Matzav

The Jewish community in Lausanne issued a statement mourning the loss of two young girls after the deadly blaze, saying, “it is with great sorrow that we announce the deaths of Alicia and Diana, who were tragically killed in a fire. The community partakes in the family’s mourning and will stand beside it as needed.” Alicia and Diana Gunst were sisters, ages 14 and 15, whose bodies were confirmed earlier in the day.

ZAKA’s International Unit later reported that another missing victim from the same incident has now been identified. The organization said that the remains of Charlotte Needham, a 15-year-old Israeli citizen, were located and formally identified following the inferno at the ski resort in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where she had been unaccounted for.

In the aftermath of the disaster, ZAKA personnel remain active on the ground, working in coordination with Swiss authorities. Their teams are continuing to assist local police, emergency responders, and security forces as recovery and investigative efforts proceed at the site.

The fire at the popular Alpine resort has sent shockwaves through Jewish communities in Switzerland and abroad, as confirmations of the victims’ identities bring a painful close to days of uncertainty surrounding those who had been missing.

A press conference held by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was momentarily interrupted when a Chabad truck drove past the event blasting the song “Hinei Ma Tov,” bringing the proceedings to a brief standstill.

The incident occurred as Mamdani was in the midst of announcing members of his new cabinet and outlining a series of administrative changes. As the music echoed through the area, aides and reporters paused, and the mayor stopped speaking until the truck passed and the sound faded.

“It’s a good song,” Mamdani said.

WATCH:

While announcing new members of his administration, Mayor Zohran Mamdani stopped to listen to a passing Chabad truck that was playing “Hinei Ma Tov.”

“It’s a good song,” Mamdani said. pic.twitter.com/OVnbcKMcHp

— Anash Reporter (@AnashReporter) January 3, 2026

Critics are sharply attacking the choice of schools chancellor made by Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, arguing that his appointee represents an aggressive ideological agenda focused on race and opposition to merit-based education, according to comments made to The New York Post.

At the center of the criticism is Kamar Samuels, a veteran educator who previously led school districts covering parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan and is known for dismantling Gifted & Talented programs. Mamdani selected Samuels to run the nation’s largest public school system after his tenure as a district superintendent.

Samuels previously oversaw District 13 in downtown Brooklyn and later District 3 on the Upper West Side. During that time, he promoted a series of policies framed around “equity” and “antiracism,” while regularly hosting town halls dedicated to those themes.

“I don’t like him, I’ve never liked him; he came in as an ideologue,” a Department of Education official told The Post, adding that he believes Samuels is an “idiot.”

Samuels, now 48, ran District 13 before being appointed in 2022 to lead District 3 by then-Mayor Eric Adams. In both districts, he organized and promoted repeated “Anti-Racist Town Hall” events that critics say pushed a woke agenda under the banner of equity. One such event in February 2022 featured far-left Brooklyn Councilwoman Crystal Hudson as a guest speaker.

“You are invited to join D3 town hall: A courageous conversation about equity,” Samuels wrote in a 2023 post.

“District 13 continues our conversation on serving all students in an Anti-Racist District tonight at 7pm when we hear from students at MS 266 and PS 133! Tuesday, June 7 @ 7:00 pm Anti-Racist Town Hall,” Samuels posted in June 2022.

Critics also point to Samuels’ social media activity as evidence of what they describe as an obsessive focus on race. Following the altercation between comedian Chris Rock and actor Will Smith at the 2022 Academy Awards, Samuels weighed in publicly.

“Just wondering … If Chris Rock were white, would Will Smith had slapped him?” Samuels wrote on X after what became known as “the slap heard round the world.”

In June 2023, Samuels hosted an “equity” town hall alongside Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, an outspoken opponent of standardized testing who has claimed such exams originated in the eugenics movement and has faced accusations of antisemitism.

“Israel is a terrorist state,” she wrote in an Oct. 1 post on X.

During Samuels’ leadership of District 13, he eliminated Gifted & Talented programs and replaced them with International Baccalaureate offerings, a move that drew significant backlash.

“What a pleasant surprise! Removing G&T gives us an opportunity to recreate and reimagine,” Samuels said in October 2021.

“He has a progressive vision that is evil, asking individuals to solve all of society’s problems is not something that’s generally worked,” the DOE official told The Post.

Despite the criticism, Samuels aligns closely with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s education platform. Ending the long-standing Gifted & Talented program for kindergarten students was a central pledge of Mamdani’s campaign.

The program itself has been politically contentious in recent years. Bill de Blasio began phasing it out in 2021, before his successor, Eric Adams, moved to revive it during his administration.

{Matzav.com}

In a sharp escalation of rhetoric following the U.S. military action that targeted Venezuelan state infrastructure, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez accused Israel of playing a role in the operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Celia Flores.

Speaking during an address in which she convened the National Defense Council, Rodríguez charged that the strike bore ideological fingerprints she described as foreign and hostile. “The governments of the world are shocked that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the victim and target of an attack of this nature, which undoubtedly has Zionist undertones,” she said. “It’s truly shameful.”

Rodríguez rejected statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that she had been sworn in as Venezuela’s president or had expressed readiness to cooperate with Washington. She insisted that Maduro remains the nation’s sole legitimate leader and said security forces had already secured key government installations.

She also demanded the immediate release of both Maduro and Flores, arguing that their detention was carried out under false pretenses as part of a broader effort to impose regime change and gain control over Venezuela’s natural resources.

The vice president’s comments have raised concerns among members of Venezuela’s small Jewish community, both inside the country and among Venezuelans living abroad, amid fears that such rhetoric could inflame tensions or invite reprisals.

The latest accusations echo earlier remarks by Maduro himself during a period of heightened friction between Caracas and Washington late last year. At a November 15 Bolivarian Integral Base Committee event, he blamed Zionists for seeking Venezuela’s destruction. “There are those who want to hand this country over to the devils – you know who, right? The far Right Zionists want to hand this country over to the devils,” Maduro said. “Who will prevail? The people of [King] David, the people of God, the people of [Simón] Bolívar, or the imperialist demons?”

During that same period, Maduro repeatedly stressed that Venezuela is a Christian nation, questioning why the United States would seek to harm Christians as U.S. forces increased their presence in the Caribbean and carried out strikes on vessels accused of drug trafficking.

{Matzav.com}

Rudy Giuliani said the federal case against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro could result in sweeping financial consequences, including the confiscation of enormous sums of money and property tied to criminal activity.

In an interview on Newsmax’s “Saturday Report,” the former New York City mayor and longtime federal prosecutor said the use of racketeering statutes is central to the government’s strategy. “The real value of a racketeering charge is that you can seize the business and take it away from them,” Giuliani said.

According to Giuliani, a conviction would allow U.S. authorities to target not only individuals but entire criminal enterprises, including drug routes, infrastructure, and cash flows both inside Venezuela and abroad. “So, assuming a conviction on some, if not all of the charges, we would stand to seize billions and billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains, which then could be used for our benefit, for the benefit of the people of Venezuela, and to destroy this animal.”

He said the scope of potential punishment is still unclear at this stage, but emphasized the severity of the charges. Alongside racketeering counts, Maduro faces terrorism-related allegations that could carry the most serious penalties available under federal law, including life imprisonment or even capital punishment.

Giuliani noted that prosecutors are now adjusting their approach following Maduro’s detention by U.S. authorities. “The criminal penalties are significant,” he said, adding that the government’s legal teams will sharpen their focus as the case moves closer to trial. “I suspect it will now be refined for trial and focus in on the defendants that are going to be the focus of the trial.”

He also argued that Maduro’s alleged criminal network has had far-reaching consequences well beyond Venezuela. “He’s been enormously damaging to the United States. Drugs, massive numbers, Tren de Aragua, helping Iran constantly, and giving aid and assistance to China and Russia,” Giuliani said.

Giuliani sharply criticized the administration of Joe Biden, saying it failed to confront the expansion of Maduro’s alleged criminal operations and allowed them to grow unchecked.

By contrast, Giuliani said the current administration marks a dramatic shift. With President Donald Trump back in the White House, he said the moment represents a turning point. “So, this is an unbelievably great day for the people of Venezuela and for the people of America.”

Trump announced overnight that U.S. special operations forces had carried out a surprise operation to extract Maduro from his compound in Venezuela, also detaining his wife during the mission.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said the operation should serve as a warning to other criminally active leaders around the world, signaling that Trump’s administration intends to upend the status quo.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Meir Ber, has been appointed to serve as the rov of the Raananim Shul in Yerushalayim. He will be filling the position previously held by Rav Avigdor Berstein zt”l, who passed away during Chanukah.

It has emerged that in recent weeks, the Ahavas Chaim kehillah—comprised primarily of young families from the neighborhood—officially joined the Raananim Shul. The unification was orchestrated by Rav Berstein in the final period of his life.

With Rav Bar now assuming the role of shul rov, the move is seen as a continuation and strengthening of that vision.

The Ahavas Chaim kehillah was founded approximately four and a half years ago, during the aftermath of the COVID period, by young families from the Talbiya–Rechavia area and nearby neighborhoods. Their goal was to establish a vibrant, meaningful Torah community in the heart of Yerushalayim.

The community brings together families from diverse backgrounds—French- and English-speaking olim alongside native Israelis; chareidi and dati-leumi families; Ashkenazim and Sephardim—creating a warm, inclusive, and close-knit environment. Its activities focus on providing Torah and educational programming tailored specifically to young families choosing to settle once again in central Yerushalayim, with a strong emphasis on shared learning, tefillah, and communal life.

During the week, the kehillah operates an evening kollel, where members gather for regular Torah learning.

It is noteworthy that the site houses an ancient and striking aron kodesh and bimah dating back to the 18th century, brought from Italy. At the dedication of the aron kodesh in Padua, a special tefillah was composed by the Ramchal, adding a layer of historical and spiritual significance to the shul now led by the Chief Rabbi.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said that bringing an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine has proven far more difficult than he anticipated, even as he reiterated his desire to halt the bloodshed and criticized multiple actors involved in the conflict.

Speaking at a press conference, Trump stressed that the war predates his return to office and again placed the responsibility for its outbreak on his predecessor. “And look, that’s former President Joe Biden’s war. That’s not my war,” he said. “But I want to stop the lives.”

Trump described the scale of the fighting in stark terms, citing what he said were devastating monthly casualty figures. “Did you see where last month 30,000. This last it was 27, 27,000 the month before; 30,000 mostly soldiers were killed. This last month. 30,000. I want to stop that,” he said.

He emphasized that the toll of the conflict extends beyond the battlefield and into Ukrainian cities, where civilians are also being killed. “Life is a big deal,” Trump said. “But if I can stop that war and stop 30,000 young people, in addition to the fact that people are being killed in Kyiv, people are being killed in other cities throughout, you know, a much smaller number, but they’re being killed, viciously killed.”

While acknowledging the complexity of the situation, Trump said he initially believed resolving the Russia-Ukraine war would be among the easier diplomatic challenges. “I thought the easiest one would be, one of the easier ones would be Russia, Ukraine. It’s not,” he said. “And they both have done some pretty bad things.”

Trump also addressed his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the topic of Venezuela did not come up. At the same time, he voiced sharp criticism of Putin’s conduct in the war. He said he is “not thrilled” with the Russian leader, accusing him of “killing too many people,” and described the conflict overall as a “bloodbath” that he wants to see end.

Turning to NATO, Trump highlighted his efforts to push alliance members to increase defense spending and outlined ongoing American military assistance to Ukraine. “You know, I got NATO to pay 5% instead of the 2% that they weren’t paying. They weren’t paying two. Now they pay five, and we send them a lot of munitions,” he said. “We send them a lot of things, missiles and various other things a lot. And they pay.”

Trump said his administration is actively engaged in efforts to bring the war to a close, pointing to the involvement of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and suggesting that some progress is being made. “We have Mr. Witkoff here. I think that we’re making progress,” he said. “But that’s a war that should have never happened. If I were president, it would have never happened. Putin says it. Everybody says it.”

Summing up his view of the situation he inherited, Trump said the conflict was already entrenched by the time he took office. “I inherited that war,” he said. “That was Joe Biden, [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, and Putin. I came into the situation, and it’s a mess.”

Twin Italian-Jewish sisters, both in their teens, were confirmed on Sunday to be among the 40 fatalities from a fire that broke out at a hotel in Switzerland at a New Year’s party just after midnight Friday.

Another Jewish teenage girl, Charlotte Niddam, who is an Israeli citizen, is still missing.

Sisters Alicia and Diana Gunst were initially considered missing in the ski town of Crans-Montana in the Swiss Alps, but their bodies were identified along with 16 others out of the known 40 dead, a spokesperson for the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG) said.

Sparklers on bottles being carried too close to the ceiling are the likely cause of the fire during New Year’s celebrations at the bar, a preliminary investigation has found. In addition to the 40 slain, 119 others were injured in the fire. Many of the approximately 80 critically injured have also not yet been identified.

Many of the dead and missing are teenagers. The Le Constellation bar, where the fire broke out, was popular with teenagers and young adults in the ski resort town of Crans-Montana, where the drinking age is 16.

On Saturday, eight casualties were identified and their remains were returned to their families. All were aged between 16 and 24, Swiss authorities said. On Sunday, another 16 were identified, including the Gunst sisters.

The French couple who own the bar—named by the media as Jacques and Jessica Moretti—are suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, the prosecutors’ office for the Valais region said.

Beatrice Pilloud, Valais canton lead prosecutor, said in a statement that investigators were looking into whether the acoustic foam on the venue’s ceiling was “the cause of the problem,” as well as “whether it complies with regulations,” the BBC reported. JNS

{Matzav.com}

At the annual dinner of Yeshiva Orchos Chaim of Lakewood, NJ, held last night at the Ateres Genendel/Fountain Ballroom Hall in Lakewood, the yeshiva’s founder, Rabbi Yaakov Mandelbaum, devoted a portion of his address to make what he called a public macha’ah on behalf of kavod haTorah.

Speaking before a massive gathering of rabbonim, rabbeim, parents, grandparents, and supporters, Rabbi Mandelbaum addressed events that took place several weeks ago during a visit to Lakewood by Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the Slabodka rosh yeshiva and one of the gedolei hador.

Rabbi Mandelbaum pointed out that the visit was marred by a blatant bizayon haTorah.

The bizayon he referred to included the public and widespread distribution of pashkevilin attacking Rav Hirsch and related actions that crossed clear red lines.

Rabbi Mandelbaum expressed particular pain over what followed. The response to the incident, he told the audience, was silence. There was no public outcry and no clear stand taken to denounce what had occurred. That silence, he said, was itself deeply troubling.

Using the platform of his own yeshiva’s annual dinner, Rabbi Mandelbaum explained that he felt a responsibility to speak openly and publicly, taking a principled stand – a “macha’ah” he called it – to stand up for kavod haTorah.

Those in attendance described the moment as powerful and moving. The public protest, delivered calmly but firmly, left a strong roshem on the audience, highlighting the point that bizayon of Torah leadership cannot be met with indifference and that silence in such moments carries its own weight.

{Matzav.com}

Grief spread through the community of the Pnei Menachem Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Shaul Alter, with the sudden passing of Reb Chaim Yaakov Naftali Zilberberg z”l, Friday night. He was 75 years old and collapsed just moments before beginning Kiddush.

Reb Chaim Yaakov Naftali was born on 29 Iyar 5710 to his father, Reb Yitzchak Yissachar Menachem, the publisher of the works of the Mahari”l of Tzintz and son of the renowned gaon Rav Avraham Binyamin, Av Beis Din of Pittsburgh. His mother, Rebbetzin Rivkah Hendel, was known as the “mother” of Yeshivas Yagdil Torah of Ger in Boro Park and was the daughter of the tzaddik Rav Avraham Binyamin Beinish Auerbach, known as the “Yerushalmi Rav,” a grandson of the Imrei Binah and Zais Raanan.

At the age of 14, he traveled alone to Eretz Yisroel to learn in the Ger Yeshivah, where he came under the guidance of the Beis Yisrael of Ger. Upon reaching marriageable age, he married into the family of the mashpia Rav Chaim Mandel of Antwerp, a close emissary of the Beis Yisrael.

For many years he lived on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv, where he became a trusted confidant of rebbes of the Ruzhiner dynasty. In what was once a vibrant spiritual Tel Aviv, his presence radiated warmth and light. Even as the area’s Torah life diminished, he remained steadfast, operating—devotedly and selflessly—the neighborhood’s only mehadrin kosher grocery, serving a community that had grown increasingly distant.

He later spent several years in Krakow, Poland, where he worked tirelessly to provide tens of thousands of Jews with kosher, nourishing food, coupling practical help with heartfelt warmth and kindness. He was close to the rebbes of Ger, who regarded him as a dignified and trusted figure. The Lev Simcha of Ger once referred to him simply as a “talmid chacham” in a letter to his father-in-law, Rav Mandel.

On one occasion, when Reb Chaim Yaakov went to be menachem avel the Rav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, the Rav stood in his honor and told those present, “This is the man of chessed of Tel Aviv,” a reference to the quiet acts of righteousness Reb Chaim Yaakov performed through his store.

In recent years he moved to Yerushalayim, where he became one of the pillars and adornments of Rav Shaul Alter’s kehillah and a dignified presence in the Pnei Menachem Beis Medrash. Healthy until his final day, he maintained his regular learning schedule and shiurim right up to the end.

Late Friday night, as he prepared to begin Kiddush, his great heart suddenly stopped, and he was niftar.

He is survived by his children, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who continue along his distinguished path.

The levayah took place at the Pnei Menachem Beis Medrash on Yosef Ziv Street in Yerushalayim, proceeding to the Shamgar funeral home and then to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

President Nicolas Maduro arrived in the United States late Saturday, stepping off a plane at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York under heavy guard. Dressed in grey clothing and wearing handcuffs, he was escorted by more than a dozen federal agents clad in black.

Authorities said Maduro is expected to be flown by helicopter to Manhattan and then transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility that has previously held a number of high-profile defendants tied to major criminal cases.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump addressed the nation in a press conference focused on the operation that led to Maduro’s capture. Trump said the United States intends to administer Venezuela for the time being, explaining that the US is “going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”

He elaborated on that position, adding, “We don’t want to be involved with having someone else get in, and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years. So we are going to run the country.”

The military action has drawn strong support from US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who said the events in Venezuela should resonate far beyond Caracas. In an interview with Axios reporter Barak Ravid, Graham said he had discussed the matter with President Trump on Thursday and said the President “has been very clear that he believes there is a drug caliphate in our back yard that need to be taken out. The operation has been formulating for the last couple of weeks.”

Graham warned that the leadership in Havana and Tehran should take note of the US posture. “There is a new sheriff in town. He has put life into the Monroe doctrine. If I were the leader of Iran, I would go pray in the mosque.”

Describing the next phase in Venezuela, Graham told Ravid that “the process of liberation” is now underway and emphasized that “it is in America’s interest to see it succeed. We need to help the people to start fresh.”

When asked whether additional US military action inside Venezuela could follow, Graham responded bluntly: “All options will be on the table.”

{Matzav.com}

Former Israeli Supreme Court President Aharon Barak delivered a sharply worded address overnight, declaring that Israel can no longer be described as a liberal democracy, three years after the launch of the judicial reform initiative.

Barak spoke at a demonstration held against the backdrop of upcoming elections, marking three years since the start of the judicial overhaul promoted by the political right. The rally was organized by left-wing groups, with Barak serving as the keynote speaker.

In his remarks, Barak argued that the erosion of Israel’s democratic character did not occur in a single dramatic moment, but rather through a prolonged process. “We are no longer a liberal democracy, and this did not happen in one dramatic, one-time event. It is a process in which essential components of democracy are under severe attack, and democracy is being weakened,” he said.

Barak went on to describe what he called an unprecedented concentration of power. “Our system of government today is rule by a single political authority that is effectively controlled by one person. That person controls the government and controls the Knesset. That person is the prime minister,” he stated.

Turning directly to the judicial reform, Barak said the effort was aimed at neutralizing the only institution capable of restraining governmental power. “For this control to be complete, it is necessary to take over the one body that can oversee the government — the court. It is no surprise that the first stage of the regime change focused on appointing judges and on their power to invalidate legislation and government actions. When the court is ‘ours,’ the rule of law will no longer exist in government. In its place will come rule by the government through law.”

Barak also leveled criticism at law enforcement authorities, accusing the police of improper conduct. “The police are exercising their power in an unequal and unrestrained manner,” he said.

Despite his bleak assessment, Barak concluded with a call to public action, emphasizing that the judiciary alone cannot halt what he described as democratic decline. “The court, on its own, will not be able over time to prevent our deterioration. Only the people — who stand at the center of liberal democracy — can stop it. Each of us must take hold of the flag of the state, raise it high, and thereby express loyalty to the state and not to its rulers, to the rule of law and not to the rule of the ruler.”

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet on Monday following the dramatic US military action in Venezuela that resulted in the removal of longtime President Nicolas Maduro from power, according to Reuters.

The request for the emergency session came from Colombia, with support from Russia and China, diplomats said. The 15-member council has already held two meetings in recent months — in October and December — as the standoff between Washington and Caracas steadily intensified.

US President Donald Trump said yesterday that the United States would administer Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” How that oversight would function in practice has not yet been spelled out.

Strong criticism was delivered by Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, who addressed the Security Council in a sharply worded letter. “This is a colonial war aimed at destroying our republican form of government, freely chosen by our people, and at imposing a puppet government that allows the plundering of our natural resources, including the world’s largest oil reserves,” he wrote.

Moncada further argued that Washington’s actions were in direct violation of the UN Charter, citing its provision that “All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

Concerns were also voiced by the office of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said the overnight operation amounted to “a dangerous precedent.” He added, “The Secretary General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.”

The United States, for its part, rejected accusations that the move constituted an unlawful seizure of power. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended the action on Saturday in a social media post, stating, “This is not regime change this is justice. Maduro was an indicted, illegitimate dictator that led a declared Narco-terrorism organization responsible for killing American citizens.”

{Matzav.com}

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Ninety-two-year-old Senior United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein – an Orthodox Jew – will preside over the criminal case against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, placing one of the most consequential international prosecutions in recent years in the hands of one of the federal judiciary’s most senior jurists.

Judge Hellerstein, who has served on the Manhattan-based federal bench for more than a quarter-century, is among the oldest active federal judges in the country. He took senior status in 2011 after being appointed to the court in 1998 and continues to hear major cases in the Southern District, which is widely regarded as the most powerful federal prosecutor’s office in the United States.

The assignment has drawn attention not only because of Hellerstein’s age and judicial stature, but also because he is an Orthodox Jew, a personal background that has long been publicly known but is rarely highlighted in connection with such a high-profile international criminal case.

Maduro faces sweeping federal charges related to narcotics trafficking, terrorism-linked offenses, corruption, and other serious crimes. The case has major geopolitical implications and has been closely watched since the charges were first unsealed by U.S. prosecutors several years ago. With Maduro now in U.S. custody, the proceedings are expected to move forward in Manhattan federal court.

Judge Hellerstein brings extensive experience with complex, politically sensitive, and historically significant litigation. Over the years, he has presided over major financial cases, terrorism-related litigation, and nationally prominent civil actions, including consolidated lawsuits arising from the September 11 attacks. He is known for detailed rulings, firm courtroom management, and a methodical approach to evidentiary and procedural issues.

Born in New York City in 1933, Hellerstein earned his undergraduate and law degrees at Columbia University before serving in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He later spent decades in private practice before joining the federal bench, where he quickly became a central figure in the Southern District’s docket.

In addition to his judicial career, Hellerstein has long been active in Jewish communal and educational life, being a shomer Torah umitzvos while serving in senior public office. His role in the Maduro case places that personal background alongside one of the most prominent prosecutions ever handled by the Southern District of New York.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of cheering onlookers gathered near the Brooklyn detention facility Saturday night as Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, arrived under heavy guard, celebrating what many viewed as a historic moment following the Venezuelan leader’s capture.

Among the crowd was Ronny Chirinos, a Venezuelan national who moved from Maracay to New York three years ago to escape the Maduro government. Watching the scene unfold, he said, “It’s such a joy to see the dictator fall, but the regime hasn’t fallen yet.” He added, “I want everything to fall. That there is no one left.”

The couple had been seized earlier that day in Caracas during a dramatic overnight US operation. After being taken out of Venezuela, they were flown to New York Saturday night to face federal narco-terrorism and related charges in the Southern District of New York.

Upon landing, Maduro and Flores were brought to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York headquarters for processing. From there, they were transported by helicopter past the Statue of Liberty to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where the celebrating crowd had already assembled.

Video and photographs released by the White House on X later showed Maduro inside the DEA facility in Manhattan, marking his first public appearance since his capture. The footage, labeled “Perp walk,” depicts him in handcuffs, wearing black sweatpants, a black hat, white socks, and jail-issued flip-flops, clutching a water bottle as agents escorted him through the Chelsea building.

Despite the circumstances, Maduro appeared oddly cordial in the footage, audibly greeting agents with “Good Night, Happy New Year,” and at another point wishing them a “Happy New Year,” according to the video.

Outside the Brooklyn lockup, the mood was loud and triumphant. Revelers praised President Trump for authorizing the high-risk military mission, chanting slogans including “down with the dictator” and “dirty scumbag” as news spread of Maduro’s arrival.

Maduro and Flores are expected to make their first appearance in federal court as early as Monday.

{Matzav.com}

Following a public outcry over a petition calling on donors to withhold funding from certain yeshivos if they criticize the IDF, the group behind the initiative has issued a clarification letter conceding that the effort led to division rather than unity and announcing that the initiative is being shut down.

The clarification was released by the “Coalition of Talmud Torah & Security (CTTS)” after widespread criticism within the Torah world. In the statement, the organizers acknowledged that the media attention surrounding the petition undermined their stated goal of promoting unity among Klal Yisroel.

“We recognize that the media attention to the Petition dated January 1, 2026, released earlier this week, may have caused more division than unity,” the letter states. “That is contradictory to the purpose and goal of the Coalition, which is to promote ‘achdus’ and unity within Klal Yisroel.”

The donors emphasized that the campaign was never intended to weaken the Torah world and stressed that the initiative is now being closed.

“Accordingly, we want to clarify that our chief mission is to promote ‘achdus’ and unity within the Jewish community around the world,” the letter continues. “We wholeheartedly support and endorse all Torah institutions around the world, as Talmud Torah is the beacon of light to the world and the very source for all protection and prosperity of the Jewish nation.”

Sources familiar with the matter told Matzav.com that Alan Leibowitz of Flatbush, one of the central figures behind the initiative, held extended discussions with the nosi of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, Rav Avraham Fruchthandler, who explained the realities facing the Torah world in Eretz Yisroel and the pressures endured by families whose sons are learning Torah under difficult circumstances.

Askanim in the United States were reportedly quick to welcome the clarification. In private conversations, they noted that “our responsibility now is to bring them closer,” expressing appreciation for the donors’ decision to step back and reassess.

In their letter, the coalition also expressed public gratitude to Israeli soldiers, emphasizing unity rather than division at a time of rising antisemitism worldwide.

“We also want to extend our immense ‘hakaras hatov’ to the brave soldiers of the IDF who risk their lives every day to serve and protect the people of Israel and the Jewish nation,” the statement reads. “We continue to daven and pray for their success and safety.”

The letter further stresses the need for internal cohesion in the face of external threats.

“We are all members of one faith and we must come together to build each other up, especially during a period of rapid antisemitism growing around the world,” the coalition wrote. “As a nation strongly committed to the success and growth of our people, we must all think about the future of Am Yisroel and how we can promote same. There is a way, if we want it; we just need to really want it.”

The statement concludes with a call for responsible dialogue and reflection, reiterating that the coalition remains focused on unity.

“We are positioned and driven to the mission of ‘achdus’ and we remain committed to the task. We welcome and encourage further thought and discussion on the matter,” the letter concludes. “With Hashem’s help, may we be fortunate to see the Geulah b’karov.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee issued a sharp rebuke on Monday night after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly criticized the U.S. operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

Reacting to Mamdani’s comments, Huckabee wrote, “I pity the people of New York for electing a mayor who sides with a drug trafficker and ally of Iran and Hezbollah rather than his constituents.” He added, “Will he and Sen. Van Hollen go to Maduro’s jail cell to sip margaritas for solidarity?”

Earlier in the day, Mamdani said he had been briefed on the overnight U.S. military action and its aftermath, writing, “I was briefed this morning on the US military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.”

The mayor went on to condemn the operation itself, stating, “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.”

Mamdani further argued that the consequences extend beyond foreign policy, saying, “This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance.”

{Matzav.com}

Over the course of a single night, global politics and energy economics appeared to enter uncharted territory, as Venezuela — holder of the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves — was abruptly placed at the center of an extraordinary projection of American influence.

With an estimated 303 billion barrels of proven reserves, Venezuela’s vast oil wealth has long been recognized as strategically significant. That reality took on new urgency after a U.S.-led operation resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, followed by President Donald Trump’s declaration that the United States would be “very strongly involved” in the country’s oil sector. The statement reverberated across energy markets and diplomatic capitals around the world.

At roughly $57 per barrel, Venezuela’s reserves are valued at about $17.3 trillion. Even at a steep discount — half of current market prices — the oil would still be worth nearly $8.7 trillion, exceeding the total economic output of every nation except the United States and China, and dwarfing Japan’s GDP by nearly four times.

Trump outlined his vision during a December 3 press conference, describing a U.S. role that would extend beyond security into direct economic management. He said major American oil companies would enter Venezuela, commit billions of dollars to rehabilitating what he called the country’s “badly broken” oil infrastructure, and restart large-scale production.

“We’re going to have our very large US oil companies — the biggest anywhere in the world — go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said. “We’re in the oil business. We’re going to sell it to them.”

Under the plan Trump described, U.S. companies would front the costs of rebuilding Venezuela’s oil facilities, with future oil revenues used to repay those investments.

“The money coming out of the ground is very substantial,” he said. “We’re going to get reimbursed for everything that we spend.”

Trump also revealed that U.S. forces had been prepared to launch a second, larger military operation if circumstances demanded it, though he said that step was not ultimately required. He made clear that he was not ruling out American troop deployments.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground. We’re going to make sure the country is run properly,” he said.

For decades, Venezuela’s oil has represented both immense promise and persistent peril. Despite its unmatched reserves, the country’s production collapsed amid sanctions, corruption, underinvestment, and political instability. Aging infrastructure and the mass departure of skilled workers reduced output to a shadow of its former capacity, leaving what should have been an energy powerhouse mired in economic ruin.

Trump’s remarks point to a sharp break from that decline, with Venezuela potentially administered by the United States alongside a “group” of partners for an extended period. Under that model, oil revenues would underwrite governance, reconstruction, and economic recovery.

The scenario has reignited long-simmering debates over sovereignty, intervention, and control of natural resources. Critics argue the move risks resurrecting the legacy of U.S. interventionism in Latin America, while supporters contend it reflects a new era of energy geopolitics, where access to strategic resources eclipses traditional diplomatic constraints.

Should U.S. firms succeed in reviving Venezuela’s oil production, the consequences for global energy markets could be far-reaching. A surge of Venezuelan crude could disrupt OPEC’s internal balance, exert downward pressure on prices, and reshape the strategic calculations of major producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Beyond oil markets, the sheer magnitude of the resource now at stake is difficult to overstate. Trillions of dollars in reserves — exceeding the annual economic output of nearly the entire world — have become central to U.S. strategic thinking virtually overnight. As Trump summed it up, “We’re going to get the oil flowing.”

{Matzav.com}