Matzav

The Kremlin said Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to take part in a U.S.-initiated “Board of Peace” focused on Gaza, an announcement that immediately drew attention given Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow is reviewing the proposal, which was conveyed through diplomatic channels, to join the peace council established by U.S. President Donald Trump late last year. The body is intended to help sustain a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and to supervise Gaza’s reconstruction following months of fighting.

“President Putin has indeed received an offer through diplomatic channels to join this Board of Peace. We are currently studying all the details of this proposal,” Peskov told the Russian state news agency TASS.

“We hope to contact the U.S. side to clarify all the details,” he added.

According to reports, Trump has extended invitations to a number of international leaders to participate in the Gaza initiative. Bloomberg reported Saturday that those invited include Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Argentine President Javier Milei, as part of what is described as a broader Board of Peace framework.

Other countries have also confirmed receiving invitations. AP News reported Sunday that Hungary, India, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, and Pakistan have all acknowledged being asked to join the Board of Peace.

Bloomberg further reported that the Trump administration is seeking a $1 billion payment from participating nations in exchange for permanent membership on the board, citing a draft charter outlining the group’s structure.

Putin’s potential inclusion has prompted questions due to Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has resulted in massive casualties among both soldiers and civilians. The conflict is nearing its fourth anniversary in February, with estimates placing the death toll in the hundreds of thousands.

Over the weekend, the United States also announced the members of a “founding Executive Board” for the council. The list includes former British prime minister Tony Blair, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, among others.

Israel, however, has expressed dissatisfaction with the way the initiative is taking shape. In a statement released Friday, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s office said, “the announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Executive Board, which is subordinate to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy.”

{Matzav.com}

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration’s campaign to root out waste, fraud, and abuse has expanded to the Federal Reserve, where potential ethics violations by multiple senior officials are now under review.

Appearing last week on Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Bessent criticized the central bank’s financial performance and lack of accountability while discussing an investigation involving Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. “The Fed is now losing $100 billion a year – $100 billion with no accountability,” Bessent said. “We had the worst inflation in 49 years.

“And we’ll see what the tally ends up being, but a very good chance that we will have had ethics violations over the past — four to six of the regional presidents or governors.

“And there needs to be some accountability.”

Bessent contrasted the Fed’s structure with that of the presidency, arguing that while the Federal Reserve prides itself on independence, it operates without the same checks applied to elected officials. He suggested that unelected officials wield enormous power over monetary policy without sufficient oversight, even as they control money creation and interest rates.

“The Federal Reserve occupies a unique spot in the American governmental process,” Bessent told Schmitt last Wednesday. “They have no supervision, they have no accountability.

“And I think that we will look at this and think of a couple of things on Chair Powell’s watch.”

Bessent continued his criticism during appearances on Sunday talk shows, again warning about what he described as a lack of restraint and transparency at the central bank.

“Of course, he’s committed to the independence of the Federal Reserve, but independence does not mean no oversight,” Bessent said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” referring to President Donald Trump’s pressure on Powell to lower interest rates.

During the interview, host Kristen Welker attempted to draw a comparison between construction work at the White House and renovation costs at the Federal Reserve, a comparison Bessent rejected outright.

“The renovations at the White House are not $700 million, more than $1 billion or $1.5 billion over budget, Kristen, and the White House, that is being paid for with private funds,” Bessent responded.

He went on to argue that the Fed’s financial autonomy demands greater transparency. “If I want to buy a new chair for my office at Treasury, that is an appropriation. Just to understand, the Federal Reserve has magic money. They print their own money. So when you have no oversight, why not have a little sunlight?

“Kristen, I have called since last summer for the Fed to do its own internal investigation. And that has not been heeded, not been heeded.

“And again, I don’t know about you. If I were to receive inquiries from the Justice Department, I would answer them. They went unanswered.”

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shlomo Mordechai Hager zt”l, a distinguished talmid chochom, descendant of renowned Chassidic dynasties, and a respected figure in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He was 96.

Reb Shlomo Mordechai was a descendant of the Kossov–Savron lineage and was known throughout Crown Heights for his exceptional brilliance and encyclopedic knowledge of Torah.

The levayah is being held at the Shomrei Hadas Funeral Home on 14th Avenue in Borough Park, proceeding to Montefiore Cemetery in Queens for kevurah.

Reb Shlomo Mordechai was born in Yerushalayim. His father was a grandson of the Savroner Rebbe, Rav Moshe Tzvi of Savron, and he was also a grandson of the Toras Chesed of Lublin. The sandek at his bris was Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Kook.

In his youth, Reb Shlomo Mordechai studied for many years at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in Brooklyn. He also developed a close kesher with Rav Aharon Kotler, who held him in great esteem.

During a period living in Eretz Yisroel, Reb Shlomo Mordechai spent 16 years learning at Kollel Chazon Ish in Bnei Brak. He later settled in Crown Heights, where he continued his lifelong dedication to Torah study, earning a reputation as an extraordinary illui and a master of Torah.

In recent years, Reb Shlomo Mordechai drew public attention after sending a letter to Donald Trump, who responded with a personal letter expressing appreciation for his words and offering support. Reb Shlomo Mordechai also met with Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Reb Shlomo Mordechai is survived by his family and descendants. His son is philanthropist Reb Yitzchak Meir Hager.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

There has been an avalanche of criticism — videos, emails, posts, and commentary — aimed at Eli Stefansky over his Daf Yomi AI rap video and some of the antics that have found their way into his (pre-game) shiur. The tone of much of it has been harsh, dismissive, and, at times, deeply unfair.

But the truth, as it so often is, does not live at the extremes. It lives somewhere in the middle.

On the one hand, the criticism is not entirely baseless. The AI gimmicks, the games, the entertainment factor … at a certain point, it does cross a line. When silliness becomes part of a shiur, something precious risks being diluted. We are not dealing with a talent show or a late-night comedy sketch. We are learning the heilige Gemara, the words of Abaye v’rava, Ravina and Rav Ashi. This is the beating heart of Torah Shebaal Peh. This isn’t color war.

And yet — and this is the part that so many critics refuse to acknowledge — you cannot argue with success. Eli Stefansky has brought an untold number of people into Torah learning. People who were disconnected. People who never opened a Gemara. People who felt that Daf Yomi was beyond them. He doesn’t just teach Torah. He made it accessible, exciting, and alive for thousands. That matters. A lot.

To dismiss that because the style is not to everyone’s taste is unfair.

At the same time, success brings responsibility. When you are influencing that many people, the “ramah” (level) has to rise. A shiur cannot feel like a circus. Energy is good. Passion is good. Creativity can be powerful. But dignity matters too. Torah deserves reverence, not just reach.

So yes, the pile-on has gone too far. The attacks have been excessive, personal, and at times mean-spirited. But it is also fair to say that say that Eli now needs to elevate the tone, tighten the boundaries, and remind everyone — himself included — that while Torah can be engaging, it must always remain sacred.

Criticism without appreciation is cruel. Innovation without restraint is dangerous. The balance between the two is hard, but it is exactly where true growth happens.

Wishing Eli hatzlacha. I know he’ll do the right thing.

A Daf Learner

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Two infants have lost their lives in a devastating incident at a daycare facility on HaMagid Street in the Romema neighborhood of Yerushalayim. They have been identified as

Leah Tzipporah Goleventzitz a”h, approximately 3-½ months old, and Aharon (Ari) Katz a”h, an infant of about four months.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the precise cause of death amid mounting questions surrounding a suspected poisoning and revelations that the facility was operating without the required license.

Both infants were evacuated from the scene and transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, where external medical imaging tests, including CT scans, are expected to be conducted without autopsy in an effort to determine whether a toxic substance entered their bodies.

At this stage, officials say the exact cause of death and the source of the suspected poisoning remain unknown.

In total, 55 infants were evacuated from the daycare following the incident. Two were pronounced dead, while the remaining 53 were taken to hospitals across the city for medical evaluation.

Health officials said all hospitalized infants are under observation and that their conditions are currently described as good.

Leah Tzipporah Goleventzitz was the daughter of Rabbi Mordechai Goleventzitz, a talmid of Yeshiva Ateres Yisrael and the son of Rabbi Binyamin Goleventzitz of the Ramot Shlomo neighborhood. Her mother, Mrs. Bracha Goleventzitz (née Rolnik), is from Romema. After their marriage, the family lived in Pisgat Ze’ev and had recently relocated to Romema. Leah is survived by her parents and a younger brother.

Leah’s father, Motti, works as a driver and was in the middle of a route at the time of the incident. He was unreachable for nearly two hours until relatives managed to contact him and convey the devastating news.

Leah’s mother later posted a brief message expressing her grief: “My Leah, thank you for being mine. Your soul will be within me forever. Baruch Dayan HaEmes.”

The second infant, Aharon (Ari) Katz, had begun attending the daycare that very day for the first time. He was the son of Rabbi Yaakov Katz. His mother, Mrs. Chana Katz (née Eisenbach), works at the Tachshik jewelry store on Rechov Shamgar. A relative of the family wrote that this was the first and only time since Ari’s birth that his mother had left him for several hours with a caregiver she knew personally and trusted, adding: “We do not know the calculations of Heaven.”

As the investigation continues, enforcement and health authorities are focusing on multiple possible scenarios. During the afternoon hours, a concern was raised that a gas leak from heating systems may have caused the incident. However, Fire and Rescue officials ruled out that possibility.

Fire Commissioner Shmulik Friedman, commander of the Jerusalem District, said no heating devices were found in the room where the infants were located other than an air conditioner, and a gas leak from that unit was definitively excluded.

Police forensic teams collected evidence from two apartments in the building in which the daycare operates. Three caregivers who were present at the time of the incident were detained for questioning and are being interrogated regarding the daycare’s daily routine, the care provided to the infants, and whether any unusual substances or materials had entered the facility in recent days.

Adding to the severity of the case, the Education Ministry confirmed this evening that the daycare was a private framework operating without the license required by law. The ministry described the incident as “grave and deeply tragic” and said it is maintaining close contact with law enforcement authorities as additional details emerge.

Residents of the neighborhood, however, said the daycare has operated in the building for roughly three decades and was widely regarded as an established institution within the community.

In the political arena, members of the Knesset faction of United Torah Judaism expressed profound shock at the opening of their faction meeting and placed responsibility on government decision-makers.

Faction members sent condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the infants who were injured. They sharply criticized government policy in recent years, arguing that the cancellation of daycare subsidies for working mothers imposed crushing financial pressure on families and led to severe overcrowding in remaining facilities.

“We warned again and again, in real time, about the cancellation of the subsidies,” the faction said. “We said clearly that the harm is not only to working mothers, but first and foremost to the infants themselves— to their safety and to their health.”

United Torah Judaism members said those responsible for setting policy bear heavy responsibility for the events and called for an urgent reassessment of daycare subsidy structures and oversight mechanisms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.

{Matzav.com}

New York City’s push to require residents to use official city-issued trash containers as part of an effort to curb the rat population is colliding with a basic problem: many people can’t actually get the bins.

Under the new rules, buildings with one to nine residential units must begin using the official “NYC Bin” for garbage pickup by this summer or face fines. Yet homeowners across the city report widespread difficulty locating the containers, while city officials point the finger at a private vendor responsible for producing and distributing them.

The Department of Sanitation itself cautions residents on its website: “Online ordering and the call center are currently unavailable. Select NYC Bins are available at all NYC Home Depot locations.”

That option hasn’t helped everyone. A Brooklyn resident told The Post they went to Home Depot only to discover that the bins were completely sold out.

“How can we not find a consistent supply of these cans without using a Home Depot and an out-of-state manufacturer who can’t even supply them?” the homeowner fumed to The Post.

On Staten Island, 76-year-old Michael Monopoli said he placed an order back in October but never received the bin. When he tried to follow up, he said, he found no way to get answers from the city.

“I sort of got a little tired, and I felt like, to tell the truth, I’m really annoyed with sanitation,” Monopoli said. “I never got the pail. And when I went to call you, the Department of Sanitation, you close down your phone and your website. So how am I supposed to get a ticket from you?”

City officials have blamed the problems on the outside company that manufactures the bins, citing “ongoing issues with the outside vendor that makes and delivers the bins failing to fulfill some orders.” The city advised residents seeking refunds to contact the manufacturer, Otto Environmental Systems, directly.

Otto Environmental Systems, however, told The Post that residents should continue trying to buy the bins through Home Depot.

“We are committed to restoring home delivery as quickly as possible to ensure the success of this important program,” a spokesperson for Otto Environmental Systems said.

Another Brooklyn homeowner, who asked not to be identified because their job occasionally involves working with the city, said the situation is particularly maddening given that similar programs have worked elsewhere.

“It seems like only in New York can you try to match a standard idea from across the country and struggle so much to accomplish it,” they said.

Some residents have eventually succeeded, though not without delays. Brad, a 42-year-old Brooklynite, said he ordered his bins early, when the program was first announced and demand was still relatively low.

“It took like two months or something. And that was early on,” Brad said. He also noted that sanitation crews appear to be having trouble adjusting to the new system.

“It has a latch. They have to drag it over to the truck, flip it up, and then take the bags, throw them out, and then they have to just throw it back where it went and then move on,” he said.

“Before they had a flow,” he went on. “They just grabbed the bags from the curb, tossed them and kept going. It’s like a whole extra step. It’s a lot.”

Containerized trash collection was a major priority of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration as part of his highly publicized “War on Rats.” The City Council later passed legislation to reimburse middle-class homeowners for the roughly $50 cost of the new bins.

Currently, buildings covered by the rule are required to place trash in any lidded 55-gallon container. Beginning in June, however, residents who fail to use the official NYC-branded bins could face fines starting at $50, with repeat violations climbing as high as $200.

A spokesperson for the Department of Sanitation told The NY Post that homeowners who have already ordered a bin but are still waiting for delivery will not be fined.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump has sent a written message to Norway’s prime minister declaring that he no longer feels obligated “to think purely of Peace,” while again pressing his demand that the United States take control of Greenland, according to people familiar with the correspondence.

The letter, which U.S. officials circulated to several governments, was Trump’s response to a short message from Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. In their note, the two leaders objected to Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on European allies after they rejected his push for U.S. control over Greenland, Stoere said in a statement.

Stoere and Stubb urged a cooling of tensions and asked to speak directly with Trump by phone, according to the Norwegian prime minister. Trump replied shortly after receiving their message.

“Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but ⁠can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America,” Trump wrote in his response, which was seen by Reuters.

Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, an award that last year went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

“I have several times explained clearly to Trump the well-known fact that it is an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government, which ⁠awards the prize,” Stoere said.

Machado presented Trump with her gold medal during a White House meeting last week, even though the Norwegian Nobel Committee has stated that the prize cannot be transferred, shared, or withdrawn. The committee did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment.

In the same message to Stoere, Trump again challenged Denmark’s claim to Greenland, questioning its ability to defend the territory and the basis for its sovereignty. “Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?”

“There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also.”

Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, a vast island rich in minerals, is established through a series of binding legal agreements, including a treaty reached in 1814, and the United States has repeatedly acknowledged Greenland as part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Trump also linked the issue to NATO, asserting that the alliance owes the United States for his contributions. “I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States,” Trump added. “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT.”

{Matzav.com}

Kibbutz Be’eri has decided to keep as is one of the homes burned in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel as a testimony to the horrors of the worst single-day attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

The move by the community, located five miles from the Gaza Strip, to move on and demolish the rest of the homes destroyed in the attack is opposed by some bereaved families, but is seen as an attempt to move on and rebuild.

The house selected is on the edge of the community and belongs to a family that was abroad at the time of the terrorist invasion.

“My position was that we should destroy everything and leave no trace, not turn the kibbutz into Auschwitz or a pilgrimage site for visitors,” owner Yogev Dvori told Ynet. “Simply erase everything and commemorate beloved people, not buildings.”

The Dvoris, who have not yet moved back to Be’eri, plan to return to a new house currently under construction.

After residents voted to demolish all but one of the destroyed homes, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said that he was considering designating some of them as national heritage sites.

The kibbutz was the hardest-hit community in Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught. One hundred one civilians—or nearly 10% of its residents—and 31 security personnel were murdered, and 32 hostages were taken to the Gaza Strip.

At least 100 Gazan terrorists were also killed and 18 were captured by the Israel Defense Forces and the kibbutz security force. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said President Donald Trump’s public threats regarding Greenland are more likely a negotiating strategy than a genuine plan to seize the territory, expressing skepticism while conceding he might be mistaken.

In a radio interview Sunday with John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable,” Gingrich said he doubts Trump intends to follow through militarily, though he acknowledged uncertainty. “I think he’s making a lot of noise to set up a negotiation to get what he wants, which is tourist rights, economic rights, mineral rights and national security rights,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich pointed to Greenland’s vast reserves of natural resources and noted that major powers—including China, Russia, and the United States—are all eyeing access to its minerals as well as its oil and gas potential.

“It’s a huge economic opportunity,” he said.

His remarks came as lawmakers from both parties traveled to Denmark to discuss the issue with Danish officials. The delegation includes Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska as the Republican participants.

Tillis said any attempt to use force to take control of Greenland would face strong resistance on Capitol Hill, warning that such a move “would be met with pretty substantial opposition in Congress.”

Ahead of the trip, Tillis criticized those encouraging the idea, saying: “Right now, people are trying to be deferential, but this is just an example of, whoever keeps on telling the president that this idea is achievable should not be in Washington, D.C.”

Trump escalated the dispute on Saturday by announcing plans to impose 10 percent tariffs on Denmark and several other European countries in response to their opposition to his Greenland proposal.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the tariffs could rise to 25 percent if negotiations for the United States to buy Greenland are not completed by June 1.

Danish officials sharply criticized the proposed tariffs. Danish Chamber of Commerce CEO Brian Mikkelsen dismissed the move, saying, “Trump’s farce continues.”

“The American president is once again using tariffs as a threat,” Mikkelsen wrote in a translated post on X. “As so many times before, it is damaging to confidence in world trade and damaging to the American and European economies.”

Gingrich also argued that Trump’s leverage in Europe is strengthened by structural weaknesses in European economies, which he said have favored regulation over growth and innovation.

“[The U.S.] made the opposite decision,” Gingrich said. “We decided we wanted to maximize innovation and then regulate lightly but not have enough regulation to crush what we were doing. That has been a disastrous decision for the Europeans.”

{Matzav.com}

Russia is preparing for a potential attack on the power lines serving Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, a move that could take place within days, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation.

Ukrainian officials had previously indicated that Moscow was focusing on high-voltage electricity transmission systems rather than striking nuclear reactors themselves. However, a source now says the true target is the external power lines supplying the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, known as ZNPP.

In a statement issued January 17, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry intelligence directorate warned that Russia was considering strikes on critical energy infrastructure tied to nuclear power operations.

“In order to force Ukraine to sign unacceptable surrender demands to end the war, the aggressor state Russia is considering the option of attacking strategic facilities of our state’s energy system — we are talking about electricity transmission substations that ensure the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants.”

“The threat is at ZNPP,” a source told Fox News Digital. “There are talks of a massive attack either tonight or in the coming nights,” the source said, speaking anonymously. The source added that “the talks within the Ukrainian government are about ZNPP and the lines, and these talks have not been for the first time.”

Ukraine’s Emergency Service said Russia also struck energy infrastructure in the Odesa region overnight Sunday, according to The Associated Press.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, located in southern Ukraine, has six VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors and has been under Russian control since March 2022, according to reports.

While the reactors are currently shut down and not generating electricity, the facility still depends on outside power to operate cooling mechanisms and essential safety systems.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly cautioned that any disruption to external power lines represents a severe nuclear safety threat.

Earlier this month, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a limited ceasefire on January 16 to allow repairs to one damaged backup power line at ZNPP under IAEA supervision.

In a statement that day, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said: “The IAEA continues to work closely with both sides to ensure nuclear safety at the ZNPP and to prevent a nuclear accident during the conflict. This temporary ceasefire, the fourth we have negotiated, demonstrates the indispensable role that we continue to play.”

“A deterioration of Ukraine’s power grid from persistent military activity has direct implications on the nuclear safety of its nuclear facilities,” Grossi said.

“Russia is said to be going to do this strike, maybe even tonight,” the source said, referring to a possible operation targeting ZNPP.

“Information also from the Ukrainian Parliament and Ukrainian Security Service, or internally, is that the Russian army told the Ukrainian army that if they don’t stop shelling their tankers in the sea or shelling their oil refineries, as well as their electric stations like power stations,” the source said, “then they will fully destroy Kyiv energy facilities aswell.”

“The parliament knows this. But we keep shelling,” the source added.

“This is a very difficult situation,” the source continued, saying Ukraine’s leadership, parliament, and “obviously the office of the president” understand that “if we keep shelling Russian tankers and oil refineries, then they will destroy everything that we have.”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently appealed to NATO allies to urgently send additional air-defense missiles, warning that some Ukrainian systems are running dangerously low on ammunition, according to reports.

“To actually preserve the energy in the country when it is minus 20 outside and people are literally suffering hugely,” the source said. “People don’t have electricity, don’t have warmth and some don’t even have water.”

“And this is a very controversial situation,” the source added, “particularly for the Ukrainian people sitting inside, hungry and freezing, and overall being in this disastrous humanitarian situation.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s president issued a sharp warning on Sunday, saying that any American military strike would draw a “harsh response,” and that targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be “tantamount to a full-scale war on the Iranian nation.”

The remarks by President Masoud Pezeshkian came as Iran’s judiciary signaled it may proceed with executions of detainees arrested during recent nationwide unrest, protests that appear to have subsided following a violent government crackdown.

On Sunday, limited internet service briefly resumed in parts of Iran before being cut off again, after reports emerged that the head of Irancell, the country’s second-largest mobile phone operator, was fired for failing to enforce the shutdown.

Because of the communications blackout, the true scope of casualties during the protests remains difficult to verify. The demonstrations initially erupted over economic distress but quickly escalated into widespread demands for the overthrow of the regime.

A report published by The Sunday Times, citing Iranian medical sources, claimed that more than 16,500 people were killed and over 330,000 injured during the unrest. An Iranian official, however, said authorities had confirmed at least 5,000 deaths linked to the protests, including roughly 500 members of the security forces.

In a post on X on Sunday, Pezeshkian wrote: “An attack on the great leader of our country [Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei] is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Iranian nation.” He also accused the United States and its allies of being responsible for the hardships facing the Iranian population.

His statement followed comments made a day earlier by US President Donald Trump, who described Khamenei as a “sick man” in an interview with Politico and said, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.” The remarks appeared to mark the first time Trump openly called for an end to Khamenei’s rule.

Although Trump has repeatedly warned that the United States would respond forcefully if Iran began killing protesters, he has so far refrained from launching military action. While US forces have been repositioned in the region, the president has not detailed what steps he might take.

According to Iran International, a media outlet aligned with opposition groups, Iranian state television was hacked on Sunday, briefly airing opposition material, including a speech by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi.

The report said footage of anti-regime demonstrations was shown on several channels, apparently as a result of satellite broadcast interference.

Pahlavi was shown urging Iranians to take to the streets and calling on members of the security forces to support the protesters.

Trump has cited Tehran’s alleged decision to halt “the hanging of over 800 people” as a reason for holding back, saying: “I greatly respect the fact that they canceled.”

However, Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said at a press conference on Sunday: “A series of actions have been identified as Mohareb, which is among the most severe Islamic punishments.”

Under Iranian law, Mohareb—an Islamic legal term meaning waging war against God—is punishable by death.

“All those who played a decisive role in these calls for violence, which led to bloodshed and significant damage to public finances, will not be spared,” Jahangir said.

Meanwhile, a relative of detained protester Erfan Soltani said Sunday that the 26-year-old is in stable physical condition and was able to meet with family members days after his scheduled execution was delayed.

A close family member living abroad told the Associated Press that relatives were informed Soltani’s execution had been set for Wednesday, but the plan was postponed when they arrived at the prison in Karaj, northwest of Tehran.

“I ask everyone to help in securing Erfan’s freedom,” said Somayeh, a relative who requested to be identified by her first name only out of fear of retaliation, in a video message.

Axios reported Sunday that US military forces were awaiting authorization from Trump to strike Iran last week, but that he ultimately decided against it following pressure from Israel and Arab partners.

The report cited four US officials, two Israeli officials, and two additional sources familiar with the matter.

According to Axios, initial US intelligence assessments concluded that the anti-regime protests were unlikely to threaten the survival of Iran’s leadership. That view shifted on January 8, when massive demonstrations erupted in Tehran and other major cities, raising new concerns about the regime’s stability.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Sunday that he would support possible US military action against Iran, but only after every available nonmilitary option aimed at Iran’s leadership has been fully pursued.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the United States should intensify pressure on Tehran’s ruling regime. “I think the US should be taking every step possible to end this regime,” he said.

Cruz argued that Washington still has a wide range of tools at its disposal short of military force and called for increased American support for the widespread anti-government demonstrations currently gripping Iran. “I hope and believe that America is doing everything we can to support the protesters. There are lots of steps we can and should be taking short of a bombing strike,” he said.

His remarks followed comments made a day earlier by President Donald Trump, who told Politico that Iran needs “new leadership” and sharply criticized Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling him “a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people”.

Cruz said Trump’s remarks represented a significant turning point in US policy. “In the last two days a really important step occurred where President Trump came out unequivocally and said it is time for new leadership in Iran,” he said, describing the moment as “massively important.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded Sunday to Trump’s statements, warning that any move against Khamenei would be treated as an act of war.

Writing on X, Pezeshkian said: “An attack on the great leader of our country is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Iranian nation.”

Relations between Washington and Tehran have been increasingly strained in recent weeks, as Iranian authorities carried out a deadly crackdown on protesters and Trump warned that Iran would face severe consequences if demonstrators were killed.

At one point on Wednesday, tensions appeared to peak, with the possibility of imminent US military action widely discussed. The situation later appeared to ease after Trump said the killings of protesters had stopped.

According to a report published over the weekend by The Washington Post, officials across the Middle East and in Washington believed late Wednesday morning that Trump was close to authorizing heavy US airstrikes against Iran. The report said Trump ultimately decided against the strikes after receiving a message through envoy Steve Witkoff that Iran had halted plans to execute 800 people.

{Matzav.com}

A senior spokesman for the Islamic Jihad terror organization said the group is prepared to work with a committee overseeing civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip, while at the same time rejecting the political structure surrounding that body and opposing any framework linked to President Donald Trump.

In an interview with the newspaper Al Araby Al Jadeed, Muhammad al Khaj Musa said Islamic Jihad is willing to cooperate with the Gaza administration committee led by Ali Shaath “in order to ease the suffering of the residents of the Strip.”

Musa stressed, however, that the organization has serious objections to both the makeup of the committee and the political vision behind it, arguing that it operates under American backing and influence.

He said Islamic Jihad rejects the “Board of Peace” initiative established by Donald Trump, declaring that the group opposes any form of “international sponsorship over the Palestinian people,” which he claimed is designed to dismantle armed factions and strip them of their weapons.

Turning to the issue of hostages, Musa accused Israel of preventing progress, asserting that the body of Ran Gvili—the final hostage held by the organization—is trapped in a tunnel that was filled with large quantities of concrete by the IDF.

According to Musa, recovering the remains “requires special engineering equipment,” but he alleged that Israel “is placing obstacles and conditions,” including tying the return of the body to advancements in a future agreement.

Under Trump’s Gaza plan, Hamas—which controls the Gaza Strip—was supposed to return all hostages held in Gaza during the first phase. Nevertheless, Gvili’s body remains in terrorist custody, even as Hamas claims it does not know its location.

Israel, for its part, has passed along what it says is vital information regarding the burial site of Gvili, but Hamas has declined to act on it.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is examining whether the United States should offer asylum to Jews from the United Kingdom as concerns mount over rising antisemitism, according to remarks given to The Telegraph by a senior figure close to President Donald Trump.

Robert Garson, the president’s personal attorney and a former British barrister originally from Manchester, said he has been in contact with the US State Department to discuss the possibility of granting refuge to British Jews who feel increasingly threatened in the UK.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Garson said Britain is “no longer a safe place for Jews,” pointing to an Islamist attack on a synagogue in Manchester and what he described as a sharp increase in antisemitism following the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel. Those events, he said, convinced him that American protection should be extended to British Jews seeking to leave.

Garson said he believes there is “no future” for Jews in the UK and placed responsibility on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of failing to confront antisemitism and allowing it to spread.

He noted that after being appointed last May by President Trump to the US Holocaust Memorial Council—following the removal of appointees from the Biden era—he raised the asylum proposal with Trump’s antisemitism envoy, Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun.

At 49, Garson has emerged as a prominent figure within Trump’s inner circle. He is currently representing the president in a $50 million lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward and also serves as legal counsel to Donald Trump Jr. in connection with Winning Team Publishing, which has released books by conservative writers, the president himself, and Charlie Kirk, the assassinated right-wing activist.

Garson, who relocated to the United States in 2008, restated his concerns in blunt terms: “The UK is no longer a safe place for Jews. I have spoken to the State Department as to whether the president should be offering British Jews asylum in the US. It is certainly not an unattractive proposition. It is a highly educated community… It is a populous that speaks English natively, that is educated and doesn’t have a high proportion of criminals. There were conversations.”

He said shifting demographics and growing hostility toward Jews have led him to conclude that “there is a future for Jews in the United Kingdom” no longer. “For me, that is particularly sad,” he added.

Garson also lashed out at the Crown Prosecution Service, accusing it of failing to bring charges against protesters “on the streets of Britain who had glorified in the rape or death of Jews” in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks. He said there is “a lack of political will” to apply the Public Order Act to anti-Israel demonstrations.

In a further attack on the British government, Garson said: “Keir Starmer has turned a total blind eye to antisemitism.” He continued, “The Prime Minister has allowed rampant antisemitism to become commonplace in society and has allowed it to come from those who really don’t have Britain’s best interests at heart.”

Garson warned that if extremist Islamism is not confronted, parts of the country could eventually be governed by Sharia law. “Mark my words, they are coming for the Jews and then they are coming for your pubs. You are going to have sharia-compliant areas very, very soon,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

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Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro writes in a newly released memoir that while being screened as a possible vice-presidential pick for Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign, he was confronted with a question asking whether he had ever “been a double agent for Israel.”

Portions of Shapiro’s book, Where We Keep the Light, were published in excerpts carried by The New York Times and The Atlantic.

In the book, Shapiro describes reacting with shock and offense to the question, recalling his immediate disbelief (“Was she kidding?”). He also recounts feeling deeply uncomfortable throughout the vetting process, which included repeated inquiries into his views on Israel — an area where his public record has generally been supportive.

Shapiro writes that being asked such a question “said a lot about some of the people around [Harris],” suggesting it reflected troubling assumptions within the circle conducting the interviews.

“I wondered whether these questions were being posed to just me — the only Jewish guy in the running — or if everyone who had not held a federal office was being grilled about Israel in the same way,” he says.

Reflecting on the tone of the interviews, Shapiro notes that while the meetings were outwardly formal, they were emotionally taxing. “These sessions were completely professional and businesslike,” Shapiro says. “But I just had a knot in my stomach through all of it.”

Harris ultimately selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, and the Democratic ticket went on to lose the general election to Donald Trump.

{Matzav.com}

As the annual yahrtzeit of Rav Dovid of Lelov zt”l approaches, thousands of Lelover chassidim are once again preparing to travel to Poland for the traditional pilgrimage to his kever. The gathering, held each year on 7 Shevat in the town of Lelov, is customarily led by the Lelover Rebbe, who is joined by large delegations of followers from Eretz Yisroel and abroad.

This year, however, an unusual and restrictive directive has been issued, leading to disappointment among many bochurim who had hoped to participate in the journey and benefit from the long-standing segulah associated with the yahrtzeit.

The Rebbe has instructed that bochurim and young avreichim who belong to age cohorts required to report for military service — and who fear possible arrest — must refrain from leaving the country and should not take part in the trip under any circumstances.

In recent years, the Lelover yahrtzeit has drawn not only chassidim but also many individuals seeking yeshuos, particularly bochurim who are delayed in finding a shidduch. Among Lelover chassidim, a well-known segulah involves unmarried bochurim dancing on a table during the yahrtzeit seudah in front of the assembled chassidim, an act seen as removing embarrassment and opening the gates to a shidduch. Numerous accounts have circulated in recent years of older singles who participated in the yahrtzeit and went on to get married within the following year.

This year’s directive follows a significant tightening of enforcement by military police, who have intensified efforts to compel attendance and arrest those who have not regularized their status. After the matter was brought before the Rebbe, a clear ruling was issued: Any bochur or avreich with even a remote concern of arrest — whether while departing Israel or upon return — is not to attempt traveling abroad for the yahrtzeit.

While the instruction is being widely accepted as a matter of pikuach nefesh and responsible leadership, it has nevertheless caused deep disappointment among singles who had pinned their hopes on participating in the pilgrimage and the associated segulah this year.

{Matzav.com}

Two days before the dramatic public announcement regarding the arrangement reached between Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and MK Yisroel Eichler, the dayanim arbitrating the heated dispute between Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel had already signed a binding psak ordering Eichler to resign immediately from the Knesset.

Portions of the beis din ruling have leaked, revealing for the first time that the dayanim unequivocally ruled that Eichler was obligated to vacate his seat as part of the long-standing rotation agreement between Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisroel. A senior source within Yahadus HaTorah said that Eichler would have resigned in any event, regardless of the position he later secured.

On Thursday afternoon, the political system was thrown into turmoil after it was revealed that Eichler had reached an understanding with Netanyahu under which he would resign from the Knesset and be appointed Deputy Minister of Communications. This step enabled MK Yitzchok Pindrus of Degel HaTorah to return to the Knesset and participate in the vote on the draft law.

However, it has now emerged that two days earlier, the arbitration panel—composed of Rav Betzalel Waksalstein, Rav Avrohom Direnfeld, and Rav Yaakov Farbstein—had already signed the final psak, determining that Eichler must step down immediately in favor of Pindrus, in accordance with the rotation agreement between the two factions.

Following the earlier resignation from the government, Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni demanded that Agudas Yisroel instruct Eichler—who at the time had been under consideration for the position of Housing Minister—to resign, as required by the rotation agreement. Eichler objected, leading the sides to bring the matter before a mutually accepted beis din to adjudicate the dispute within Yahadus HaTorah.

Last Tuesday, the panel signed its final ruling, stating clearly that Eichler is required to resign immediately from the Knesset. The psak bears the signature of Rav Avrohom Direnfeld, one of the senior dayanim associated with the Belzer chassidus, which Eichler represents.

An excerpt from the beis din ruling states: “MK HaRav Yisroel Eichler must, in principle, resign immediately from the Knesset, and the Agudas Yisroel party must instruct MK HaRav Yisroel Eichler to resign immediately from the Knesset. In practice, we grant the parties two weeks to reach an arrangement—whether among themselves, by way of the Norwegian Law, or through negotiations within Agudas Yisroel regarding who will resign in order to implement the rotation. Should no arrangement be reached, Rav Eichler shall resign from the Knesset without any claims.”

A senior official in Yahadus HaTorah remarked: “Eichler essentially managed to arrange a position for himself. This was not a deal with Degel HaTorah and had no direct connection to the draft law. He understood that the beis din—including the dayan from Belz—had ruled that he must leave the Knesset, and at the final moment he secured himself a role via the Prime Minister’s Office. Even without that position, he would have resigned. Had he not done so, the psak would have been made public by the end of last week. He simply acted first to preempt the fallout.”

{Matzav.com}

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul used a Martin Luther King Jr. commemorative church service in Harlem on Sunday to sharply criticize federal immigration enforcement and to laud Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, remarks that critics said crossed the line into overt politics during a religious observance, the NY Post reports.

Speaking from the pulpit at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church before a crowd of more than 1,000 congregants, Hochul reflected on the state of the nation and praised Bragg, briefly misstating his title in the process.

“I never thought I would see what is happening to our country,” the Democrat told the congregation at the church on West 138th Street.

Hochul went on to describe what she said was a climate of fear created by immigration enforcement, suggesting that some people are avoiding religious services out of concern they could be detained.

“Today, we have people struggling because they’re in fear. They are too afraid to go to church because an ICE agent may take them out of this place and take them to a detention center. Separate them from their families. That is what is happening in America today,” Gov. Hochul opined.

She then pointed to policies she highlighted in her State of the State address, asserting that certain locations should be off-limits to federal agents absent court approval.

“So I have said in my state of the state, no ICE agent can come into a sacred place like a church, or a hospital or a day care center or a school without a warrant signed by a judge,” she added. “They cannot violate this sacred space.

“We are not surrendering our rights. And we’re not going backwards, my friends! Not now. Not ever!”

Despite insisting she was not delivering a political message, Hochul also used the service to heap praise on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, even floating his future political prospects.

“We also have another fighter to keep people safe and that is our Attorney General,” Hochul said, before correcting herself.

“I’m sorry, our District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Who knows, maybe he’ll be an Attorney General some day too, change the occupant of the White House,” the anti-Trump politician said.

She continued to commend Bragg’s work with state leaders, crediting him with helping shape public safety policy in New York.

“But I’m not here to get political, you know what I’m saying. But he [Bragg’s] been a great partner in bringing ideas to us in the legislature and myself on how to make our streets safer and they are safer,” Hochul said.

“Crime is down to record lows, particularly here in Manhattan, and I give him so much of the credit.”

{Matzav.com}