the controversy was described as an internal message from the Hamas terror group. Its release had been explicitly barred by Israel’s military censor due to fears that publication could expose and endanger an intelligence source operating inside Gaza.

Law enforcement authorities are now probing the affair. Feldstein, Urich, and Netanyahu confidant Yisrael (Srulik) Einhorn are all subjects of a criminal investigation tied to the leak. Netanyahu himself has not been named a suspect.

Describing Urich’s role, Feldstein said there was no gap between what he knew and what Urich knew. “Where [the document] came from, why it wasn’t put out in Israel, all of it,” Feldstein told Kan, stressing that nothing was hidden.

Challenging investigators to scrutinize his communications, Feldstein said, “Read all my texts [with Urich]. I don’t conceal anything,” adding that a review would show that “other than asking him if I can go pee, he knew everything. Everything. Everything, everything, including everything, including everything.”

Feldstein also maintains that by the night before the article appeared, Urich had already updated Netanyahu about the plan to leak the document. He points to text exchanges that he says reference the prime minister directly, including a message from Urich stating: “The boss is pleased.”

After the article was published, Feldstein says he participated in a conference call with Urich and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to coordinate how they would publicly address the report. According to Feldstein, the discussion quickly shifted to clarifying — and containing — what Netanyahu was said to have known.

During that call, Feldstein claims, the group agreed to publicly maintain — despite knowing it to be untrue — that the prime minister had not been informed of the leak. At the same time, they decided to highlight claims that the military was withholding crucial information from Israel’s political leadership.

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Yaakov Menken sharply criticized Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, arguing that the media figure’s words and actions have crossed a line into promoting dangerous antisemitic falsehoods that have historically fueled violence against Jews.

Speaking on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America,” Menken said Carlson’s conduct has earned him an infamous distinction recently bestowed by the Jewish civil rights group StopAntisemitism, which named Carlson its 2025 “Antisemite of the Year.” The group described the label as a “distinct dishonor” that “is reserved for the most bigoted and hateful individual.”

Menken, who serves as executive vice president of the Coalition for Jewish Values, said the designation reflects a growing body of evidence rather than a single incident. He pointed to Carlson’s repeated decisions to give airtime to extremists and to Carlson’s own commentary. “I think the evidence for this is overwhelming,” Menken said, citing “the amount of times that Tucker Carlson has brought an avowed antisemite on the show to spout lies … and then he himself spreading traditional antisemitic tropes.”

According to Menken, those tropes are not harmless opinions but accusations with a long history of deadly consequences. He referenced one of the most enduring claims used to justify persecution of Jews throughout history. “The rivers of blood have been shed on the idea that Jews of today are responsible for the Jewish Council that said that Jesus deserved to be put to death,” he said, stressing that “it was the Romans that did it.”

Menken contrasted that reality with what he described as a persistent double standard applied to Jews. “Nobody thinks today that Italians should be slaughtered because of that, because they were the ones who actually put him to death,” he said. “But no, we’re going to go after the Jews.”

He said such narratives continue to circulate because some people are willing to accept conspiratorial thinking despite a lack of evidence. Menken argued that antisemitism thrives when individuals “find excuses to believe the Jews are stealing, that the Jews are conspiring against everybody else.”

Menken also criticized Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts for what he described as an inadequate response after Carlson interviewed white nationalist Nick Fuentes. He said that failure had real consequences within organized efforts to combat antisemitism. “We were one of the first organizations to leave the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, which began as a project of the Heritage Foundation,” Menken said.

He added that the controversy quickly undermined the initiative itself. “The task force itself, a week later, had to withdraw because they realized if they didn’t, they would lose all credibility,” he said.

Carlson has faced mounting backlash in recent months over statements about Jews and Israel that many critics view as antisemitic. Among the claims attributed to him are assertions that Jews control America’s banking system, Congress, the Pentagon, and even President Trump.

More recently, Carlson suggested that Israel was somehow connected to the death of Charlie Kirk, tying the allegation to Kirk’s opposition to striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. Critics have said such remarks further illustrate the pattern Menken described, warning that rhetoric rooted in conspiracy and collective blame carries consequences far beyond words.

{Matzav.com}

A well-known matzah bakery in Boro Park was completely destroyed in a major fire last week, drawing an extraordinary response from its owner that has since resonated across the neighborhood and beyond.

The blaze tore through the famous Boro Park Matzah Bakery on 14th Avenue, reducing the facility to ashes.

Firefighters battled the flames for nearly seven hours before finally bringing the inferno under control, according to local reports.

As firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, the bakery’s owner, R’ Chaim Bru, a chossid of Vizhnitz, stood nearby watching his livelihood go up in flames. Rather than reacting with anger or despair, he distributed sheets of paper to onlookers bearing the words “Ein Od Milvado,” and repeatedly called out the phrase, expressing his firm belief that everything comes from Hashem and is ultimately for the good, even amid enormous financial loss at the peak of the matzah-baking season.

In footage recorded at the scene, R’ Chaim can be heard explaining his outlook with striking clarity. When one bystander asked whether a malfunctioning oven may have sparked the fire, he replied that it was Hashem Above who caused it. “When Hashem gives a person a slap,” he said, “you don’t ask questions.”

True to his word, R’ Chaim later took his message a step further. A massive banner bearing the words “Ein Od Milvado” was hung prominently on the remains of the bakery, serving as a public declaration of faith and acceptance. The sign, now impossible to miss along the busy avenue, has become a powerful symbol of emunah.

{Matzav.com}

A weeklong search ended with the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect accused of carrying out a violent antisemitic attack in Crown Heights during Chanukah. Armani Charles is charged in the stabbing of 35-year-old Elias Rosner, who was wounded in the chest outside a Chabad shul on the third night of the Yom Tov.

Rosner later recounted that the assailant was shouting threats and spewing antisemitic hatred moments before the attack. “I’m going to kill Jewish people, I’m going to kill a Jew today, I don’t give a ….,” the attacker allegedly said. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if the Holocaust had happened.”

According to Rosner, he was targeted after confronting the attacker rather than backing away. He said his belief in “standing up to bullies” drew the attacker’s focus amid a group of Yidden who were outside the shul at the time. Rosner added that his background in martial arts helped him avoid a fatal wound when he was stabbed.

Charles was taken into custody and is facing hate crime charges in connection with the incident.

The Crown Heights stabbing followed closely on the heels of another disturbing antisemitic episode in New York City, though police emphasized the two cases are not believed to be linked. One day earlier, a group of Jewish students were threatened on a subway train after participating in a Chanukah gathering in Union Square.

The students had spent several hours in Manhattan engaged in Chanukah outreach, sharing the light and message of the Yom Tov, before boarding a No. 3 train back toward Crown Heights. While riding the train, two men allegedly entered the car and began hurling antisemitic insults at the visibly Jewish group.

According to testimony from the students, the verbal abuse quickly escalated. One student began filming the encounter to document it for police. “That’s when everything changed,” the student said. “As soon as the younger one realized I was filming, he attacked me.”

Video taken by another member of the group shows the assailant striking the victim inside the subway car, while no other passengers appear to step in during the confrontation.

Americans could be headed for what administration officials are describing as a historic tax windfall next year, with top economic leaders projecting unusually large refunds and higher take-home pay in 2026.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said recently that working households should expect a significant influx of cash early in the year. “There are going to be substantial refunds to working American households in the first quarter,” he told Maria Bartiromo. “We’re going to see very substantial, $100 to $150 billion of refunds in the first quarter go directly to Americans’ pockets.”

White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett offered a similar forecast, calling the coming season unprecedented. “We are going to see the biggest refund cycle ever in the history of America, and people are going to get massive refund checks,” Hassett said during an appearance on “Varney & Co.” “We’re expecting just that part of it alone to be worth a couple-thousand-dollar refund,” he added. “The numbers are striking.”

The optimism follows President Donald Trump’s end-of-year address last week, when he predicted “the largest tax refund season of all time” next spring and said many families could save between $11,000 and $20,000 annually.

Backing up those claims, IRS CEO Frank Bisignano said the agency is preparing to deliver exactly what the president promised. “We should expect exactly what the president said, as always happens,” Bisignano said Tuesday on “Mornings with Maria.” “And the great leadership of the Treasury secretary has positioned us to be able to deliver in a whole bunch of ways for America.”

Bisignano, who also serves as commissioner of the Social Security Administration, said the benefits will be widespread. “You’re going to look at probably 94%—plus of middle-class Americans getting a boost, your tax rates coming down and getting the benefit going forward,” he said.

He added that seniors would also see major relief tied to changes in how benefits are treated. “You’ll see all our Social Security recipients getting up to a $6,000 benefit as [Trump] committed to the benefits of Social Security not being taxed,” Bisignano said. “It will be the biggest refunds that we’ve ever seen, and it’s all because of the president’s leadership and the Treasury secretary’s under ‘One [Big] Beautiful Bill,’ which is unparalleled.”

Beyond refunds, Bisignano highlighted a long-term savings initiative aimed at younger Americans. He said the newly branded “Trump accounts,” designed to help children build wealth over time, will open for contributions on July 4, 2026. Calling the plan transformative, he said, “It’s one of the most amazing pieces of tax work ever done. And if you think about it, $1,000 today will be worth $500,000 at age 60.”

The push comes as administration officials acknowledge that many Americans are still feeling squeezed by high prices, even as economic indicators show cooling inflation and rising real wages. Hassett and Bessent have both told FOX Business that the coming tax season is expected to deliver tangible relief, with larger refunds and stronger paychecks intended to ease ongoing affordability concerns.

{Matzav.com}

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said congressional investigators are pressing ahead with an examination of alleged fraud in Minnesota, arguing that state leaders failed to act despite years of warnings and insisting that accountability must extend beyond those who carried out the abuse.

Comer said the committee is focused on determining how much taxpayer money was lost, who benefited, and whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison were aware of the situation and allowed it to continue. He said the probe could lead to criminal referrals, not just for individuals accused of fraud, but also for officials he believes enabled it. Comer dismissed Walz’s call for Republicans to halt their inquiry. “For Governor Walz to say Republicans on the Oversight Committee should stand down, he’ll fix it — I don’t think anybody in America believes that,” Comer said. “He’s not going to do anything.”

Appearing Tuesday on Newsmax’s “National Report,” Comer said he has no faith that Walz is prepared to confront what he described as a long-running and expansive scheme involving federal assistance programs. He accused the governor of disregarding internal alarms and shielding a politically significant Democratic constituency.

Comer said whistleblowers inside Minnesota’s government have been raising concerns for years. He emphasized that many of those sounding the alarm are Democrats themselves and state employees who tried repeatedly to get intervention from top officials. “Fortunately for us, we have whistleblowers,” Comer said. “These are good state employees of the state of Minnesota who have been begging for assistance from the attorney general and the governor of Minnesota for years to step in and prevent this fraud.”

According to Comer, those appeals went nowhere because Democratic leaders feared the political consequences of taking action. He said Minnesota’s Somali community plays a central role in the state’s Democratic electoral math. “This Somali population has become a massive part of the Democrat base in Minnesota,” Comer said. “It’s the whole key to the business model of success for the Democrat Party in Minnesota — and on the presidential scale to win the state of Minnesota and get those Electoral College votes.”

Comer alleged that Walz and Ellison ignored the problem as it spread across multiple programs. “They allowed this fraud to continue,” Comer said, adding that state workers witnessed the misuse of funds “every day.”

He also challenged Walz’s attempts to minimize the scale of the losses, saying the numbers remain staggering even under the governor’s own framing. “The governor wants to say, ‘Well, we don’t think it was billions,’” Comer said. “Let’s say it was hundreds of millions — that’s still too much.”

Comer accused Democrats of trying to shut down scrutiny by branding questions about fraud as bigotry. “Anyone like me who tries to question that is a racist or whatever,” he said. “We’re not going to be bullied in this.”

He further argued that early data reviewed by the committee points to unusually high levels of government dependency tied to Minnesota’s Somali population. Comer said the figures suggest roughly three-quarters are receiving full government assistance. “That’s full welfare,” Comer said. “The overwhelming majority of that population is on Medicaid and other types of government programs.”

Comer linked those figures to broader Democratic arguments on immigration and labor, saying Minnesota contradicts claims that expanded migration would primarily address workforce shortages. “You’ve got a massive population in that one state, and the overwhelming majority of that population is on government assistance,” Comer said, adding that assertions that there are no illegal immigrants on Medicaid “are going to be proven false in Minnesota.”

As the investigation continues, Comer said the committee intends to follow the money and the decision-making that allowed the alleged fraud to persist, insisting that ignoring whistleblowers and delaying action should carry consequences just as severe as committing the fraud itself.