Matzav

A federal judge has removed travel limitations on Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, granting him permission to attend rallies and public gatherings across the United States while he continues to contest the deportation proceedings initiated under the Trump administration.

Khalil, who was released from an immigration detention facility in Louisiana this past June, had petitioned a federal magistrate judge to cancel the restrictions that had confined his movement to New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Louisiana, and Michigan.

“He wants to travel for the very significant First Amendment reasons that are at the bottom of this case,” his lawyer, Alina Das, said during a virtual court session on Thursday. “He wants to speak to issues of public concern.”

Government attorney Aniello DeSimone opposed the request, contending that Khalil “has not provided enough of a reason why he couldn’t attend these and other events telephonically.”

On Thursday, Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer ruled in Khalil’s favor, emphasizing that he was not deemed a flight risk and had abided by all conditions of his release.

Hammer also accepted the government’s stipulation that Khalil must notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in advance of any planned travel.

Khalil, known for his role in the Columbia University demonstrations protesting the war in Gaza, was taken into custody by ICE agents on March 8, becoming the first university activist detained under President Donald Trump’s initiative targeting pro-Palestinian demonstrators. A graduate student at Columbia and a lawful U.S. permanent resident, Khalil spent months in detention before his release in June by a separate federal judge, during which he missed the birth of his first child.

In September, an immigration judge in Louisiana determined that Khalil was subject to deportation for allegedly omitting information on his green card application. His legal team has since filed an appeal challenging that decision.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had not been informed about the indictment of John Bolton, who served as his national security adviser, but described the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations as a “bad guy.”

Earlier in the day, a federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, issued an 18-count indictment against Bolton — eight counts related to the transmission of national defense information and ten counts concerning the retention of such material.

According to prosecutors, while working in the Trump administration, Bolton provided “more than a thousand pages of information about his day-to-day activities” to two individuals who were not authorized to receive it.

Trump was speaking with reporters in the Oval Office following an announcement about new efforts to expand access to in vitro fertilization when a journalist asked, “John Bolton was just indicted by a grand jury in Maryland. Do you have a reaction to that?”

“I didn’t know that; you are telling me for the first time,” Trump replied. “But I think he’s, you know, a bad person. I think he’s a bad guy, yeah. He’s a bad guy. It’s too bad, but that’s the way it goes. That’s the way it goes, right? That’s the way it goes,” he added.

When pressed further with the question, “Have you reviewed the case against him?” Trump responded, “No, I haven’t, I haven’t. But I just think he’s a bad person.”

Since his dismissal from the White House in September 2019, Bolton has been an outspoken critic of Trump.

Rumors of a possible indictment began circulating earlier in the week after a grand jury was convened on Wednesday. Justice Department sources told the New York Post that charges were expected by midweek, with one official calling the case against the 76-year-old “airtight.”

The grand jury’s move came after FBI agents carried out searches in August at Bolton’s Maryland residence and his Washington, D.C., office, looking for evidence connected to the alleged removal of “highly sensitive national security” documents.

Bolton is expected to turn himself in on Friday at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang, who was appointed by President Barack Obama.

Bolton’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement that his client “did not unlawfully share or store any information.”

{Matzav.com}

The first New York City mayoral general election debate between Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa took place last night at 30 Rock.

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Hamas announced Thursday that it “may take considerable time” to recover the bodies of Israeli hostages, claiming that “some were buried in tunnels demolished by Israeli strikes, while others are still trapped beneath collapsed buildings.” The terror group insisted that it remains committed to the Gaza agreement and intends to return all the bodies of hostages held in the Strip.

The organization said that recovering the remaining bodies requires heavy machinery to clear the ruins, but such equipment cannot be brought into Gaza because of Israel’s restrictions on the entry of construction and excavation tools.

According to an Israeli official quoted by The Jerusalem Post on Thursday, Israel will not permit a Turkish delegation of 81 rescue workers and their heavy equipment to enter Gaza until Hamas has returned all the remains of the hostages that it currently can.

“There is a group of hostages’ bodies that Hamas can return right now [and] another group they know the location of, but they need equipment and assistance to retrieve them,” a source explained. “And there are some bodies they genuinely do not know where they are.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated Thursday, “We know for certain that Hamas can easily release a significant number of hostages in accordance with the agreement. What they are doing now is a fundamental violation of that agreement.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah, made clear on Thursday that the party is not currently considering rejoining the governing coalition.

Speaking to close associates, Rav Maya stated unequivocally, “אין מה לדבר כרגע על חזרה לממשלה — there’s no discussion right now about returning to the government.”

In recent days, coalition officials have been working to project an image of progress on the long-delayed draft law, viewed as a key condition for bringing Shas back into the fold. However, senior coalition sources acknowledged that, despite public messaging, “there has been no real breakthrough yet.”

Associates of Rav Maya emphasized that “without genuine progress on the draft law, Shas will not be able to justify coming back to the cabinet table.”

The issue comes to a head next week: On October 20, the temporary appointments of acting ministers who have been holding Shas portfolios for the past three months are set to expire. Prime Minister Netanyahu will then be forced to reopen the ministerial appointment process, a move that often triggers political tension, particularly amid an ongoing hostage deal, internal coalition instability, and a draft law that has remained stuck in committee for two years.

Last month, as first reported by Matzav.com, Rav Maya sent a letter to fellow members of the Shas Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah urging an emergency meeting to discuss the draft law and other recent decrees. “I believe there is a need to convene the Council to discuss the matter of the draft and other decrees,” Rav Maya wrote. He stressed the importance of assembling the Council as soon as possible and instructed, “Please coordinate with our beloved Rabbi Aryeh shlit”a,” referring to Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.

{Matzav.com}

For the first time, thousands of historic recordings and publications from Orthodox Jewish life in America are just a click away. The new online archive, https://agudaharchive.org/, makes decades of Torah leadership, community events, and Jewish thought accessible to students, families, and researchers everywhere.

The site launches with more than 3,000 digitized audio and video recordings dating back to 1966, including Siyumei HaShas, conventions, Yemei Iyun, Yarchei Kallah, and other pivotal gatherings. It also features the complete archives of The Jewish Observer and Dos Yiddishe Vort. With its user-friendly design and advanced search tools, visitors can browse curated collections or search by keyword. Registered users can even favorite recordings and create their own private collections.

“The treasures to be found here are astonishing,” said Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of America, who also oversees the archival work. “The voices of gedolim, rabbonim, askonim, and community leaders—past and present—are now preserved and accessible for future generations.”

This achievement reflects the vision and dedication of individuals who understood the importance of preserving history. Rabbi Moshe Kolodny, founder of the archives, devoted decades to building the collection, while Mr. Yossi Aszknazy spent thousands of hours digitizing recordings now available online.

The website was generously sponsored in memory of Benny Levy by Sheryl Levy and family. May the learning and inspiration drawn from these resources serve as a lasting merit for his neshamah. Additional sponsorship by Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Cohen has enabled the ongoing digitization of archival documents, which will be added in future phases of the website.

To explore the archive or create an account, visit https://agudaharchive.org/. For further questions, please contact archive@agudah.org.

{Matzav.com}

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Zohran Mamdani, a leading contender in the New York City mayoral race, repeatedly accused Israel of “genocide” during a tense debate Thursday night with rivals Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.

At one point, Cuomo criticized Mamdani for what he called a betrayal of Democratic values, noting that Mamdani had supported the “leave it blank” movement during the Democratic presidential primaries. The campaign urged voters not to select any candidate in protest of U.S. support for Israel during the Gaza war.

“I said leave it blank in the presidential primary because primaries are a place to air dissent and like many Americans I was horrified by the Israeli genocide of Palestinians,” Mamdani said.

The exchange then turned to Mamdani’s hesitation, in a recent interview, to explicitly call on Hamas to give up its weapons. Pressed on the issue, Mamdani attempted to clarify his position. “Of course I believe that they should lay down their arms,” he said.

He went on to explain his reasoning, saying, “Calling for a ceasefire means ceasing fire, that means all parties have to cease fire and put down their weapons, and the reason that we call for that is not only for the end to the genocide but also unimpeded access of humanitarian aid.”

Mamdani continued by insisting that any agreement must deal with the underlying causes of the conflict. “We also have to ensure that it addresses the conditions that preceded this, conditions like the occupation, the siege and apartheid and that is what I’m hopeful for,” he said.

During the debate, Mamdani also took aim at Cuomo, accusing him of aligning himself with Israel’s prime minister. He claimed that Cuomo had volunteered to join Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team in international court “during the course of this genocide.”

{Matzav.com}

The first New York City mayoral general election debate is taking place at 30 Rock.

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New York City mayoral hopefuls Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa faced off Thursday night at Rockefeller Center in a heated debate that quickly turned toward the Israel–Hamas conflict.

When the topic came up, Mamdani was pressed on his stance toward Hamas and whether he believes the terror group should surrender its weapons.
“Of course I believe they should lay down their arms… a ceasefire means ceasing fire,” Mamdani said.

He continued by saying that such an action was crucial for ending what he described as the “genocide” in Gaza and for allowing more humanitarian relief to reach civilians there.

Cuomo immediately fired back, accusing Mamdani of refusing to clearly denounce Hamas.
“The assemblyman just said in his response, ‘Well, it depends on occupation,'” Cuomo said.
“That is cold, meaning that Israel does not have a right to exist as a Jewish state, which he has never acknowledged. That is, from the river to the sea. That’s why he won’t denounce globalize the intifada, which means to kill all Jews,” added the former New York Governor.

Mamdani countered by attacking Cuomo personally, claiming the ex-governor had volunteered to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s legal defense team at the International Court “during the course of this genocide.”

The confrontation came just a day after Mamdani had sidestepped similar questions in an interview with Martha MacCallum on Fox News, where he avoided directly saying whether Hamas should disarm or leave power in Gaza.
“I believe that any future here in New York City is one that we have to make sure that’s affordable for all, and as it pertains to Israel and Palestine, that we have to ensure that there is peace. And that is the future that we have to fight for,” Mamdani said.

When asked again if he thought Hamas should surrender its weapons and relinquish control, he responded, “I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety and the fact that anything has to abide by international law. And that applies to Hamas, that applies to the Israeli military, applies to anyone you could ask me about.”

In that same interview, Mamdani repeated a controversial statement he’s made before — promising that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enters New York City, he would “exhaust every legal option” to arrest him.
“I’ve said that this is a city that believes [in] international law, and this is a city that wants to uplift and uphold those beliefs,” he said.

When challenged on the fact that the United States is not a party to the International Criminal Court, which issued the warrant for Netanyahu, Mamdani replied, “The Criminal Court, however, has issued a warrant for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu, as it has for Vladimir Putin. I’ve said that I believe that we should uphold arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court and that we would… do so only in abiding with all of the laws in front of us.”

Mamdani’s stance on Israel has drawn heavy criticism from across the political spectrum. He has refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” and was outspoken against Israel just one day after the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in southern Israel.

He also announced recently that he would no longer use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, a move that angered many Jewish leaders.

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza — a position that has only fueled more controversy as the mayoral race continues.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of the renowned gaon Rav Menachem Aryeh Schlesinger zt”l, author of Ayil HaMeshulash series of seforim.

Rav Schlesinger, who served as the rov of the Chanichei HaYeshivos kehillah in Kiryas Yismach Moshe in Ganei Tikvah, passed away on the morning of Simchas Torah following a brief illness. He was 78.

The levayah took place on Motzaei Simchas Torah beginning on Rechov HaTavor in Ganei Tikvah near Talmud Torah Meshivas Nefesh, proceeding to the Segulah Cemetery in Petach Tikvah for kevurah.

Rav Schlesinger was born on 27 Nissan 5707 (1947) to Rav Chaim Yosef Schlesinger and his wife, Sarah. Over the decades, he became well-known in the Torah world for his clarity and depth in halacha and his seforim, which are studied widely across batei medrash.

His Ayil HaMeshulash series—covering topics such as the laws of borer and other areas of Shabbos—draws heavily on the rulings of the Mishnah Berurah, the Chazon Ish, and other leading poskim. The seforim are valued for their precise analysis, lucid presentation, and extensive sourcing from gedolei hadoros, both past and present. For many talmidei chachamim, these works have become standard reference volumes for clear, reasoned psak halacha.

Among his most well-known contributions is his comprehensive treatment of the halachic issues surrounding opening cans, bottles, bags, and similar items on Shabbos. Rav Schlesinger meticulously examined each product type and the various melachos involved, clarifying when opening is permitted or forbidden, where poskim disagree, and how one should conduct oneself lechatchilah or in extenuating circumstances.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israel is holding firm on its decision to bar a Turkish team of 81 rescue workers and their heavy machinery from entering Gaza until Hamas returns all the bodies of deceased hostages it is able to, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

“There is a group of hostages’ bodies that Hamas can return right now. Another group they know the location of, but they need equipment and assistance to retrieve them. And there are some bodies they genuinely do not know where they are,” another source explained.

“We know for certain that Hamas can easily release a significant number of hostages in accordance with the agreement. What they are doing now is a fundamental violation of that agreement,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Thursday.

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu convened his top security team to evaluate Hamas’s ongoing refusal to hand over the remains of Israeli soldiers and to discuss how to proceed with the next stage of the Trump peace framework.

“I know exactly how many killed soldiers Hamas is holding, and if we do not receive them, Israel will know how to act accordingly,” Netanyahu declared.

Following that meeting, Netanyahu held a phone conversation with President Trump.

Israeli officials are reportedly giving the U.S. administration additional time to pressure international mediators, who in turn are expected to press Hamas to fulfill its commitments before Jerusalem escalates its response.

Mediators have argued that specialized equipment and rescue experts are needed to recover some of the bodies. “Some bodies are buried deep underground; others are near unexploded bombs, Hamas cannot retrieve those remains from such places,” said one individual involved in the negotiations.

“We agree with Israel that Hamas knows where some of the buried hostages are, but it simply cannot reach them without assistance,” another mediation source added.

Despite Israel’s insistence that discussions about Phase Two of the Trump plan will not move forward until every hostage is returned, Washington and other foreign governments are continuing talks on the matter.

According to two sources familiar with the situation, senior officials from the United States, Europe, and the Arab world are slated to convene in Egypt in the coming days to deliberate on the next steps.

“There must not be a vacuum that allows Hamas to grow stronger,” Western diplomats told The Jerusalem Post.

{Matzav.com}

The chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Boaz Bismuth of Likud, announced Thursday that he has presented an updated outline regarding the chareidi draft issue to the committee’s legal advisor.

“Based on this document, a draft law will be formulated in the coming days to guide the committee in continuing the legislative process to regulate the issue of military conscription,” Bismuth’s office stated.

According to a report by KAN News, the proposal outlines a framework under which half of the chareidi draft-age population would be enlisted within five years. The age of exemption would be set at 26, and reductions to yeshiva budgets would only take effect after one year.

The plan also includes a gradual implementation of personal sanctions for those who fail to enlist, to be introduced over a two-year period — and only if the draft goals are not achieved.

Bismuth expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu “for his full support throughout the process.”

He also extended thanks to former MK Ariel Atias of Shas “for his cooperation and significant involvement” in shaping the proposal.

Both chareidi parties — Shas and United Torah Judaism — withdrew from the coalition in July following a breakdown in negotiations over the draft law.

Sources close to Shas leader Arye Deri told KAN News that even presenting the principles of the new proposal could be sufficient grounds for the party to return to the coalition when the Knesset reconvenes for its winter session.

The Knesset is set to return next week after its summer recess. While no legislation is passed during the break, committees continue to meet to prepare bills for future discussion.

Following the departure of the chareidi factions from the coalition, Yuli Edelstein was removed from his position as committee chair and replaced by Bismuth, who has since been leading deliberations on advancing the legislation.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid harshly criticized the proposed outline, accusing Bismuth and Netanyahu of putting politics above principle. He said the plan sends a message to IDF soldiers that “all that matters to Bismuth and Netanyahu is politics and appeasing the draft dodgers.”

Lapid added, “on this very day, the national memorial day for October 7, they’re trying in the shadows to push through a draft-dodging law, stitched together between the ultra-Orthodox MKs and Likud.”

Israel Hofsheet CEO Uri Keidar likewise condemned the move, claiming that “Bismuth is trying to fast-track the evasion legislation for which he was appointed.”

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces released a never-before-seen picture on Thursday showing the slain body of Yahya Sinwar, marking one year since IDF soldiers killed the Hamas terrorist mastermind in the Gaza Strip.

The photo shows former IDF Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, former Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk and Gaza Division chief Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram standing near Sinwar’s body on Oct. 17, 2024, a day after he had been killed in southern Gaza.

The image was made public as part of a set of iconic photos taken by IDF photographers during the war, which will be displayed as part of an exhibition at the Yitzhak Rabin Center in Tel Aviv starting on Sunday.

“A year since humanity was freed from the master of the flood of evil,” tweeted Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

“Goodness cannot be defeated—and justice, no matter how delayed, will prevail. To hell, and what a miserable fate awaits you, Sinwar,” added the military spokesman.

Sinwar was the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks in Israel’s south on Oct. 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 people, primarily civilians, were murdered; thousands were wounded; and 251 were kidnapped.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on X on Sunday a handwritten letter penned by Sinwar revealing the Oct. 7 massacre “wasn’t chaos, but choreography.”

“Terrorists were ordered to film the slaughter of civilians, soldiers and families—not for documentation, but as a psychological weapon to terrorize Israelis and inspire extremists,” the ministry stated.

“This wasn’t a ‘spontaneous uprising.’ It was a scripted campaign for the destruction of Israel—planned, rehearsed and executed,” the MFA said.

On Oct. 11, The New York Times published further details about the memo, which was found by a special unit of the IDF in May 2025.

The unit found the six-page memo on a computer in a tunnel complex used by Mohammed Sinwar, the brother of Yahya, who briefly headed Hamas after his brother’s death before being killed in October 2024.

Sinwar’s document called for Hamas terrorists to target IDF soldiers and civilian communities, as well as to broadcast the violent acts to spread fear among Israelis and destabilize the country, the Times reported.

The Hamas memo ordered Palestinian gunmen to enter civilian towns in Israel and set them on fire “with gasoline or diesel from a tanker.”

It sought maximum shock value, urging fighters to “stomp on the heads of soldiers.” It also ordered “opening fire on soldiers at point-blank range, slaughtering some of them with knives, blowing up tanks.”

The anniversary of Sinwar’s killing on Thursday coincided with Israel’s national day of mourning for the military and civilian victims of Oct. 7.

The Hamas-led massacre was “monstrous in every sense of the word,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in remarks at a state memorial ceremony for fallen IDF soldiers, calling the Oct. 7 attacks a “merciless killing of infants, children, adults, the elderly.”

The leader of the Jewish state added that “if those killers could have done it, they would have slaughtered each and every one of us.”

The IDF’s official death toll since the Oct. 7 attacks stood on Thursday afternoon at 916, while hundreds more Israeli civilians were murdered in the massacre and subsequent attacks. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Thousands gathered in Yerushalayim for the hakafos shniyos celebration held in the beis medrash of the Gerer rosh yeshiva, Rav Shaul Alter, where an uplifting atmosphere of Simchas Torah joy filled the air. Among the distinguished participants was Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Leon, who was honored with reciting Mizmor Lesodah, symbolizing gratitude for the return of the hostages.

Mayor Leon, who participates annually in the hakafos shniyos at Rav Alter’s court, chanted the kapitel with heartfelt emotion and a melodic voice, displaying his well-known skill as a chazzan. His participation this year carried added significance: last year, he had been called upon to recite Lamenatzeach, Ya’ancha Hashem b’yom tzara, a tefillah for salvation in times of distress. Now, following the hostages’ return to their families, he was given the honor of reciting a kappitel of thanksgiving instead.

During the hakafos, Rav Shaul delivered an impassioned address filled with spiritual depth and insight. “We were privileged to witness a ‘shmaychel’ — a smile from the Ribbono shel Olam — with the return of the captives to their homes,” he said. “We saw the fulfillment of the promise ‘v’shavu mei’eretz oyev’ — they have returned from the land of the enemy. But now we must long for the seifa of that verse: ‘v’shavu banim ligvulam’ — that we all return from captivity and do teshuvah. We are all, in truth, captives — in the hands of the yetzer hara. May we merit to be freed and return to our Creator.”

The moving celebration took place in the Heichal HaTefillah hall on Rechov Ki Tov, which had been used by Rav Alter’s kehilla during the Yamim Noraim and was graciously made available by philanthropist Rabbi Yechezkel Lev, founder of the Arzei project.

The hakafos shniyos were marked by tremendous joy, unity, and spiritual elevation, attended not only by Rav Shaul but also by his brother, Rav Yaakov Meir Alter and Rav Daniel Chaim Alter, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yisrael, both of whom participated with visible simchah, with Rav Daniel Chaim also delivering words of inspiration.

The event concluded with exuberant dancing and singing, reflecting both gratitude for Divine kindness and a heartfelt yearning for the ultimate redemption, when, as Rav Shaul expressed, “we will all return home, not only from physical captivity, but from the captivity of the yetzer hara, to our Father in Heaven.”

{Matzav.com}

In anticipation of the upcoming yahrtzeit of Rav Meir Shapiro zt”l, the visionary founder of the Daf Yomi, which will be marked on 7 Cheshvan, there is already great excitement and widespread response. Following the tremendous success and overwhelming participation at last year’s hilula, which drew thousands of participants and dozens of Daf Yomi shiurim, preparations are well underway for this year’s event.

Dozens of Daf Yomi shiurim have already reserved their places for this year’s hilula, which will once again take place in large tents set up near the tziyun at Har Hamenuchos. Participants representing all segments of Klal Yisroel are expected to take part in these shiurim, which are given by maggidei shiur who teach regularly throughout the year and ascend to the tziyun on the yahrtzeit to express gratitude to the founder of Daf Yomi.

Rav Meir Shapiro, who left this world without children, famously remarked that he did, in fact, have two “children”: Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin and the Daf Yomi. The yeshiva was destroyed during the Holocaust, but the Daf Yomi lives on for generations, continuing to spread Torah and unity across the world.

Last year’s hilula left a deep impression, as people from across the religious spectrum came together to participate in the learning sessions. Visitors were awed by the sight of the main tent, the “Merkaz HaDaf HaYomi,” whose façade was designed as a replica of the historic Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin building in Poland.

The organizers of HaDaf HaOlami, who oversee the entire initiative, report that immediately after last year’s hilula, they received numerous requests from additional Daf Yomi groups wishing to deliver their shiurim at the Har Hamenuchos site on the yahrtzeit. In response, the organization has spent the entire year preparing for this expanded event, ensuring comfortable and secure accommodations for all participating shiurim.

Several new tents have been added to the complex, with careful coordination to maintain all necessary permits and safety measures. The organizers expressed their deep appreciation to the Yerushalayim Municipality for its invaluable assistance, as well as to the Cemetery Council for its ongoing support in ensuring that the entire hilula proceeds smoothly and respectfully.

{Matzav.com}

A heartbreaking tragedy struck the Toldos Aharon community in Yerushalayim with the passing of little Hindy Zelikovitz a”h, who drowned in a bucket of water at her grandmother’s home in the Batei Ungarin neighborhood.

The 18-month-old child was released for burial after intensive efforts by community activists. Her petirah marks another devastating blow for the family, as Hindy was born six months after the passing of her father, Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Zelikovitz z”l, a young avreich from Toldos Aharon who succumbed to illness at the age of 27 this past Teves. He left behind his young widow and a five-year-old son.

Rabbi Zelikovitz’s life was one of remarkable strength and perseverance. He endured years of serious illness, frequently hospitalized, yet never ceased his learning or his devotion to his family. Even during his hospital stays, he would arrange chavrusah sessions in the hospital shul, determined to maintain his seder limud.

Several months after his passing, his widow gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl—who entered a world without their father, whom they would never know.

Earlier this evening, baby Hindy tragically drowned in a pail of water at her grandmother’s home. Following the intervention of community leader Rabbi Shimon Shisha and other Toldos Aharon activists, her body was released for burial.

The levayah is being held tonight, and she will be laid to rest on Har Hamenuchos.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}