Matzav

Israel’s governing coalition has set an aggressive deadline to pass the long-delayed conscription law within two weeks, as the chareidi parties race against time to finalize the bill’s wording amid mounting political and legal pressure. The coming days are expected to determine not only the fate of the legislation, but also the stability of the government and the passage of the state budget.

Leaders of the chareidi parties acknowledge that every day without an approved conscription law weakens their position. As a result, coalition partners have decided to dramatically accelerate the process. According to a first report, the coalition’s goal is to complete the bill’s third and final reading in the Knesset within just fourteen days, in an effort to end a prolonged saga that has become a direct threat to the government’s survival.

Within the chareidi factions, the end of the current week has been marked as a critical milestone. Lawmakers are hoping that by then, the final version of the bill will be ready. Drafting the legislation remains the most complex hurdle, as significant disagreements between the various sides have yet to be fully resolved despite heavy coalition pressure and stated goodwill.

Attention is now focused on the legal adviser to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Miri Frenkel-Shor, who is tasked with translating political understandings into binding legal language that can withstand scrutiny.

The coalition’s plan calls for a rapid legislative “blitz.” Once the draft is completed, a comprehensive discussion on the revised text is expected to take place as early as Sunday. If that stage proceeds smoothly, committee votes to advance the bill are scheduled to begin the following Tuesday. The coalition’s ultimate objective is to bring the law to a decisive vote in the Knesset plenum the following Monday, formally closing the issue.

However, the ambitious timetable hinges on a single decisive factor: whether the version prepared by Frenkel-Shor by the end of the week will be acceptable to the Gedolei Yisroel. The days ahead are expected to be especially tense, with far-reaching implications not only for the future of the conscription framework, but for the coalition as a whole and for the approval of the state budget waiting in the wings.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Monday night that his administration is pursuing a $1 billion damages claim against Harvard University, intensifying a long-running dispute over federal funding and campus policies.

“We are now seeking One Billion Dollars in damages, and want nothing further to do, into the future, with Harvard University,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The announcement comes as the administration continues to challenge a December court ruling that found it acted unlawfully when it cut off more than $2 billion in federal grants to Harvard, barring further attempts to halt the university’s research funding.

Harvard has been at the center of a broader effort by the Trump administration to use federal dollars as leverage to compel changes at colleges and universities nationwide, which Trump has argued are dominated by antisemitic sentiment and “radical left” thinking.

Trump previously said the White House had been nearing an agreement with Harvard that would have required the university to pay $500 million, following extended negotiations focused on institutional policies.

Administration officials have repeatedly accused Harvard and other elite schools of advancing what they describe as “woke” ideology while failing to adequately safeguard Jewish students during pro-Palestinian demonstrations, backing those claims with legal filings and demands for substantial financial settlements.

Earlier Monday, The New York Times reported that Trump had withdrawn a demand for a $200 million settlement payment from Harvard after lengthy talks between the sides.

Speaking to reporters last September, Trump said discussions were approaching a $500 million settlement, which would have included provisions for opening trade schools as part of the agreement.

“They wanted to do a convoluted job training concept, but it was turned down in that it was wholly inadequate and would not have been, in our opinion, successful,” Trump said in his post late Monday evening.

“It was merely a way of Harvard getting out of a large cash settlement of more than 500 Million Dollars, a number that should be much higher for the serious and heinous illegalities that they have committed,” he added, without identifying which laws he believes the university violated.

“This should be a Criminal, not Civil, event,” he added, without detailing the legal grounds for criminal charges or the specific actions he contends would justify them.

{Matzav.com}

Nikki Haley criticized renewed diplomatic engagement with Iran on Monday, voicing opposition as Washington and Tehran move toward talks focused on Iran’s nuclear program.

In a message posted on social media, the former US ambassador to the United Nations argued that negotiations with Tehran are fundamentally flawed. “You can’t make a deal with a regime that lies about its nuclear production, oppresses its people, and spreads terror around the world. Iran can’t be trusted,” Haley wrote.

Her remarks came after reports indicated that US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are scheduled to meet Friday in Istanbul to explore the possibility of a nuclear agreement.

President Donald Trump has publicly urged Iran to come to terms with the United States over its nuclear activities, while also making clear that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.

Addressing reporters on Monday, Trump spoke about the ongoing discussions and the US posture toward Iran, saying, “We have big ships heading to Iran right now. The biggest and the best. We have talks going on with Iran, we will see how it all works out.”

He added further comments emphasizing uncertainty about the administration’s next steps. “I can’t tell you what I’m going to do, because right now we have a tremendous force going there, just like we did in Venezuela – even bigger. And they’ll be there soon,” continued Trump.

Trump went on to express a preference for a diplomatic resolution while warning of consequences if negotiations collapse. “I’d like to see a deal negotiated. I don’t know that that’s going to happen. But if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you. I’d be very foolish if I were to tell you. But right now we’re talking to them. We’re talking to Iran. And if we could work something out, that’d be great. And if we can’t, probably bad things will happen.”

Haley’s position echoed comments made a day earlier by Senator Lindsey Graham, who also rejected the idea of striking a deal with Iran and suggested that lasting stability in the region would require the collapse of the current Iranian leadership.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Graham argued that removing Iran’s rulers would have a transformative effect on the region. “The biggest thing you could possibly do to the Middle East is take this regime down, and they’re as weak as they’ve ever been since 1979,” he said.

Graham concluded by directly urging presidential action, adding, “Mr. President, you can do it, I hope you will do it,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Channel 12 News chief political analyst Amit Segal weighed in on a letter sent by families of Israeli hostages to Gal Hirsch, in which they called for his resignation and accused him of intimidating them while advancing the Prime Minister’s political agenda.

In his remarks, Segal referred to Hirsch’s assertion that the families’ messaging and that of Hamas had effectively aligned. “Gal Hirsch says they and Hamas essentially spoke in the same voice. We all know the videos Hamas released every Saturday included messages that were almost identical to what was said at the protests – for example, that Netanyahu is delaying a deal, that now is the time to stop the war, and that military pressure endangers the hostages’ lives. Those who later returned told us what they were instructed to say and what the objective was,” Segal said.

Segal went on to explain that such overlap in messaging raises difficult questions in the political arena. “There’s a rule in politics – when two enemies run the same campaign, one of them is wrong. I can accept the claim that we and Hamas said the same thing, but that we were right – because morally, Israel benefits from returning all the hostages. But don’t gaslight us and say it didn’t happen. Say that it was important on a moral level. Don’t say Hamas said one thing and we said the opposite – because that’s not what happened.”

He further stressed that his criticism was not directed at the act of protesting itself, noting the emotional impact those demonstrations had on captives. “There’s a claim often made in interviews with returning hostages, who said the protests warmed their hearts – and that is absolutely true. The point was never to say that protests are bad,” Segal clarified.

However, Segal argued that the broader narrative promoted at the time was counterproductive. “But the narrative that claimed there is only one way to bring the hostages back – by surrendering, withdrawing, ending the war, all of them now and at any price – that was a serious mistake. It did not help the effort to bring the hostages home,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Jews in New York City were the targets of 31 suspected hate crimes last month — roughly one incident per day — according to new figures released Monday by the New York City Police Department.

Those incidents represented 54 percent of the 58 total bias crimes reported citywide in January, making antisemitic offenses the largest single category during the month.

The January tally reflected a 182 percent increase compared with the same month last year, though it was lower than the 40 antisemitic incidents recorded in December. January also marked the first full month of the city’s new administration under Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

City officials noted that antisemitic crime levels tend to rise and fall based on a range of factors, including protest activity and seasonal conditions.

In addition to crimes targeting Jews, police recorded one incident motivated by age bias, five against Asians, two against Black individuals, two related to gender, one targeting Hispanic people, seven against Muslims, three aimed at other religious groups, five based on sexual orientation, and one targeting white people.

Authorities cautioned that the statistics are preliminary and may be revised following investigations. In some cases, incidents initially believed to be hate crimes are later determined to have been motivated by other factors. Convictions in hate crime cases also remain relatively uncommon.

Hate crimes carry harsher penalties than non-bias offenses because they are viewed as attacks on an entire community rather than a single individual.

At the same time, the NYPD reported that major crimes — including murder, robbery, shootings, and felony assaults — declined overall last month, continuing a broader downward trend in violent crime across the city.

Jews continue to be targeted in New York City at higher rates than any other group. In 2025, police recorded 330 antisemitic incidents, accounting for 57 percent of the 576 total hate crimes reported citywide, according to NYPD data.

Jewish security officials and experts on hate crimes have also warned that many antisemitic incidents likely go unreported and never reach law enforcement statistics.

Among the January cases, two teenagers were charged with spray-painting 73 swastikas on a playground used by Jewish children; a rabbi was assaulted on Holocaust Remembrance Day; and a driver rammed his vehicle into Chabad’s 770.

In response to rising antisemitism, members of the New York City Council announced last week the creation of a new Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and introduced legislation aimed at curbing hate crimes.

{Matzav.com}

US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for high-level meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, according to two senior Israeli officials.

The talks are expected to focus largely on Iran, coming shortly after Zamir traveled to Washington, DC over the weekend for a round of consultations with senior American defense officials regarding the Islamic Republic.

After completing his visit to Israel, Witkoff is scheduled to meet Friday in Istanbul with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to discuss a potential nuclear agreement and related matters, a US official said on Monday.

“The president’s been calling for them to make a deal. The meeting is to hear what they have to say,” the official said.

Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt have been involved in facilitating the planned meeting, Axios previously reported, citing two sources familiar with the effort.

At the same time, Iranian media reported Monday that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian instructed officials to initiate nuclear negotiations with the United States after President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching an agreement that could avert military action against Iran.

The reports follow a period of heightened tension after Iranian authorities responded forcefully to anti-government protests that reached their peak last month. In response, Trump threatened military action and ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East.

Iran has warned that any US military strike ordered by Trump would prompt retaliation against Israel and American military targets throughout the region.

Netanyahu addressed those threats during a speech to the Knesset on Monday, declaring that Israel was “ready for every scenario.”

“Whoever attacks us will face unbearable consequences,” the premier warned.

Even as pressure mounts on Tehran, Trump has continued to say he hopes diplomacy will succeed. Iranian officials have also stated that they favor negotiations, while simultaneously vowing a severe response to any attack.

“President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States,” the Fars news agency reported, citing an unnamed government source.

“Iran and the United States will hold talks on the nuclear file,” Fars said, without providing a timeline.

The report was also published by the state-run newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh.

Without detailing the substance of any potential agreement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said regional countries are helping relay messages between the sides. “Countries of the region are acting as mediators in the exchange of messages.

“Several points have been addressed and we are examining and finalizing the details of each stage in the diplomatic process, which we hope to conclude in the coming days,” he added. “This concerns the method and framework.”

Speaking on CNN on Sunday, Araqchi said he believes Iran can reach an agreement with the United States.

Other countries in the region are also working to prevent the standoff with Iran from escalating further. Jordan’s foreign minister conveyed that position during a phone call Monday with his Iranian counterpart.

“Jordan will not be a battleground in any regional conflict or a launching pad for any military action against Iran,” Ayman Safadi told Araqchi, according to a statement from Jordan’s Foreign Ministry.

Safadi added that Amman, a close US ally, “will not permit any party to violate its airspace or threaten its security and the safety of its citizens,” while underscoring Jordan’s support for de-escalation and restoring calm.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said Russia continues efforts to reduce tensions surrounding Iran, noting that Moscow has long offered to assist by processing or storing Iran’s enriched uranium.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s dairy farmers announced on Monday that they will stop supplying milk to dairies beginning this morning, stepping up their protest against a dairy industry reform promoted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The farmers argue that the reform is “destructive,” warning that it could cause severe damage to local producers and jeopardize the long-term stability of Israel’s dairy sector.

The issue was addressed earlier Monday at a farm conference organized by the Binyamin Region, the Farm Alliance, and Arutz Sheva, where Smotrich was questioned about the possibility that farmers would suspend milk production.

Smotrich sharply criticized the move, saying it would only strengthen the case for reform. “If they stop milk production, they would play into my hands since they would explain to the citizens of Israel what happens when an industry is managed in such a communist, centralized manner where whoever wants can flip the switch.”

He went on to compare the farmers’ threat to actions taken by other sectors in the past. “Once it’s the electric company employees, after that it’s the ports, and now it’s the growers. This won’t happen. The citizens of Israel will not be hostages of any monopoly or any pressure group.”

The standoff comes after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation unanimously approved the dairy reform last month. According to estimates from the Finance Ministry, the changes are expected to save the public between one and two billion shekels annually.

The ministry said the reform is intended to open the dairy market to competition, reduce consumer prices, and dismantle the centralized planning system that has governed the industry for decades.

The legislation calls for the cancellation of the production quota system, a transition to an open market, and the removal of all tariffs on dairy products. It also includes a safety net for producers aimed at ensuring a consistent supply of fresh milk to consumers at affordable prices.

In addition, the reform establishes a new legal mechanism to regulate protected milk procurement, alongside a gradual program to buy back existing quotas as the market shifts to the new framework.

{Matzav.com}

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld In Shmos 35:2 The passuk says that during the six days of the week work should be done but on the seventh day should be holy. The Gemara in Kiddushin 41a tells the story that Rav Safra would cook the head of the animal lichvod Shabbos. Rava would salt the fish. The Chafetz Chaim in Biur Halacha 250 s.v. Ki and it is also brought down in the Shaarei Teshuva 2 they both ask the question of the Chavos Yair. There is a rule that if a zakein finds a lost object and it is not honorable for this zakein to be busy with such a trivial lost object, meaning he would be embarrassed to be seen walking in the public street with this item. If he would not take his own object because of his embarrassment, then he is not obligated to do so for someone else’s lost object based on the Gemara Bava Metzia 30b. The Rosh says that it is forbidden for him to do the hashavas aveida as he is being mezalzel in Kavod HaTorah. How could these Amoraim be mezalzel in their kavod to prepare for Shabbos? The Biur Halacha adds to the question that even if you would base your opinion on the shittas HoRambam in Hilchos Rotzeach 3 that there is a midas chassidus for a zakein to return a lost object even if it not according to his kavod. How could one say that one is obligated to do for Shabbos even when it is not lichvodo. We can understand that it is a middas Chassidus but to say you are chayev? There are a few answers. The first answer is from the Chavos Yair that says that since these Amoraim were doing something for Shabbos and it was obvious to anyone that saw them that that was what they were doing, so letzorech Mitzva it would not be a problem. The Pri Megadim agrees that something that is obvious that it is leshem mitzvah then there is no bizayon. It would be meduyak in the words of the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 250 that a person should be mishtadel to prepare himself something lichvod Shabbos to honor the Shabbos. A person should not say that I will be pogem in my kavod because that is considered kavod for a person when he can be mechabed Shabbos. We find in Gemara in Sotah 41b that the parsha of the king was read at the end of the Shmitta year. Agripas the king read the Torah while standing even though he could have read it while being seated. The Chachamim praised him. The Gemara asks that we know the rule is that a king cannot be mochel on his kavod. How could he be mochel on his kavod? The Gemara answers that for a dvar mitzvah it is different. So long it is obvious it is being done for a mitzvah there is no problem of pechisas HaKavod. The Chavos Yair klers a shailoh in 205 if a young talmid Chacham who knows how to play an instrument and wants to play before a Chassan and Kallah would he be allowed or is it bizayon HaTorah? He says we cannot bring a raya from Dovid Hamelech that he danced and was mevazeh himself for Hashem as we find in Shmuel 2:6:17. The reason Dovid did it was because it was for a dvar kedusha. So too we find that a Talmid Chacham can build a sukkah which has kedusha as we find in Sukka 9a that a Sukka is compared to a chagigah they both have a sheim kedusha. He does conclude that a Talmid Chacham can play an instrument before a Chassan Kallah from Ksubos 17a that Rav Shmuel the son of Yitzchok would dance before the Kallah with three hadassim and he would juggle them. Rav Zeira criticized him for embarrassing himself but the Pischei Teshuva in Yoreh Deah 244:4 says that he was allowed to do so because it was letzorech Mitzva. The Chavos Yair says that when one does a Mitzvah in public, and it is obvious that he is doing a Mitzvah he can embarrass himself and it would not be a problem of bizayon HaTorah. It is known that Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg used to polish the Chassan’s shoes at the wedding. A second tirutz could be that we only say the hetter of zakein ve’eino lefi kvodo regarding mitzvos bein adam lechaveiro but regarding bein adam laMakom there is no hetter of zakein ve’eino lfi kvodo. The Kovetz Shiurim Kesubos 17a says the same differentiation and says that when it come to mitzvos bein adam laMakom we say “Ein Chochma … Neged Hashem.” With this point we can also explain why someone needs to get rid of clothing of Klaiim in the street; only when it comes to a question of great bizayon to have to be in the street naked they were mattir al yedei shev ve’al taaseh. But small bizyonos would be acceptable when it is bein adam laMakom. A third tirutz could be that these Amoraim did not practice this in public. In their house it would not be a bizayon whereas finding a lost object in the street that would be considered a bizayon. A fourth and final answer is based on the Shaarei Tzion who asks, how were the Amoraim allowed to be mevatel Torah? He answers when it comes to kovod Shabbos it is allowed, since Shabbos is more chamur. Therefore, they would be mevatel Torah ands be mevazeh themselves because of the choimer of Shabbos. We see the great value of Shabbos and Talmidei Chachamim. Let us learn to respect them both!

A group of immigration advocates and affected individuals has gone to court to challenge a Trump administration decision that stopped the final processing of immigrant visas for applicants from dozens of countries.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Manhattan, contends that the policy effectively bars legal immigration based on nationality and is grounded in what the plaintiffs describe as an “unsupported and demonstrably false claim” that immigrants from the affected countries are more likely to rely on government assistance.

At the center of the case is a State Department directive issued in January and implemented on Jan. 21, which placed an open-ended freeze on the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 mostly non-European countries, among them Brazil, Russia, Iran, and Somalia. The government said the move was tied to concerns about future dependence on public benefits.

While applicants from those countries are still permitted to submit applications and attend consular interviews, the State Department has suspended the final approval and issuance of visas while it reviews how it applies its “public charge” standards.

Opponents argue that the policy represents one of the broadest limits on lawful immigration in years, saying it resurrects and significantly widens prior public-charge enforcement by applying it wholesale to entire countries rather than evaluating applicants on an individual basis. They warn that this approach raises serious statutory and constitutional issues.

According to the plaintiffs, internal cables and guidance from the State Department replaced the traditional case-by-case “public charge” review with a blanket refusal system based on nationality. The lawsuit alleges that the policy:
• Automatically blocks immigrant visa approvals for applicants from 75 designated countries.
• Instructs consular officials to enforce “public charge” findings in an inflexible manner, weighing factors such as benefit usage, health history, and income in ways the plaintiffs say exceed the limits set by Congress.
• Abandons the individualized determinations required by the Immigration and Nationality Act in favor of categorical denials tied to country of origin.

The suit asks the court to issue both temporary and permanent orders stopping the policy and to formally rule that it violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution.

One of the plaintiffs, a U.S. citizen from Long Island, says the policy has left him separated from his immediate family. After traveling to Guatemala for his wife’s visa interview, Cesar Andred Aguirre returned to the United States alone, while consular officials informed his wife, Dania Mariela Escobar, that she would not be permitted to come back with him, leaving her and their young daughter abroad.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shmaryahu Meltzer zt”l, one of the outstanding talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah of our generation, who devoted his entire life to Torah, avodah, and raising generations of bnei Torah. Rav Meltzer, Rosh Kollel of Beis Moshe and one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Simcha in Yerushalayim, was niftar today at the age of 90.

Rav Meltzer was born in the month of Sivan 5695 to his father, Rav Shmuel Avraham Meltzer, mechaber of Ashdos HaPisgah. His father was among the prominent talmidim of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz zt”l in Kamenitz, and later relocated to the United States, where he was moser nefesh to uphold Torah and shechitah during a turbulent period, standing firm against the pressures of the time.

Shortly after his marriage in Chicago to the daughter of Rav Chaim Zalman Frank zt”l, Rav Shmaryahu was appointed as a rebbi in a yeshiva ketanah. Even at a young age, his gadlus baTorah was already evident, and he received semichah lehoraah.

In later years, Rav Meltzer served for an extended period as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Itri, together with Rav Mordechai Elefant. He subsequently stood at the helm of Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah on Rechov Sorotzkin for many years. At the direction of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, and with the support of the philanthropist Morris Esformes, he founded Kollel Beis Moshe.

Many of his talmidim attributed their entire ruchniyus to the foundations he laid. Despite his stature, he walked humbly, learning with constant hasmadah and never holding himself above others.

Rav Meltzer was deeply connected to his rabbeim and would often recount what he heard from his father in the name of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz. He would repeat the teaching Rav Baruch Ber said in the name of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zt”l that one who educates his children merely to be an ehrlicher Yid is removing Torah from future generations; rather, a father must be mechanech his children to gadlus baTorah. Rav Meltzer lived this yesod, constantly instilling a drive for gadlus and ahavas Torah in all his talmidim.

He frequently spoke of his rabbeim in Eretz Yisroel and shared memories of his visits to Rav Shach and the Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky. His hasmadah was legendary. Those who entered his home would find him immersed in learning deep into the night, and at times until morning, with remarkable diligence and sweetness. His shiurim were clear and illuminating, opening the eyes of talmidim to true understanding and depth in the sugya.

Last Nissan, Rav Meltzer suffered a devastating personal loss with the petirah of his son, Rav Hillel Yosef Meltzer zt”l, one of the prominent talmidei chachamim of Petach Tikva and among the city’s rabbanim, who was niftar at the age of 57.

Rav Shmaryahu leaves behind sons and sons-in-law who are all talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah, among them Rav Yeshayah Nosson Meltzer, mechaber of numerous seforim in halachah; Rav Dov Gershon Meltzer, a marbitz Torah in the Mir; and his sons-in-law Rav Daniel Septner, a talmid muvhak of Rav Nochum Pertzovitz zt”l; Rav Yitzchak Eizik Silver, a dayan, moreh tzedek, and mechaber of seforim, widely known for Mishpetei HaShalom; Rav Yaakov Yerucham Katzenelbogen of Neve Yaakov; and Rav Eliezer Yehuda Shmulevitz, among the chashuvei avreichim of Kiryas Mattersdorf.

The levayah took place today at Yeshivas Toras Simcha on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim and proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A 34-year-old chosson collapsed Monday night during his wedding at an event hall in a kibbutz within the Gezer Regional Council and was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition following prolonged efforts to revive him.

According to a statement from United Hatzalah, medical teams from the organization were called to the scene after reports that a man had suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness in the midst of the simcha.

Ben Sinai, a United Hatzalah volunteer who was present at the wedding as one of the guests, described the dramatic moments inside the hall. “I was in the hall as one of the guests when I suddenly noticed a commotion and calls for help. I saw the chosson unconscious and without a pulse. I immediately called for assistance and began performing resuscitation together with other medics, including the use of the hall’s defibrillator. After prolonged resuscitation efforts, boruch Hashem, his heart began beating again,” he said.

The chosson was then transported by a mobile intensive care unit to the hospital, where his condition is currently described as serious.

The tzibbur is asked to be mispallel for hachosson Evyatar ben Vivian.

{Matzav.com}

ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני

ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני

ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני

ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני

ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני ט”ו בשבט אצל פוסק הדור הגר”מ שטרנבוךצילום: דוד ארזני

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Monday that federal immigration officers operating in Minneapolis will begin wearing body cameras, backing a measure long pushed by Democrats as tensions continue to run high around immigration enforcement in the city.

In a post on X, Noem said the decision followed consultations with border czar Tom Homan, Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons, and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott. She wrote that “every officer in the field in Minneapolis” will now be equipped with body cameras.

Noem added that the initiative will not be limited to one city, explaining that broader implementation is planned as resources allow. “As funding is available, the body camera program will be expanded nationwide. We will rapidly acquire and deploy body cameras to DHS law enforcement across the country,” the DHS chief added.

She framed the move as part of a broader commitment to openness under the current administration, writing, “The most transparent administration in American history—thank you @POTUS Trump.”

The deployment of body cameras is one of several changes congressional Democrats are seeking to include in a Department of Homeland Security funding bill expected to be debated this month. Their push follows the fatal shooting of two anti-ICE agitators in Minneapolis during an encounter with federal agents, an incident that intensified scrutiny of immigration enforcement practices.

President Donald Trump reached an agreement last week with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to pass a temporary funding measure for DHS. The stopgap bill is intended to keep the department operating while lawmakers negotiate additional proposals, including restrictions on ICE agents wearing masks, requirements that agents clearly identify themselves, and mandates for judicial warrants prior to removals.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump signaled his support for Noem’s decision to move forward with body cameras. “I leave it to her,” he said. “They generally tend to be good for law enforcement, because people can’t lie about what’s happening. So it’s generally speaking, I think 80% good for law enforcement. But if she wants to do that, I’m okay with it.”

{Matzav.com}

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר ט”ו בשבט בסאטמרצילום: בחצרות סאטמר

Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Monday that Tehran is prepared for a military confrontation, declaring in an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV that “Iran is ready for any war.”

Shamkhani warned that a US attack on Iran would automatically expand the conflict to include Israel, arguing that the two countries act in concert. “Israel and America are not two different elements. They are one entity. Our response to Israel is inevitable and is tied to their actions and steps,” he said.

Turning to the prospect of renewed diplomatic engagement, Shamkhani said Iran is open only to direct talks with Washington, dismissing any European role. He said Tehran is ready for “practical negotiations with Washington and no one else, as Europe has proven its inability to do anything,” adding that any discussions would be limited strictly to the nuclear file.

He emphasized that Iran has no intention of exporting uranium enriched to high levels and rejected international demands to do so. “There is no reason to transfer the stored materials outside Iran. There is no need for all these complicated procedures. Our program is peaceful, our capabilities are domestic, and the 60% enrichment level can be reduced to 20%, but they must pay a cost,” Shamkhani said.

According to Shamkhani, Iran’s core positions in negotiations remain unchanged from earlier rounds. “In the previous rounds [of talks], we had three no’s: we do not seek a nuclear weapon, we will not go to produce it, and we will not store it, and they must offer a price for that,” he said.

His remarks come amid reports that US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are scheduled to meet Friday in Istanbul to explore the possibility of a renewed nuclear agreement.

US President Donald Trump has urged Iran to strike a deal with Washington over its nuclear program, while also signaling that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.

Speaking with reporters on Sunday, Trump addressed recent warnings from Iran’s supreme leader, who cautioned that if “they start a war, this time it will be a regional war.”

“We have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there… hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right,” Trump said.

Trump also said Saturday night that Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States, adding that he hopes Tehran ultimately agrees to a deal that involves abandoning its nuclear weapons ambitions.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump addressed reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, offering pointed remarks about ongoing US engagement with Iran and emphasizing that diplomacy is unfolding alongside a significant show of force.

Trump said the United States is deploying major naval assets to the region even as discussions proceed. “We have big ships heading to Iran right now. The biggest and the best. We have talks going on with Iran, we will see how it all works out,” he said.

He declined to outline any next steps, stressing that the administration intends to keep its options close. “I can’t tell you what I’m going to do, because right now we have a tremendous force going there, just like we did in Venezuela – even bigger. And they’ll be there soon,” Trump continued.

Trump:

We have big ships heading to Iran right now.

We have talks going on with Iran, we will see how it all works out. pic.twitter.com/NcdvNjFXdW

— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 2, 2026

At the same time, Trump reiterated that he would prefer a negotiated outcome, while warning of consequences if talks fail. “I’d like to see a deal negotiated. I don’t know that that’s going to happen. But if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you. I’d be very foolish if I were to tell you. But right now we’re talking to them. We’re talking to Iran. And if we could work something out, that’d be great. And if we can’t, probably bad things will happen.”

The comments come amid reports that US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are set to meet Friday in Istanbul to explore the possibility of a renewed nuclear agreement.

Trump has repeatedly urged Tehran to reach an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program, while making clear that military action remains an option if diplomacy does not succeed.

On Sunday, the president responded to recent warnings from Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who cautioned that if “they start a war, this time it will be a regional war.”

“We have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there… hopefully, we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right,” Trump told reporters.

Trump also said on Motzoei Shabbos that Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States, adding that he hopes Tehran ultimately agrees to a deal that involves giving up its nuclear weapons.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of the prominent Satmar philanthropist and supporter of Torah and chessed, Rabbi Yisroel Dov Goldberger z”l. A leading figure among the Satmar community in Kiryas Yoel, he was 86 years old.

Rabbi Goldberger was born to his father, Rabbi Yitzchak Goldberger, and was the eldest grandson of Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Goldberger, who survived the Holocaust together with all of his children. From a young age, he was deeply connected to the rebuilding of Torah life after the devastation of Europe.

Throughout his lifetime, Rabbi Goldberger played a central role in constructing and expanding Satmar mosdos in Kiryas Yoel, contributing sums totaling millions of dollars. Most recently, he financed the construction of a massive new building for the Bais Rochel girls’ school in Kiryas Yoel, continuing his lifelong commitment to chinuch.

Over the past 15 years, Rabbi Goldberger donated an estimated $40 million toward the building and expansion of Satmar mosdos. His most recent contribution, made just one month ago, was a donation of $3.5 million toward the renovation and enlargement of the Satmar Bais Medrash on Rodney Street in Williamsburg. The expanded bais medrash was named in his honor, Heichal Yisroel Dov.

His generosity extended beyond the United States. At the Satmar girls’ school in Yerushalayim, he funded an entire floor of the building, which bears his name as Komat Rav Yisroel Dov.

Rabbi Goldberger amassed his wealth through real estate ventures, but those close to him said his heart was as open as a great hall when it came to supporting tzedakah and building places of Torah and chassidus. His philanthropy was quiet, consistent, and driven by a deep sense of responsibility to Klal Yisroel.

He was closely attached to the leaders of the Satmar dynasty, maintaining a lifelong bond with the Satmar Rebbes, the Vayoel Moshe, the Berach Moshe, and the current Satmar Rebbe.

In recent weeks, Rabbi Goldberger’s health deteriorated and he was hospitalized in Florida. During that time, the Satmar Rebbe traveled specially for a 24-hour visit to be at his bedside.

Rabbi Goldberger is survived by his devoted family and by his wife, Hendel Miriam.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}