Matzav

A revamped peace initiative crafted jointly by the United States and Ukraine emerged Monday, replacing the uproar-inducing 28-point outline circulated days earlier with a far more balanced 19-point framework, according to multiple reports. The newly drafted proposal sharply departs from the earlier document that had sparked intense criticism for tilting heavily toward Moscow’s demands.

Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya said that negotiators on both sides came away “positive” after reshaping the proposal. This latest draft drops the suggestion of capping Ukraine’s troop levels and removes language offering sweeping amnesty for atrocities committed during Russia’s invasion, the Financial Times reported.

Kyslytsya emphasized that the new version bears virtually no resemblance to the earlier leaked text, which had placed lopsided burdens on Kyiv while asking little of Moscow. The details remain mostly under wraps, but Ukrainian officials made clear that the reworked plan drastically shifts the balance.

“Very few things are left from the original version,” Kyslytsya told the outlet about the revised document. “We developed a solid body of convergence, and a few things we can compromise on.”

The abandoned 28-point draft had insisted Ukraine shrink its armed forces from roughly 900,000 service members to 600,000, and even required Kyiv to surrender the entire Donbas region—territory Russia has repeatedly tried and failed to seize for over a decade.

That earlier proposal also demanded that Ukraine permanently forfeit aspirations for NATO membership, offering in return only ambiguous security assurances that critics warned would do nothing to deter another potential Russian onslaught.

Following Sunday’s discussions in Geneva between Ukrainian representatives and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Kyslytsya confirmed that any plan to slash Ukraine’s military strength “was no longer on the table.”

US and Ukrainian officials similarly agreed to remove the blanket amnesty provision for Russian war crimes. The updated framework, according to the FT, would instead aim to address “the grievances of those who suffered in the war.”

Still, major questions remain unresolved. Russia’s territorial demands—and its insistence that Ukraine be permanently barred from joining NATO—have yet to be negotiated. Those thorny issues, Kyslytsya noted, will ultimately require direct talks between Trump and Zelensky, with Washington preparing to present the revised document to Moscow in the coming days.

“It’s on the Russians to show if they are genuinely interested in peace or will find a thousand reasons not to engage,” Kyslytsya said.

Earlier Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the original 28-point outline as something that could “form the basis for a final peace settlement” with Ukraine. He remarked that its terms largely reflected discussions he held with Trump during their Alaska summit earlier this year, signaling Moscow’s readiness to continue negotiating.

Whether the Kremlin will view the updated plan as acceptable remains an open question. Kyiv’s input has significantly reshaped the contours of the agreement, leaving Moscow to decide how far it is willing to bend.

Trump, who has repeatedly said that the initial 28-point plan was not a “final offer,” characterized the Geneva meetings as encouraging—hinting that “something good just may be happening” as his administration presses ahead in pursuit of an elusive peace.

{Matzav.com}

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir made a deeply personal appearance last night at a wedding in Kfar Chabad — the wedding of a young man whose life he saved as an infant more than two decades ago.

Zamir attended the wedding of Menachem Kirshenzhaft, a resident of the village. Twenty-two years earlier, during Zamir’s tenure as commander of the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade, he thwarted a terror attack and eliminated the gunman, an encounter that saved the life of baby Menachem and his family.

The original attack occurred on October 24, 2003. The family of Rabbi Yigal Kirshenzhaft, a Chabad shliach, was driving near the community of Neve Dekalim when, at around 9:30 p.m., a terrorist opened fire on their vehicle from the side of the road.

Rabbi Kirshenzhaft later described the frightening moments in an interview with Arutz Sheva. The car was carrying his family and several hitchhikers when suddenly, “about a hundred meters after entering the Gush, gunfire erupted toward the vehicle from the shoulder of the road. We heard the shots and bullets started flying inside the car. The windows shattered and I yelled to my wife,” he recalled.

The family continued driving for another hundred meters as the barrage continued. The rabbi’s wife was lightly injured, as were three of their children. Their one-year-old son was struck lightly by shrapnel. “The entire baby seat next to the window that shattered was filled with fragments,” the rabbi said at the time.

Ynet reported that Zamir raced to the scene in a military jeep with additional soldiers, located the terrorist hiding behind a bush, and fatally shot him. Since that night, Zamir has remained in contact with the Kirshenzhaft family.

At the wedding, Zamir told the family emotionally: “I’ve had many encounters with terrorists, but this was a miracle from Heaven. The entire vehicle was riddled with bullets while the whole family — including the baby who is now the groom — was inside, and no one was hurt. So that today we can stand here and celebrate Menachem’s wedding.”

{Matzav.com}

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Four years after the deadly terror attack near the community of Chomesh, a military court has convicted one of the terrorists involved in the murder of Yehuda Dimentman Hy”d as part of a plea bargain arranged with the Military Prosecution.

As outlined in the agreement, the defendant admitted to murdering Dimentman and to trafficking in military equipment. In return, prosecutors removed the charges relating to the attempted murder of Dimentman’s two friends, who were wounded during the shooting.

The December 2021 ambush occurred just outside Chomesh in the northern Shomron. Dimentman, a resident of Shavei Shomron, was heading home from yeshiva with two fellow students when terrorists lying in wait opened fire at close range. He was killed instantly, and his two companions were injured.

According to the indictment, the attackers had prepared an ambush for the car carrying Dimentman and his friends, firing from close range into the vehicle. The document also reveals that the terrorists planned to abduct Dimentman’s body and hide it along a side trail near the village of Burka, a plot that security forces ultimately prevented.

Dimentman leaves behind his parents, eleven siblings, his wife Atia, and their nine-month-old son, David.

The shooting also wounded two other Israelis — Avia Antman and Neriya Shlomo Feldman — one moderately and the other lightly.

Attorney Chaim Bleicher of the Honenu legal organization, who represents the Dimentman family, issued a forceful statement condemning the attacker:

“This is a vile terrorist who acted to harm the existence of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. The terrorist did not act in a vacuum but came from a society of murderers. It is time to expel the Islamic enemy from the land to prevent any possibility of the terrorist’s release in the future. We will demand in court that he be required to pay substantial compensation, thereby deterring future attackers.”

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that a central element of President Donald Trump’s peace blueprint — the requirement that Ukraine and the world formally accept Russia’s control over some of the land it seized in the east — is stopping the negotiations cold. Addressing Sweden’s Parliament, he said that one portion of the plan essentially asks Ukraine to sign away part of its sovereign territory.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants legal recognition to what he has stolen, to break the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty,” adding that “that’s the main problem. You all understand what that means.” The Ukrainians’ refusal to bless any territorial carve-outs remains their largest sticking point with the U.S. proposal.

The dispute comes after U.S. and Ukrainian officials spent the weekend in Switzerland examining the full 28-point framework and even explored whether Zelenskyy should head to the U.S. this week as Trump aims — roughly — for a Thanksgiving-time breakthrough. Trump has insisted that the timeline is adjustable, noting that the proposal was “not my final” version.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio — who traveled to Geneva for the talks — painted a cautiously upbeat picture, saying “very, very meaningful” progress was made with both the Ukrainian and European representatives. He described the day as “probably the most productive day we have had on this issue” since Trump returned to the White House in January, while warning that he didn’t want to “declare victory or finality” yet. Negotiators, he said, still have unresolved points to hammer out.

European leaders echoed that mix of optimism and lingering concern. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said there were still “major issues which remain to be resolved” even as he praised the headway made in Geneva.

According to a Sunday night statement from the White House, American and Ukrainian officials have “drafted an updated and refined peace framework,” though Moscow complained Monday that the new draft had not yet been shared with them. Putin said late last week that the American plan could form the basis for a settlement, but cautioned that if Kyiv rejected it, Russian troops would continue pushing forward.

The blueprint, which U.S. officials say holds Trump’s full support, triggered sharp anxiety among several of Washington’s European partners, who view the document as tilting too far in Russia’s direction.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., Olga Stefanishyna, underscored that point during an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” saying her government had not signed on to all portions of the proposal.

{Matzav.com}

Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced Monday that its operatives had come across the body of a hostage while conducting excavation work in an area north of Nuseirat in central Gaza. The group said it “found” the remains earlier in the day, echoing details first reported by Al Jazeera. Despite the claim, neither Islamic Jihad nor Hamas issued any immediate statement about transferring the body back to Israel.

According to Israeli authorities, three murdered hostages are still being held somewhere in the Gaza Strip: Dror Or, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, and Thai citizen Sudthisak Rinthalak. Their remains have been unaccounted for since the terror groups seized them, and Israel has been pressing for their return.

Over the weekend, Arabic-language outlets reported that Hamas and Islamic Jihad had launched renewed efforts to track down the final three bodies. The reports indicated that both organizations were scrambling to locate them, and that the process had accelerated in recent days.

Video circulating online showed Islamic Jihad fighters overseeing digging operations in Nuseirat, with excavators — some marked with Egyptian flags — working near them. Those images underscored the scope of the search efforts underway in the center of the Strip.

Al Jazeera said the searches began Friday, with teams expanding into multiple locations after earlier attempts failed to yield results. The operations have reportedly grown more urgent as pressure mounts to fulfill commitments made in negotiations.

Meanwhile, the Saudi outlet Asharq al-Awsat reported that Hamas was conducting an additional search in the Zeitoun area, south of Gaza City, focused on recovering another body believed to be held there. The group has been combing through several neighborhoods as part of its efforts.

Under the terms of the current ceasefire framework, the terror groups are obligated to return all bodies they are holding. They have claimed that repeated searches have not yet succeeded in locating the last of the remains — assertions Israeli officials have openly questioned.

The most recently recovered slain hostage was Meny Godard, who was murdered and taken captive from Kibbutz Be’eri. His body was returned on November 13, marking the last confirmed transfer prior to this latest announcement.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon used today’s Security Council session on the Middle East to deliver a forceful message directly to Palestinian Authority envoy Riyad Mansour. Danon confronted him across the table, arguing that the PA’s security establishment has failed to rein in violence in Judea and Samaria.

While speaking in the chamber, Danon charged that the PA’s sizable armed forces have done little to curb militancy. He pointed out that armed cells continue to flourish under the Authority’s watch and that its security apparatus has allowed dangerous networks to expand without interference. “The Palestinian Authority is unable to stop terrorism even in Judea and Samaria. It has more than 32,000 armed operatives. The PA has proven incapable of confronting radicals. Terror groups operate openly. Iranian weapons slip in unchecked. Extremists grow stronger because no one stops them,” Danon told the PA representative.

Danon said that Israel is consistently forced to step in where the Authority refuses to act. He argued that Israeli forces are compelled to dismantle what the PA ignores and to seize caches of weapons that pass through unchecked. “Israel has to step in to seize the weapons the PA ignores to dismantle the cells it won’t confront and to disarm the terrorists it refuses to challenge,” he declared.

The ambassador stressed that any entity that rewards extremists rather than dismantling them cannot be considered a legitimate governing option for the future. He reiterated that such conduct disqualifies the PA from any role in Gaza’s next chapter. “Those who are unable to confront terrorists and continue to reward them are the problem, not the solution, and they will certainly not rule Gaza,” Danon concluded.

{Matzav.com}

The Pentagon has launched a formal inquiry into Sen. Mark Kelly after President Donald Trump blasted him for what he labeled seditious conduct, thrusting a previously obscure video into the center of a high-stakes military-political clash. Officials signaled that the review could escalate into court-martial proceedings, an extraordinary step for a sitting senator with a military career.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth pointed directly to a video released days earlier by Kelly (D-Ariz.) and five other Democratic veterans, where they urged service members to “refuse illegal orders.” That message ignited outrage within the administration and drew Trump’s furious condemnation.

In responding to the uproar, the Department of War stressed in a written statement that the process will remain grounded in military law. “This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality,” the department said, reminding personnel that “All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice] to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful.”

The statement went further, underscoring a long-standing principle: “A servicemember’s personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order.”

Hegseth later clarified that most of the Democrats in the video fall outside his jurisdiction because they either served in agencies like the CIA or did not retire from military service. Kelly, however, did retire, making him subject to the UCMJ.

On social media, Hegseth excoriated the group. “The video made by the ‘Seditious Six’ was despicable, reckless, and false,” he wrote on X. “Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of ‘good order and discipline.’ Their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in danger.”

He added that investigators are evaluating Kelly’s conduct specifically because the senator addressed “all troops while explicitly using his rank and service affiliation—lending the appearance of authority to his words.” According to Hegseth, “Kelly’s conduct brings discredit upon the armed forces and will be addressed appropriately.”

Kelly said he first learned of the probe from Hegseth’s public post. He rejected the implication that he was trying to stir insubordination and said he would not be intimidated. “If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’t work,” Kelly declared.

“I’ve given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies who care more about their own power than protecting the Constitution,” he added.

The disputed video—featuring Kelly, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, and Reps. Jason Crow, Maggie Goodlander, Chris Deluzio, and Chrissy Houlahan—urged troops to remain loyal to the Constitution and resist “illegal orders.” None of the six cited any specific directive they believed warranted refusal.

Reaction from Trump and his allies was swift and blistering. “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,” Trump thundered on Truth Social. He demanded severe consequences: “Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.” At one moment, he even reposted, “Hang them George Washington would.”

Democratic leaders quickly urged heightened protection for the targeted lawmakers, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warning of potential threats.

By the weekend, Trump dialed back his language slightly—though still insisting the six Democrats belonged in jail. Despite the controversy, all six lawmakers have refused to retract or walk back the video.

A federal judge has abruptly shut down the criminal proceedings targeting James Comey and Letitia James, ruling that the Justice Department had no legal basis to install the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s demand. The decision instantly halted the prosecutions and signaled a major judicial rebuke of the administration’s attempt to handpick an inexperienced loyalist to helm a premier federal office.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie’s ruling concluded that Lindsey Halligan’s appointment was unlawful, making her the latest Trump-backed prosecutor removed for the same reason. Though both defendants pleaded for the cases to be dismissed with prejudice, which would have permanently blocked any future prosecution, the judge opted for dismissal without prejudice. For now, there is no clear indication of whether the Justice Department will attempt to resurrect the indictments.

The dispute over Halligan’s appointment was only one front in a broader attack by both Comey and James. Each has accused the Justice Department of mounting politically driven prosecutions, and Comey’s team separately flagged significant issues in the grand jury process. Those arguments, still unresolved, have not yet been addressed by the court.

Monday’s ruling focused solely on the way the Trump administration installed Halligan—who previously served as a White House aide and had never worked as a prosecutor—to run an elite U.S. attorney’s office. Her elevation occurred after Erik Siebert, then interim U.S. attorney, was effectively pushed out following pressure from the administration to bring charges against Trump’s adversaries.

Comey’s lawyers argued that once Siebert resigned, the judges of the district alone had authority to name a replacement. Instead, Trump tapped Halligan while openly urging Bondi on social media to move against his critics, posting, “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” Just days later, prosecutors indicted Comey on obstruction of Congress and false-statement charges, and James was soon accused of mortgage-related wrongdoing.

Reacting to the dismissal, James said, “I am heartened by today’s victory and grateful for the prayers and support I have received from around the country.” She added, “I remain fearless in the face of these baseless charges as I continue fighting for New Yorkers every single day.”

Federal judges in multiple districts—including New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Nevada—have also ruled that interim U.S. attorneys appointed under similar circumstances were improperly installed, though cases in those jurisdictions were allowed to continue. Attorneys for Comey and James insisted that the situation here was more extreme, as Halligan alone signed and propelled the indictments.

Comey has long been one of Trump’s most persistent foes. Appointed in 2013 during President Barack Obama’s administration, he was leading the FBI’s probe into potential coordination between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. Trump removed him in May 2017, triggering years of public friction and political combat between the two men.

{Matzav.com}

As the Knesset prepares to renew deliberations on the proposed draft law in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, a senior Chareidi official involved in the negotiations is revealing what he calls the real picture behind the emerging legislation. According to him, the current draft will not result in additional Chareidi enlistment — and is unlikely to withstand a legal challenge.

The source explained that the framework being discussed is designed to preserve the existing situation, not change it. “The current version of the law won’t bring more Chareidim into the IDF over the next two years,” he said. “Out of the target of 10,000 Chareidi recruits over two years, the requirement is only to reach 75%, and 10% of that can be national service. In other words, sanctions won’t apply unless recruitment falls below 75% of the targets.”

He noted that the proposal essentially formalizes the status quo. “The new draft law is an attempt to create wording that ensures what was is what will be. Everyone understands it won’t pass judicial review. The law will recruit the same number of Chareidim as today, when there is no law at all — around 3,000 a year.”

For that reason, the official believes the legislation is unlikely to survive scrutiny in the High Court of Justice. Its primary purpose, he said, is political: to show that efforts are being made to regulate the status of yeshiva students. “The law is very likely not going to pass, and even if it passes, it won’t survive the High Court. Attias drafted the law so he can show the rabbonim that real steps were taken to fix the situation — maybe it will even bring us back into the government, with or without actual legislation.”

He added that discussions could still take a sharp turn once the committee begins its formal debate. One scenario under consideration stems from the committee’s legal adviser, who has proposed significantly raising the first-year recruitment requirement. “If the demand increases to 7,500 in the first year, then we would really have to bring in another 1,500 Chareidim immediately,” the senior official said.

{Matzav.com}

An emotional scene unfolded during the Satmar Rebbe’s visit to the Or HaGanuz community near Meron, where he had gone to perform the mitzvah of separating terumos umaasros from the past year’s wine at the local winery. What appeared to be a routine stop on his trip revealed a hidden act of generosity that even his closest associates did not anticipate.

During the visit, the Rebbe met with members of the Badatz of the Eidah HaChareidis in Yerushalayim. At the height of the gathering, as those present watched in silence, the Rebbe unexpectedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a sealed envelope. Inside was a staggering check: one million dollars.

The Rebbe handed the envelope to Badatz member Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Ullman. The purpose of the donation was explicit — the funds were to be distributed among “mosdos al taharas hakodesh in Eretz Yisroel,” institutions that operate with strict adherence to their principles and refuse to accept any financial support from the Israeli government.

The gesture was so discreet and so sudden that even those closest to the Rebbe had been completely unaware. Only after leaving Yerushalayim did he decide to make the unprecedented gift, with no publicity, no ceremonial welcome, and none of the honorific events that typically accompany donations of such scale.

Rav Ullman, visibly shocked by the enormity of both the sum and the Rebbe’s modesty, expressed his astonishment. “In all the years that I have sat on the beis din hagadol, I have seen that anyone who gives a sum like one million dollars to mosdos al taharas hakodesh, the event itself — the ceremony — usually costs another two million dollars!”

He added, “And here, for the first time, someone gave such an amount — with no ceremony, no event, no expectation of recognition.”

The Rebbe requested that the distribution of the money take place only once he had returned to the United States, and specifically close to Chanukah, emphasizing that he did not want to be in Eretz Yisroel when the funds were handed out.

{Matzav.com}

A newly installed elevator was completed last week at the home of Rav Berel Povarsky, senior member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and rosh yeshivas Ponovezh, just hours before leading Gedolei Yisroel arrived for a late-Thursday-night gathering.

On Thursday night, Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch convened at Rav Povarsky’s home on Ben Zakai Street in Bnei Brak. For the first time, the visiting roshei yeshiva did not need to climb the steep staircase that has long led to the apartment.

Earlier that day, a brief ceremony was held to affix a mezuzah to the entrance of the new elevator that now leads directly into Rav Povarsky’s home.

For years, Rav Povarsky was required to ascend the building’s stairs each time he returned home, a task that had become increasingly difficult. His devoted talmidim and close confidants resolved to install an elevator for the Rosh Yeshiva and the Rebbetzin, funded generously by donors.

With construction completed at the end of last week, Rav Povarsky asked his talmid, the noted posek Rav Yehuda Aryeh Dinner, rov of Central Bnei Brak, to clarify the halachic requirements regarding where to place the mezuzah. After weighing several considerations, Rav Dinner issued a ruling, and the mezuzah was affixed only a few hours before the arrival of the Gedolei Yisroel.

During the gathering at Rav Povarsky’s home, several fundraising efforts were conducted. Afterwards, the Gedolei Yisroel spoke privately, reviewing the current draft-law proposal.

Before departing, the roshei yeshiva addressed the crowd that had assembled in the apartment. They reassured the public that the new draft legislation “will not harm those who are truly devoted to learning Torah.”

{Matzav.com}

A new guide from Australian early-childhood specialists has ignited fresh controversy by proposing that parents treat diaper changes as an opportunity to practice consent — even with infants who can’t yet speak, the NY Post reports. The advice challenges long-standing assumptions about what a routine cleanup should look like.

The researchers argue that parents should announce what they’re about to do and give the baby a chance to absorb the message. As they put it: “At the start of a nappy change, ensure your child knows what is happening. Get down to their level and say, ‘You need a nappy change,’ and then pause so they can take this in.”

The recommendation is part of a November 2025 guide published by Deakin University, which urges caregivers to rethink the speed and style with which they approach this otherwise hectic task. The team suggests slowing down and treating the process as an early lesson in bodily awareness rather than something to “just get done.”

Their guidance goes beyond giving a heads-up. Parents are encouraged to frame diaper time as a dialogue — even if the child cannot respond. “Then you can say, ‘Do you want to walk [or] crawl with me to the [changing] table, or would you like me to carry you?’” the researchers advise, adding, “Observe their facial expressions and body language to check if they understand what is happening.”

From their perspective, this moment can teach fundamental ideas about autonomy. “This can be a time to help children learn about consent and how their bodies work,” they explain.

The Deakin team also proposes involving babies physically during the process, prompting them with statements like, “Can you please lift up your bottom so I can slide your nappy out?” They insist that “These habits plant the seed of the idea that a child has the right to say what happens to their body.”

Child-development professionals in the United States told The NY Post that while infants can’t converse, narrating actions is still meaningful. Yamalis Diaz, a clinical child psychologist at NYU Langone Health, says parents can use diaper changes to normalize conversations about privacy and boundaries long before children develop language. “This is more about integrating the teaching of consent into the [adult’s] parenting practices early on,” Diaz said. “It’s aimed at increasing the parents’ awareness of all the ways that the need for consent occurs in a child’s life.”

Diaz adds that starting early helps ensure such conversations remain “part of the conversations throughout early development,” making boundary-setting more natural. “Parents and kids will be more comfortable talking about and establishing boundaries,” she said.

NYC psychotherapist Lesley Koeppel echoes that sentiment. “Babies cannot verbally agree or disagree, but parents can still narrate what they are doing,” she told The Post. “This builds a foundation for bodily autonomy long before a child has language.” She stresses, though, that these exchanges should be understood symbolically: “The validity of this approach lies in its message. You matter. Your body matters. I will always tell you what I am doing.” According to her, that message “becomes the template for healthy boundaries later in life.”

The Deakin researchers warn that traditional diaper-changing habits — such as entertaining the child with toys or songs — may blur a child’s perception of what is happening to their body during an intimate task. “It’s important children notice when someone is touching their most intimate parts,” they state, encouraging parents to keep the moment grounded and consistent. “Even in early infancy, children can respond to consistent verbal cues,” they add, recommending that parents maintain familiar language and stable routines.

They also urge the use of anatomically correct terminology when cleaning or bathing a child. “Parents may feel uncomfortable doing this and think more childish names should be used,” they acknowledge. “But this keeps children safe, as it means they can then inform trusted adults about their experiences with all the people who care for them.”

Despite the criticism the advice has drawn, the authors insist the intention is to lighten, not increase, the burden on parents. “The habits we outline above may also seem to add more work to the already demanding parental load,” they concede. “So try and do them as often as possible and be kind to yourself if every nappy change isn’t a perfect moment of connection.”

“You are supporting a small child after all.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s intelligence establishment is escalating its rhetoric, alleging that outside powers are working to undermine the regime and even eliminate its top leader. According to an AFP dispatch, officials in Tehran say the United States and Israel are at the center of what they describe as an intensified campaign against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In remarks carried by the ISNA news agency, intelligence minister Esmail Khatib warned, “The enemy seeks to target the supreme leader, sometimes with assassination attempts, sometimes with hostile attacks.” His comments represent one of the few times in recent years that Iranian leadership has publicly suggested a direct threat against Khamenei’s life.

Tehran frequently accuses foreign nations of covert operations, but such explicit claims about attempts on the supreme leader had rarely surfaced before the 12-day Israel–Iran conflict that erupted in June. Against that backdrop, Khatib cast a wide net of blame, insisting, “Those who act in this direction, knowingly or unknowingly, are the infiltrating agents of the enemy,” a pointed reference to both Washington and Jerusalem.

Iran’s accusations come months after the June confrontation, during which Israel carried out strikes on high-ranking Iranian military figures, nuclear scientists, infrastructure targets, and residential areas. The United States later entered the fray with attacks on several strategic nuclear sites.

In the midst of that conflict, ABC News questioned Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu about whether Israel would attempt to kill Khamenei. He replied that the assumption that eliminating Iran’s supreme leader would necessarily intensify the regional crisis was unfounded, declining to rule the possibility out.

Amid the fallout from the war, President Donald Trump later declared that he had saved Khamenei “from a very ugly death” during the hostilities — an assertion that added another layer of friction to an already volatile situation.

Khamenei, now 86, has served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, maintaining ultimate control over the political, military, and religious hierarchy of the Islamic Republic.

{Matzav.com}

Colombian authorities detained members of a remnant Lev Tahor radical group this week and removed 17 minors from their custody, according to local reports. Officials say the families involved were attempting to re-form the cult after its collapse in recent months — but were discovered and stopped by law enforcement.

The operation took place in Yarumal, Antioquia, and was led by Colombia’s immigration authority. Local media said the raid included military support after officials received reports of foreign minors present in the area under “possible risk conditions.”

In total, authorities located 26 foreign nationals connected to Lev Tahor — nine adults and seventeen children. Five of the minors had active Interpol yellow notices, meaning they were flagged as being at risk for human trafficking, kidnapping, or exploitation. Immigration officials said those five children held Canadian, American, and Guatemalan citizenship.

The group had reportedly traveled into Colombia on October 22 and 23 from New York. Their attempt to establish a new communal enclave followed the recent dismantling of Lev Tahor operations in Guatemala, where most families had dispersed to the United States, Canada, and Israel.

Officials say about seven families were involved in the new effort to rebuild the cult. Representatives from the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) participated in the intervention, and the group has since been transferred to an immigration services center. Authorities have not yet determined whether they will be deported to the United States or Guatemala.

Despite being incarcerated in New York on a long prison term for multiple crimes, cult leader Nachman Helbrans — son of the group’s late founder — is believed to still be directing its remaining members from behind bars, attempting to revive the organization.

{Matzav.com}

A severe and deeply troubling security breach occurred at Ben Gurion Airport over the weekend, when a man wanted for police questioning managed to flee the country by impersonating his twin brother — all while officers from the Population and Immigration Authority were actively pursuing him.

According to an i24NEWS report by Lee Ayash, the suspect, in his 40s, successfully passed through border control and even the biometric verification system using his brother’s passport. Despite using a document that was not his, he was not flagged at any checkpoint and boarded a flight to Bulgaria, where he is currently located.

The suspect is wanted on allegations that he assaulted his wife.

Meanwhile, the twin brother who remained in Israel was detained. He initially told police he had no knowledge of the escape plan, but investigators say evidence they uncovered indicates otherwise. His arrest has been extended. The Population and Immigration Authority stated that the incident will undergo a thorough internal review.

This alarming breach is not the only major security failure at Ben Gurion Airport in recent months. Approximately two months ago, a 13-year-old boy managed to infiltrate an El Al aircraft without passing security screening, passport control, or supervised boarding procedures. The boy was only discovered by flight attendants moments before takeoff, preventing what officials described as a potentially catastrophic situation.

Initial questioning in that case revealed that the teenager entered the airport’s secure area by tailgating another passenger. His infiltration triggered serious concern among airport authorities and the airline. He was immediately transferred to security forces and police for further investigation, while El Al and the Israel Airports Authority launched an urgent inquiry into the incident.

{Matzav.com}

One day before Hamas unleashed its devastating assault on October 7, a highly unusual intelligence alert quietly arrived at the Yarkon base of Unit 8200, according to a new report. Channel 12 News reports that the message referenced the activation of a significant weapons-related system in the northern Gaza region—an activity that, under normal conditions, should have set off loud alarms across the broader operational arena.

Security personnel had tracked Hamas members clearing out storage structures and maneuvering in a way that did not match their standard patterns. Such behavior typically demands immediate dissemination of warnings through direct communication. Instead, the information was sent solely through email, bypassing the urgent channels routinely used for time-sensitive threats.

Because this message landed just hours before the onset of Simchas Torah, no one in the Gaza Division logged into the system to read it. As a result, the warning effectively vanished into an unopened inbox, leaving the field unaware of the potentially explosive shift taking place on the other side of the border.

The alert had come in late Friday afternoon into the night. As Shabbos progressed, more unusual movements appeared in the region, but without that initial warning, the emerging pattern failed to register as an imminent danger. The dots were never connected.

Earlier in the week—from Tuesday through Thursday—intelligence officers had collected other pieces of information related to Hamas’ weapons deployments. These findings were assessed as routine at the time, insufficient to push the sector into a higher level of readiness, yet in hindsight, they formed part of a chain pointing toward escalation.

Lt. Col. A., the intelligence officer for the Gaza Division who was later relieved of his post by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, did receive the alert but judged the developments as nothing more than a Hamas “show of force.” The evaluation was never brought to the situational briefing, leaving senior commanders unaware that anything had changed on the ground.

Responding to the revelations, the IDF stated: “The IDF has conducted and presented a wide range of in-depth investigations into the events of the morning of October 7 and the night preceding it. The findings were presented to the families, the injured, relevant decision-makers, the media, and the public. The investigations included lessons and insights, and the IDF in general – and Unit 8200 in particular – are working to implement them.”

{Matzav.com}

it is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yisroel Eliezer Hager zt”l, Av Beis Din of Seret Vizhnitz in Yerushalayim, who was niftar at the age of 74.

Rav Hager was born in Haifa to his father, Rav Moshe Hager, Rosh Yeshivas Seret Vizhnitz and mechaber of Birchas Moshe, and his mother, Rebbetzin Alte Perl, daughter of Rav Chaim Menachem Dovid Horowitz, the last Rebbe of the Dzhikov dynasty.

As a child he was raised under the illuminating presence of his saintly grandfather, the Mekor Baruch, who showered him with love and warmth and formed the foundation of his avodas Hashem. At his bar mitzvah, his uncle, the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz, placed tefillin on him for the first time while in Tzfas.

Rav Yisroel Eliezer later married his rebbetzin, shetichyeh, the daughter of Rav Shmuel Shmelke Rubin, the Solitza Rebbe in the United States.

After living for a time in Haifa, he eventually settled in Yerushalayim, where he established the Seret Vizhnitz beis medrash on Grossberg Street. There he delivered shiurim, uplifted mispalleli, and published sefarim drawn from the Torah of his holy forebears.

Despite his illustrious yichus—his brother and cousins all serving as Rebbes—Rav Yisroel Eliezer consistently declined any form of leadership or public position. Even as prominent Rebbes became his mechutanim, he continued to avoid the spotlight, choosing instead to live with sincerity, tznius, and quietness.

In recent years, despite enduring harsh yissurim, he accepted everything with love and unwavering emunah. On Rosh Hashanah, as in previous years, he stayed by the Vizhnitz Rebbe, his mechutan and shvogger, where he was accorded great kavod and honored with aliyos and other kibbudim.

Only two weeks ago, on Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, he was still zocheh to participate in the tenaim of his grandson, the son of Rav Menachem Mendel Hager.

In the last days, his condition suddenly deteriorated. After being hospitalized in critical condition, surrounded by his family, he was niftar as they stood at his side.

Rav Yisroel Eliezer leaves behind a distinguished dor of bnei Torah. His rebbetzin survives him, as does his only brother, the Shatz Vizhnitz Rebbe. His sons are Rav Menachem Mendel, a son-in-law of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe; Rav Baruch, a son-in-law of the Kretchnifer Rebbe; Rav Yaakov, a son-in-law of the Pittsburgh Rebbe zt”l and the mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivas Vizhnitz in Ashdod; and Rav Meir Emanuel, Rav of the Ratzfert kehillah in Beit Shemesh. His sons-in-law include Rav Yehuda Aryeh Halberstam, son of the Gorlitzer Rebbe; Rav Yisroel Tzvi Lemberger, son of the Makover Rav of Ashdod; and Rav Yechiel Yehoshua Rabinowitz, son of the Biala-Yashri Lev Rebbe. He is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The levayah will take place today at 4 PM from the Seret Vizhnitz Beis Medrash in Yerushalayim, proceed to the main Seret Vizhnitz beis medrash in Ramat Vizhnitz, Haifa, and from there continue to the ancient beis hachaim in Tzefas for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived in the Bedouin town of Lakiya overnight together with a massive police force, as part of an intensified campaign aimed at restoring governance and cracking down on crime across the Negev. Hundreds of Southern District officers, special units, and dozens of patrol vehicles took part in the operation, launched under the government’s “New Order” initiative.

Ben Gvir reached the area between Sunday night and Monday morning to oversee the activity firsthand and to meet with the forces deployed on the ground. He was accompanied by Southern District commander Maj.-Gen. Chaim Bublil, Deputy Police Commissioner Maj.-Gen. Avshi Peled, and additional senior commanders involved in the effort.

As the convoy entered Lakiya, tensions flared when MK Walid Al-Hawashla and the head of the Lakiya Regional Council attempted to create a confrontation. Ben Gvir responded sharply, telling them, “Governance is returning — and we are the ones in charge here.”

Throughout the tour, small-scale clashes broke out in several areas, but police continued the operation as planned. The sweep is part of a broader push to reestablish law and order in Negev communities, an issue the minister has repeatedly placed at the top of his agenda.

Ben Gvir said during the visit, “We will not back down. We are doing what hasn’t been done for 30 years. Those who behave properly — we will be good to them, and those who don’t — will be dealt with harshly. I understand that some residents find this difficult — they’ll have to overcome it. We came to remind everyone who is the boss in the State of Israel.”

The targeted killing of Hezbollah’s military chief, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, on Sunday surprised not only the terror organization but also officials in Washington, who were not told in advance whom Israel planned to strike, when it would happen, or where the operation would take place. According to a Channel 12 News report, the Trump administration learned the key details only after the mission had already concluded.

U.S. officials had received earlier indications from Israel that the northern front was sliding toward a security escalation due to delays in Hezbollah’s disarmament. Still, while they understood the direction Israel was heading, they had no knowledge of how that would translate into specific military action.

Even so, the lack of advance warning did not dampen Washington’s approval. Senior figures in the Trump administration — described as the most supportive Israel has ever had — openly welcomed the outcome of the strike. One top American official said, “We are pleased with the elimination of Hezbollah’s number two. We think it’s an excellent development. Congratulations. Mabrouk. Mazel tov.”

Officials also noted that in conversations held after the strike between U.S. representatives and the Lebanese government, Beirut did not voice sharp objections and did not ask Washington to pressure Israel in response.

{Matzav.com}