Matzav

President Donald Trump on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Minnesota’s Democratic leadership, accusing state officials of presiding over widespread fraud and linking the allegations to illegal immigration.

In an early-morning post on Truth Social, Trump took direct aim at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. “Tim Waltz of Minnesota is a Crooked Governor!!!” Trump wrote at 9:26 a.m. ET.

About an hour and a half later, Trump escalated his remarks, asserting that “much of the Minnesota Fraud, up to 90%,” stems from people who “came into our Country, illegally, from Somalia.” In that same message, he singled out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., while calling for those involved in fraud schemes to be deported.

Trump described Omar as “an ungrateful loser who only complains and never contributes,” and claimed she was among the “many scammers” tied to the alleged misconduct.

He also repeated a long-standing allegation about Omar’s family life — an accusation she has previously denied.

Trump’s comments come against the backdrop of expanding investigations and prosecutions in Minnesota related to alleged misuse of public funds during the COVID-era response, particularly involving meal programs and social services.

The New York Post has reported that federal prosecutors have charged nearly 90 individuals in connection with what it characterized as a sweeping fraud operation centered in the Somali community within Omar’s congressional district. The paper noted that Omar herself has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

The Post also examined Omar’s personal finances, reporting a sharp rise in her wealth over recent years. According to the outlet, her most recent financial disclosures list assets valued between roughly $6 million and $30 million, compared with a negative net worth when she first entered Congress.

In addition, the newspaper reviewed business ventures associated with Omar’s husband, political consultant Tim Mynett, including a venture capital firm and a winery project, raising questions about asset valuations and financial transparency.

Mynett has not been charged in any of the Minnesota fraud cases cited by the Post, and some of the matters referenced were described as having been resolved outside of court.

The political fallout has intensified as Republicans ramp up congressional scrutiny. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced that the panel will hold a hearing next week titled “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I,” scheduled for Jan. 7.

Comer has also invited Gov. Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to testify before the committee on Feb. 10, accusing state leaders of being “asleep at the wheel or complicit” while taxpayer money was allegedly drained from public programs.

Trump, who has made border enforcement and government accountability central themes of his agenda, pointed to the Minnesota cases as evidence that weak immigration controls and lax oversight reinforce one another.

Many conservatives argue that when Washington and Democratic-led states expand taxpayer-funded benefits without strong safeguards, those programs become magnets for fraud — and they say Minnesota has now become a high-profile example.

Democrats, meanwhile, have rejected broad political claims linking fraud to immigration status, stressing that criminal allegations should be addressed through investigations and the judicial system rather than sweeping generalizations.

{Matzav.com}

A powerful Shabbos experience focused on strengthening emunah and bitachon is set to take place this winter in New Jersey, bringing together leading rabbonim, gifted speakers, and families from across the region for an immersive, uplifting weekend.

The 5th Annual Shabbos of Emunah & Bitachon will be held February 6–8 at The Westin Princeton, NJ, offering participants a rare opportunity to step away from the pressures of daily life and reconnect with clarity, purpose, and inner strength through Torah, tefillah, and meaningful human connection.

At the heart of the Shabbos is Rabbi Sholom M. Rubashkin, whose personal journey and teachings on faith and trust have inspired tens of thousands around the world. Throughout the Shabbos, Rabbi Rubashkin will deliver powerful addresses, lead spirited seud­os and oneg Shabbos, and engage in personal conversations with attendees. Special sessions for women will be presented by Rabbi Rubashkin together with Mrs. Rubashkin, offering depth, chizuk, and practical guidance.

The program features an exceptional lineup of singers and speakers, each bringing a unique voice and perspective to the themes of emunah and bitachon, including Avraham Fried, Rabbi Joey Haber, Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz, Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Rabbi Shloime Taussig, and Rabbi Getzel Rubashkin. Together, they will create an atmosphere of inspiration that speaks to the heart and resonates long after Shabbos ends.

Beyond the powerful content, the Shabbos is designed as a complete experience. Guests will enjoy luxury accommodations and a five-star menu, creating an environment of menuchas hanefesh that allows participants to fully absorb the message of the weekend. Inspiring tefillos, warm communal moments, and carefully curated programming ensure that every aspect of Shabbos contributes to spiritual elevation.

The event is truly for the entire family. Alongside adult programming, there will be special sessions for teens, an exciting and meaningful kids’ program led by Rabbi Motty Zeiger, and babysitting for infants—making it possible for parents to participate fully while knowing their children are engaged and cared for.

Over the years, the Shabbos of Emunah & Bitachon has earned a reputation as a life-changing experience for individuals and families alike. Many attendees describe leaving recharged, refocused, and better equipped to face life’s challenges with calm, confidence, and trust in Hashem.

Registration information and additional details are available at bitachonshabbos.com and alephbeisgimmel.com, or by calling or texting (732) 354-1496.

{Matzav.com}

Federal immigration agents are not planning to scale back their operations in Chicago anytime soon, according to U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who has repeatedly emphasized that enforcement efforts in the city are intended to last.

“Don’t worry, Chicago, we will be here for YEARS!” Bovino wrote in an online post last week.

“Despite calls for violence against our agents, the brave men and women of the United States Border Patrol have come together and developed serious plans to help Chicago rid their streets of criminal illegal aliens. We work for YOU,” he added.

Those remarks followed a statement Bovino issued Tuesday, amid ongoing backlash and protests over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Windy City. In that message, he dismissed suggestions that federal authorities were preparing to leave.

“If you think we’re done with Chicago, you’d better check yourself before you wreck yourself,” Bovino wrote on the social platform X.

“Don’t call it a comeback; we’re gonna be here for years,” he added.

The post was accompanied by a video montage showing immigration officers chasing, tackling, and arresting individuals, set to “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J. In one segment of the clip, an officer appears to gesture mockingly by waving his finger through a hole in his pants. The footage drew sharp criticism from some Chicago residents, many of whom have protested federal immigration actions with large demonstrations.

Tensions escalated earlier this fall. In September, the Department of Homeland Security said that more than 100 demonstrators “surrounded” an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center. According to DHS, protesters “assaulted law enforcement, threw tear gas cans, slashed tires of cars, blocked the entrance of the building and trespassed on private property.”

The department said at least three people were arrested and claimed that local police “refused” to respond to “multiple” requests for assistance.

A standard disclaimer accompanying coverage of the issue notes that readers who register agree to terms of use and privacy policies and may receive communications and advertising from affiliated media outlets.

The standoff has also strained relations with local authorities. Confusion and conflict between federal agents and the Chicago Police Department have been reported during several confrontations.

In early October, officials said 27 Chicago police officers were “affected” by chemical agents released by federal officers during clashes with protesters near enforcement sites.

Despite the controversy and interagency friction, Bovino has continued to insist that federal immigration operations in Chicago are not temporary. His repeated online statements underscore the administration’s position that the city will remain a focal point of enforcement efforts for the foreseeable future.

{Matzav.com}

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a senior Treasury official says plans are being explored for new currency that would feature President Donald Trump.

U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Wednesday that he is pursuing the idea of issuing a $250 bill bearing Trump’s likeness, tying the proposal to the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial.

“When Trump appointed me to the job, I told him I wanted to do a $250 bill with his picture on the 250th birthday celebration” of the U.S., Beach told the Caller, while noting that current law would first need to be changed by Congress, since presidents must be deceased to appear on paper currency.

Beach said that if Congress passes such legislation and it is signed into law, he would move immediately to begin work on the new $250 bill, which would rank among the highest-denomination notes in circulation.

In his role as U.S. treasurer, Beach oversees the production of the nation’s paper money and coins, including direct supervision of the U.S. Mint and Fort Knox.

Before joining the Treasury Department, Beach spent more than ten years as a Republican member of the Georgia State Senate and was appointed to his current post by Trump in May.

The proposed $250 bill is not the only Trump-related currency under consideration. Beach said in October that design work is already underway on a $1 coin that would feature Trump’s image.

That effort follows congressional passage of the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act, which authorizes the Treasury Department to mint special $1 coins to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, with issuance set to begin on July 4.

Beach emphasized that the planned Trump $1 coin would function as everyday money. “It is going to be legal tender,” he told the Caller.

“This is not a commemorative coin. You can go in and buy something with this $1 coin with Trump’s picture on it,” he said.

Beyond the semiquincentennial designs, Beach added that the administration is also preparing additional coin releases to mark other major events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when most matches are scheduled to take place in large U.S. cities.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of prescription drugs sold in the United States are set to become more expensive in 2026, even as the Trump administration pushes pharmaceutical companies to rein in costs, according to new data from healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors.

The analysis shows that manufacturers intend to raise list prices on at least 350 branded medications, including vaccines for COVID, RSV, and shingles, as well as high-profile treatments such as the cancer drug Ibrance.

The scale of the planned increases exceeds last year’s pace. At the same stage in 2024, companies had announced price hikes for just over 250 drugs. For the coming year, the median increase is roughly 4%, about the same as in 2025.

The figures reflect list prices only and do not take into account rebates paid to pharmacy benefit managers or other discounts negotiated across the drug supply chain.

While most changes point upward, manufacturers are also planning list price reductions for about nine medicines. Among them is a cut of more than 40% for the diabetes drug Jardiance and three related treatments sold by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

Neither Boehringer Ingelheim nor Eli Lilly immediately responded to questions about the reason for the Jardiance price cuts.

Jardiance is one of 10 drugs whose prices were negotiated downward by the U.S. government for the Medicare program serving people 65 and older in 2026. As part of that process, Boehringer and Lilly reduced the drug’s price by about two-thirds.

Despite such negotiations, Americans continue to pay far more for prescription medicines than patients in other wealthy countries — often close to triple the cost — an issue President Donald Trump has repeatedly highlighted while urging drugmakers to align U.S. prices with those abroad.

The announced hikes are coming even as Trump has reached agreements with 14 pharmaceutical companies to lower prices on certain medicines for Medicaid recipients and for people paying cash. Companies involved in those deals include Pfizer, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and GSK — all of which are also planning price increases on some drugs starting Jan. 1.

“These deals ⁠are being announced as transformative when, in fact, they really just nibble around the margins in terms of what is really driving high prices for prescription drugs in the U.S.,” said Dr. Benjamin Rome, a health policy researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Rome said drugmakers appear to be pushing list prices as high as possible while privately negotiating discounts with insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, then establishing separate prices for patients who pay cash.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment.

Pfizer accounted for the largest number of planned list price increases, with hikes affecting around 80 different drugs. Those include the cancer treatment Ibrance, the migraine drug Nurtec, and the COVID therapy Paxlovid, along with hospital-administered medications such as morphine and hydromorphone.

Most of Pfizer’s increases fall below 10%, though the company plans a 15% increase for its COVID vaccine Comirnaty. Some lower-cost hospital drugs are slated for much steeper jumps, in a few cases rising more than fourfold.

Pfizer said it has kept the average list price increase for its innovative medicines and vaccines in 2026 below the overall inflation rate.

“The modest increase is necessary to support investments that allow us to continue to discover and deliver new medicines as well as address increased costs throughout our business,” the company said.

Large, double-digit U.S. drug price hikes were once far more routine, but manufacturers have pulled back amid growing criticism from lawmakers and new policies that penalize companies if Medicare prices rise faster than inflation.

GSK said it plans to raise prices on about 20 drugs and vaccines, with increases ranging from 2% to 8.9%. The company said it remains committed to reasonable pricing and that the adjustments are needed to support scientific innovation.

Additional price changes — both increases and cuts — are expected to be announced in early January, traditionally the busiest period for annual drug price adjustments.

3 Axis Advisors is a consulting firm that works with pharmacist organizations, health plans, and pharmaceutical industry-related groups on pricing and supply chain issues. It is affiliated with, and shares staff with, the drug pricing nonprofit 46brooklyn.

{Matzav.com}

Federal lawmakers are preparing to intensify scrutiny of alleged large-scale fraud tied to Minnesota’s social services system, as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform ramps up a wide-ranging investigation.

According to committee leadership, the panel is digging into what it describes as extensive fraud and money laundering uncovered by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, signaling that the inquiry stretches beyond isolated incidents.

The Trump administration has already acted in response to concerns that federal programs in Minnesota were exploited on a broad scale, including a recent decision to halt federal child care payments to the state.

Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services said the move was part of a wider effort to confront fraud and lax oversight, citing worries that public funds were being diverted away from the children and families those programs are meant to serve.

Enforcement efforts across the federal government have stepped up, officials said, with multiple agencies involved. The administration has pointed to ongoing investigations and arrests, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the Justice Department has been probing the allegations for months, resulting in dozens of convictions.

As part of the congressional effort, the committee plans to conduct transcribed interviews with Minnesota state officials and has sought records, correspondence, and documents from state leadership related to alleged misconduct.

In addition, the panel has asked the U.S. Treasury Department to turn over relevant Suspicious Activity Reports connected to the investigation.

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced that the committee will hold a public hearing next week focused on alleged misuse of federal funds in Minnesota.

The hearing, titled “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part I,” is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Jan. 7 and will feature testimony from Minnesota lawmakers who have sounded alarms about what Comer says is widespread abuse within the state’s social services programs.

Comer also said the committee has invited Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison to appear before the panel on Feb. 10.

“Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs,” Comer said in a release announcing the hearing, adding that Americans “demand and deserve accountability” for the theft of taxpayer funds.

Comer said the Department of Justice is actively investigating and prosecuting fraudsters who have “stolen billions,” and argued that Congress has a responsibility to expose breakdowns, tighten safeguards, and ensure meaningful penalties for those responsible.

Lawmakers slated to testify at the Jan. 7 hearing include Minnesota state Reps. Kristin Robbins of Maple Grove, Walter Hudson of St. Paul, and Marion Rarick of Wright County. The committee noted that additional witnesses could be added.

Committee leaders say the upcoming hearing represents a critical moment for accountability, raising the question of whether officials and agencies responsible for overseeing taxpayer-funded programs will be compelled to answer for lapses that allowed alleged fraud to spread.

With Washington emphasizing efforts to curb waste and rebuild public confidence, the committee said it plans to continue pressing forward until taxpayers receive full transparency and consequences are imposed on anyone found to have enabled the misuse of federal funds.

{Matzav.com}

Israel is preparing to fully reopen the Rafah Crossing to both outgoing and incoming Gaza residents, with the move expected shortly after Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu returns from Washington later this week, according to an Israeli television report. The step would mark a shift from Israel’s previous position and comes amid intensified pressure from the Trump administration.

Channel 12 reported that Israel intends to proceed with reopening the crossing in both directions, citing an Israeli official who said the government does not want to be portrayed as obstructing Trump’s Gaza peace initiative. “Yerushalayim doesn’t want to be seen as the party that is blocking the implementation of Trump’s Gaza peace plan.”

The issue was a focal point during Netanyahu’s meetings on Monday with President Donald Trump and senior U.S. aides, after which a U.S. official told The Times of Israel that Washington expects the crossing to begin operating for both entry and exit of Gazans in the coming days.

Although the reopening of Rafah was included in the October ceasefire arrangement for Gaza, Israel has until now conditioned its cooperation on the crossing being used solely for departures from the Strip. Egypt has rejected that approach and has kept the crossing shut, contending that Israel’s stance amounts to an effort to thin Gaza’s population by preventing residents from returning.

Facing American pressure, Netanyahu presented the idea of reopening the crossing in both directions to his cabinet last week. The proposal encountered resistance from far-right ministers, some of whom have advocated throughout the war for policies aimed at encouraging Gazans to leave the territory.

{Matzav.com}

Israel ended 2025 with a second consecutive year in which more people left the country than arrived, as tens of thousands departed amid ongoing war and domestic tensions, according to figures released Wednesday by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The CBS reported that more than 69,000 Israelis moved abroad during the year, while the overall migration balance showed a net loss of roughly 20,000 people. This marked the second year in a row of negative migration, following a similar pattern in 2024, when 82,700 Israelis left the country — about 50,000 more than those who arrived.

At the same time, Israel’s population continued to grow, though at one of the slowest rates in the country’s history. The CBS said the population rose by 1.1 percent in 2025, reaching a record 10.178 million residents, matching the growth rate recorded the previous year.

A separate report published Wednesday by the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies painted an even bleaker picture, estimating that population growth stood at just 0.9 percent — the first time Israel’s annual growth rate has fallen below the 1 percent mark.

Immigration figures also declined. According to the CBS, about 24,600 new immigrants arrived in Israel in 2025, a drop of roughly 8,000 compared to 2024. The bureau noted that this number is still higher than the 21,900 immigrants announced earlier this week by the Immigration and Absorption Ministry. Much of the decrease was linked to a sharp fall in arrivals from Russia, after immigration from that country surged following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.

During the year, approximately 19,000 Israelis returned after spending extended periods abroad, and another 5,500 people entered the country under family reunification frameworks. Even with those returns, departures significantly outpaced arrivals.

Demographers have pointed out that for most of Israel’s history, immigration exceeded emigration, with notable exceptions during parts of the 1950s and 1980s. The recent reversal, they say, reflects growing unease tied to Israel’s political and security situation.

Analysts have linked the trend to the ongoing war in Gaza, which erupted after the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, as well as frustration over the government’s judicial overhaul initiatives, which opponents argue weaken democratic safeguards.

The CBS cautioned that emigration figures are calculated retroactively, as individuals are only classified as emigrants after spending the majority of a year outside the country. As a result, many of those counted in the 2025 data actually left Israel in 2024.

The demographic breakdown released Wednesday showed that Israel’s population of 10.178 million includes 7.771 million Jews and others — a category that encompasses non-Arab Christians and people not classified by religion — accounting for 76.3 percent of residents. Arabs number about 2.147 million, or 21.1 percent, while approximately 260,000 people, around 2.6 percent, are classified as foreigners.

Birth and death figures also contributed to overall growth. Some 182,000 births were recorded during the year, with 76 percent to Jewish mothers and 24 percent to Arab mothers. Meanwhile, about 50,000 residents died in 2025, a slight decline from the 52,000 deaths reported in 2024.

Taken together, these factors resulted in a net population increase of 112,000 people over the past year, according to the CBS, even as migration trends continued to raise concern among policymakers and demographers.

{Matzav.com}

A storm erupted across the chareidi political spectrum following an interim ruling by Israel’s Supreme Court ordering a halt to coalition funds earmarked for chareidi educational frameworks that lack state supervision. The order was issued in response to a petition filed by the Yesh Atid faction.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid welcomed the court’s move, arguing that the freeze was unavoidable. “The Supreme Court issued an interim order against the fund transfers for one reason: they are illegal. Even the chareidim are not exempt from the laws of the state. Anyone who wants to receive funds will need to teach the core curriculum and accept proper supervision. You won’t take the money of reservists and taxpayers and use it to preach against conscription and deny young Chareidim the opportunity to gain tools for the job market. The chareidi parties have convinced themselves that they are above the law – they are not, and Yesh Atid will ensure that they are not.”

From within the coalition, the response was swift and blistering. United Torah Judaism chairman MK Moshe Gafni accused the judiciary of launching a direct assault on the Torah world. He said that “the court has declared war on the chareidi public and on Torah institutions.”

Gafni sharply criticized both the process and the substance of the decision. “The Supreme Court demanded a response within a few hours, which is not acceptable even in court, and the funds, which were approved legally, according to the standard procedure and the necessary approvals, were revoked with a sword swipe in half a day,” he said.

He went further, charging the court with ideological bias and disregard for democratic norms. “The judges’ malice to harm the livelihood of teaching staff and the harm to the system as a whole will not be forgiven, and the evil petitioners will not be exempt. It turns out there is no democracy in the State of Israel, and the judges make decisions according to their own views and worldview, with no connection to the subjects themselves or to the professional decisions made by the government and the Knesset. We will do everything to restore the situation to what it was,” Gafni declared.

UTJ leader MK Yitzhak Goldknopf also condemned the ruling, framing it as part of a broader political campaign. He warned that “the Supreme Court’s decision is adding fuel to the fire of the hatred campaign led by Yair Lapid. This is a direct attack on Chareidi children who are innocent of any wrongdoing, and an extension of the budgetary discrimination meant to prevent basic rights for the chareidi sector. We will not be silent in the face of this disgrace, nor will we accept turning hundreds of thousands of students into hostages of absurd petitions for propaganda purposes.”

Goldknopf added that responsibility also rests with the court’s leadership. “It is expected that the President of the Supreme Court, against whom a justified severe complaint was made today, will adopt the remarks of the ombudsman and act to temper the discourse and increase trust in the judiciary. The Supreme Court’s decision is an extension of the divide and increases distrust in the legal system. We will continue to fight with all the tools available to ensure equality for every child in Israel.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri raised the issue directly with Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is currently in the United States, and conveyed his party’s fierce objection to the ruling. In an unusually harsh statement, Shas said: “The Supreme Court is out of control, like a reckless driver on a busy road, ruthlessly and unprecedentedly crushing the chareidi public. From stealing the bread of young children to harming Torah learning and the education of tens of thousands of students. There are no judges in Jerusalem, but a dangerous gang of arsonists, who, in their desperate attempt to save their collapsing control, chose to take the chareidi public hostage.”

The Shas statement concluded with a call beyond Israel’s borders: “We call on Jews around the world to raise their voices against this antisemitic torment. The chareidi public will stand firm like a wall against these wicked decisions.”

Criticism also came from within the Knesset’s financial leadership. Finance Committee chairman MK Chanoch Milvitzky accused the court of steadily expanding its reach at the expense of elected institutions. “It is no surprise that the protégée of Judge Amit freezes funds that were legally transferred to chareidi institutions. The Supreme Court is taking more and more powers for itself. Unfortunately, in the meantime, it is playing on an empty field. This will not stop until we decide to rebel against this judicial tyranny. We are already very late.”

The interim order has now placed the funding of numerous chareidi institutions in limbo, setting the stage for an intensified political and legal battle over the future of Torah education and the balance of power between Israel’s courts and its elected branches.

{Matzav.com}

As federal and state investigators continue digging into a sweeping fraud investigation tied to Minnesota’s human services programs, a Minneapolis day care center says it has been hit by a burglary that targeted sensitive records.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, all child care payments to Minnesota were frozen Tuesday night unless the state can demonstrate that the funds are valid. The halted payments totaled $185 million in 2025 alone, federal officials said.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of an expanding investigation in Minneapolis, where authorities say at least $1 billion in fraudulent claims involving food assistance, housing support, and child care subsidies have already been uncovered. Prosecutors have warned that the real total could climb as high as $9 billion. So far, 92 people have been arrested in connection with the alleged schemes, including 80 Somali immigrants.

Amid the heightened scrutiny, Nakomis Day Care Center, which is operated by members of the Somali community, reported a break-in earlier this week. Nasrulah Mohamed, the center’s manager, said a suspect entered the building through a rear kitchen area, damaging a wall before forcing entry into the office on Tuesday.

Mohamed told reporters that the intruder took materials he described as “important documentation,” including records related to children enrolled at the center, employee paperwork, and checkbooks.

He pointed to a widely circulated YouTube video posted last week by Nick Shirley, who visited numerous Minneapolis-area day care centers while examining potential fraud, as a catalyst for the incident. “This is devastating news, and we don’t know why this is targeting our Somali community as one video made by a specific individual made this all happen,” Mohamed said, adding that staff have received “hateful” and “threatening” messages in recent days.

Describing the situation as emotionally draining, Mohamed said, “This is frightening and exhausting,” and dismissed Shirley’s work as “false.”

Nakomis Day Care Center itself did not appear in Shirley’s video, which has surpassed 110 million views online, but the attention generated by the footage has placed Minnesota’s child care system — and the communities connected to it — under intense national scrutiny.

{Matzav.com}

At a discussion held this week in the Knesset, Yitzchok Goldknopf, head of United Torah Judaism, addressed questions from twelfth-grade students of Ulpanat Ra’aya in Beit El about the ongoing debate over chareidi enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces.

Goldknopf concluded the meeting by rejecting claims attributed to him in the past regarding Religious Zionism, which were published by Makor Rishon. He said the report was fabricated and caused unnecessary pain. “This was lies and falsehoods, and was not said by me. It’s a shame that bereaved families shed tears over this. Since then, I do not give interviews there, because they falsify things.”

During the exchange, students challenged Goldknopf on why the chareidi community cannot follow the model common in their own families, combining Torah learning with military service. He pushed back, arguing that the issue is broader than the chareidi public alone. “Does no chareidi enlist? Do you know how many secular Israelis do not enlist? The head of the Personnel Directorate said that there are more draft-dodgers in the Tel Aviv area than there are in the entire chareidi community. I have a nephew in Gaza who has still not returned from there.”

Expanding on that point, Goldknopf said the focus on yeshiva students ignores the larger picture of non-enlistment nationwide. “Over 50% of the general public does not enlist. Where are they? [Former Supreme Court President] Aharon Barak once said, ‘Those whose Torah study is their occupation – are forbidden to cease studying.’ Those who do not learn Torah – we do not represent them. Whoever does not study Torah – whatever the law says.”

Goldknopf also emphasized what he described as the central role of Torah study in Jewish continuity, framing it as a national asset rather than a sectorial interest. “We, the nation of Israel, what has held preserved us for thousands of years is Torah study. There is a minority who want to study Torah, and I am speaking about them. When someone turns to [Likud MK Boaz] Bismuth and tells him to enact sanctions against Torah learners, is that Torah? Why punish him?”

Addressing enforcement directly, Goldknopf said that those who neither learn nor serve should be dealt with under the law, but insisted that responsibility lies with the state, not with yeshiva students or their representatives. “Whoever does not learn Torah and does not enlist, activate the enforcement system against him. What do you want from me? Why am I to blame for the fact that the army is not organized? On October 7, as well, it was not organized. If someone does not pay taxes, am I to blame? If you have an issue, enforce it.”

{Matzav.com}

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During a visit on Wednesday to the Judea and Samaria Division, Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz told senior officers to ensure operational readiness for extreme scenarios, directing them to “prepare to respond to a possible October 7th-style attack on communities in Judea and Samaria and along the seamline.”

Katz also reaffirmed that the Israel Defense Forces will maintain a sustained presence throughout Judea and Samaria, stressing that the military will function as a physical barrier separating civilians from terrorist networks. He said the same approach used in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza applies there as well, with forces remaining on the ground to block the regeneration of terror infrastructure and prevent attacks.

Pointing to recent security gains, the defense minister said counterterror operations conducted over the past year in the camps of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur a-Shams led to a dramatic reduction in violence, citing a drop of more than 80% in terrorist activity across Judea and Samaria.

He urged commanders to draw practical conclusions from those results, recommending that the operational model be evaluated for expansion to additional camps and implemented forcefully and consistently over time.

Katz further instructed the military to continue moving ahead with plans to relocate IDF bases to northern Samaria, describing the effort as “it is a historical rectification of both defensive and settlement importance, and that the return to northern Samaria strengthens security and stability in the area.”

{Matzav.com}

On his final day in office, New York City Mayor Eric Adams made public the inaugural annual report of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, formally closing out a year of policy development and enforcement initiatives aimed at addressing antisemitism across the city.

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, praised the mayor’s approach and leadership. “A famous quotation in the movie The King’s Speech is when King George VI says, ‘I have a voice.’ Thankfully, Mayor Eric Adams has been a courageous voice in combatting the scourge of antisemitism in our city,” he said. “While some were silent, he was not afraid to shout and stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. He would remind us that antisemitism is anti-Christianity, anti-Islam, and anti-all faiths. We will always be grateful.”

The report was issued jointly with the office’s executive director, Moshe Davis, and provides a detailed overview of the structures, policies, and legislative planning put in place since the office was launched in May 2025. It represents the first time a major U.S. city has established a municipal agency devoted solely to combating antisemitism.

Davis said the document is intended to serve both as a record of accomplishments and a practical guide for other cities. “We cannot control world events or eradicate centuries-old hatred, but we can do what government does best: create policy, enforce the law, educate, and speak with moral clarity,” he said. “This report is both a record of what we accomplished and a blueprint for what municipal government ought to do.”

According to the report, the decision to establish the office followed a surge in antisemitic incidents after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. During early 2025, antisemitic incidents made up the majority of reported hate crimes in New York City, which the administration said underscored the need for a coordinated, citywide response.

The document lays out the administration’s central initiatives, including adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, the formation of an interagency task force involving more than 35 city agencies, and the issuance of four executive orders. Those orders addressed antisemitism in city procurement, public communications, coordination with law enforcement, and enhanced protections for houses of worship.

“After the attacks of October 7, 2023, I wasn’t afraid to say what so many New Yorkers were feeling: We were not alright. That was the truth and a call to action,” Adams said in a statement released with the report. “Confronting antisemitism has been a priority for our administration. New York City is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel – a point of pride and responsibility.”

Adams said the administration emphasized pairing strong rhetoric with concrete enforcement. “In a few short months, we delivered four executive orders, built an interagency task force dedicated to coordinating responses, and adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism,” he said, adding that “there is still more work to be done.”

First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said the report captures a whole-of-government response to a growing problem. “We find ourselves at a crossroad in this city with antisemitism raging,” Mastro said. “Such hate cannot go unchecked here, home to the largest Jewish population of any city in the world.”

Beyond policy summaries, the report includes historical analysis of antisemitism in New York City, legal reviews of executive actions and proposed legislation, and a forward-looking plan that outlines legislative goals, citywide training programs, and expanded enforcement tools. Appendices provide the full text of executive orders, mayoral remarks, and draft legislative proposals.

The publication builds on steps taken throughout 2025, including the formal launch of the antisemitism office, creation of the interagency task force, recognition of the IHRA definition, and executive orders barring discriminatory procurement practices targeting Israel and directing the New York City Police Department to review protest-related policies near houses of worship.

Community leaders also welcomed the report’s release. Hindy Poupko, senior vice president of the UJA Federation of New York, said, “We are grateful to Mayor Adams, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, and Executive Director Moshe Davis for their unwavering advocacy and support for Jewish New Yorkers at a moment when the community urgently needed government to act.” She added, “The recent antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach underscores the ongoing need for efforts like those undertaken by MOCA, including strengthened enforcement tools and training, streamlined security infrastructure for synagogues and Jewish institutions, and citywide educational initiatives – all helping to ensure that Jewish New Yorkers feel safe and supported.”

The report’s release comes as the city prepares for a transition in leadership. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is scheduled to be sworn into office on New Year’s Day.

{Matzav.com}

MK Uri Maklev, chairman of United Torah Judaism, delivered a sharp rebuke Tuesday night against organizations promoting Jewish ascent to the Har Habayis, saying that such actions violate broad halachic and public consensus and directly fuel deadly unrest.

Maklev’s remarks were made during a meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee, convened to discuss recognition of nonprofit organizations for tax benefits under Section 46 of the Israel Tax Authority. His comments followed the appearance, on the list of candidate organizations, of an association involved in Temple Mount activity.

In forceful comments, Maklev said that ascending the Har Habayis represents a departure from accepted halachic and communal norms, stressing that the overwhelming majority of the chareidi public refrains from going there in accordance with the unequivocal prohibition issued by all chief rabbis. He added that the halachic ban is one of the few issues that unites most of Israel’s religious public.

Turning to security implications, Maklev warned that such visits are inherently provocative and lead directly to bloodshed. “Every time people go up to the Har Habayis, turmoil erupts, and Jewish blood is spilled like water,” he said.

He went on to level personal criticism at Har Habayis activists, declaring: “Those who went up to the Har Habayis and caused the disturbances — they have blood on their hands. How many Jews were murdered because of this?”

Maklev also rejected claims of sovereignty tied to escorted visits, arguing that an ascent carried out under the protection of hundreds of police officers does not reflect genuine sovereignty. Instead, he said, it only stirs unnecessary agitation with deadly consequences.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting criticism after it emerged that his inaugural committee includes a senior activist from the Democratic Socialists of America who previously praised individuals caught tearing down posters of Israeli hostages.

The activist, Alvaro Lopez, a DSA electoral organizer, reacted in November 2023 to a post on X about a New York Post cover story showing two women ripping down hostage posters on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Responding to the incident — during which one of the women cursed a passerby and shouted “[Curse] you, [Curse] Israel” — Lopez wrote: “All I see are heroes.”

The comment drew sharp backlash at the time and has now resurfaced following Lopez’s appointment to Mamdani’s inaugural committee.

The episode is not an isolated one. In October 2023, Lopez accused Ritchie Torres of complicity in violence, writing in another X post that the congressman had “Palestinian children’s blood on your hands.” In the same post, Lopez asked, “What’s your asking price from APAIC [sic] ?” — a reference to American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Mamdani himself is a member of the DSA, an organization that came under widespread condemnation after promoting a pro-Palestinian rally in Times Square a day after Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023 — the first of several such demonstrations.

Lopez is one of several figures with records of extreme anti-Israel rhetoric who were selected for the mayor-elect’s inaugural committee. Mamdani has also appointed Ms. Rachel — the online persona of Rachel Griffin-Accurso — who previously appeared in a children’s video with Motaz Azzaiz, a Palestinian activist who had posted “May God curse the Jews themselves” on social media.

Griffin-Accurso has long been accused by critics of echoing Hamas messaging in content aimed at young children, while failing to address the suffering of Israeli children victimized during the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Also serving on the committee is Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, who previously accused Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of “pledging to commit war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza” following Israel’s announced response to the October 7 massacre.

Separately, Mamdani’s transition team has already been rocked by scandal. His head of appointments, Catherine Almonte Da Costa, resigned last week after past antisemitic tweets referring to “money hungry Jews” resurfaced.

Responding to the renewed scrutiny, Lopez told New York Post that he did not remember making the X post and said, “It’s possible I was talking about the people on the posters. It was a really chaotic time.”

{Matzav.com}

A Minneapolis daycare that unexpectedly became famous for a spelling error on its front sign has now fixed the mistake, but the episode has only intensified questions about oversight and accountability in Minnesota’s child care system amid lingering fraud concerns.

The business, known as the Quality “Learing” Center, drew national attention after a misspelling on its sign circulated widely online and became a symbol of broader skepticism about state monitoring of daycare providers. The error was corrected Tuesday morning, when a sticker was added to amend the name to “Quality Learning Center.”

Despite the correction, not all mistakes were addressed. The street name displayed beneath the sign still read “Nicolet” rather than the correct “Nicollet,” leaving another visible inaccuracy in place.

Manager Ibrahim Ali told the New York Post on Monday that the original typo was the fault of the center’s graphic designer and said it would be fixed.

The sign was changed just one day after independent journalists visited the location while probing allegations of fraud involving daycare providers across Minneapolis. Critics had pointed to the misspelling as an ironic warning sign for a facility responsible for early childhood education.

State officials said the daycare had shut down. The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families stated that the center closed last week because of space limitations, and Commissioner Tikki Brown said Monday that authorities found no evidence of fraud linked to the operation.

What reporters observed on site appeared to conflict with those assurances. On Monday afternoon, the building appeared active, with cars pulling into the lot and children arriving. At least 20 children were seen entering the center, despite official claims that it was no longer operating.

The situation also revived memories of an infamous 2015 video from an earlier Minnesota child care fraud scandal. According to the Daily Mail, that footage showed adults posing as students to artificially boost enrollment figures at state-funded education programs.

The video emerged during investigations into fraudulent billing schemes and became emblematic of how lax oversight allowed providers to collect public funds for services that were never actually delivered.

Its reappearance alongside the “Learing” Center controversy has deepened public doubt that Minnesota has fully resolved the systemic weaknesses exposed nearly a decade ago, particularly as officials once again insist there is no wrongdoing.

Federal authorities, meanwhile, have highlighted recent enforcement actions tied to other fraud cases in the state. FBI Director Kash Patel announced on X that the bureau has been aggressively pursuing a major fraud network connected to Feeding Our Future in Minnesota.

“The FBI has toppled a $250 million fraud network that targeted vulnerable children and exposed a large-scale money laundering operation,” Patel said.

“The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network,” he wrote. “The case led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions.”

The daycare’s misspelled sign first caught widespread attention after it appeared in a viral video by independent journalist Nick Shirley, who visited multiple Minneapolis daycare centers while examining alleged misuse of taxpayer funds.

Shirley said some of the centers he reviewed had received hundreds of millions of dollars in payments without legitimate business activity to support those sums.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every few years, the same script gets dusted off, the same alarms are sounded, and the same hysteria is repackaged. This time, the hashkafah villain of the hour is AI.

Suddenly, we are told it is uniquely dangerous, spiritually radioactive, a threat to the very fabric of Yiddishkeit. People are “yelling.” Flyers are warning. Speeches are thundering. And once again, common sense is nowhere to be found.

Give me a break.

AI is not some supernatural force of tumah. It is a tool. A powerful one, yes—but a tool nonetheless. And if we’re being honest, it is no more inherently treif than a smartphone, the internet, email, or a laptop. All of those can be used for garbage—or for tremendous good. The difference has never been the technology. The difference is the user.

Let’s not pretend we haven’t been here before.

When phones became smart, we were told they would destroy kedusha. When internet access became widespread, it was described as an open sewer. When texting appeared, people warned it would end normal human communication. And yet—somehow—Klal Yisroel survived. Not only survived, but adapted. Guardrails were built. Filters were installed. גבולות were drawn. Life went on.

Were the dangers real? Of course. Are they real with AI? Absolutely. No one is denying that. But danger does not equal prohibition, and fear does not equal wisdom.

If “it can be misused” is the standard, then we need to ban phones, cars, credit cards, microphones, printing presses, and pens. Kefirah can be written by a machine, but it can also be written by a human being. The כלי is not the problem. The lack of yiras Shamayim is.

There is a difference between responsible guidance and panic. Between caution and absolutism. Between leadership and yelling.

We do not need screaming proclamations that everything new is treif by default. We need measured voices, thoughtful boundaries, and adults who trust other adults to act responsibly within halacha.

A little perspective would go a long way. A chill pill wouldn’t hurt either.

Sincerely,
A tired observer of tech panic cycles

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The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee continued deliberations Tuesday on the proposed draft law, focusing on enforcement clauses that would allow the imposition of financial sanctions on yeshivos and their officials.

The discussion centered on Sections 26K1 through 26K16 of the bill, which outline mechanisms for financial penalties as part of the law’s implementation. Under the proposal, the director-general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense would be authorized to levy monetary fines if it is determined that at least five percent of a given yeshiva’s students do not meet the “declared condition” — namely, that they are engaged in regular Torah study for a minimum of 45 hours per week, or 40 hours per week in the case of a kollel.

The declaration would be submitted by a senior official of the yeshiva who also serves as an authorized signatory for the nonprofit organization or public-benefit corporation that operates the institution. If a violation is found, the defense ministry’s director-general could impose a fine of up to 20,000 shekels, after granting the official an opportunity to present arguments.

In addition, the bill provides for a fine of 1,500 shekels for each student regarding whom a declaration was submitted that does not comply with the law’s requirements. The proposal further states that an official who is sanctioned more than once, or who is fined in connection with five or more students, would lose the right to submit additional affidavits seeking deferments from military service.

The legislation would also require the director-general of the Defense Ministry to submit a report every six months to the committee detailing the number of sanctions imposed, their total monetary value, and the grounds on which they were issued.

During the session, members of bereaved families addressed the committee with emotional testimony. Mia Moreno, the widow of Lt. Col. Emanuel Moreno, said: “Both of my sons serve in the army. No leniencies apply to me — if they don’t enlist, they go to prison, and they are IDF orphans. How can it be that the State of Israel discriminates between citizens? One of my sons studied for two years in yeshiva, a talmid chacham, and chose to enlist in a regular army unit. There is great value to Torah, but Torah without a connection to the state — I question what its value is.”

Michal Castel-Keidar, the widow of Lt. Col. Dolev Keidar, also spoke at the hearing. “We are not a religious family, but Dolev commanded a company of yeshiva students and did everything he could to ensure they received what they needed,” she said. “How is it not self-evident that everyone who lives in this country must also help defend it?”

{Matzav.com}

New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani revealed Tuesday that he is selecting Ramzi Kassem, a lawyer whose past work has drawn controversy, to serve as the city’s chief counsel, the highest legal position in City Hall.

Mamdani, who is set to be sworn in on January 1, said Kassem will take on the role of chief counsel. He also announced additional senior legal and policy appointments, naming Steven Banks, who has described himself as a “social justice attorney,” as corporation counsel, and Helen Arteaga as deputy mayor for health and human services.

Kassem previously served in the Biden White House as a senior policy adviser on immigration within the Domestic Policy Council.

His legal career includes acting as lead defense counsel for Ahmed al-Darbi, an al Qaeda operative who in 2014 pleaded guilty before a U.S. military commission to conspiracy related to a terrorist attack on the French oil tanker MV Limburg off the coast of Yemen. The attack killed one civilian and wounded others. Al-Darbi was convicted in 2017 and, in 2018, was transferred by the Trump administration into Saudi Arabian custody.

“While it may not make him whole, my hope is that repatriation at least marks the end of injustice for Ahmed,” Kassem said at the time of the transfer, adding he had “16 long and painful years in captivity.”

More recently, in 2025, Kassem represented Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and anti-Israel activist who was arrested by ICE over his alleged involvement in leading antisemitic protests on campus. Khalil has since been released, though the case remains unresolved.

In announcing the appointment, Mamdani praised Kassem’s background and values.

“I will turn to Ramzi for his remarkable experience and his commitment to defending those too often abandoned by our legal system,” Mamdani said.

The mayor-elect added that “City Hall will be stronger with him in it, and our work of building a more prosperous city for all will have a powerful advocate.”

“My sincere hope is that New Yorkers who have long felt on the margins of this city, the homeless veteran straining to survive, the patient searching for the care that they need, an immigrant trying to get by will feel that they now have leaders in their corner who understand their struggles and care to fight for them,” Mamdani went on, adding, “That is the city I want to build. The prosperity I intend to deliver and the leadership that has too long been lacking.”

Kassem responded by expressing gratitude for the appointment and a sense of obligation to the city.

He said the role represents a “call of duty to serve the city that I’ve called home, the city that embraced me.”

“I grew up in war-torn countries in the Middle East, authoritarian regimes, and New York City was really my first stable and permanent home,” said Kassem. “This is an opportunity for me to repay that debt. I’ve been trying to repay that debt ever since I came to this country, ever since I immigrated.”

Kassem is also the founder of the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility law clinic, known as CLEAR, which states on its website that its mission is “to support Muslim and all other client, communities, and movements in the New York City area and beyond that are targeted by local, state, or federal government agencies under the guise of national security and counterterrorism.”

{Matzav.com}