Matzav

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz Every year, as the nights grow long and the air carries the quiet promise of winter, Klal Yisroel reenters the world of Sefer Bereishis—its stories, its struggles, its beauty. With each passing week, we trace the footsteps of Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, witnessing how their faith carved out a path of light in a world that was often dark. It is no coincidence that these parshiyos escort us directly toward Chanukah. Yaakov’s battles, Yosef’s dreams, and the faith that pulsated through their journeys become the spiritual prologue to the lights that would one day illuminate the desecrated Bais Hamikdosh. In their footsteps, the Chashmonaim found their courage. In their light, the menorah found its spark. Echoes of Chanukah reverberate through the Torah. Hidden within the pesukim, woven into stories we have known since childhood, lie whispered foreshadowings of Chashmonaiuvonov, sparks of Chanukah light flickering long before the menorah ever burned. Among the most wondrous revelations of these connections is the bond between Yaakov Avinu and Chanukah, two stories of light in darkness, of purity amid contamination, of spiritual defiance against overwhelming odds. In the vastness of the Torah, we find astonishing connections between seemingly unrelated situations. The parallels between Yaakov Avinu and Chanukah are a prime example. We are taught that Yaakov Avinu was niftar on the first day of the Yom Tov of Sukkos, and we know that Mitzrayim enacted seventy days of mourning for him. Thus, the mourning period ended on the 25th day of Kislev, the first day of Chanukah. Let us explore the connection between Yaakov Avinu and Chanukah. The posuk (Bereishis 32:11) states that when Yaakov left the house of Lovon, he thanked Hashem for His blessings. “Katontimikolhachassodimumikolha’emesasherosisu es avdecha, ki vemakliovarti es haYardeinhazehve’atahoyisilishneimachanos—When I crossed the Yardein River to escape from Eisov, all I had was my stick, and now as I return to Eretz Yisroel, I am large enough to encompass two encampments,” Yaakov said. What is the significance of Yaakov crossing the Yardein with his stick? The simple explanation is that Elifaz, the son of Eisov, robbed him of all his possessions, leaving him only with his walking stick. We can examine the depth concealed in these words. The posuk (Bereishis 28:12) states that when Yaakov awoke from his dream, he anointed the stone upon which he had slept with oil and called the place Bais El. But if Elifaz had taken all his possessions, from where did Yaakov obtain oil? The PirkeiD’Rebbi Eliezer teaches that Hashem sent that oil down from heaven, and Yaakov used some of it to anoint the stone. The Daas ZekeinimMiBaaleiHaTtosafos gives a different explanation, saying that Yaakov hollowed out his stick and filled it with oil, ensuring that he would always have light with which to learn Torah wherever he wandered. He used some of that oil to consecrate the stone. This answer of the Daas Zekeinim offers us an understanding of why Yaakov used the words “ki bemakliovarti es haYardein.” By saying that he crossed the Yardein with his stick, Yaakov was indicating that the only possession he was left with was Torah, because he had the oil, which enabled him to study Torah. Yaakov spent fourteen years in the yeshiva of Sheim v’Eiver studying Torah. Then he spent an even longer period in Lovon’s spiritually hostile house. But even there, he testified that he observed the mitzvos, as he stated, “ImLovongarti, vetaryagmitzvosshomarti.” Not only did he not emerge impoverished, but he came out richly blessed. Chanukah was established to commemorate the miracle that occurred when a small flask of oil was found with the seal of thekoheingadol and burned for eight nights instead of one. Before that, for fifty-two years, Am Yisroel was oppressed by the mighty Hellenists. A small army of tzaddikim rose up, fought them, and triumphed. They restored Torah study and observance to the nation. Why, then, does our celebration center more on the miracle of the oil than on the stunning military victory? Acharonim, notably the Pnei Yehoshua (Shabbos 21b) point out that after the war, the oil used for the menorah did not actually require a special seal due to tumahhutrab’tzibbur. Halachically, they were permitted to use oil that had been defiled. But the Chashmonaim insisted on purity and searched for pure oil. They yearned to perform the mitzvah in its most beautiful form. In response to their striving, Hashem brought about a miracle, guiding the righteous Chashmonaim to a single pure flask bearing the seal of the koheingadol and then causing that oil to burn for eight days, long enough to prepare new, pure oil. Heaven met their longing with radiance. This is why the mitzvah of Chanukah uniquely contains levels: basic, mehadrin, and mehadrin min hamehadrin. Chanukah celebrates the yearning of Am Yisroel to serve Hashem with hiddur, to elevate mitzvos, to go beyond the minimum. At the time of the miracle, that dedication shone brightly, and that spirit continues today. History has no shortage of voices telling Jews, “Why bother? Why strain? Why go beyond the requirement?” Why seek perfect haddasim? Why exert effort for the finest Pesachmatzos? Why recite Shema so slowly and with careful intention? Why insist on hiddur when the basic halacha suffices? Why be like the Briskers or Chazon Ish-nicks? There is no need for that. On Chanukah, we celebrate the joy of hiddur mitzvah and the strength of ignoring the mockers, scoffers, and apologists. We know that what brings honor inShomayim is not always what generates admiration down here, nor is it always a feel-good cause or something that appeals to the masses. We need never apologize for being ehrlicheYidden. Chanukah is a celebration of those who devote themselves to Torah and avodas Hashem with effort, intensity, and beauty. The menorah is an eternal symbol of the Jewish people, for it reminds us of Hashem’s closeness to us and our dedication to Him. It reminds us of the glory of the Mishkon and Bais Hamikdosh, and of the transformative miracle as the Jews triumphed over the oppressive Yevonim. A businessman once told his son’s rosh yeshiva that he was removing his son from learning and placing him in the family business. “He’ll never become the Chazon Ish anyway,” the father said. “Let’s be realistic.” The rosh yeshiva smiled. “Why bring him into business? I, too, know your son. And I can assure you, if he goes into business, he will never become anything close to Elon Musk!” The light of that small, precious flask continues to illuminate the Jewish soul, reminding us that Hashem cherishes those who strive, who yearn, who elevate, and who seek to bring their avodas Hashem to its fullest beauty. The lesson of Chanukah is simple yet profound. Even a small amount of pure oil, guarded, treasured, and protected, can illuminate the entire world. The tiniest spark of spiritual devotion can defeat empires. And the light produced by hiddur mitzvah continues to glow long after the flames have gone out. Chanukah invites us to step into that light, to strive, to beautify, to elevate, and to allow our inner DNA, our individual oil, passed down from Yaakov, to shine brightly. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach once overheard a man in shul proudly displaying his beautiful esrog. As people admired its color, symmetry, and perfection, he eagerly challenged them to guess how much he had paid for such a stunning cheftzahshel mitzvah. The guesses rose higher and higher, but none approached the truth. Finally, with a triumphant smile, the man announced that he had paid only twenty-five dollars. “How did you manage that?” they asked in amazement. With satisfaction, he explained, “I know that demand is highest before Yom Kippur. As Sukkos approaches, vendors worry about being left with unsold merchandise. So I waited until the very last moment, late on Erev Sukkos, before buying my daled minim. My strategy worked, and I got this esrog at a bargain.” After davening, Rav Shlomo Zalman sat down with the man and showed him the Gemara in MasechesBeitza (16). He read him the machlokes between Bais Shammai and Bais Hillel. If Shammai saw a nice cut of meat early in the week, he purchased it for Shabbos, reasoning that he might not find a nicer one. The Gemara states that Hillel was different—“middahachereshoysah lo”—as he always had faith that he would find what he needed before Shabbos. Why, asked Rav Shlomo Zalman, does Chazal call this a “middahacheres, another way”? It would seem that Hillel had traditional bitachon, which led him to believe that things would work out well and that he would be able to obtain the best foods for Shabbos. Rav Shlomo Zalman gently explained that Chazal are teaching that Hillel didn’t only use this approach when it came to mitzvos, like honoring Shabbos. It wasn’t a lackadaisical approach. It was a middahacheres. It was Hillel’s personal attribute. He always assumed that Hashem would help. “Someone who lives that way can use the same approach for mitzvos, too. But if you spent time selecting the right suit for your daughter’s wedding, and you booked the hall early, or you invested time planning the perfect vacation, then apparently you don’t have that middah. So why, for an esrog, is it okay to wait for the last minute?” His point was clear: A person’s real priorities are revealed not by what he claims to value, but by what he puts the most effort into. Chanukah arrives to reset those priorities. It calls us back to the inner core of Jewish identity, to become mehadrinYidden, who invest in mitzvos with heart, care, and dignity. When the Chashmonaim searched for oil sealed with the stamp of the koheingadol, they were making a declaration, telling the people that our priority is to perform each mitzvah in the way in which it shines most. This is why the miracle of the pachshemen is the centerpiece of Chanukah. The military victory was very impressive. It was an inspiring miracle that freed the Jewish nation from tyrannical rule by an evil nation. But its message for us is secondary to the lesson from the miracle involving the flask of pure, holy oil. The willingness to toil for a mitzvah, to labor for taharah, to hold out for kedusha and spiritual excellence is a legacy that remains from the Chashmonaim. And so we return to Yaakov. He crossed the Yardein with nothing but a staff holding oil, symbolizing his dedication to Torah and mitzvos. He lived with uncompromising fidelity even in Lovon’s home. And because of that loyalty, he was blessed with family, success, and Hashem’s protection. Similarly, Chazal established the eight days of Chanukah to remind us that our greatness does not emanate from military might nor from political triumphs, but from commitment to Torah. In the days of the Yevonim, the Misyavnim mocked those who stubbornly clung to mitzvos. They viewed themselves as sophisticated, modern, and enlightened. The loyal Jews were called primitive, rigid, and old-fashioned. But the chachomim wanted that moment in history engraved forever in our consciousness. More important than outside approval of the world is the steadfast pursuit of dikdukb’mitzvos and limudhaTorah. Chanukah’s light continues to illuminate this. My grandparents were mocked by the people of their town and by their irreligious relatives, who claimed that by sending their son away from home to learn in yeshiva, they were dooming him to a life of privation and ensuring that nothing would come of him. He would grow up to be a shlepper, they said. As it turned out, he was the only boy of his generation from that town who remained religious. In our day, there is no religious family that doesn’t send their sons to learn in yeshiva. Torah study is accepted and appreciated by everyone in our world. But many in the big world out there mock those who study Torah, and especially those who dedicate their lives to pursuing Torah study and greatness. At the same time, there are many outside our community who do not share those values. We would hope that the lighting of the menorah and the celebration of the Yom Tov’s miracles would remind those who are removed from Torah of its centrality to our lives and purpose. Despite all of Yaakov’s challenges, he maintained his lofty shlichus as the ish tam yosheivohalim. Lovon and Eisov surely wondered what good Yaakov was doing for society. They wondered why he didn’t open a yeshiva, as his father and grandfather did. They questioned why he was so protective of his children, keeping them separated from the world and culture of the day. We know the questions. We are still getting them. After all, we are Yaakov’s people. Chanukah provides us with renewed resolve. The parsha gives us strength to remain loyal to what we learned from Yaakov. Yaakov set out to build a nation with a makel in his hand. He had nothing but his faith, Torah, and hidden oil. His son Yosef, in this week’s parsha, had his dreams, with which he lived when all else was taken from him and he was sold into slavery. One year, at the annual Chanukah gathering at Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, the rosh yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, entered. The crowd knew that their rosh yeshiva was weak from his illness. They were so enthused that they burst out in song. The scene was surreal. The dancing talmidim shouted themselves hoarse with devotion to the rosh yeshiva. Rav Nosson Tzvi himself, barely able to speak, exuded such love for the talmidim. A question hung over the room: How? How could a man so limited by illness be able to say shiurim and shmuessen, give chizuk and advice, spearhead programs, and raise many millions of dollars to keep the yeshiva going? How was he constantly building and expanding? How could he inspire such enthusiasm? Rav Yitzchok Ezrachi took the microphone and answered the question in everyone’s hearts. Looking at the rosh yeshiva, he quoted a posuk from the haftorah read on ShabbosChanukah. The novi (Zechariah 4:6) says, “Lo bechayil velo bekoach ki imberuchiamar Hashem… Not with strength, nor with might, but with My spirit, Hashem says.” That is the secret of how we accomplish what we do. That is how we survive in golus as the screws tighten upon us. Yaakov had only a makel. Yosef had nothing except the Torah his father taught him and his faith in Hashem. They had nothing, and yet Yaakov founded a nation, Yosef ruled over and sustained the world, and the Chashmonaim beat the most advanced army on earth. Chanukah is a time to allow our spirits to soar, courageous and proud to give honor to the mitzvos and the One who commanded us to fulfill them, lemehadrin min hamehadrin. The Yevonim epitomized the seductive power of external beauty and sophisticated culture, and our generation is perhaps living through that influence at its highest resolution. We inhabit a world overflowing with distraction, superficiality, and spiritual dilution. Each one of us today faces tests and challenges. Through our dedication to limudhaTorah and kiyumhamitzvos, we can excel despite all the enticements. We are not asked to fight empires or split seas. We are asked to guard the little flame inside us, the one that remains pure, the one that carries Yaakov’s legacy, Yosef’s resilience, and the Chashmonaim’s devotion, and the one that will lead us to the coming of Moshiach speedily in our day.

{Matzav.com}

The House Foreign Affairs Committee heard testimony on Wednesday about the “historical, strategic and political dynamics” of Judea and Samaria and that territory’s relationship to the term “West Bank.”

Eugene Kontorovich, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, pointed to the international law doctrine of uti possidetis, which holds that international boundaries of a successor state revert by default to whatever territory the preceding sovereign boundaries included.

“When Israel gained independence, the preceding geopolitical entity was Mandatory Palestine, which included Judea and Samaria. That’s not in dispute,” said Kontorovich, who is also a professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School and executive director of its Center for the Middle East and International Law.

Judea and Samaria is the biblical and contemporary administrative name in Israel for the territories that Israel captured from Jordan in 1967, excluding eastern Jerusalem. It is commonly referred to as the “West Bank,” a name promulgated by Jordan during its occupation of the territory to refer to the lands it held west of the Jordan River.

More than 2 million Palestinians live in the area, which, along with Gaza, would make up the core territory of any future Palestinian state, even as many Israelis and some American supporters of Israel assert that it is the heartland of biblical Israel and that parts of the territory should be annexed into Israel proper.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), acting ranking member of the subcommittee, said that he rejected maximalist territorial claims on both sides of the question.

“If we turn to any nationality and say, ‘You define your borders based on the maximum you ever controlled in history,’ then Mongolia would control half of the world, the Greeks would control Anatolia, the Germans would be restored to East Prussia and the Chumash would own my condo in the San Fernando Valley,” Sherman said. (The Chumash are a Native American people in California.)

Sherman asked Kontorovich and Morton Klein, national president of the Zionist Organization of America, about comments from Heritage’s president, Kevin Roberts, defending Tucker Carlson following Carlson’s interview with the neo-Nazi influencer Nick Fuentes and calling Carlson’s critics part of a “venomous coalition” of the “globalist class.”

“Are you part of a venomous coalition of the globalist class when you call for the denunciation of Mr. Fuentes?” Sherman asked Klein.

“Yes,” Klein said. “Mike Huckabee is part of the venomous coalition—President Trump, Mark Levin. This was an outrageous statement.”

Asked if he is comfortable remaining at Heritage, Kontorovich said that there was no dispute at Heritage about denouncing Fuentes and that “our work to combat antisemitism has vastly expanded in the past couple years.”

None of the experts on Wednesday’s panel believed that either full annexation of Judea and Samaria or a two-state solution creating a Palestinian state would be viable at this time.

“I think that we have to think less about, ‘How do we draw the border?’ and we have to think more about, ‘How do we create a two-state solution that changes the meanings of some phrases?’” said Jon Alterman, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The phrases you have to change are ‘two’ and ‘state’ and ‘solution.’”

“Nobody in Israel is talking about annexing the West Bank,” Kontorovich said. “There have been proposals to extend Israeli civil law to those areas where Jewish communities are, in other words to incorporate under Israeli law parts of Judea and Samaria.”

The otherwise staid proceedings of the hearing briefly devolved into shouting when Sherman accused the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), of taking additional time to comment on Sherman’s questions and the responses from witnesses.

“Mr. Chairman, I will insist upon an equal amount of time,” Sherman shouted. “Mr. Chairman, you cannot seize time. Each side of this aisle gets the same time. I’ve been on this committee for 29 years. You should know the rules.”

“No,” Lawler replied.

After the hearing, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) posted on social media about the “fireworks” in the hearing.

“You got the paid protesters. They’re there to disrupt, and they do their thing, and anyway, and you got the committee chairman getting into it with the ranking member and the usual hijinks,” Burchett said.

“I don’t know that we’re ever gonna solve this problem,” he said, of the West Bank. JNS

{Matzav.com}

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[Videos below.] New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani made an appearance at both major Satmar Chof Alef Kislev celebrations tonight, marking a notable moment in his outreach to the Chassidic Jewish community in New York.

Mamdani first arrived at the celebration held by the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, at the Waterfront on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg.

Later in the evening, he traveled to Crown Heights to attend the gathering led by the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, at the Brooklyn Armory.

Chof Alef Kislev is one of the most significant annual celebrations in the Satmar community. It marks the rescue and liberation of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, from Nazi-controlled Europe in 1944. His miraculous escape—facilitated through the now-famous Kastner transport—allowed him to rebuild Satmar in the United States, shaping the future of one of the largest Chassidic groups in the world. Every year, tens of thousands gather at parallel events led by the two Satmar Rebbes to give thanks and reaffirm the community’s continued growth.

Mamdani’s presence at both events comes after weeks of intense debate surrounding his candidacy. During the election campaign, many questioned whether meeting with him was appropriate due to his outspoken anti-Israel positions and statements that were widely viewed as hostile to the Jewish state. Community members and activists sharply disagreed on whether engaging with him would legitimize those views or whether building a working relationship with the incoming mayor was a pragmatic necessity for addressing local concerns such as public safety, education, city services, and neighborhood infrastructure.

Despite the controversy, leaders in both Satmar courts extended invitations, emphasizing that engagement with elected officials is a longstanding communal priority.

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{Matzav.com}

A sharply worded legal opinion issued Wednesday by two senior deputies to the Attorney General asserts that the draft bill advanced by Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth prioritizes yeshivos over the military’s needs, eliminates enforcement against draft evaders, restores funding that the High Court forbade, and fails every constitutional standard.

Dr. Gil Limon and Adv. Avital Sompolinsky, the deputies who authored the opinion, released a detailed document spanning dozens of pages in which they warn that the proposal now before the committee “does not provide a response to the urgent security needs” and in fact creates a “negative incentive for enlistment.” According to them, the bill dismantles enforcement tools and reinstates benefits for yeshivos that were explicitly struck down by the High Court.

The legal advisers note that since the expiration of the previous draft law, all eligible chareidim are subject to individual and equal conscription, with thousands already classified as draft evaders. The High Court’s rulings require the government to apply criminal and civil enforcement measures and to cease all direct and indirect funding to those who do not regularize their status. The new bill, they argue, reverses course—canceling warrants and indictments, reviving disqualified funding channels, and re-creating a sweeping service-deferral framework.

At the core of the criticism lies the bill’s “group target” model, which replaces a universal and individual draft obligation with a communal decision structure. Under the proposal, chareidi young men could choose collectively whether to enlist or remain in yeshiva until exemption age. The enlistment targets themselves, the opinion notes, fall dramatically short of the Israel Defense Forces’ needs—about 12,000 soldiers are currently lacking—and even below the IDF’s own stated absorption capacity. Some targets could even be met through a lenient security-civilian service track open exclusively to chareidim.

The deputies further warn that the sanctions outlined in the bill are illusory. Personal sanctions would cease at a relatively young age and are significantly weaker than those under existing law. Collective sanctions, they add, depend on targets that could be retroactively amended and easily circumvented through alternative funding routes for Torah institutions. As a result, they conclude, these penalties are “sanctions in name only, incapable of motivating a chareidi youth to choose enlistment.”

The procedural flaws, they say, are no less severe. The bill promoted by Bismuth is not a continuation of the government bill to which continuity was applied, nor is it based on professional staff work by the defense establishment or the Finance Ministry. According to the letter, the professionals themselves oppose the proposal. This, they write, reflects a fundamental procedural defect in addition to constitutional problems.

In their conclusion, the Attorney General’s Office writes that a balanced and lawful framework is possible—one that recognizes the value of limud haTorah on the one hand, while ensuring significant and effective enlistment of chareidi men through meaningful personal and institutional sanctions and a real answer to security needs. Bismuth’s proposal, they state, does not meet constitutional requirements, deepens the violation of equality, and would not withstand judicial review.

Committee chairman MK Boaz Bismuth fired back, saying: “Nice try, Attorney Maara, to deflect the discussion with your legal opinion, on the very day dark questions arise regarding your involvement in the Sde Teiman affair. Nice try, but not this time.”

Shas also launched its first full-blown attack on the Attorney General, releasing a blistering response: “In a transparent and humiliating maneuver, the ousted Attorney General is attempting to strike at the Torah world to divert attention from one of the gravest scandals in the country’s history, in which she is suspected and which severely harmed Israel’s security and IDF soldiers.

“Her opinion is detached from reality and does not reflect the army’s position. The shrill political tone of her letter exposes her objective: to topple the right-wing government and prevent her dismissal.

“The Knesset’s legal adviser has accompanied the bill throughout the entire process and will represent it as needed. Unlike the Attorney General and her cohort, who pursue every expression of Jewish identity, the Jewish people will continue to honor those who learn Torah and safeguard our heritage for generations.”

{Matzav.com}

In honor of the wedding of the grandson of the Satmar Rebbe, a unique and heartfelt celebration took place this week in Williamsburg. Renowned philanthropist Mr. Yoeli Landau hosted an elegant sheva brachos in his home, dedicating the event to the orphans of the Satmar community.

The Satmar Rebbe himself attended the celebration, offering personal chizuk and brachos to each child.

In a moving gesture, the Rebbe presented every orphan with a newly published zemiros sefer, Divrei Yoel, specially inscribed with a personal dedication.

Each child also received a $100 bill alongside the sefer.

The beautifully arranged sheva brachos featured singing, divrei Torah, and an atmosphere of uplifted spirits, with badchanus by Rav Avrohom Mordechai Malach.

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{Matzav.com}

A sharply worded public notice released by the Badatz of the Eidah Hachareidis warns the chareidi public against participating in so-called “Ervei Shira,” or concerts, which the Badatz describes as a growing and deeply troubling breach in communal standards of kedushah and tznius.

The proclamation expresses profound concern over the rapid expansion of these events. According to the notice, organizers have begun presenting such gatherings in polished, professional formats and marketing them within the frum community, efforts which, the Eidah states, pose significant spiritual danger.

The Badatz notes that it has previously decried the phenomenon, but given recent trends, it is now issuing a renewed and unequivocal directive: Attendance at such events is strictly forbidden, even when they are advertised as have separate seating or being only for men.

In addition, the proclamation states that performers and organizers who participate in these forbidden programs may not be invited to appear at any other events. The purpose, the notice explains, is to ensure that “those who breach the standards of holiness and tznius should not be elevated or given platforms within the community.”

The Badatz further emphasizes that the prohibition extends far beyond the specific “Evening of Song” format. The notice declares a blanket ban on participating in any event involving musical performance or public gatherings where men and women are present together.

{Matzav.com}

A deeply moving scene unfolded today at the levayah of the Breslover mashpia, Rav Binyomin Ze’ev Knopelmacher zt”l, who passed away this morning at age 75. In accordance with his final request, it was specifically the bochurim hanoshrim—the struggling youth, those who considered themselves “dropouts” or “at risk”—who were honored with carrying his aron.

The heartfelt instruction appeared in the handwritten tzava’ah the mashpia left behind. In it, Rav Knopelmacher wrote explicitly that the honor of escorting him on his final journey should belong to “the noshrim, who are far more precious in Heaven than the ‘fine mentchen.’”

During the levayah, which began at the Breslover shul, a large crowd accompanied the mashpia on his last path. Among them were many who, over the years, felt seen, uplifted, and embraced by him despite — and often because of — their struggles. They regarded it as a profound privilege to fulfill his final wish.

The full text of his powerful instruction reads:

“I wish to write to you something, and it is possible you will not understand at all why this is my desire. At another time I will explain it to you very, very well.

A. At my levayah, the ones to carry my bier must be specifically the noshrim. They are greater than all the ‘fine people.’

B. As for my kever: although it should be among shomrei Shabbos, it is even more preferable for it to be near the noshrim or the simple folk—truly simple people. The reason is that in Heaven they are considered extremely important, far more than ordinary chassidim and those dressed in fine clothing. At another opportunity I would explain why.”

Those present described an emotional procession, with many tearfully recalling the mashpia’s unwavering love for every Jew, especially those who felt overlooked or left behind. His final act of elevating them, even in death, was seen as the ultimate expression of the message he preached throughout his life.

{Matzav.com}

A 16-year-old boy who was run over during Monday’s protest by the Peleg Yerushalmi faction was forced to arrive by ambulance at the police station on Wednesday evening in order to provide testimony, according to a report by Army Radio correspondent Tuvia Yeglnik.

Police stated that the injured teen had been summoned for coordinated questioning on suspicion of disorderly conduct and that his arrival was arranged together with his parents. His family sharply disputes that claim, insisting that they spent the past two days pleading with police to come take his statement, with no response. They say police refused to collect testimony at the hospital and only afterward informed them that the teen would be questioned for alleged disorderly behavior.

The incident stems from Monday’s demonstration near the Geha Interchange, where a 24-year-old driver from Bnei Brak was arrested after allegedly accelerating into the crowd and striking the teen.

On Tuesday, the driver was released to house arrest after the court noted that no formal complaint had yet been filed and no testimony was taken from the victim or other witnesses. The judge rejected the police request to extend the suspect’s detention by six days and ordered his release until December 14. During the hearing, police said the driver had “lost patience” in the traffic jam created by the protest.

In his interrogation, the suspect admitted being involved in the incident but maintained that he drove cautiously. “I didn’t notice that I hit anyone, and only later did I realize there had been contact,” he said.

Medical officials reported that the teen suffered injuries to his abdomen, pelvis, and limbs, and was evacuated in moderate condition to Schneider Children’s Medical Center. Police say that at this stage it remains unclear whether the ramming was intentional.

{Matzav.com}

A rare illustrated machzor from the early 15th century, plundered by the Nazis from the Rothschild banking dynasty during the Holocaust, is slated for auction next year and is expected to fetch at least $5 million.

The machzor, created in 1415 by Moshe ben Menachem, a Jewish scribe and artist, was written for the Yamim Nora’im. It features Hebrew text adorned with bird illustrations, silver and gold leaf, and decorative elements designed to make the pages shimmer. Eventually, the manuscript made its way to the international Rothschild family, where it remained until it was seized by the Nazis in the early years of World War II.

After sitting for decades on a library shelf, the manuscript was recently returned to the Rothschild heirs by the Austrian government and will be sold by Sotheby’s, with experts estimating a sale price between $5 million and $7 million.

“Illuminated Hebrew manuscripts are extraordinarily rare,” said Sharon Liberman Mintz, a Judaica expert at Sotheby’s. “They were costly to produce, so only a small number were created.” Mintz explained that Jewish communities throughout history were often destroyed or expelled, leaving their books behind. “Between destruction, upheaval, and migration, the fact that this survived 600 years is nothing short of miraculous,” she added, noting that crafting such a manuscript on parchment would have taken more than a year.

Dr. Katrin Kogman-Appel, a medieval manuscript scholar and professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Münster who examined the book for Sotheby’s, said the survival of any such volume from that era is exceptional. If the machzor is sold to a private collector, she said, it is critical that the buyer “make it accessible and visible at least to the scholarly community, and hopefully to the wider public.”

The New York Times reported that little is known about the manuscript’s first 400 years. It will be displayed at Sotheby’s in New York from December 11–16 ahead of its February 5 auction. In 1842, it was purchased for 151 gold coins by Salomon Mayer von Rothschild, a prominent Jewish banker in Austria and founder of the Vienna branch of the Rothschild Bank, as a gift for his son, Anselm Mayer von Rothschild. The machzor remained in family ownership for generations and eventually entered the library of French financier Mayer Alphonse James Rothschild.

During Germany’s annexation of Austria in March 1938, Baron Louis de Rothschild was detained at the airport while attempting to flee the country and was later imprisoned. The Nazis held him hostage for a year, forcing him to sign over his property and art collection. At the same time, Alphonse Rothschild and his wife Clarice were in London, and in their absence, the Gestapo emptied their Vienna palace—including the treasured machzor.

According to the New York Times, many of the Rothschilds’ finest artworks were shipped to Germany, while others were incorporated into Austrian museums. The machzor and additional volumes were transferred to the Austrian National Library.

After World War II, the Rothschild family managed to recover portions of their looted property. Austrian restitution laws eventually changed, leading the government in 1999 to return hundreds of artworks, furnishings, and jewels to heirs of families whose assets had been confiscated.

But the Rothschild manuscripts in the National Library went unnoticed and remained locked away for decades. In 2021, the Jewish Museum Vienna mounted an exhibition dedicated to the Rothschilds, which drew attention to the forgotten volumes.

“It sparked everyone’s curiosity about how the manuscript ended up in the library,” Mintz said. “The Rothschild family didn’t even know it was there. It sat on a shelf for 60 years and was never cataloged.” Following the exhibition, the Austrian government investigated the manuscript’s provenance and voluntarily agreed in 2023 to return it to the Rothschild heirs.

{Matzav.com}

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi issued an unusual set of sweeping restrictions today, ordering a halt to weekend releases, a ban on field navigation exercises, and significant limitations on troop movement and training until Friday morning, subject to ongoing operational assessments.

According to a report on i24, the directives took effect late Thursday afternoon as the military prepared for a powerful storm system expected to hit the country in the coming days. The goal, the army said, is to reduce movement and minimize risk to soldiers during hazardous weather conditions.

The orders sent to commanders prohibit releasing soldiers from their bases to return home from Thursday at 20:00 until Friday at 06:00. All foot or vehicle-based training is suspended unless a division-level general grants a specific exemption. All navigation exercises—of any kind—are completely forbidden, and marches or outdoor overnights are banned unless defined as essential operational needs by a regional division commander.

Physical training may continue only indoors, and operational activity will be restricted to essential missions. Movement of forces has also been sharply limited: operational foot or vehicle movements will require a demonstrated critical need, while administrative vehicle movement will require authorization from a colonel or branch commander.

The restrictions will remain in place until Friday at 06:00, with further updates to be issued by the Operations Directorate and the Ground Forces Command as weather and operational assessments evolve.

{Matzav.com}

Knesset Member Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, issued a sharply worded response on Wednesday to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara after she released a statement voicing her opposition to the government’s proposed draft law.

Bismuth accused the attorney general of attempting to divert public attention, writing on X: “Nice attempt, Adv. Miara, to deflect the discussion with your legal opinion, precisely on the day when dark questions are being raised regarding your involvement in the Sde Teiman affair. Nice try, but not this time.”

His comments came amid renewed controversy surrounding the investigation into the alleged leak in the Sde Teiman case. According to a report published yesterday by journalist Avishai Greenzweig on the i24NEWS website, Deputy Military Advocate for Operational Matters Gal Asael—appointed by Baharav-Miara to examine the leak—told police investigators that he acted with full coordination with senior officials in the State Prosecutor’s Office.

During his interrogation, when police accused him of conducting a negligent review, Asael reacted sharply and directed blame squarely at the attorney general.

“Not only am I not negligent, but there is no action I took for which I did not receive praise from the attorney general’s office,” Asael reportedly said. He added that senior prosecutors had described his review as “thorough and serious,” noting that the attorney general’s office had used that description in subsequent filings to the High Court. “So what do you want from me?” he asked.

Asael further insisted that every step he took was guided and supervised by the attorney general’s office. “All my actions were accompanied and directed by the attorney general’s bureau, which is well-versed in leak investigations and has far more experience than I do in this field. There is nothing criminal here on my part,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A ruling from the Supreme Court has set off a political earthquake in Texas, clearing the legal obstacles for the state to overhaul its congressional map. According to Rep. Keith Self, the decision could translate into a significant windfall of House seats for Republicans in 2026 and dramatically alter the national electoral landscape.

Speaking with Newsmax, Self said the outcome was long expected and entirely logical. “Well, frankly, we knew it was going to happen. It makes sense,” he remarked on Wake Up America Early, projecting a substantial jump in GOP representation. “We will go from 25 to 30 Republicans. We will add to our largest Republican delegation in Congress, and we will have 30 seats.”

Even with several senior lawmakers preparing to retire, Self noted that the incoming seats would keep the Texas GOP delegation heavily fortified. “We’re going to lose some tremendous voices. Chairman [Michael] McCaul, Chairman [Jodey] Arrington, in the next term. But we’re going to add five seats. I think we will continue to be a major force.”

The conversation turned next to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, the Dallas Democrat now attempting to unseat longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Her rising national presence, fueled by persistent media visibility, was characterized by Self as emblematic of a Democratic Party he views as led by its most ideological flank. “Look, the Progressive left controls the Democrat Party today. You look at AOC, you look at Jasmine Crockett. [Vermont Sen.] Bernie Sanders is now the patron saint of the Democrat Party,” he said. “I will tell you, I think that they are making waves across the Democrat Party.”

Self said the party’s centrists have been pushed to near extinction. “The moderate Democrat is almost a dinosaur today,” he argued, adding that he would be “delighted” to see Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Crockett leading the Democratic ticket in 2028. “They now rule the Democrat Party, the Progressive left,” he declared.

As immigration and cultural debates continue to dominate Texas politics, Self reiterated his long-standing warnings about ideological clashes with Western values. “It’s absolutely anathema, incompatible with the U.S. Constitution, with the ideas contained in the Declaration of Independence, with our rule of law, we are built on the freedom of the individual,” he said, referring to Islam and Sharia law.

He urged Americans to draw lessons from global history. “I mean, this is what they do,” he said. “History tells us we need to be very cautious about this, and we need to take the steps to defend our Western culture, our Western civilization, built on the freedom of the individual, consistent with civil society. They do not believe that.”

The discussion concluded with the economy, where Self credited President Donald Trump and GOP-led tax policy for early signs of improvement. “Well, I will tell you, the economy is starting to, we’re starting to see life in the economy,” he said. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act, approved less than half a year ago, is beginning to show results, he argued.

He predicted that the impact would soon become unmistakable. “I think the big change will come when they see their federal income tax returns,” he said. “So let’s just give it a few more months. We’re starting to see the green shoots of it. It’s going to explode soon.”

{Matzav.com}

Internal debate inside the Trump administration has intensified as senior officials explore imposing terrorism-related penalties on UNRWA, a move that has sparked fierce legal and humanitarian objections from within the State Department. Two individuals directly familiar with the conversations said the discussions have advanced far enough to alarm diplomats overseeing the U.N. portfolio.

UNRWA, the United Nations agency responsible for assisting Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, serves as a critical provider of education, food distribution, medical care, and emergency shelter. U.N. leaders and members of the Security Council have repeatedly described the agency as the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza, where the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas has produced catastrophic suffering.

The administration has taken a sharply different view, insisting the agency is compromised by Hamas ties—an accusation UNRWA has forcefully rejected. Washington, once the agency’s principal funder, halted all support in January 2024 after Israel alleged that several UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas assault that set off the war in Gaza.

The confrontation escalated further when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio charged in October that UNRWA had become “a subsidiary of Hamas,” a statement that sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles. Despite this rhetoric, insiders say administrators have not settled on whether they are considering sanctions against the entire organization or targeting only specific personnel or operations.

Among the ideas circulating is an FTO designation—labeling UNRWA a “foreign terrorist organization.” The sources said this has been debated at various points, though it remains unclear if it is still under active consideration. Such a label would financially suffocate the agency and sever it from support networks worldwide.

Officials warning against the move caution that disrupting UNRWA outright could devastate relief efforts for millions of displaced Palestinians already struggling amid a severe funding shortfall. The consequences, they argue, could be swift and dangerously destabilizing for the region.

Sanctioning a U.N. agency on terrorism grounds would be a dramatic departure from precedent, particularly given that the United States serves both as a founding member of the United Nations and its host nation. UNRWA was established in 1949 through a U.N. mandate designed to address post-war displacement.

William Deere, who oversees UNRWA’s Washington office, said the agency would be “disappointed” if speculation about an FTO designation proves accurate. He stressed that such a step would be “both unprecedented and unwarranted.” Deere added, “Since January 2024, four independent entities have investigated UNRWA’s neutrality including the U.S. National Intelligence Council. While occurring at different times and from different perspectives, they have all come to the same conclusion: UNRWA is an indispensable, neutral, humanitarian actor.”

A State Department official, responding to a request for comment, took the opposite tack, describing UNRWA as a “corrupt organization with a proven track record of aiding and abetting terrorists.” The official added, “Everything is on the table. No final decisions have yet been made.” The White House declined to comment.

While Washington has a broad menu of sanctions tools—including targeted asset freezes and travel bans—an FTO designation ranks among the severest, typically used only for entities known for intentional attacks on civilians, such as branches of al-Qaeda or the Islamic State.

The possibility of labeling any part of UNRWA as terrorist-linked also raises thorny diplomatic questions about whether foreign governments that fund the agency could themselves be exposed to secondary sanctions. Many of America’s closest allies finance UNRWA’s operations.

The U.N. has acknowledged that nine employees may have been involved in the Oct. 7 attack and were dismissed. Additionally, intelligence later revealed that a Hamas commander killed in Lebanon held a job with the agency. The U.N. has pledged to investigate every allegation thoroughly and continues to request documentation from Israel, which it says has not supplied the evidence it asserts exists.

Those who have followed the internal deliberations say career diplomats and legal experts have repeatedly raised alarms over both humanitarian implications and the legal defensibility of such sanctions. They noted that political appointees have largely driven the push to penalize the agency, while seasoned State Department personnel have urged caution.

One source said the issue has recently been taken up by the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and by members of the Policy Planning Staff, emphasizing how seriously some within the administration view the matter. Gregory LoGerfo, nominated to lead the counterterrorism bureau, has recused himself from all UNRWA-related deliberations pending Senate confirmation.

Israel has long advocated dismantling the agency, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branding UNRWA as an institution that fuels anti-Israeli hostility. As of Jan. 30, Israel formally barred UNRWA from operating on Israeli-controlled land—including East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed unilaterally—and suspended all coordination with its personnel. Despite a U.S.-mediated peace agreement between Israel and Hamas in October, ceasefire breaches remain frequent, and substantive advancements toward the agreement’s broader objectives have been slow.

The U.N. continues to report alarming casualty figures among its field staff, noting that more than 370 UNRWA employees have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began.

{Matzav.com}

As lawmakers continue struggling to push through a new draft law, a behind-the-scenes uproar erupted Tuesday over an attempt to slash funding for bnei yeshiva. United Torah Judaism announced early on that it would fight the move, while today, Shas rushed to release its own statement claiming the issue had already been resolved — sparking an embarrassing tussle over who deserved credit. Questions also resurfaced about a long-standing promise to anchor yeshiva funding in the state budget, a commitment that has never been fulfilled.

Although chareidi MKs are formally not part of the coalition, they are expected to support the state budget — reportedly in exchange for passage of a draft law, as pledged by Prime Minister Netanyahu. Meanwhile, efforts to chip away at support for the Olam HaTorah have not subsided.

This time, the budget for yeshiva students was at risk. Treasury officials, together with legal advisers, attempted to reduce funding by lowering the “point value,” the mechanism through which yeshivas receive state support per student.

The first to detect the move was Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni, who issued a statement Tuesday warning:

“The yeshiva budget is expected to drop sharply this month in the point value compared to previous months. This does not concern students who are obligated to enlist according to law, but rather avreichim and foreign students who are fully entitled to this support.”

Gafni added: “It is absurd that the legal advisers are preventing use of funds approved by the government and the Knesset for those eligible. I have contacted all relevant officials to address this immediately. We will not allow this to pass quietly!”

Later, UTJ released an official statement announcing that MK Uri Maklev would convene the faction before the Knesset plenary to address what they called “harassment by the bureaucracy and the Attorney General’s Office against the yeshiva budget.” Shas, at that time, remained silent.

Today, after chareidi lawmakers managed to settle the dispute with the prime minister, Shas rushed to issue the first announcement claiming the matter had been resolved — positioning themselves as the ones who delivered the solution.

The Shas statement read: “Good news for the Olam HaTorah: Through the efforts of Shas chairman Rabbi Aryeh Deri, the funds cut from the yeshiva world have been restored, and the point value will once again stand at approximately 400, as it did at the start of the year. As is known, due to the intervention of the legal advisers, the point value was cut this year to 320. This issue has now been settled.”

The party added: “Shas will continue fighting within the 2026 budget to raise the point value to the highest level it has ever been.”

UTJ published its own statement more than 50 minutes later, saying: “The UTJ faction convened this morning for an urgent session following the harassment by the bureaucracy and Attorney General’s Office against the yeshiva budget. Through the efforts of MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, funds were reallocated so the point value will not be reduced this month and will be paid at the same rate as in previous months.”

But their release also included a familiar — and embarrassing — pledge: “We will continue working to ensure that the yeshiva budget is included in the base budget for the coming academic year.”

The statement concluded by noting that funding for foreign students and welfare-related institutions “has still not been resolved,” and that the faction would continue working to address the issue.

What Is the “Point Value”?

The “point value” is the fixed amount the government pays a yeshiva per student, with each student type assigned a specific number of points. The total points determine how much state support the institution receives.

A yeshiva student typically counts as one point (around NIS 476–480), while a full-day kollel student is weighted at about 1.8 points (roughly NIS 846).

Nearly two years ago, the High Court ruled on aspects of this system, affecting how support is calculated. The government nevertheless found ways to continue funding yeshivas within the basic framework.

The Elusive Goal: Embedding Yeshiva Funding in the Base Budget

UTJ once again pledged — as it has many times in the past — to anchor the yeshiva budget directly into the state’s base budget rather than relying on coalition allocations. Despite repeated promises before and after elections, this goal has never been achieved.

During the Bennett–Lapid government, when chareidi parties sat in the opposition, the issue took on renewed urgency, and chareidi politicians declared that the next coalition would surely resolve it. That did not happen.

The central question remains: Why did chareidi lawmakers repeatedly agree to rely on temporary coalition funds for something so essential to their constituency, instead of legislating permanent funding in Knesset law?

One insider said: “Maybe we were complacent, thinking we’d be in power for 200 years and would never be thrown out. Bennett, Lapid, and Lieberman taught us a lesson. If we do even half of what they’re doing now, we’ll break records.”

MK Uri Maklev, who headed multiple coalition negotiations for UTJ, described the dilemma as a cost-benefit analysis: “The natural growth of the yeshiva world is ‘unnatural,’ so for every three million shekels we wanted to add, there were days of arguments. We exhausted every negotiation. We fought every time, but you have to know what’s worth fighting for and what isn’t.”

According to Maklev, the Treasury often offered a large one-time sum versus a much smaller permanent increase in the base budget. With many other community needs on the table, the chareidi parties opted for the one-time boosts.

Not everyone accepts that explanation. Some political insiders — including chareidi figures — argued that electoral considerations played a part:

“The truth is it served our political interest. It ensured people would keep voting for us.”

Others within Shas and UTJ rejected that claim: “This is not the only reason we’re in the Knesset. We have many other responsibilities. The yeshiva budget is not the centerpiece of our campaign messaging. Anyone saying otherwise just wants to provoke.”

Some critics pointed at former Finance Committee chairman MK Moshe Gafni: “He was the father and mother of the Finance Committee. How did he not insist this be included every budget cycle? Look at how Koushner is operating now — without brakes.”

Gafni responded sharply: “It’s ingratitude. I didn’t travel abroad; I worked day and night to approve every shekel — battling legal advisers and the media. I added 840 million shekels to the base budget when previously there were only 200 million. To claim I stopped incorporation of the yeshiva budget into the base budget, as if I’m in some internal election — it’s nonsense. It doesn’t interest me.”

Former Shas minister Meshulam Nahari added: “The entire chareidi funding framework is flawed. During the 2009 coalition talks, we had a genuine chance to legislate this and activate the automatic-growth mechanism, but it was lost due to political mistakes. This must be fixed through legislation. We cannot remain beggars.”

{Matzav.com}

A shocking antisemitic assault near a Miami Beach Jewish day school on Tuesday has prompted widespread outrage from city officials, parents, and community leaders. Police say a 38-year-old homeless repeat offender attacked a Jewish teacher just steps from Lehrman Community Day School, striking her, spitting at her, and hurling antisemitic slurs before destroying her cellphone.

According to investigators, the teacher had parked her car along the 500 block of 77th Street and was walking toward the school when the suspect, identified as Slemons Graves, approached her. Police say Graves spat directly in her face, shouted “dirty Jew,” slapped her on the left side of the head, and grabbed her cellphone, smashing it repeatedly until it shattered. The victim later told detectives she had been wearing a Magen David necklace at the time, further underscoring the antisemitic nature of the attack.

The teacher ran toward the school for safety, where a co-worker immediately alerted police. Officers arrived within minutes and launched a sweeping search of the area. Miami Beach police, park rangers, undercover detectives, and a drone operator formed a coordinated response, ultimately locating and arresting Graves. He is being held on multiple charges, including strong-arm battery and battery with prejudice, and remains in custody as a hate-crime investigation proceeds.

Parents at the school expressed shock and fear following the incident. Among them was sports agent Drew Rosenhaus, who has children enrolled at Lehrman. “It really hurts and it hits home,” he said.

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner issued a forceful condemnation, calling the assault “horrific.” In a social-media statement, he wrote: “A homeless repeat offender was arrested after a physical and verbal antisemitic attack on a Jewish teacher near Lehrman Community Day School. I spoke with our State Attorney’s Office and Police Chief to ensure this case is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including hate crime charges. We treat all hate crimes with zero tolerance in Miami Beach to protect our residents, schools, and communities.”

Commissioner David Suarez also denounced the assault, noting that he took the incident “personal” as a Jewish elected official.

Police say Graves will remain behind bars as detectives continue gathering evidence and preparing the case for prosecutors.

{Matzav.com}

The White House rolled out a major immigration initiative today as President Donald Trump revealed that the long-promised Trump Gold Card application portal is now operational. Announcing the launch on Truth Social, he proclaimed, “THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY! A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent. Live Site opens in 30 minutes!”

The idea behind the initiative emerged earlier this year, taking shape in September when Executive Order 14351 formally introduced a new investor-based immigration track. Designed to accelerate permanent residency for applicants with substantial financial means, the program describes itself as a “fast-track” route for affluent individuals seeking a U.S. Green Card.

At the signing ceremony, President Trump underscored the program’s financial promise for the country, remarking, “We’re taking in hundreds of billions of dollars. The Gold Card will be taking in hundreds of billions of dollars, and companies will be able to keep some people they need. They need people of expertise, great expertise.”

While the Gold Card is the centerpiece, the system is tiered. Alongside it stands a corporate version geared for employers and, above both, a top-tier Platinum Card that adds significant benefits for the highest investors.

Applicants entering through the individual Gold Card lane must submit a one-time $1 million “gift,” a non-refundable contribution, along with a separate $15,000 processing fee payable to the Department of Homeland Security. Fees vary by tier, but all require substantial capital commitments.

Companies hoping to secure quick immigration clearance for prized employees can obtain a Trump Corporate Gold Card at a cost of $2 million plus the same $15,000 DHS processing fee. This corporate card is transferable, allowing firms to reassess staffing needs by shifting the benefit to another employee with only a 5% transfer charge and a new DHS background check.

At the top end, the Trump Platinum Card demands a $5 million payment in addition to standard processing fees. Its most notable perk is the ability for its holders to remain in the United States for up to 270 days each year without U.S. taxation on income earned abroad. Additional minor State Department charges may apply across all tiers.

With the website now active, applications officially opened on Wednesday, greeting prospective applicants with the pitch: “Unlock life in America.” Current instructions outline the steps:

Visitors begin at https://trumpcard.gov/, where individuals may choose between the Trump Gold Card and the forthcoming Trump Platinum Card, while employers can opt for the Trump Corporate Gold Card. At present, the Gold Card and the corporate version are live, while Platinum remains marked “coming soon.”

After choosing a program, applicants are guided to supply detailed personal information, including name, contact information, birth details, citizenship status, home address, and number of dependents. Once the form is complete, users proceed to checkout, where the DHS processing fee is listed as $15,375. Credit card payments incur an added 2.5% charge.

{Matzav.com}