Matzav

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Tuesday congratulated Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on the occasion of his 76th birthday.

“Happy birthday to [Netanyahu,] who in partnership with [President Donald Trump] has delivered ceasefire in Gaza and the release of living hostages & hopefully soon the remaining deceased hostages,” he stated.

The Jewish state’s longest-serving premier was born on Oct. 21, 1949, in Tel Aviv. He is the son of Benzion Netanyahu, a Poland-born expert in Jewish history and Zionist activist, and Tzila (née Segal) Netanyahu, who was born in the Land of Israel during the British Mandate.

Netanyahu has two brothers: Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, who was killed in action in 1976 while leading the Entebbe rescue raid and is regarded as a national hero, and Iddo Netanyahu, a physician and writer.

Appearing on Channel 14‘s flagship show, “The Patriots,” on Saturday, host Yinon Magal surprised the premier on the occasion of his birthday.

“Mr. prime minister, thank you very much for coming to The Patriots,” Magal told Netanyahu at the end of the interview, adding: “With God’s help, may you have many more good years. May you continue to lead the people of Israel toward many successes and great victories.”

Netanyahu responded, “Thank you very much, thank you very much.”

With just two weeks left before New York City voters head to the polls, mounting pressure is being placed on Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to bow out of the mayoral race, potentially paving the way for a direct contest between Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.

Billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis, who owns WABC Radio where Sliwa previously hosted a show, urged him to withdraw to avoid “inadvertently help[ing] another candidate.” Sliwa made clear he has no intention of doing so.

“I’m not dropping out,” Sliwa said. “I have support. I have 11 headquarters. I have volunteers everywhere, signs galore. I don’t see any Cuomo signs.”

At an event Monday night held at a shul on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Cuomo once again pressed his case for Sliwa to step aside—this time accusing Mamdani of antisemitism.

“He is not a viable candidate to win, he knows that, but he is a viable candidate to make Mamdani a winner,” Cuomo said. “I am hopeful that before the end of the day, he realizes that there’s something bigger at stake than his notoriety.”

Mamdani fired back, portraying Cuomo’s attempts to pressure Sliwa as evidence of desperation within the ex-governor’s campaign.

“Andrew Cuomo is spending more time pleading with another candidate to drop out than making his case to New Yorkers as to why he would be the next mayor, and the reason for that is he doesn’t have much of an agenda to share with New Yorkers across the five boroughs,” Mamdani said. “Whether it’s Curtis Sliwa and Andrew Cuomo running against me on November 4 or it’s just Andrew Cuomo, the result’s going to be the same. We’re going to win.”

Cuomo’s team, meanwhile, is pointing to new polling numbers that they claim show a razor-thin race. According to their internal figures, Mamdani and Cuomo are “in a dead heat,” with Mamdani at 45% and Cuomo at 41%, falling within the margin of error.

“As New Yorkers see this reality, they’ll discard the spoiler Curtis Sliwa and rally behind Cuomo to save the city,” Cuomo’s campaign said in a statement.

The Gotham/AARP survey, however, indicates those results hold only if Sliwa exits the contest.

“In a head-to-head scenario between Mamdani and Cuomo, Mamdani leads 44.6% to 40.7%, with nearly 15% undecided — a group dominated by voters 50-plus. Cuomo’s support among these older voters has increased nine points since August, signaling growing competitiveness in a possible one-on-one race. If Cuomo were to drop out instead, Sliwa’s support would jump ten points from August, reaching 31.5%,” AARP said in a statement.

Other polls continue to show Mamdani with a solid lead. The Gotham Polling and AARP report found that if Sliwa were to exit, 44.6% of voters would back Mamdani compared to 40.7% for Cuomo, keeping the race within the four-point margin of error. A Fox News poll paints a steeper climb for Cuomo, showing Mamdani leading by 24 points—52% to 28%—with Sliwa trailing at 13%. Quinnipiac University’s latest numbers also favor Mamdani, putting him ahead by 13 points with 46% support, while Cuomo and Sliwa register at 33% and 15%, respectively.

{Matzav.com}

In a significant step under the ongoing ceasefire framework, Israel has begun implementing what military officials are calling the “yellow line” — a newly defined boundary within Gaza that reflects the current division of control under the terms of the Israel-Hamas agreement.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the line’s creation is being conducted in compliance with government directives and forms part of the broader ceasefire arrangement. The new markers differ from the old security fence and are meant to clearly outline the regions now managed by Israeli forces.

According to the IDF Spokesperson, “The marking is being carried out on concrete barriers topped with a yellow-painted post standing 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) above the ground,” and “concrete barriers are being placed every 200 meters.” The distinct yellow markings are meant to provide clarity and help maintain order as Israel coordinates movements and activity within the Strip.

Defense Minister Israel Katz has reportedly issued strict instructions to advance the project following repeated Hamas ceasefire breaches. He also ordered a sharp message be delivered to Hamas leadership through the U.S.-supervised communication channel, warning of serious consequences for any further provocations. “Every Hamas terrorist found beyond the yellow line in territory under Israeli control must evacuate immediately. Hamas leaders will be held accountable for any incident,” Katz declared.

This decision came after a deadly Hamas attack in Rafah on Monday, when terrorists surfaced from a tunnel and fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF bulldozer. The assault claimed the lives of Maj. Yaniv Kula, commander in the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion, and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz, a member of the elite Erez program.

The IDF says the yellow line is intended to reduce friction and enhance coordination between forces as the ceasefire continues to be tested. Despite the formal truce, Israel still retains control over roughly 58% of the Gaza Strip — including all of Rafah, major sections of Khan Yunis, and northern areas such as Beit Lahia and Shujaiyya — while Hamas maintains limited but persistent presence near the perimeter of these zones.

Military officials describe the effort as a practical response to the fluid situation on the ground. The line, they say, reflects a new phase in Israel’s operational management of Gaza, signaling authority without reestablishing full occupation — a move aimed at preserving calm while remaining ready for rapid military response if Hamas again violates the ceasefire.

{Matzav.com}

Amazon Web Services suffered a devastating outage on Monday that crippled portions of the internet and disrupted operations for some of the world’s largest companies. Experts warned that the economic consequences could “easily reach into the hundreds of billions,” CNN reported.

The trouble began in AWS’s U.S. East-1 region in Northern Virginia, a key hub for much of the world’s web infrastructure. The issue rapidly spread across continents, impacting users in Europe, Asia, and Australia. “The failure began in AWS’ U.S. East-1 region in Northern Virginia, a hub that powers many of the world’s largest websites,” analysts noted.

Major platforms including Snapchat, Facebook, and Fortnite went offline, while Coinbase, various banks, and the AI firm Perplexity all reported service interruptions. Even Delta and United Airlines confirmed that internal systems had been affected by the outage.

Amazon announced that it had resolved the problem, saying the company had “fully mitigated” the failure after nearly a full day of widespread disruptions. “Amazon said its systems are now back online after connectivity issues persisted for much of the day. The company reported it had ‘fully mitigated’ an earlier failure, though problems continued to affect some users even after recovery efforts were declared complete.”

Despite Amazon’s assurances, reports indicated that many services continued to struggle as systems tried to catch up from the downtime. “The Guardian noted that certain applications continued to experience slowdowns throughout the day as systems cleared backlogs and reconnected to AWS servers.”

The outage brought large sections of the digital economy to a standstill. According to The Guardian, more than 2,000 companies were affected, and over 8 million outage reports were logged globally. Downdetector recorded over 11 million complaints at the height of the crisis. “The Guardian reported more than 2,000 companies were affected, with over 8 million outage reports globally, while Downdetector logged more than 11 million complaints during the peak of the disruption.”

Cyber experts say the incident underscores the vulnerability of the modern web. “FinTech Magazine reported that businesses’ heavy reliance on a handful of cloud providers has created ‘a single point of failure’ for the global economy, where one provider’s stumble can paralyze millions of users.”

Mehdi Daoudi, CEO of Catchpoint, told CNN that the economic damage from the downtime “will easily reach into the hundreds of billions,” attributing the figure to lost productivity, transaction delays, and cascading effects across industries.

Analysts explained that the financial blow includes not only direct losses but also the ripple effects from halted business operations and suspended digital transactions. “Analysts said the figure includes both direct losses and the cascading costs of halted digital transactions.”

AWS has faced outages before, but experts say this one ranks among its most far-reaching in scope and consequence. “While AWS has weathered outages before, analysts said Monday’s event was one of its most far-reaching. The scale and economic impact, they said, are likely to reignite debate over the risks of cloud concentration and the urgent need for stronger backup and diversification plans.”

Although Amazon has confirmed that core services are now restored, industry watchers say the episode will renew calls for diversification and stricter safeguards against overreliance on a single cloud provider. “Amazon said service levels have been restored, but lingering issues persisted in some areas.”

{Matzav.com}

Today, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his assertion that several Middle Eastern nations have offered to deploy military forces into Gaza to “straighten out Hamas,” but he indicated that he has asked them to wait, saying there is still a chance for Hamas to “do what is right.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas surrounding the Middle East, have explicitly and strongly, with great enthusiasm, informed me that they would welcome the opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and ‘straighten our Hamas’ if Hamas continues to act badly, in violation of their agreement with us.”

At present, Indonesia is the only nation to have publicly stated its readiness to contribute troops to a potential UN-approved multinational force to help secure Gaza once the war ends. Meanwhile, Turkey and Azerbaijan have privately indicated their openness to such participation, according to officials cited by The Times of Israel.

The New York Times reported earlier in the day that many nations remain reluctant to send troops into Gaza, contradicting Trump’s claim. According to the report, regional leaders are worried about being forced into direct confrontations with Hamas while attempting to bring stability to the area.

Still, Trump maintained an optimistic tone, writing, “The love and spirit for the Middle East has not been seen like this in a thousand years! It is a beautiful thing to behold!”

He said he has urged restraint for now. “I told these countries, and Israel, ‘NOT YET!’ There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right,” he said.

“If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL! I would like to thank all of those countries that called to help,” Trump added.

In closing, he offered specific appreciation to Indonesia for its cooperation. “Also, I would like to thank the great and powerful country of Indonesia, and its wonderful leader, for all of the help they have shown and given to the Middle East, and to the USA,” he wrote.

Israel rolled out extensive security arrangements Tuesday for the arrival of Vice President JD Vance, whose visit is part of Washington’s renewed push to secure the tenuous ceasefire in Gaza. His arrival comes as American officials quietly express concern that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu could unravel the truce and resume hostilities.

Traveling alongside Second Lady Usha Vance, the vice president touched down at Ben Gurion Airport, where he was welcomed by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Israel’s envoy to Washington Yechiel Leiter, and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.

Shortly after landing, Vance met for a working lunch with senior White House officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to a statement released by his office. He then held a working lunch with top White House aide Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the statement said, noting that discussions centered on the next phase of the peace process and monitoring mechanisms for the truce.

Vance’s schedule included a trip to southern Israel, where he planned to visit the command center for the new multinational task force responsible for supervising the implementation of the ceasefire. He was then expected to head to southern Israel to the headquarters of the emerging US-international task force that will oversee the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire.

Later Tuesday, the vice president was slated to address reporters at a press conference at the King David Hotel in Yerushalayim. Vance will hold a press conference at 6 p.m. at the King David Hotel in Yerushalayim, according to the White House.

On Wednesday, his itinerary includes high-level meetings with both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog at their official residences in Yerushalayim. On Wednesday, he will meet with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Yerushalayim.

The Trump administration, which brokered the current ceasefire agreement, has intensified diplomatic efforts to preserve the fragile calm following weekend violence in Gaza. The Trump administration has redoubled its efforts to cement the fragile Gaza peace agreement it helped to broker, after Israel accused Hamas of stalling its handover of hostages’ bodies and deadly violence flared up in the territory over the weekend.

Vance’s visit follows that of special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, who arrived a day earlier for a new round of consultations with Israeli officials. Vance’s arrival comes a day after US special envoy Steve Witkoff and top White House adviser Jared Kushner also arrived for talks about the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Israeli police launched an elaborate security operation to secure the vice president’s movements, triggering major disruptions across central Israel. The Israel Police mounted a large-scale security operation for Vance that was expected to cause widespread traffic chaos due to road closures ahead of Vance’s arrival in Israel and during his stay.

Motorists were warned of extensive closures, including the complete shutdown of Route 1 between the Ganot interchange and Jerusalem starting at 1 p.m., and restrictions along Route 6 and Route 35 near Kiryat Gat. From 1 p.m., Route 1 — the main highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv — will be shut to motorists eastbound from the Ganot interchange. Route 6 — the main north-south highway –will be closed southbound between the Daniel interchange and the Kiryat Gat junction. Additionally, Route 35 will be blocked westbound from the Kiryat Gat interchange to the Kiryat Gat Industrial Zone.

Yerushalayim itself braced for severe congestion, with major arteries closed for hours. The entrance to Yerushalayim will be blocked from 3 p.m. Inside the capital at the same time, police will close the Shazar Tunnel, Ben Tzvi Boulevard, Aza Street, Agron Street, Paris Square, Ha-Mekhes Square, and King David Street.

Authorities added that additional closures would continue intermittently through Thursday, affecting key routes in and around the capital’s government district and Old City.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Mrs. Leba Werdiger a”h, Leba bas Reb Yosef Chaim, who passed away this morning.

Mrs. Werdiger was an extraordinary woman, known for her boundless selflessness, quiet strength, and deep devotion to her family and to klal Yisroel. Her life was defined by chesed and emunah, and she leaves behind generations who embody her values and her unwavering commitment to Torah and avodas Hashem.

She was the beloved mother of Mr. Shloime Werdiger, chairman of Agudas Yisroel of America, and the matriarch of an illustrious family whose influence spans communities around the world.

The levayah will take place today at 12:30 p.m. at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Boro Park.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Hamas’s military wing announced a short while ago that it will hand over the bodies of two deceased hostages to Israel later tonight.

According to the statement, the transfer is scheduled to take place at 9 p.m. The terror organization claimed that its operatives had “retrieved [the bodies] today in the Strip,” but did not release the names or any identifying details of the victims.

The announcement comes amid ongoing ceasefire arrangements and continued negotiations over the release of hostages still held in Gaza. Israeli officials have not yet commented on the claim or confirmed the planned transfer.

{Matzav.com}

A controversial broadcast on Al Jazeera’s investigative series The Hidden Is More Immense on Monday featured what it claimed to be a “leaked document” listing nearly 30,000 members of Israel’s Air Force, including pilots who took part in the Gaza campaign.

The program displayed headshots and personal details said to belong to IAF personnel, much of which appeared to have been compiled from social media profiles. The episode centered on the activities of the Brazil-based Hind Rajib Foundation, an organization seeking to launch legal cases against Israeli soldiers abroad.

Cyber experts quickly pointed out that the trove of information Al Jazeera aired seemed identical to a previous data breach reported three years ago. At that time, a hacker collective known as “Leak the Analyst” had dumped the personal data of 30,000 current and former Air Force members onto the darknet.

Varonis, the cybersecurity firm that uncovered that breach, analyzed the compromised files and confirmed that several names corresponded to active-duty Israeli pilots. The firm noted that the leak’s source appeared to be nonmilitary in nature, possibly originating from a civilian marketing database connected to the aviation industry.

“Varonis crosschecked the names and found that some belong to active IAF pilots,” the company reported, emphasizing that the leak was not necessarily the result of a direct military systems breach.

Investigators also warned that “Leak the Analyst,” the same group suspected of the earlier exposure, has a long record of targeting both private cybersecurity companies and government institutions around the world — suggesting that Al Jazeera’s latest revelation may not be as new or exclusive as portrayed.

Overnight in Yerushalayim, a protest against the arrest of bnei yeshiva turned violent, with demonstrators setting trash bins on fire, blocking traffic, and throwing stones and bottles at police officers and Border Police forces.

One policewoman was struck in the face by a rock and evacuated to the hospital for treatment.

The disturbance broke out near Rechov Yechezkel, where dozens of protesters rallied against the arrests of yeshiva students who had failed to report for military service.

Police reported that the demonstrators blocked traffic lanes and bus routes, endangering drivers and pedestrians, and ignited bonfires and garbage bins along the roadway.

According to the Israel Police, officers issued repeated dispersal orders before the crowd was forcibly cleared. “After a police commander declared the protest an unlawful disturbance and the participants refused to comply, officers were compelled to use crowd-control measures,” the police said.

Throughout the night, police and Border Police units worked to restore calm and push back the rioters. “The Israel Police respects the right to protest within the law,” the statement continued, “but will act firmly against any breach of public order, assaults on police, or acts of violent rioting.”

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yitzchok Aryeh Leibush Halpern zt”l, Av Beis Din of Radomishla in the Ramat neighborhood of Yerushalayim. He was 81.

His passing comes just six months after the petirah of his son, Rav Yechezkel Shraga Dovid Halpern zt”l, who served as Rav of Beis Medrash Sanz in Ramot and was among the roshei yeshiva of Shefa Chaim.

Rav Halpern was taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Yerushalayim after suffering complications from an infection, and he was sedated and placed on a ventilator. He was niftar early this morning.

The levayah took place at noon today at his beis medrash in Ramat Gimmel, Yerushalayim, proceeding to Har HaZeisim, where he was laid to rest beside his father.

Rav Halpern was born in London in Tishrei 5705 (1944) to his illustrious father, Rav Elchanan Halpern zt”l, Av Beis Din of Radomishla–Golders Green, and his mother, Rebbetzin Hannah Chaya a”h, a descendant of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz.

He married Rebbetzin Leiba Fradel, daughter of Rav Shmuel Alexander Unsdorfer zt”l, Rav of Kehillas Reishis Chochmah in Montreal and Rav of Chassidei Sanz in Petach Tikva, author of Sefer Sifsei Shmuel.

After their marriage, the couple lived near his father-in-law in Montreal before moving to England. In the early 1970s, Rav Halpern fulfilled his lifelong dream of settling in Eretz Yisroel.

He first served as Rav of Kehillas Divrei Chaim of Sanz in Petach Tikva and simultaneously headed Kollel Maharash Engel in Yerushalayim, named for his grandfather, Rav Shmuel Engel zt”l.

Later, he moved to the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim, where he founded his beis medrash, Eishel Barama. After the passing of his father, he was appointed Av Beis Din of Radomishla and continued to serve as a mara d’asra and moreh hora’ah for the kehillah.

Rav Halpern was renowned for his yiras Shamayim, humility, and devotion to Torah and avodas Hashem. His shiurim, guidance, and quiet influence left a lasting impression on countless talmidim and mispallelim.

He is survived by a distinguished family of bnei Torah and marbitzei Torah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

In a show of solidarity with the olam haTorah in Eretz Yisroel, thousands gathered Sunday afternoon outside the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan to protest the arrest of yeshiva bochurim for refusing military conscription.

The asifah was led by the Satmar Rebbes, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum and his brother, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum.

The Satmar Rebbes each called for participation in the event but did not appear together.

Crowds filled Second Avenue for blocks, with throngs of chassidim arriving by bus and even by ferry from across New York and neighboring states.

Because Manhattan authorities prohibited full street closures, participants lined the sidewalks stretching over a wide area.

There was no fixed stage. Instead, speakers addressed the crowd from a raised construction lift that hoisted them above the masses before being lowered after each address.

The opening remarks were delivered by Rav Yehoshua Nachman Berger, rosh yeshiva of Ohel Torah in Boro Park.

Rav Dovid Hershler of Eretz Yisroel conveyed the anguish of the detained bochurim.

Rav Anshil Ashkenazi, av beis din of Chavas Daas, voiced a passionate protest.

Rav Yaakov Horowitz, rosh yeshiva of Beis Meir, also spoke, and closing words were delivered by Rav Shlomo Shabsi Kestenbaum, dayan of Binyan Bracha of Kiryas Yoel.

The Rebbe of Bobov-45 led kabbolas ol malchus Shamayim at the conclusion.

Throughout the rally, the speakers decried the arrests of bnei yeshivos, who since the founding of the State had always been granted exemption from army service. They warned that today, bnei yeshiva are being imprisoned simply for learning Torah — “snatched,” as one speaker said, “for the crime of serving Hashem.”

A historic evening unfolded in Yerushalayim as tens of thousands of bnei yeshiva from across Eretz Yisroel filled the Pais Arena for the monumental Amudei Olam gathering, an unprecedented display of kavod haTorah and achdus, organized by Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos.

Under the leadership of gedolei Yisroel — including Rav Dov Landau, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, and Rav Don Segal — the massive crowd of bochurim heard fiery words of chizuk about their role as those who uphold the world through Torah, particularly in these challenging times.

The evening began with words of inspiration from Rav Dovid Breuer, followed by a thunderous joint rendition of “Vise’arev” and “Visein Chelkeinu Besorasecha,” accompanied by maestro Yehuda Galili, Benzi Stein, Beri Weber, and the Neshama and Malchus choirs.

A dramatic Rischa DeOraisa session then followed, with leading roshei yeshiva engaging in a spirited Torah debate, leaving the crowd inspired by the depth of ahavas haTorah.

As the gedolim — Rav Dov Landau, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and Rav Don Segal — entered the entire arena rose to its feet, singing “Yomim al yemei melech tosif” and “Ashrei ha’am,” as the walls of the arena shook.

Rav Dov Landau addressed the growing battle against the yeshiva world, declaring, “מי שנגד עולם הישיבות השם יפר עצתם במהרה.” He urged strengthening Torah learning in the face of external pressures. “They are fighting the world of Torah,” he said, “but the strength of bnei hayeshivos is to increase Torah and yiras Shamayim. In their merit, the world stands, and Klal Yisroel will be redeemed.”

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch delivered the central address, expressing anguish over the challenges to Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel. “It is a great tragedy that we do not have the right to learn Torah freely in Eretz Yisroel,” he exclaimed, referencing the draft issue and arrests of bochurim. “They are throwing bochurim into prison — perhaps because they are not learning enough? We must strengthen ourselves, eliminate divisive groups, and stand proudly and purely against those who oppose us.”

Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman followed with an impassioned call: “כולנו חייבים למסור נפש כנגד הגזירה הנוראה של הגיוס.” He praised the self-sacrifice of the bnei yeshiva for their Torah learning, saying, “Your mesirus nefesh is not only for yourselves but for so many others who might falter. We must all stand strong.”

The mashgiach, Rav Don Segal, urged the crowd to elevate their own esteem for Torah. “Disrespect for bnei Torah begins with us,” he said. “If we honor the learners and value Torah, Heaven will help us, and the entire world will recognize its greatness.” He concluded with a heartfelt rendition of his niggun “Tatte’le,” with the entire arena joining in song.

Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshivas Chevron and nosi of the Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos, also spoke, calling for renewed hasmadah and concluding with kabbalas ol Malchus Shamayim together with the multitudes.

Additional remarks were delivered by Rav Aviezer Piltz and Rav Shimon Galai.

Public officials including MK Moshe Gafni, Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Eliezer Rauchberger, and Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Menachem Shapira also spoke.

The event featured stirring musical interludes celebrating the “pillars of the world” — the bnei yeshiva — and continued late into the night in an atmosphere of unity and kiddush Hashem.

A planned kumzitz featuring Mordechai Ben David was canceled due to police restrictions.

PHOTOS:

{Matzav.com}

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin lashed out at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday evening after Netanyahu publicly referred to Supreme Court Justice Yitzchak Amit as the president of the Supreme Court.

Following Netanyahu’s remarks from the Knesset podium, Levin reportedly confronted him, saying, “Amit is not the president of the Supreme Court. It’s not right that you recognized him,” according to Channel 12’s Amit Segal.

Sources close to Levin told Kan News that the minister’s office shared similar criticism, stating, “We haven’t heard that he was chosen as president.”

A senior Likud official said that Netanyahu had thus far refrained from recognizing Amit as the Supreme Court president but decided to do so tonight because of the uproar in the Knesset plenum after Speaker Amir Ochana refused to acknowledge him. The move was made despite the opposition of Levin and several other ministers.

During his address marking the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, Netanyahu turned to President Yitzchak Herzog and said, “Yitzhak Amit is the president of the Supreme Court, that’s a fact. But I said and added — I am the prime minister of Israel, these are the ministers of Israel’s government. That’s a fact. These facts must be recognized from all sides, not just one.”

The dispute erupted after Knesset Speaker Amir Ochana referred to Amit merely as a “Supreme Court judge,” prompting angry reactions from opposition MKs, several of whom were removed from the chamber. President Herzog deviated from his prepared remarks to pointedly call Amit “the president of the Supreme Court,” responding to Ochana, “I will not accept a lack of basic respect.”

{Matzav.com}

All meetings in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the proposed Draft Law were abruptly called off Monday evening, as disputes and delays over the bill’s formulation intensified friction between the government and chareidi lawmakers.

In the wake of the cancellations, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called an urgent meeting with the committee’s chairman, MK Boaz Bismuth, summoning him to his office for immediate discussions.

The postponement stems from the legal department’s inability to complete the bill’s language on schedule, pushing the timeline for its presentation even further. Bismuth had anticipated that the draft would be ready by Tuesday, but legal advisors informed him that additional time was necessary to finalize the text.

Tension between Netanyahu and the chareidi parties has risen sharply since his remarks at the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, when he declared, “We will recruit 10,000 yeshiva students over two years.” The comment drew a fierce reaction from Torah representatives who viewed it as deeply insensitive and tone-deaf.

MK Moshe Gafni, head of the Degel HaTorah faction, blasted the Prime Minister’s wording, exclaiming, “How can he say ‘we’ll recruit yeshiva students’? We don’t recruit yeshiva students – we recruit chareidim.” Following the uproar, Netanyahu returned to the podium to clarify that his intention had been to refer broadly to the enlistment of “chareidim,” not yeshiva bochurim specifically.

A statement issued later by Bismuth’s office emphasized that his meeting with Netanyahu had been arranged in advance and covered several matters on the committee’s agenda — among them, the Draft Law.

Bismuth reportedly plans to bring the legislation before the committee at its next meeting, in keeping with requests from chareidi MKs, in the hope of moving the process forward more efficiently and with greater sensitivity to the Torah community’s concerns.

A wave of major financial contributions from New York’s business elite has surged into newly created super PACs determined to derail Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor. In the past several days alone, over $3 million has been funneled into these committees, according to the latest financial disclosures, as anxiety grows among the city’s power brokers over the possibility of a democratic socialist taking control of City Hall.

The massive last-minute infusion comes just as the Democratic frontrunner continues to lead decisively, with polling showing Mamdani maintaining a comfortable double-digit advantage over independent contender Andrew Cuomo. The timing of the cash dump, only days before early voting begins on November 4, highlights the growing desperation among business interests to stop Mamdani’s rise before it’s too late.

For many corporate leaders, Mamdani’s platform represents a direct threat to their financial interests. He has repeatedly pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and on large corporations to pay for sweeping social programs — including universal free child care and expanded housing affordability measures. Those proposals have left Wall Street and real estate circles deeply uneasy.

Financial records reveal that the men behind the sudden burst of spending — Eminence Capital founder Ricky Sandler, real estate investor Richard Mack, and developer Marty Berger — transferred a total of $3.26 million into three new PACs through a shared corporate vehicle known as Put NYC First Inc.

The bulk of the money, roughly $2 million, was wired Friday to a super PAC called For Our City. Over the weekend, that PAC reportedly spent $1.5 million on a new “media buy,” which sources suggest will fund a wave of negative ads against Mamdani. Details about the ads have not yet been disclosed.

Neither the treasurer of For Our City nor any of the three donors immediately responded to requests for comment. The same trio’s entity, Put NYC First, also directed just over $1 million toward another new group called Stop the Socialists, though no spending by that PAC had been reported as of Monday morning.

Earlier this month, the businessmen’s consortium made a smaller contribution — nearly $255,000 — to a third PAC named Good Growth NYC. That group has already used $200,000 for on-the-ground canvassing in support of Cuomo and another $13,000 on campaign literature boosting his candidacy, according to recent filings.

Cuomo’s campaign, which by law is barred from coordinating with any of the independent PACs supporting him, declined to comment on the outside spending activity.

Mamdani’s campaign, meanwhile, dismissed the onslaught of billionaire-funded opposition as meaningless. “Another day, another ineffective billionaire-backed PAC that won’t make a dent in the movement Zohran Mamdani is building to make New York City more affordable,” said campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec.

Unlike traditional campaign committees, super PACs face no limits on how much money they can raise or spend, giving them immense power to flood the airwaves and influence voters. This year’s mayoral race has shattered records for outside spending, with wealthy donors pouring tens of millions of dollars into efforts — most aimed squarely at derailing Mamdani’s bid.

Before this latest round of contributions, the Sandler-Mack-Berger network had already given $750,000 to other political committees, including $250,000 to New Yorkers for a Better Future Mayor 25, a group aligned with Cuomo’s campaign. That PAC, in turn, is coordinating with Fix the City — the largest pro-Cuomo, anti-Mamdani operation in the race.

Fix the City, which also supported Cuomo’s losing effort against Mamdani in the Democratic primary, has already pulled in more than $30 million in total funding. Its recent backers include Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, who added a $1 million donation just last week.

Despite the massive sums being spent, polls suggest the deluge of outside money has done little to sway voters. Surveys continue to show Mamdani maintaining a commanding lead over Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who trails far behind. A new poll released Monday did indicate, however, that Cuomo could pose a greater challenge to Mamdani if Sliwa were to bow out of the race.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that he would enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, stating that Netanyahu would be detained if he entered Canadian territory.

When pressed in an interview on Bloomberg Podcasts about whether his government would actually apprehend Netanyahu, Carney gave a clear and unhesitating answer: “yes.” He declined to provide further explanation or details about how such an arrest would be carried out.

Carney also emphasized that one of his central foreign policy goals had been to recognize a Palestinian state, but he insisted that this recognition was merely a step toward a broader objective.

“The end is a free and viable Palestinian state living side by side, peace and security, the State of Israel,” he said.

Carney noted that Canada has officially supported the two-state framework since 1947 but claimed his government chose this moment to move forward with recognition because “the actions of Netanyahu’s government were explicitly designed to end any possibility of a Palestinian state in violation of the UN Charter and going against Canadian government policy of any political stripe since 1947.”

He further explained that the decision was not symbolic or intended to create immediate results but rather a necessary response to prevent the total collapse of prospects for peace. “We did this because the prospect was receding as opposed to viewing it as any sort of panacea, game changer, fundamentally immediately leading to the outcome that we and others want,” he said.

Addressing criticism from Washington, Carney acknowledged American disapproval of similar moves by other nations but argued that all sides ultimately sought the same outcome. “Common objective is the same,” he maintained.

Responding to Carney’s remarks, Netanyahu’s political advisor Ophir Falk strongly rebuked the Canadian leader in comments to The Globe and Mail on Saturday. Falk said he “had hoped that after Canada endorsed [US] President Trump’s Middle East 20-Point Peace Plan [for Gaza], Prime Minister Carney would retract his policy of appeasing terrorism and betraying Canada’s traditional ally.”

Falk urged Carney to instead “welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of the lone Jewish state and only democracy in the Middle East, to Canada.”

Both Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense minister Yoav Gallant are facing ICC charges accusing them of “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war against Hamas in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

On Monday night, Hamas transferred to Israel the body of hostage Tal Haimi, bringing a painful chapter closer to closure. Haimi, 41, was killed while courageously defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak on October 7, 2023, when terrorists invaded the community. His body was taken into Gaza that day.

Haimi served on the kibbutz’s emergency response team and joined his comrades in fierce combat at the entrance of Nir Yitzchak, holding back the terrorists until he was fatally shot. Initially listed as missing, investigators later determined that he had likely been taken into Gaza. In December 2023, intelligence confirmed his death, and though his family held a funeral, they continued to wait for his remains.

Late Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the body had been returned. The casket was taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification.

“The Government of Israel shares in the profound grief of the Haimi family and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” the PMO said.

Haimi leaves behind his wife, Ela, and four children — Nir, Einav, Udi, and Lotan, the youngest of whom was born in May 2024, seven months after his father’s death.

“Tal was brought home after 745 days,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. “Tal loved taking his family on nature trips and camping in the outdoors, was an enthusiastic tools hobbyist, and always knew how to find a solution to any problem that arose.

“On the morning of October 7, he went out to fight against dozens of terrorists in a battle at the gate of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. Tal and the rest of the quick-response team fought with extraordinary bravery for several hours, and during the battle, Tal fell and was abducted into Gaza.”

Hamas delivered the casket on Monday evening, claiming it had located the body a day earlier. The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed faction of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, later said that it had been holding the remains.

The Red Cross received the casket from Hamas and passed it on to the Israel Defense Forces. Inside Gaza, IDF personnel verified the contents, covered the coffin with an Israeli flag, and held a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi. From there, the casket was taken out of Gaza under police escort to Abu Kabir.

A day before the handover, Hamas had announced it had discovered the remains of a hostage and would return them “if the field conditions are suitable.” That declaration came amid renewed tensions, after a deadly attack in southern Gaza prompted Israeli airstrikes. No transfer occurred that day.

With Haimi’s return, 15 bodies of Israeli hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, while 13 have been recovered and brought back. Israel accuses Hamas of deliberately withholding some of the bodies, whereas the terror group claims that destruction from the war has made locating them impossible.

Under the current ceasefire arrangement, Hamas freed the final 20 living hostages on October 13, within three days of Israel’s withdrawal to the so-called Yellow Line, as stipulated in the agreement.