Matzav

As Pesach approaches, communities around the world prepare for the Yom Tov through the age-old halachic process of mechiras chametz. In Yerushalayim, this time-honored tradition took place under the auspices of the Eidah HaChareidis, with the participation of its senior dayanim and rabbinic leaders.

Heading the proceedings was HaGaon Harav Moshe Sternbuch, raavad of the Eidah HaChareidis, who arrived at the Beis Din headquarters in the Givat Moshe neighborhood to conduct the sale, as he does each year.

Photographer Shlomi Trichter was on site to capture the scene:

הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר הגר”מ שטרנבוך במכירת חמץצילום: שלומי טריכטר

A halachic storm has erupted across Europe just days before Pesach, centered on the kashrus of Coca-Cola and Pepsi. At the heart of the debate are two rabbanim with sharply opposing views, one permitting the drinks for Pesach consumption in Ukraine, and the other warning that they may contain chametz gamur.

The longstanding halachic debate over Coca-Cola and Pepsi’s kashrus status resurfaces almost every year, but this Pesach, 5785, it has reignited with fresh intensity. Rabbi Avraham Kornick of London, a senior mashgiach under the supervision of the Landau hechsher, released a strongly worded letter and voice message asserting, “Anything not produced specifically for Eretz Yisrael under the Landau certification is absolute chametz.”

The uproar followed the publication of a Pesach product list by Rabbi Yaakov Jan, head of the kashrus agency in Uman, Ukraine. His list declared that Coca-Cola and Pepsi sold in Ukraine are suitable for Pesach, with the only concern being the presence of kitniyos—a stringency for Ashkenazim who are meticulous in this regard.

Rabbi Kornick, who is regularly stationed at the Coca-Cola flavoring plant in Ireland, responded with alarm, launching a full-throated public rebuke. “I cannot fathom how a respected rav who purports to head a kashrus organization in Uman and Ukraine can publish a list of Pesach-approved products,” he said. “To write that Coca-Cola and Pepsi are kosher for Pesach? That’s nothing less than causing innocent Jews to stumble! These products pose a real concern of chametz gamur!”

He explained that only the shipments designated for Israel are produced under full-time supervision. All other flavoring compounds produced in the Irish facility for distribution across Europe, including Ukraine, he claimed, are completely unsupervised and may contain wheat-based additives.

Rabbi Jan did not remain silent. His response, issued through the Ukrainian kashrus division, was sharp and personal. “The writer is brazen and insolent! If he had any yiras Shamayim, he would have reached out to me to ask why I permitted it and we could have discussed it like talmidei chachamim. Clearly, this man is either an am ha’aretz or carries a grudge against me, and that’s why he chose such a disgraceful way to express himself.”

Rabbi Jan stood his ground, insisting that there is absolutely no concern of chametz. At most, he said, one could argue there is a kitniyos issue, which in his view is a non-issue due to its nature as a stringency and the pre-Yom Tov bitul. “There are lenient opinions and stringent ones,” he wrote. “The only issue with cola is a potential concern of kitniyos. Since this is a minhag of chumrah and the ingredients are nullified before Pesach, there is no concern of chametz whatsoever.”

He added that his position is based on clear halachic standards. “He speaks nonsense. With Hashem’s help, I hope to publish a written explanation for anyone who wishes to understand. Only time limits what the heart wishes to share.” He concluded with a blessing: “May we all merit to partake of the korbanos in the Beis HaMikdash together, speedily in our days. Amen.”

{Matzav.com}

Former President Donald Trump reiterated his call on Friday for permanent Daylight Saving Time, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to promote legislation aimed at extending evening daylight throughout the winter months.

“The House and Senate should push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!”

Trump, now 78, had previously championed the change but seemed to express hesitation just last month, pointing out concerns voiced by people in northern states about students having to travel to school before sunrise during winter.

In a statement issued in December, Trump said: “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t!”

However, during a meeting in the Oval Office last month, Trump expressed mixed feelings about the topic, stating that it was “hard to get excited” about the proposal. “It’s very much a fifty-fifty issue and it’s something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way, a lot of people like it the other way,” he remarked.

“I assume people would like to have more light later,” Trump added at the time, “but some people want to have more light earlier because they don’t want to take their kids to school in the dark.”

Momentum for ending the biannual clock change gained traction in 2022 when a proposal introduced by then-Senator Marco Rubio of Florida — who now serves as Trump’s secretary of state — passed the Senate without objection but later stalled in the House.

{Matzav.com}

Turkish news outlets reported that six individuals, including three members of the same family, have been handed lengthy prison sentences totaling 100 years for allegedly spying on behalf of Israel’s Mossad. The charges centered around espionage activities and intelligence collection against specific individuals.

The arrests were initially made in April 2024 by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), which had been monitoring the group in Istanbul before launching a coordinated operation to detain eight suspects.

Among those sentenced was Ahmet Ersin Tumlucalı, an insurance company executive, who was identified as the ringleader. He was found guilty of directing a network of operatives, including members of his own household, and was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison.

Following deliberation, Istanbul’s 23rd Heavy Penal Court reduced Tumlucalı’s sentence to 18 years and nine months, citing “good behavior” as the reason for leniency.

His wife, Benan Tumlucalı, was sentenced to 16 years and eight months, while her daughter from a previous marriage, Dila Sultan Şimşek, received a prison term of 15 years, seven months, and 15 days.

The court also handed identical sentences—15 years, seven months, and 15 days each—to three other individuals implicated in the case: Cem Ozcan, Ozkan Arican, and Fuzuli Simsek.

Authorities claimed that the group operated on behalf of Mossad and collected sensitive intelligence. Prosecutors alleged they were affiliated with Mossad’s “online operations” division and were responsible for photographing and monitoring persons of interest inside Turkey.

The official charge sheet stated, “the suspects were engaged in acts of obtaining information about foreigners in the country, particularly those who fled their home countries due to conflicts and shared this intelligence with (Mossad).”

Investigators alleged that Tumlucalı maintained contact with a Mossad handler known only by the alias “Jorg,” and that they used Skype for communication. Their meetings reportedly took place in Vienna and Munich in 2011 and 2017.

Another Israeli intelligence officer, Gavin Alfron, was also named in the case. Tumlucalı is said to have met with Alfron multiple times in Vienna and Frankfurt between 2017 and 2020, at which point Mossad reportedly ended their arrangement.

In addition to intelligence activities within Turkey, Tumlucalı is accused of operating in Georgia and Germany, and allegedly supplied Israel with “some official documents from Lebanon.”

The group is believed to have targeted individuals of Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, and Azerbaijani origin. Authorities claim that Tumlucalı’s wife, stepdaughter, and sister-in-law, Berna Çetin, were actively involved in the surveillance missions.

{Matzav.com}

Members of Israel’s elite military intelligence Unit 8200 have penned a collective letter urging the government to prioritize the return of the hostages held in Gaza—even if that means halting combat operations—according to reports in Israeli media on Friday.

The letter, signed by a wide range of individuals including reservist officers, current service members, and veterans, mirrors a recent public message released by Israel Air Force personnel. KAN reported that the initiators plan to disseminate the letter in a similar fashion.

In their statement, the 8200 signatories expressed sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the conflict. “We identify with the grave and troubling assertion that, at this time, the war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security interests.”

They continued by warning that persisting with the current military campaign would only deepen the crisis. “Continuing the war contributes nothing to its stated objectives and will lead to the deaths of hostages, IDF soldiers, and innocent civilians. We are concerned about the erosion of the reserve force and the growing rates of non-reporting for duty, and we worry about the long-term consequences of this trend.”

The letter further argued that diplomatic measures are the only viable path to recovering the captives. “Only an agreement can bring the hostages back safely, while military pressure mainly results in the killing of hostages and endangers our soldiers,” the letter continued. “Every day that passes their lives are at risk; every additional moment of hesitation is a disgrace.”

Meanwhile, the IDF reportedly plans to dismiss several hundred air force reservists who recently signed a published appeal demanding a cessation of the war.

Though the message focuses primarily on the conflict, some of those involved are also vocal opponents of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s push to reform the judiciary and his alleged attempts to remove Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

Of all those who endorsed the letter, only 60 currently serve in the reserves, and among them, the number of active pilots is reportedly fewer than ten.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir has taken the position that regardless of the political turbulence surrounding Netanyahu’s leadership, the IDF must remain apolitical. He emphasized that reservists are prohibited from publicly expressing views on matters decided by Israel’s democratically elected government.

{Matzav.com}

The head of a New York City helicopter tour company said the aircraft that crashed into the Hudson River, killing six people—including a visiting Spanish family of five—was heading back to refuel when the fatal incident occurred.

Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tour, explained that the pilot had radioed in to report a low fuel situation shortly before the helicopter went down on Thursday afternoon.

“He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told the Telegraph.

The passengers aboard the helicopter were all tourists from Spain who had come to New York City for a vacation.

Agustin Escobar, along with his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children, died in the crash. The pilot, who has not yet been publicly identified, was also killed.

Escobar held the position of global CEO for rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. His wife worked in a high-level role at Siemens Energy, managing worldwide commercialization efforts.

According to emergency responders, four of the victims were declared dead at the scene, while the remaining two succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.

Photos on the company’s website, now painfully poignant, show Escobar, Montal, and their children smiling in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter and buckled in for their flight.

Roth said he first found out about the crash through one of his employees at the heliport, who had heard rumors of an accident but didn’t realize it involved their own aircraft.

“Then one of my pilots flew over the Hudson and saw the helicopter upside down,” he told the Telegraph.

In an earlier interview with The NY Post, Roth shared his emotional reaction to the tragedy that claimed the lives of six people, including three children.

“It’s devastation,” he said. “I’m a father and a grandfather and to have children on there, I’m devastated. I’m absolutely devastated.”

Roth declined to offer a definitive explanation for what brought the chopper down, saying he could only comment on what he saw from video footage of the crash.

“The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,” Roth said. “And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess — I got no clue — is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.”

Authorities said the Bell 206 broke apart midair as it traveled above the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey around 3:15 p.m.

A video of the crash shows the helicopter spiraling and slamming into the river upside down, sending a large spray of water into the air near Pier 40, located at West Houston Street and West Street.

Soon after, the rotor blades were seen detaching and spinning wildly into the river on their own.

Eyewitnesses near the scene reported hearing a loud “boom sound” at the time of the crash.

Recovery teams have started to remove debris from the river while a formal investigation into what led to the tragic accident is underway. Late Thursday, crews recovered the wrecked remains of the helicopter from the frigid Hudson River.

{Matzav.com}

On Thursday’s episode of MSNBC’s All In, Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) expressed disbelief that more people aren’t raising concerns about former President Donald Trump’s capacity to lead, calling it “beyond wild” that his “mental acuity or fitness to serve” remains largely unchallenged.

Discussing Trump’s trade policies, Crockett said, “When we start to talk about these tariffs, these tariffs are not limited to any one type of people. It’s not limited to Democrats, Republicans or Independents. It’s not limited to urban or rural. We know for a fact if we look back just at his last administration, what it did to the soybean farmers, right. And we ultimately ended up having to give them money to supplant the fact that they lost so much money. But this crazy tariff war that nobody asked for, where he basically is invoking emergency powers, the same thing that he did under the Alien Enemies Act.”

She went on to criticize the silence around Trump’s mental state, contrasting it with the frequent jabs made at President Biden. “Like the fact that no one is questioning his mental acuity or fitness to serve is beyond wild to me, right? Like the fact that they sat around called Joe Biden sleepy Joe Biden. and as I said before, at least you could sleep at night because you didn’t have to worry about your 401K disappearing overnight. You didn’t have to worry about these allegations of fake invasions. You didn’t have to worry about the cost of food just skyrocketing or the skyrocketing cost of all of your electronics.”

Crockett concluded by urging voters to stay engaged and not forget the impact of Trump’s past leadership. “So, you know, I just hope that people remember because seemingly they got amnesia the first time. And so you’ve got opportunities to vote. And I will tell you that every single special election we’ve had, Democrats are swinging no less than 15 points. But honestly, we should be swinging 30 and 40 points because of the level of incompetence and harm that this administration is bringing upon all of us.”

{Matzav.com}

During an appearance on MSNBC’s Deadline Thursday, Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) warned that President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff policies could trigger a mass exodus of Republican support, saying they would “abandon him like rats off a sinking ship.”

Host Nicolle Wallace pointed to Trump’s declining approval ratings, stating, “I mean, the other thing that’s happened is Donald Trump’s approval rating has plunged. He’s at 41% overall approval and down to 40% on the economy. The tariffs are lower than that. When do you think Republicans will reassert themselves as elected officials?”

Schiff responded by criticizing Trump’s economic approach, especially his reliance on tariffs. “Well, had he continued, and if he does continue along this tariff, destroy our economy, this self-inflicted wound to our economy, Republicans are going to abandon him like rats off a sinking ship. It’s unsustainable. You already saw Republicans start to abandon him. We brought up a resolution, Tim Kaine did, got four Republican votes, enough to get it passed in the Senate to try to stop these destructive tariffs on Canada.”

He continued by noting that this wasn’t just rhetorical dissent—it was reflected in actual Senate votes. “That was Republicans not just speaking privately, not just speaking publicly, but actually voting against the president. And you’re going to see more and more of that, the more destruction he brings to our economy. Just watching this display in the administration, as the president’s aides were out there after this latest flip-flop, saying it wasn’t a flip-flop, it was — it was planned that way. You know, you’re just not smart enough to see the president’s brilliant strategy, his art of the deal.”

{Matzav.com}

Classified files connected to the killings of Senator Robert F. Kennedy Sr. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are finally set to be made public, according to an announcement Thursday by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The long-hidden documents are scheduled to be unveiled “in the next few days” after remaining untouched “for decades.”

The news came during a White House gathering where Gabbard sat just a short distance from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—son of the slain senator—as well as President Donald Trump and members of the presidential cabinet.

“We’ve been scanning — I’ve had over a hundred people working around the clock to scan the paper around RFK, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, as well as Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination,” Gabbard said during the meeting.

“These have been sitting in boxes in storage for decades, they have never been scanned or seen before. We’ll have those ready to release here in the next few days,” she added.

Trump reacted positively to the revelation, saying, “That’s great,” before turning to Kennedy Jr. and asking how he was feeling.

“I’m very gratified,” he replied.

“That’s hitting close to home,” Trump noted. “I’m thinking about Bobby when that statement was made.”

Kennedy Jr. went on to express his appreciation, adding that he is “very grateful.”

Kennedy Jr., who now serves as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, was in his teens when his father—President John F. Kennedy’s younger brother—was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles shortly after claiming victory in the California Democratic presidential primary in June 1986.

“And you let Bobby see some of this because, you know, it’s very personal stuff. But it’s time,” Trump said to Gabbard. She confirmed that Kennedy Jr. had previously told her the importance of making the materials public, saying the “world needs to know the truth.”

Earlier this year, in January, Trump authorized an executive order to unseal records concerning the assassinations of JFK, RFK Sr., and Dr. King.

The files pertaining to JFK were made available on March 18, and according to Gabbard, “no redactions” were applied to those documents.

While campaigning in 2024, Trump promised to launch a commission to investigate presidential assassinations. The pledge came as a tribute to RFK Jr., and was made just one month after Trump himself survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

{Matzav.com}

A newly released survey shows that Americans from different age groups and political affiliations are viewing Israel less positively now than they did before October 7, 2023. In addition, more than half of those polled expressed distrust in Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s ability to make sound decisions.

According to the Pew Research Center, 53% of respondents now hold an unfavorable opinion of Israel, a noticeable jump from 42% in 2022. Among Republicans, 37% now view Israel negatively, up from 27% two years ago. Among Democrats, that number rose from 53% to 69%.

Younger Americans in both political parties appear especially critical. The data shows that 50% of Republicans under the age of 49 have a negative perception of Israel, as do 71% of Democrats in the same age bracket.

The survey also revealed that most Americans reject the controversial idea of the U.S. seizing control of Gaza for redevelopment — a plan first floated by President Donald Trump back in February.

Pew’s findings show that 62% of Americans are opposed to the proposal, with nearly half — 49% — strongly rejecting it. Only 15% expressed support for the idea. Within Trump’s own party, 44% oppose the proposal, while 27% back it.

Despite the resistance, 46% of those surveyed believe it is either somewhat or very likely that Trump will move forward with the plan if elected again.

These numbers were released Tuesday, just before Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu this week, during which he reiterated his position on the issue.

Trump maintained that the reaction to his proposal has been mostly positive, even though the plan has been widely dismissed by global leaders and international observers.

“Having a peace force like the United States there controlling and owning the Gaza Strip would be a good thing,” Trump said, seemingly contradicting earlier efforts by his team to walk back his remarks about deploying American troops in Gaza.

The survey noted that Democratic attitudes toward Israel have worsened across generations, but especially among older Democrats, whose unfavorable views have risen 23 points. “Younger and older Democrats alike have turned more negative toward Israel over these three years, but negative views among younger Democrats have grown by 9 points, compared with a 23-point increase among older Democrats,” the poll states. “Among Republicans, much of the shift in attitudes has come among younger adults. Republicans under 50 are now about as likely to have a negative view of Israel as a positive one (50% vs. 48%). In 2022, they were much more likely to see Israel positively than negatively (63% vs. 35%).”

Among different religious communities in the U.S., only Jews and Protestants showed majority support for Israel, with 73% of Jews and 57% of Protestants expressing favorable opinions. Notably, 72% of white evangelicals view Israel positively. Catholics were divided, with 53% holding negative views and 45% positive. Among Muslims, 81% said they had an unfavorable view of Israel.

These findings echo trends found in a Gallup poll from February, which also reported a decline in American support for Israel.

When respondents were asked about their view of Netanyahu, 52% said they had little or no trust in him to “do the right thing regarding world affairs,” compared with 32% who said they did have confidence. Pew pointed out that “the share of Americans with little or no confidence in Netanyahu rose significantly between 2023 and 2024.”

The poll also showed a partisan divide on Netanyahu: 51% of Republicans expressed confidence in his leadership, while just 15% of Democrats said the same.

Among American Jews, opinion was split: 53% said they lack confidence in Netanyahu, while 45% said they trust him. White evangelical Protestants were the only religious group in the U.S. where a majority expressed faith in Netanyahu.

Interest in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has declined slightly since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks. Currently, 54% of Americans say the war remains personally significant to them, down from 65% in January.

Among Jews, the war continues to resonate strongly. A full 93% say the conflict is important to them, with 74% describing it as “very important.”

The poll was conducted between March 24 and March 30, surveying a representative sample of 3,605 adults across the United States.

{Matzav.com}

The staff at Matzav.com, Matzav WhatsApp, and Matzav Status wishes all of our readers around the globe a chag kosher vesomeiach and a kosheren Pesach.

We are grateful to all those who have supported Matzav.com in this important endeavor to provide a kosher and informative Torah newscenter for the greater frum community. We express our gratitude to those who have encouraged and guided us. Of course, we thank our supporters, sponsors and advertisers, as well as our dedicated readers and contributors from countries around the world.

Thank you for making all Matzav.com platforms the #1 English-Language Torah news and inspiration choice for the frum community.

Have a wonderful and meaningful Yom Tov.

The Matzav.com Staff

{Matzav.com Newscenter}

A deal to secure the release of hostages appears to be nearing completion, based on updates delivered to the relatives of those still in captivity. Steve Witkoff, former President Donald Trump’s Middle East representative, assured families during a Thursday meeting that “a very serious deal is taking shape—it’s a matter of days.”

Insiders suggest that Trump has signaled to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu that he has only a limited window—possibly just a few more weeks—to carry on military operations before a more extensive ceasefire agreement is expected to be pursued.

Speaking to the press during a Thursday cabinet session at the White House, Trump echoed this sentiment, stating, “We’re getting close to getting them back,” and adding, “We’re making progress, we’re dealing with Israel, we’re dealing with Hamas, and it’s a nasty group.” He offered no specifics on the pace or content of the negotiations.

In response, Netanyahu’s office announced that the prime minister had convened a meeting with Israel’s security team and negotiators to review developments related to the hostages.

During a Security Cabinet session held the previous night—noticeably without the participation of Israel’s top military brass—ministers reviewed Netanyahu’s recent trip to Washington and debated ramping up military efforts against Hamas. Transportation Minister Miri Regev argued that Israel’s current actions lacked sufficient intensity. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Israel to take control of Gaza and encourage population movement “according to Trump’s plan.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated launching a significant ground assault if Hamas fails to free all captives.

According to reports, American officials told relatives of hostages that the matter was front and center during Trump’s recent talks with Netanyahu at the White House. They relayed that Washington is pushing for a sweeping diplomatic resolution—ending hostilities in Gaza while advancing normalization talks with Saudi Arabia. This initiative also involves renewed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Those familiar with the situation say Trump is prepared to allow the conflict to continue for only another two or three weeks at most before calling for it to stop. “There’s no end to this war without resolving the hostage issue,” one Israeli official commented.

Meanwhile, Karina Arayev—recently freed after enduring 477 days in Hamas captivity—issued a heartfelt plea ahead of Pesach: “Until they return, none of us are truly free.”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF, working in coordination with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), has eliminated eleven operatives from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad who took part in the brutal October 7 attacks, according to a military announcement issued Thursday. These targeted killings took place following the resumption of military activity in Gaza that began in mid-March.

The renewed offensive marked the official end of a two-month-long truce between Israel and Hamas.

Of the eleven terrorists identified, nine were neutralized in the most recent wave of strikes carried out in Gaza.

Among those killed was Hassan Na’em, who was involved in the abduction and killing of Sgt. Shaked Dahan. Ismail Shakash was also targeted; he had been responsible for murdering Israeli civilians, launching grenades at the Re’im junction checkpoint, and firing a small surface-to-air missile into Israeli territory. Jalal Qaraan played a role in murdering Inbar Haiman, attacking the Nova music festival and military installations, and killing two Israeli civilians while filming and sharing the atrocities online.

Muhammad Issa was identified as a perpetrator in the attack on Kibbutz Mefalsim and as a participant in the October 7 massacre. Muhammad Shabaki also infiltrated Israeli territory and took part in the mass killings that day. Fares Karshin, Yahya Estal, Muhammad Tzakar, and Muhammad Estal all crossed into Israel and took part in the coordinated October 7 assault.

In addition to these nine, two other terrorists were killed prior to the current campaign.

Muhammad Atsfur was involved in the assault against the IDF’s Southern Command’s 10th Brigade on October 7. Khaled Al-Din was implicated in the murder of Israeli civilians during the same attack and was found to have used the home of Erick and Ruth Peretz, both of whom were slain at the Nova music festival.

{Matzav.com}

Iran is reportedly weighing the possibility of presenting a temporary nuclear deal to the United States as a stepping stone toward a broader, more permanent arrangement, according to a report by Axios on Thursday. The outlet cited a European diplomat and a source with knowledge of the internal discussions in Tehran.

This development comes as the White House intensifies diplomatic pressure, with President Donald Trump giving negotiators a 60-day window to secure a renewed nuclear agreement with Iran. At the same time, the U.S. has increased its military presence in the region, a move widely interpreted as a contingency plan in case diplomatic efforts falter.

If talks fail to yield tangible results, Trump may consider launching a military offensive aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—or may support Israel in conducting such an operation.

Sources familiar with Tehran’s internal strategy told Axios that Iranian officials do not see a full, detailed nuclear agreement being finalized within Trump’s tight timeline. Instead, they are hoping to buy time and lower the chances of a swift escalation in tensions.

Ali Vaez, who heads the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, told Axios, “The Iranians seem to believe that a sustainable deal is unlikely to be achieved in the timeframe that President Trump has in mind. It might therefore be necessary to consider an interim agreement as a way station toward a final deal.”

Iran’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations declined to provide a statement when asked about the possible proposal.

According to Axios, the temporary deal under consideration may include limited measures such as a reduction in uranium enrichment levels, a decrease in Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium, and broader access for international inspectors. While these changes would only slightly delay Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon, some experts suggest they could create a more favorable environment for further negotiations.

The arrangement could also propose extending the “snapback” clause from the 2015 nuclear accord—the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—which allows UN sanctions to be reinstated automatically if Iran fails to comply. That mechanism is set to expire in October.

France, Germany, and the UK have already issued warnings to Tehran that they will activate the snapback provision if no progress is made by the end of June.

Still, Tehran is expected to seek an end to the Trump-era “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign as part of any interim deal. Whether the White House would agree to that remains uncertain.

Some officials in Washington are wary that Iran might use a temporary deal to delay serious negotiations while continuing its nuclear development behind the scenes. That skepticism could make the administration reluctant to move forward, Axios reported.

This news emerges ahead of a meeting scheduled for Saturday in Muscat, where U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will represent Washington and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will attend on behalf of Tehran.

Although President Trump has said the talks would be direct, Iranian officials clarified that the discussions will be conducted indirectly, without face-to-face interaction.

On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that if military intervention becomes necessary to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions, “Israel will be involved and even lead the effort.”

When asked about a specific deadline for reaching a deal with Iran, Trump responded, “I can’t really be specific, but when you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not, and I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a strong condemnation on Thursday in response to comments made by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who appeared to validate a protester’s allegation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

“Canada has always sided with civilization. So should Mr. Carney. But instead of supporting Israel, a democracy that is fighting a just war with just means against the barbarians of Hamas, he attacks the one and only Jewish state. Mr. Carney, backtrack your irresponsible statement!” Netanyahu wrote on X.

Netanyahu’s post came after video surfaced showing Carney at a Calgary rally on Tuesday. During the event, a protester shouted, “Mr. Carney, there is a genocide happening in Palestine,” to which Carney responded, “Thank you…I’m aware. Which is why we have an arms embargo.”

The next day, reporters asked Carney about the incident, prompting him to clarify his remarks. He claimed he had not heard the word “genocide” and had only meant to reference existing Canadian arms restrictions.

“I didn’t hear that word,” Carney said. “It’s noisy. If you’re up there you hear snippets of what people say and I heard Gaza, and my point was I’m aware of the situation in Gaza.”

Carney, who took over as Liberal leader last month following Justin Trudeau’s resignation, was quick to weigh in on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He criticized the shutdown of electricity to the territory, though he stopped short of naming Israel.

“It has been more than two days that the supply of electricity to Gaza has been shut off,” Carney stated, adding, “It must resume. Essentials including food, electricity and medical supplies should never be used as political tools.”

He went on to assert that Canada should act in coordination with its allies to defend international legal standards, encourage long-term regional peace, and ensure humanitarian access to Palestinian civilians.

Carney also emphasized the need for both parties to advance toward “the return of all hostages and the completion of the ceasefire agreement.”

Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially supported Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and joined several global leaders in affirming Israel’s right to defend itself while calling for civilian protections.

However, Trudeau later took a markedly different stance, condemning Israel and insisting that the “killing of women, of children, of babies” in the Gaza Strip must end.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Trump administration can move forward with a controversial initiative requiring undocumented immigrants to enter their personal details into an online database — and face fines or jail time if they don’t comply.

The policy, first unveiled by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in February, is scheduled to go into effect on Friday.

Under the new rule, undocumented immigrants aged 14 and up — including minors — must provide details such as fingerprints and residential addresses. As reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, noncompliance could result in penalties of up to $5,000 and a prison sentence of up to six months.

Several advocacy groups that serve immigrant populations, including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles (CHIRLA), United Farmworkers of America, Make the Road New York, and CASA, filed a lawsuit last month seeking to stop the policy from being implemented.

“Plaintiffs have not shown that they are likely to succeed on the merits,” DC US District Court Judge Trevor McFadden ruled Thursday. “They have failed to demonstrate that they have standing to bring this suit.”

Judge McFadden, who was appointed by President Trump, dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims of harm as hypothetical and argued that the organizations had failed to present evidence that any individual had suffered the kind of injury recognized by the courts under Article III.

In his ruling, McFadden cited the long history of federal laws mandating non-citizen registration, beginning with the Alien Registration Act of 1940. The current iteration of that obligation is derived from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952.

The directive to launch this registry was included in President Trump’s “Day One” executive order, titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, which instructed the Department of Homeland Security to enforce the requirements of section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and to prioritize penalties for noncompliance.

“Most aliens in the United States have already registered, as required by law,” according to USCIS. “However, a significant number of aliens present in the United States have had no direct way in which to register and meet their obligation under INA [section] 262.”

“In order that unregistered aliens may comply with their duty under INA [section] 262, USCIS is establishing a new form and process by which they may register. No alien will have an excuse for failure to comply with this law.”

The groups challenging the rule contended that it would ultimately serve as a mechanism for mass removals of undocumented immigrants and insisted that such a sweeping change should go through a full public comment period before being finalized.

{Matzav.com}

Former President Donald Trump revealed on Thursday that he has selected Yehuda Kaploun, a businessman, Chabad rabbi, and active Trump campaign supporter, to serve as his administration’s new special envoy charged with monitoring and fighting antisemitism.

Trump shared the announcement on Truth Social, stating: “I am proud to nominate Yehuda Kaploun as the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ambassador-at-Large. Yehuda is a successful businessman, and staunch advocate for the Jewish Faith and the Rights of his people to live and worship free from persecution. With Anti-Semitism dangerously on the rise, Yehuda will be the strongest Representative for Americans and Jews across the Globe, and promote PEACE. Congratulations Yehuda!”

Kaploun played a central role in engaging Jewish voters on behalf of the Trump campaign during the 2024 presidential race. He was involved in organizing a major event in Washington aimed at mobilizing Jewish support, an event that received backing from Dr. Miriam Adelson.

Throughout the campaign season, Kaploun was deeply involved in outreach efforts targeting both the Orthodox and broader Jewish communities. He has said that his involvement stemmed from growing concern over rising antisemitic sentiment and the growing sense of unease felt by many Jews in America today.

“Just a year ago, no one would have believed that Jews would be afraid to be openly Jewish in the United States,” Kaploun told Mishpacha Magazine. “The fact that Jews are afraid in progressive universities shows that the United States is going down a dark path.”

{Matzav.com}

Agudath Israel of America presents a special Shailos Uteshuvos session on Hilchos Pesach and Erev Pesach Shechal B’Shabbos with Hagaon Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky, member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and Rosh Yeshiva of Philadelphia Yeshivah. The discussion, originally conducted four years ago, is moderated by Rav Doniel Osher Kleinman, noted rov and author of Kovetz Halachos containing Rav Kamenetsky’s p’sakim. With clarity, Rav Kamenetsky addresses a range of practical halachic questions.

WATCH:

Lakewood, NJ – Lakewood, an area of 26 square miles, has 217 miles of Township streets. It also has thousands upon thousands of garbage receptacles – bins that, while serving town residents, belong to the Lakewood Public Works Department, which is responsible for the maintenance and repair of Township roads and sewers, Township parks and open space, snowplowing of Township streets, leaf and brush collection, and, of course, garbage and recycling collection.

It is because these bins belong to the township that several Lakewood poskim, notably Rav Shmuel Felder, a posek of Beth Medrash Govoha, have ruled that there is no halachic concern if town residents leave chometz in their trash cans on Yom Tov. Since the cans are in the reshus of the township, there is no issue of baal yeira’eh and baal yeimotzeh.

It should be noted that Pesach is a good time to clean out your bins and hose them down, which is also recommended during the warmer weather, when they bins tend to emit a foul odor when they are not cleaned or hose down.

{Matzav.com}

HaRav Meir Mazuz, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Kisei Rachamim, is in critical condition.

Rav Mazuz has been hospitalized at Beilinson Hospital for the past week due to severe heart failure, and his condition has continued to deteriorate.

Doctors have described the situation as life-threatening, and rachamei Shamayim merubim are needed.

Talmidim close to the rosh yeshiva say that the situation is dire.

In response, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, nosi of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, issued an urgent call to the public to daven and learn Torah as a zechus for a refuah sheleimah for Rav Mazuz, whom he referred to as “a giant of Torah whom the public greatly needs.”

Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri also released a public statement: “Together with all of Am Yisrael, I daven for the complete and speedy recovery of my revered rebbi, HaGaon HaRav Meir Mazuz shlita, rosh yeshiva of Kisei Rachamim, who is in dire need of rachamei Shamayim.”

All are asked to daven for Rav Meir Nissim ben Kamasna.

{Matzav.com Israel}