Matzav

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Yaakov Yosef HaKohen Kliger z”l of Antwerp’s Gerer community. He was 79.

Rabbi Kliger, known to many as Reb Yankel, was born in Germany on the 10th of Sivan 5707 to his father, Reb Dovid Kliger, one of the founders of the Gerer beis chassidim in Ramat Gan, and his mother, Mrs. Sheindel, daughter of Rabbi Yosef Abramowitz. At the age of two, he immigrated with his parents to Eretz Yisroel.

When he was 15, on the advice of the Gerrer Rebbe, the Bais Yisroel, he traveled to the United States to learn Torah. He learned at Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore under the rosh yeshivah Rav Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman, where he acquired a strong and lasting Torah foundation.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married into the family of Reb Yudel Baum of Antwerp. Together with his wife, he established his home in the city and became one of the valued members of the community. He was a supporter of lomdei Torah and Torah institutions, and earned his livelihood in the jewelry and gold trade, treating his work as secondary and his Torah as primary.

He was especially distinguished in the mitzvah of honoring his father. As an only son, he traveled frequently to Eretz Yisroel to visit and care for him.

In recent years, he suffered from difficulty walking, yet despite the hardship he exerted himself to go to shul. Over the past year, his health fluctuated, but he consistently expressed gratitude and joy in his avodas Hashem. He passed away at his home on Motzaei Shabbos.

He is survived by his sons, Rabbi Uri Kliger of Golders Green, London, Rabbi Yisroel Kliger of Antwerp, and Raphael Kliger, as well as his daughter, Mrs. Tessler, wife of Rabbi Ari Tessler.

The levayah was held today at the Machzikei Hadass Shul in Antwerp, followed by kevurah at the Pitte cemetery in the Netherlands.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that he believes lawmakers will move quickly to end a partial federal government shutdown sparked by fallout from the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration operations in Minneapolis, predicting the impasse will be resolved by Tuesday.

The shutdown began Saturday after Congress failed to approve a budget for the 2026 fiscal year before the funding deadline. So far, the effects have been limited, with most government operations continuing uninterrupted.

Lawmakers in the House are expected to take up emergency legislation on Monday as they return from recess to a snow-covered Washington. The focus will be a Senate-approved agreement aimed at reopening the government.

“Let’s say I’m confident that we’ll do it at least by Tuesday,” Johnson said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

The funding lapse came after negotiations collapsed amid Democratic outrage over the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents. The incident derailed talks over additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Late Friday night, the Senate passed a package that advances five unresolved spending bills to fund most federal agencies through September. The measure also includes a two-week continuing resolution to keep DHS operating while lawmakers continue debating immigration enforcement policy.

House Democrats have made clear they want changes to how DHS carries out immigration raids before backing the spending package. They have objected to operations involving heavily armed, masked agents who are not clearly identified and who, in some cases, have detained individuals without warrants.

House Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries said Sunday that discussions with Republican leaders over DHS reforms will intensify as lawmakers return to Washington from their districts.

“The administration can’t just talk the talk. They need to walk the walk. That should begin today. Not in two weeks, today,” Jeffries said on ABC’s “This Week.”

President Trump publicly endorsed the Senate agreement and called on both parties to support it, signaling that he wants to avoid another shutdown early in his second term, after last summer’s record 43-day government closure.

Much of the U.S. media viewed the White House’s support for the deal as an acknowledgment that it may need to soften its deportation strategy following the deadly Minneapolis episode.

Government shutdowns halt funding for non-essential federal functions, forcing agencies to suspend services, furlough employees without pay, or require staff to work without immediate compensation.

If the shutdown drags on, departments including defense, education, transportation, housing, and financial regulation would face growing disruptions, with broader economic consequences likely to follow.

Should the House approve the Senate plan, lawmakers would then have just two weeks to hammer out a full-year funding bill for DHS.

Both parties concede that those negotiations will be contentious, with Democrats pressing for stricter limits on immigration enforcement and conservatives pushing to advance their own policy demands.

WATCH:

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Senior chareidi media commentator Yisroel Cohen visited the home of the Yenuka in Rishon Letzon, where the two spoke at length about current issues and Cohen sought guidance and a brocha for his day-to-day challenges in Israel’s media.

During the visit, Cohen was shown rare and significant items that were on the table in the Yenuka’s home in honor of the day. Among them was the original handwritten Sefer HaKavanos authored by Rav Shalom Sharabi, the Rashash, whose yahrtzeit was that evening, as well as an exceptionally rare collection of photographs of Rav Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rebbe Rayatz, whose yahrtzeit also fell on that day.

The Yenuka praised Cohen for his work on behalf of the hostages over the past two and a half years, describing his efforts as a kiddush Hashem. Cohen then raised a range of topics and asked for advice and a brocha to help him navigate his frequent appearances in the secular media, where contentious issues dominate the public agenda.

The Yenuka emphasized the importance of tone and approach, saying, “One must always speak pleasantly. ‘Derocheha darchei noam vehcol nesivoseha shalom. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.’ Explain things in a good and gentle manner. But if there is someone who provokes and speaks with hostility, it is possible to be firm and respond.”

He continued, “In general, one must always maintain a line in which the message is conveyed truthfully and cleanly, without creating disputes. The truth can be said in a whisper and be heard from one end of the world to the other; there is no need to fight or quarrel over it. It is simple.”

Addressing faith and geulah, the Yenuka added, “If we truly merited the Torah and understood Who Hashem is and the power of His Torah, there would be no need to fight. He would simply redeem and save us.”

Turning to the issue currently inflaming debate in Israel’s media, the draft law, the Yenuka said, “I say that they do not understand the power of the Torah, and therefore they speak this way. But we also do not merit to fully understand the power of the Torah. These do not understand, and those do not understand.”

Quoting the posuk “Great is Hashem and greatly praised, and His greatness is unfathomable,” he explained, “Hakadosh Boruch Hu created the world with the Torah. If they understood what the Torah is and understood its power, they would tell us: Do not leave it. Continue engaging in it.”

He concluded with a message of introspection, saying, “And on the other hand, if we ourselves truly understood more of the power and greatness of the Torah, we would be in a situation where they would not trouble us and tell us not to engage in it. We would not need to apologize for Torah study, because they would not be able to say anything to us. The fact that they speak to us this way is because we are not sufficiently engaged in and understanding the power of the Torah—and then they are able to speak to us as they do.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel signaled a shift in Gaza’s isolation on Sunday as activity resumed at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, with limited travel in and out of the territory set to restart Monday after years of near-closure. The move is seen as a critical milestone as the Israel–Hamas ceasefire progresses.

Israeli officials said the crossing was opened on a trial basis. COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing aid to Gaza, said preparations were underway to expand operations and that Gaza residents would begin passing through the crossing on Monday.

The development followed a deadly weekend. Hospital officials said Israeli strikes a day earlier killed at least 30 Palestinians, including several children, marking one of the highest tolls since the October ceasefire began. Israel had accused Hamas the previous day of fresh violations of the truce.

Nicolay Mladenov, the director-general of Trump’s board of peace in Gaza, wrote Sunday on X urging all sides to “exercise restraint and uphold the ceasefire.” He said his office was working with the Palestinian committee tasked with overseeing Gaza to “find ways that prevent future incidents.
We will need everyone’s full cooperation to make this possible,” he added.

Rafah, long viewed by Palestinians as Gaza’s primary gateway to the outside world, has been largely sealed since Israel took control of the area in May 2024.

At the outset, passage will be tightly restricted and goods will not be permitted to cross. Roughly 20,000 Palestinian children and adults in need of medical treatment are hoping to exit Gaza through Rafah, while thousands of Palestinians currently outside the enclave are seeking to return.

Zaher al-Wahidi, who heads the Health Ministry’s documentation department in Gaza, told The Associated Press that the ministry had not yet been informed when medical evacuations would begin.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will allow 50 patients per day to leave Gaza. A diplomat involved in the talks, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said each patient would be permitted to travel with two relatives. The official added that around 50 Palestinians who left Gaza during the war would be allowed to return daily.

Israel said that both it and Egypt would screen travelers entering and exiting via Rafah, with European Union border patrol agents supervising the crossing. If the system functions smoothly, officials expect the number of travelers to rise over time.

Separately on Sunday, Israel’s Diaspora Ministry announced it was “moving to terminate” the operations of Doctors Without Borders in Gaza.

The announcement followed Israel’s December decision to suspend the group’s work after it declined to comply with new registration rules requiring aid organizations to submit lists of local staff. Doctors Without Borders has argued that such requirements could endanger Palestinian employees.

“MSF will cease its operations and depart the Gaza Strip by February 28, 2026,” the ministry said, using the acronym for the organization’s French name.

The group did not immediately respond, but wrote on X on Friday that it had finalized its decision not to provide staff lists.

Doctors Without Borders is among more than two dozen humanitarian groups barred from operating in Gaza for failing or refusing to meet the new requirements. The Diaspora Ministry says the measures are intended to prevent Hamas and other terrorist organizations from infiltrating aid efforts, while humanitarian groups contend the rules are arbitrary and warn that suspensions will further harm civilians in dire need of assistance.

Independent aid organizations are central to sustaining Gaza’s health system, which has been severely damaged by two years of Israeli strikes and restrictions on supplies.

Doctors Without Borders has said Israel’s decision will have devastating consequences for its Gaza operations, where it funds and staffs six hospitals, operates two field hospitals, and runs eight primary health centers, clinics, and medical points. The organization also manages two of Gaza’s five stabilization centers treating children suffering from severe malnutrition.

At Rafah on Sunday, Palestinian security personnel crossed from the Egyptian side toward the Palestinian gate to join the European Union mission overseeing movement through the crossing, according to an Egyptian official who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to brief the media. The official added that ambulances also passed through the Egyptian gate.

The reopening of Rafah marks a significant step as the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10 enters its second phase.

{Matzav.com}

Encyclopedia Britannica has taken down a disputed map from its Britannica Kids platform after criticism that it labeled the entire area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea as “Palestine,” without referencing Israel. The move followed objections raised by the pro-Israel legal advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) and questions from The Telegraph, which reported concerns that the map effectively denied Israel’s existence and mirrored the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

The map had appeared alongside text defining “Palestine” as the territory stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean. Critics said the presentation closely tracked language commonly used by pro-Palestinian activists and groups such as Hamas. In a letter to Britannica’s publishers, UKLFI argued that the framing advanced a contemporary political narrative and erased the presence of the State of Israel from the same geographic space.

Public attention to the issue began in November 2024, when London-based Jewish children’s author Shari Black contacted Britannica directly to raise concerns. She said she was taken aback by what she viewed as historical inaccuracies in educational material for children, adding that the content appeared to promote an agenda aimed at delegitimizing Israel, despite its establishment through international agreement.

UKLFI also challenged Britannica Kids’ broader historical use of the term “Palestine” as a label extending back thousands of years. The group noted that historians generally trace the name to Roman Emperor Hadrian, who applied it to the region in 135 CE following the Bar Kokhba revolt, replacing the name Judea in an effort to weaken Jewish identification with the land.

Responding to the complaints, Britannica editor-in-chief Theodore Pappas said the company would examine UKLFI’s claims and make changes where appropriate.

UKLFI Director Caroline Turner said that applying the label “Palestine” retroactively across the region’s history misrepresents historical developments and falsely suggests an unbroken continuity that does not reflect the record.

Following The Telegraph’s inquiry, Britannica removed the map and updated the entry to clarify the present-day reality, stating: “Today the State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are located within this area.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, convened a special follow-up discussion that revealed serious shortcomings in the implementation of the High Court ruling on the enlistment of yeshiva students, with security officials warning of a deep enforcement failure and the military announcing tougher criminal and disciplinary measures against draft dodgers.

According to figures presented at the meeting, as of January 2026 the number of individuals designated for military or national service who received draft orders but failed to report has surpassed 71,000. Approximately 80 percent of those classified as draft dodgers come from the chareidi community.

The discussion was attended by senior legal officials, representatives of Israel Defense Forces, and police officials. During the session, sharp disparities in enforcement practices were raised. Military officials warned that, as a rule, the Military Police are not granted authorization to carry out arrests in chareidi neighborhoods. They added that even in cases where chareidi deserters are detained incidentally by the police, they are often released in practice without being transferred to military authorities.

A police representative said the policy stems from a severe manpower shortage and concerns over the potential for serious public disturbances. She argued that effective enforcement would require the addition of six Border Police companies. IDF officials countered that the current reality amounts to selective enforcement, which disproportionately impacts other sectors of the population where enforcement is significantly stricter.

Attorney General Baharav-Miara described the findings as “harsh and troubling,” and stressed that under the High Court’s ruling, claims of limited resources cannot justify a failure to enforce the law. In response, the IDF presented a series of immediate steps to tighten enforcement, including reducing the period required to pursue criminal prosecution for draft evasion from 540 days to 365 days, and increasing the maximum detention period under disciplinary proceedings to 35 days.

At the same time, the attorney general instructed professional officials at the Finance Ministry to reexamine funding mechanisms related to draft dodgers, including indirect funding. Among the options being considered is accounting separation within yeshivos, a move intended to expand the range of economic sanctions available against those who fail to report for mandatory service.

{Matzav.com}

A young yeshiva student from Yeshivas Ohel Yosef in Yerushalayim was arrested Sunday afternoon near his home, marking what family members describe as the first time a yeshiva bochur has been detained in the heart of a chareidi neighborhood under circumstances linked to the draft law.

The arrest took place in the Ramot neighborhood, close to the student’s residence. According to those familiar with the incident, a police vehicle pulled up near the home while the bochur was standing outside after returning from a Shabbos break. Officers exited the vehicle and arrested him on the spot.

The family says the arrest was carried out by the Military Police and was connected to the student’s failure to report to the induction office, in accordance with the directives of gedolei Yisroel. As in previous cases, the bochur is from a family of Edot HaMizrach. It was also reported that “the bochur is receiving legal representation from the legal department of Chayei Olam.”

Less than two weeks ago, another yeshiva student—described as a draft evader and a talmid of Yeshivas Noam HaTalmud—was arrested in the community of Adam. That arrest took place late at night, around 3:00 a.m.

The nighttime detention sparked significant unrest in the chareidi street, particularly among the Sephardic public. Sources familiar with the details pointed to what they described as a troubling pattern. “Time and again we see that the initiated arrests—those that come to the home in the middle of the night—are focused on bochurim from the Sephardic sector,” one source said. “Is this coincidence, or a deliberate policy? The public is no longer buying the stories of coincidence.”

Meanwhile, in the Knesset, the state budget passed a first reading with the support of Degel HaTorah and Shas, despite the fact that the draft law has yet to be enacted. Knesset members from Agudas Yisrael—Yitzchok Goldknopf, Meir Porush, and Yitzchok Tessler—voted against the budget.

Officials in Shas and Degel HaTorah acknowledged in conversations with Kikar HaShabbat, “Voting against the budget primarily harms the chareidi public. If the budget does not pass, the first to be hurt will be us, since a central portion of the sector’s funding is not anchored in the base budget. We do not have real tools to threaten the prime minister.”

{Matzav.com}

Houthi terrorists in Yemen are signaling a possible return to attacks against Israel, saying that continued military activity in Gaza could prompt action from their side.

In a message posted to social media, Houthi spokesman Hezam al-Asad said the group’s tolerance for Israel’s conduct in Gaza was “beginning to run out,” warning that ongoing fighting and civilian deaths would “open the gates of hell from the Yemeni front.” He said the Houthis would not stay on the sidelines while Gaza remains under what he described as bombardment and siege, especially during what he called a fragile ceasefire that is violated on a daily basis.

Al-Asad said previous warnings issued by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi should be taken seriously, adding that Yemen is preparing for future confrontations and would resume hostilities with “deeper, broader, and more effective capabilities” if fighting escalates again.

He also placed blame on the countries and parties serving as guarantors and mediators of the ceasefire, accusing them of remaining silent in the face of Israel’s actions and cautioning that continued violations could spark a broader regional crisis.

According to the Houthi spokesman, the current ceasefire does not legitimize continued military operations in Gaza, and he said the persistence of fighting means preparations are underway for every possible outcome.

Al-Asad further claimed that what he referred to as the “axis of resistance” remains united, stretching from Gaza to Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran, and accused the United States of bearing primary responsibility for Israel’s actions during the ceasefire, which he again described as fragile and repeatedly violated.

{Matzav.com}

NASA has kicked off a two-day countdown rehearsal ahead of fueling its next-generation moon rocket, a pivotal test that will help determine when four astronauts can lift off on a historic lunar flyby.

Already in quarantine to limit exposure to illness, Commander Reid Wiseman and his fellow crew members are set to become the first humans to head toward the moon since 1972. From their base in Houston, they will oversee the rehearsal before traveling to Kennedy Space Center once the rocket receives clearance to fly.

The massive Space Launch System rocket, standing 322 feet (98 meters) tall, rolled out to the launch pad two weeks ago. Should Monday’s fueling exercise proceed without problems, NASA could target a launch attempt as soon as a week later. During the test, teams will load the rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of ultra-cold propellant, halting the process about 30 seconds before engine ignition.

Extreme cold weather forced NASA to push back the fueling rehearsal and the launch timeline by two days. As a result, Feb. 8 is now the earliest possible liftoff date.

Once airborne, the American and Canadian astronauts will travel inside the Orion capsule perched atop the rocket, looping around the moon before heading directly back to Earth without landing. The mission is expected to last close to 10 days and will conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Between 1968 and 1972, NASA’s Apollo program sent 24 astronauts to the moon, with 12 of them stepping onto its surface.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk said Sunday that measures implemented by SpaceX to prevent Russia from using Starlink without authorization appear to be effective, following concerns that the satellite internet system was being exploited in the war in Ukraine.

“Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done,” said Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, in a post on X.

The comments followed remarks last week from Ukraine’s defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who said Kyiv is coordinating with SpaceX to block Russian forces from using Starlink to guide drones. Ukrainian officials said they discovered Starlink terminals on long-range drones launched by Russia during attacks.

“Western technology must continue to help the democratic world and protect civilians, rather than being used for terrorism and destroying peaceful cities,” Fedorov wrote on X.

Although Musk has clashed publicly with Ukrainian officials over his views on the conflict with Russia, Ukraine’s military continues to depend heavily on Starlink. Tens of thousands of terminals are used for frontline communications and, in some cases, to support drone operations.

Starlink has significantly increased Musk’s influence on the global stage. In 2022, he openly asserted authority over when and where the service could be used by Ukrainian forces as they fought Russian troops, underscoring the platform’s strategic importance in the war.

A proposal backed by Democratic lawmakers in California has ignited anger among motorists and Republican legislators, who warn it could ultimately lead to drivers being taxed based on how many miles they travel.

With the state facing a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall and fuel tax revenue shrinking as more residents switch to electric vehicles, Democrats are exploring alternative ways to fund transportation projects.

California motorists already face some of the highest fuel costs in the country. According to the American Automobile Association, the average price of gas in January reached $4.23 per gallon, second only to Hawaii.

On Thursday, lawmakers moved forward with Assembly Bill 1421, sponsored by Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson. The bill would instruct the California Transportation Commission and the state Transportation Agency to continue examining mileage-based taxation models, stopping short of actually putting such a tax in place.

Opposition to the measure was visible over the weekend, as activists gathered at Cal Expo in Sacramento to gather signatures against a slate of Democratic tax proposals, including the potential per-mile charge.

“I just got very tense and insecure, because I drive a lot of miles,” said Sherrie Ann Lorenzo, a resident of Chico. “I don’t want to be taxed for driving. It’s my freedom. I live in the home of the free, I thought.”

Ideas outlined in the ongoing study suggest a per-mile fee ranging from two to nine cents. Given that California drivers average about 11,400 miles per year, such a charge could translate into annual costs of roughly $228 to $1,026.

Critics say the financial burden is only part of the concern, warning that monitoring vehicle mileage could prove complicated and raise serious privacy issues.

“This disproportionately hits rural residents and long-distance commuters,” said Republican Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo. “This favors wealthy EV drivers over everyday Californians. We already pay the highest gas tax in the U.S. We shouldn’t be adding a mileage tax on top of it.”

Bruce Lou, a delegate with the San Francisco and state Republican Party, also condemned the proposal online.

“This per-mile tax would be on top of the highest gas taxes in the country,” Lou wrote on X. “Citizens shouldn’t be treated like ATMs.”

Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio of San Diego sharply criticized AB 1421 during remarks on the Assembly floor Thursday.

“When you add up the car tax, the gas tax, and this new mileage tax, a working family with two cars and two parents driving could be forced to pay $4,200 a year to the state of California just for the privilege of driving on crappy roads,” DeMaio said. “What are we thinking here?”

Wilson has pushed back against the criticism, characterizing it as politically driven and saying the legislation reflects unavoidable fiscal realities.

“California’s transportation funding system is becoming less stable, less equitable, and less sustainable as more drivers switch to fuel-efficient and zero-emission vehicles,” she said.

She added that she is “committed” to revising AB 1421 to prevent drivers from being taxed twice through both fuel taxes and mileage-based fees.

As written, the bill would order a detailed report examining equity issues affecting low-income drivers who often travel longer distances in less efficient vehicles, evaluate the impact of a weight-based per-mile charge on commercial and electric vehicles, and review regional and statewide options for implementing a road usage tax.

Similar mileage-based systems have already been tested or adopted elsewhere. Oregon and Utah operate voluntary programs, Hawaii is gradually introducing a mandatory charge for electric vehicles, and Washington and Colorado have run pilot projects while weighing long-term alternatives to fuel taxes.

Concerns about privacy, billing errors, rural drivers, low-income households, and out-of-state motorists are expected to remain central to the debate.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa warned that the bill could open the door to intrusive government surveillance, calling it “a tool for future control.”

“To collect the tax, the government will amass a database of everywhere a car goes,” Issa wrote. “Church? Political rallies? Gun ranges? Fast food?”

For now, lawmakers have yet to provide clear answers to those concerns.

Iran’s supreme leader issued a sharp warning on Sunday, saying any military action by the United States would trigger a “regional war” across the Middle East, heightening tensions as President Donald Trump has openly threatened strikes against the Islamic Republic.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, marked his most explicit threat to date, coming as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other American warships operate in the Arabian Sea. The deployment followed Trump’s decision to move naval forces after Tehran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests.

Whether Trump will ultimately authorize the use of force remains uncertain. He has repeatedly said Iran is interested in negotiations and has pointed to Tehran’s nuclear program as another central issue he wants addressed.

Khamenei, however, also described the ongoing demonstrations as “a coup,” signaling a tougher official stance as reports indicate tens of thousands of people have been detained since protests erupted.

In Iran, charges of sedition can carry the death penalty, renewing fears that Tehran could carry out mass executions of detainees — a development Trump has described as a red line.

At the same time, Iran had scheduled live-fire military exercises for Sunday and Monday in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf to global markets and used for roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil.

The US military’s Central Command warned Tehran not to threaten American vessels or aircraft during the drills or interfere with commercial shipping.

Iranian state television first reported Khamenei’s statements online before broadcasting footage of his speech.

“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” Khamenei was quoted as saying.

It added that he also declared: “We are not the instigators and we do not seek to attack any country. But the Iranian nation will deliver a firm blow to anyone who attacks or harasses it.”

Khamenei further hardened his rhetoric toward the protests, after previously acknowledging that some demonstrators were driven by genuine economic grievances. The unrest began on Dec. 28, initially sparked by the collapse of Iran’s rial, before quickly evolving into a broader challenge to his rule.

“The recent sedition was similar to a coup. Of course, the coup was suppressed,” he said. “Their goal was to destroy sensitive and effective centers involved in running the country, and for this reason they attacked the police, government centers, (Revolutionary Guard) facilities, banks and mosques — and burned copies of the Quran. They targeted centers that run the country.”

Separately, Iran’s parliament speaker said the Islamic Republic now considers all European Union militaries to be terrorist organizations, responding to the bloc’s decision to designate Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as a terror group over its crackdown on protesters.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former Guard commander, announced the move, which is expected to be largely symbolic.

Iran has relied on a 2019 law to reciprocally label other nations’ militaries as terrorist groups after the United States designated the Guard as a terror organization that year.

Qalibaf made the announcement as he and other lawmakers donned Guard uniforms in a show of support for the force, which controls Iran’s ballistic missile program and extensive economic interests and answers directly to Khamenei.

“By seeking to strike at the (Guard), which itself has been the greatest barrier to the spread of terrorism to Europe, Europeans have in fact shot themselves in the foot and, once again, through blind obedience to the Americans, decided against the interests of their own people,” Qalibaf said.

Lawmakers later shouted slogans of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” during the session.

Trump has publicly outlined two red lines that could prompt military action: the killing of peaceful protesters or the mass execution of those detained during the crackdown.

He has also increasingly focused on Iran’s nuclear program, which the US had negotiated with Tehran over multiple rounds of talks before Israel launched a 12-day war with Iran in June.

During that conflict, the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. Activity observed at two of the sites has raised suspicions that Iran may be attempting to obscure satellite imagery as it works to preserve what remains.

Trump said Saturday night that he had not yet decided how to proceed on Iran.

Speaking with reporters aboard a flight to Florida, Donald Trump sidestepped a question about whether Tehran would feel emboldened if Washington refrained from striking, saying, “Some people think that. Some people don’t.”

He added that Iran should negotiate a “satisfactory” agreement to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons, but cautioned, “I don’t know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us.”

Late Saturday, senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani wrote on X that “structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing.” There has been no public indication of direct talks with the United States, something Khamenei has repeatedly ruled out.

A heavy pall of mourning has descended upon the Chassidic world, and the courts of Lelov in particular, following the sudden passing of Rav Yissachar Dov Biderman, the Lelover Rebbe zt”l. The Rebbe collapsed while immersing in a mikvah. He was 84 years old.

The Rebbe arrived earlier today, as was his custom, to immerse in the private mikvah located at the Lelover beis medrash on Rechov Tzefania Street in Yerushalayim. After he remained in the water longer than usual, those accompanying him raised the alarm. Emergency medical teams were summoned and carried out prolonged resuscitation efforts, but tragically, doctors were forced to declare his petirah.

Paramedic Naftali Sofer of Hatzalah, together with emergency medical technicians Yosef Herpaz and Kobi Marder, described the scene: “When we arrived, we found a man unconscious, without a pulse or respiration. Witnesses told us he had been pulled from the water in that condition. Together with additional paramedics and EMTs from MDA and Hatzalah, we immediately began advanced resuscitation efforts, including chest compressions, assisted ventilation, and life-saving medications. Sadly, despite all efforts, MDA paramedics were forced to pronounce his passing at the scene.”

Reb Bentzi Oiring, commander of the Yerushalayim district of ZAKA, stated: “The Rebbe collapsed in the mikvah of the Lelover Chassidus on Rechov Tzefania in Yerushalayim. His attendants, noticing that he was delayed for an extended period, called emergency services. MDA teams confirmed his passing. ZAKA volunteers are operating at the scene, ensuring that kavod hameis is fully preserved.”

Following his petirah, the niftar was brought into the Lelover beis medrash, where the paroches was removed and candles were lit around him.

The levayah is scheduled to take place this evening, departing from the Kedushas Mordechai Lelov beis medrash at 39 Rechov Bar Ilan in Yerushalayim, and proceeding to Har Haceisim. The levayah is expected to begin after 8:00 p.m., following the arrival of the Rebbe’s son on a flight from London.

Rav Yissachar Dov Biderman was born in Yerushalayim on the 10th of Kislev, 5702 (1941), to his father, the Lelover Rebbe, Rav Moshe Mordechai Biderman, and his mother, Rebbetzin Ettel, of the Schwartz family.

At his bris, he was named Yissachar Dov after the Belzer Rebbe. As a young child, he moved with his family to Tel Aviv, where his father relocated from the Batei Varsha neighborhood of Yerushalayim. He studied at the Belzer cheder and later in the Belzer yeshivah, eventually learning in the Lelover yeshivah in Yerushalayim’s Beis Yisrael neighborhood, where he distinguished himself as one of its outstanding talmidim.

After his marriage, he continued to immerse himself in limud haTorah and supported his family by writing Sifrei Torah. Known for his ascetic lifestyle, the Rebbe was entirely devoted to avodas hakodesh. Those close to him described him as exceptionally gentle and refined, visibly carrying forward the sacred path and spiritual bearing of his father. He was especially renowned for his profound ahavas Yisrael, in the tradition of the Lelover rebbes from the dynasty’s founder, Rav Dovid’l of Lelov, onward.

In later years, he assumed the mantle of leadership as Lelover Rebbe and headed the Kedushas Mordechai Lelov beis medrash on Rechov Bar Ilan in Yerushalayim, which was established in 2007. His chassidim reside throughout Israel and around the world, and many would travel to participate in his tishen on yahrtzeits and Yomim Tovim. On Motzaei Shabbos, following Havdalah, the Rebbe was known to distribute cigarettes to those present, a custom remembered fondly by his followers.

The Rebbe’s sudden passing comes just two days before the yahrtzeit of his brother, the Lelover Rebbe Rav Avraham Shlomo Biderman, who passed away on the 16th of Shevat in 5760.

He is survived by his family and many descendants who continue his sacred path, as well as his brothers, the Lelover rebbes of Nikolsburg and Lelov Ezras Torah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

The East African country of Somalia is holding up permits for Israeli airline Arkia to continue flying over it to and from the Far East, the Israeli Transport Ministry says.

The delay comes amid tensions between the two countries over Israel’s recognition on Dec. 26 of the breakaway Republic of Somaliland as an independent state. Somalia views the autonomous region as an integral part of its territory.

“The reason for not granting the approval to Arkia is not clear because the authorities in Somalia did not specify the reason for their refusal,” the Transport Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “This refusal constitutes a violation of the Convention on International Aviation to which Somalia, a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is a signatory.”

The ministry added that it is working with “all relevant parties” and using “all means at its disposal” to assist the Israeli carrier in resolving the issue.

Arkia said that it has not received a renewal of its permit to fly over Somalia airspace, which expires at the end of January, and may be forced to alter its flight route to Thailand.

“As part of international aviation procedures, airlines submit periodic requests for air transit permits on various routes,” Arkia said in a statement. “As of now, Arkia has not yet received the renewal of the periodic permit for air transit over Somalia for February.”

“If approval is not received by the beginning of February, the company will operate flights on an alternative route, without any change to flight times and without harming passengers,” the carrier said.

Arkia, which began flying to Thailand in November, added that the issue is being handled by Israeli authorities, including the Civil Aviation Authority and the Foreign Ministry.

Israeli flag carrier El Al’s s permit renewal to fly over Somalia remains valid until March 1.

Israeli travel agents said Thursday that the delay in granting the permit is seen as Somalia’s revenge over Israel’s recognition of Somaliland and was a diplomatic issue that will have little to no effect on flights to the Far East.

“The refusal of Somalia’s government to grant the approval due to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is more of a diplomatic issue than anything else,” Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours, told JNS on Sunday. “The additional 20 minutes required to bypass their airspace will have zero ramifications on Arkia marketing the route.”

{Matzav.com}

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday selected a former inmate who later became a prison reform advocate to serve as commissioner of the Department of Correction, signaling his administration’s intent to shift the jail system toward a rehabilitation-centered model.

Stanley Richards, who was incarcerated in the late 1980s on a robbery conviction, will become the first person with a prior prison record to head the city’s correctional agency. Announcing the appointment, Mamdani highlighted the historical nature of the decision. “Stanley will make history in this role as the first ever formerly incarcerated person to serve as commissioner,” Mamdani said. “I will turn to Stanley as we work to build a city where justice is at the heart of our corrections system,” the mayor added.

According to reports by Gothamist and NY1, Richards was convicted of robbery in the late 1980s, spending approximately two and a half years on Rikers Island followed by another four and a half years in state prison. He was released in 1991.

In his initial comments after being named commissioner, Richards echoed Mamdani’s reform agenda and criticized what he characterized as an overly punitive approach to incarceration. “Today we turn the page and we start a new era under Mayor Mamdani,” Richards said.

Richards also cited his professional background within the correctional system, noting his prior service as first deputy commissioner of programs and operations at the Department of Correction, as well as his role as vice chair of the Board of Correction’s Task Force to Close Rikers.

The appointment comes amid continued federal oversight of New York City’s jails. Earlier this week, a federal judge installed an external remediation manager to supervise reforms at Rikers Island following years of violence, staffing shortages, and court findings that city officials failed to adequately address unsafe conditions. Rikers had been slated for closure by August 2027 under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.

When asked whether he had already engaged with the remediation manager, Mamdani said contact had been made and stressed a collaborative approach. “My administration has, and we look forward to working with the remediation manager on improving conditions in our city’s jails, both for those in custody and for correction officers,” Mamdani said.

The move prompted a cautious response from the union representing correction officers, which warned against subordinating safety concerns to political goals. In a statement, Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio said the jails “cannot and will not operate as safely as possible if the concerns of our members are brushed aside,” adding that Richards must show a clear commitment to “putting safety and security before any political ideology.”

As Richards prepares to assume leadership of the embattled jail system, questions remain over whether his reform-driven experience will result in tangible improvements in safety and stability. Mamdani’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital that Richards is scheduled to begin his new role on Feb. 16.

{Matzav.com}

A stirring miracle story has been electrifying the Toldos Avraham Yitzchak court—exactly one year after it began.

The story traces back precisely a year, to the 14th of Shevat, the yahrtzeit of the mekubal Rav Yitzchak Abuchatzira zt”l. That evening, a wedding was held in Beitar Illit for the Rebbe’s grandson, the son of his son, Rav Chaim Meir Kohn, who serves as the rav of the community’s chassidim in the city.

While the Rebbe was attending the celebration, one of his sons told him about the well-known segulah of Rav Yitzchak Abuchatzira involving arak. According to the tradition, bottles of arak are purchased and notes describing the desired salvation are attached to them. If the person is answered, the bottles are opened the following year on the yahrtzeit. The Rebbe listened attentively and immediately instructed his grandson to go out and purchase four bottles of arak so the segulah could be carried out on the spot.

When the bottles were brought, the Rebbe gave precise instructions: On three of the bottles, the names of three of his grandchildren were to be written. These were the children of his daughter, Manche, who lives in the United States: a 32-year-old grandson and two daughters close to age 30. All three had been delayed in shidduchim for many years, and the request was clear and focused: that they should soon find their zivugim.

But the story did not end there. One bottle remained unassigned. For the fourth bottle, the Rebbe himself took a slip of paper and wrote something in his own hand—something no one else saw and no one knows. He attached the note to the bottle, and the secret remained sealed. The bottles were then set aside, as the ancient segulah prescribes, awaiting the salvation that would come over the course of the year.

Now, exactly one year later, the magnitude of the miracle has become clear. The Rebbe fulfilled the arak segulah—and was answered. In what chassidim describe as a Heavenly convergence, all three of the Rebbe’s grandchildren became engaged over the past year. Two have already married, and the third wedding will take place soon. All that remains is to wonder what was written on the secret note attached to the fourth bottle…

This evening, many across the Jewish world are holding yahrtzeit seudos in memory of Rav Yitzchak ben Rav Yaakov Abuchatzira. Many, too, are dedicating bottles of arak with their hopes attached, to be opened at next year’s yahrtzeit.

{Matzav.com}

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing new legislation that would limit cooperation between local law enforcement and US immigration officials, casting the measure as a message to the Trump administration in the wake of violent incidents involving federal agents in other parts of the country.

The new bills would overturn prior state provisions that enabled federal agencies to deputize local police resources for operations involving immigration operations. The proposal would also bar municipal jails from being used for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention.

“We’re sending a strong message to ICE,” Hochul said in a press conference Friday alongside New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and several district attorneys from around the state. The governor said the goal is to “fortify ourselves” as New York prepares for a potential increase in federal immigration activity in the state.

“You will not weaponize local police officers against their own communities in the state of New York,” she said. “You will not use our police tech to track people who have done nothing wrong. You will not throw innocent people into our jails and you will do everything only with a judicial order.”

Hochul emphasized that New York would continue cooperating with federal authorities on cases involving violent crimes. The legislation would allow information-sharing and custody transfers when a judge issues a warrant or when a person has been convicted of serious violent offenses.

President Donald Trump said this week that New York and other Democratic-led cities were “heading in the wrong direction.”

Hochul’s proposal comes less than a week after Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse who was protesting their operations in Minneapolis. Pretti was the second US citizen killed by federal agents in Minnesota, following the shooting death of Renee Good earlier in January.

The killings set off nationwide protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. On Friday, demonstrators have called for a nationwide strike, asking Americans to skip school and work and avoid spending at businesses.

In New York, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican expected to challenge Hochul in this year’s gubernatorial race, assailed her plan to bar local cooperation with ICE and said it would endanger public safety.

“These critical agreements have long helped remove violent offenders — including murderers, … traffickers, gang members, and other dangerous criminals — from our streets, and assisted police in keeping them in custody when Hochul’s bail law would otherwise force their release,” Blakeman said in a statement. “Now, local law enforcement’s hands are tied, and these criminals will be released back into our communities.”

But Democrats are pushing measures to curtail the White House efforts, arguing the efforts are necessary to protect the public from agents that they say have engaged in illegal actions toward civilians.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Wednesday that the state was setting up a portal for residents to upload cell phone video of ICE agents in the streets.

“Get your phone out, we want to know,” she said in an appearance on the late-night television program The Daily Show. “They have not been forthcoming. They will not tell us who they are.”

In New York, Hochul pledged to work with state lawmakers to pass her legislation “as quickly as possible” even as the state maintains a policy of cooperating with the federal government to apprehend violent criminals.

“Public safety must be pursued lawfully, transparently and with humanity,” Hochul said. “These very principles have been abandoned by our federal government and our immigration officers.”

{Matzav.com}

Border Czar Tom Homan dismissed reports suggesting that the Trump administration is easing up on deportations of illegal aliens, calling those claims “untrue.”

Speaking in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Homan said that since President Trump entered office, immigration authorities have carried out “over 700,000 deportations between Border Patrol and ICE.” He stressed that enforcement efforts are being directed first toward “the arrests of criminals and public safety threats.”

“The President wants to de-escalate the situation and to set the record straight — because my staff said they’ve seen a lot of people saying President Trump’s backing off on his promise of mass deportation,” Homan said. “That’s just untrue. My message up there was the same message it’s been since January 20, when President Trump took the Oval Office.”

Homan reiterated that large-scale deportations remain a goal, while emphasizing the administration’s focus. “We’re going to have a mass deportation, but we’re going to prioritize the arrests of criminals and public safety threats,” he said. “I said from day one, if you’re in the country illegally, you’re not off the table. I looked at the numbers just about 15 minutes ago, Sean. President Trump’s been in office just over a year. We got over 700,000 deportations between Border Patrol and ICE.”

The remarks followed a fatal shooting involving a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis last weekend that left 37-year-old Alex Pretti dead, after which President Trump said he would dispatch Homan to Minnesota.

Pretti’s death came weeks after another fatal incident, in which Renee Good was shot by an ICE agent. Authorities alleged that Good had attempted to use her vehicle as a weapon against ICE officers who were trying to free their vehicle from snow.

In explaining his decision, Trump said that although Homan “has not been involved in that area,” he was familiar with and respected “many of the people there.”

“Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me,” Trump clarified in a post on Truth Social.

On Tuesday, Homan said he met with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and “top law enforcement officials to discuss the issues on the ground in Minnesota.”

“We all agree that we need to support our law enforcement officers and get criminals off the streets,” Homan added.

Homan’s comments came after Trump said in a Fox News interview that his administration would “de-escalate” in Minnesota, according to BBC News.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump sharply criticized Minnesota’s Democratic leadership on Saturday, asserting that fraud in the state far exceeds earlier estimates and accusing top officials of failing to act.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump singled out Rep. Ilhan Omar and Gov. Tim Walz, writing, “The Theft and Fraud in Minnesota is far greater than the 19 Billion Dollars originally projected. The Biden Administration knew this FRAUD was happening, and did absolutely nothing about it.”

Trump escalated his rhetoric in the same post, adding, “‘Scammer’ Illhan Omar and her absolutely terrible friends from Somalia should all be in jail right now or, far worse, send them back to Somalia,” and continued, ” ‘Governor’ Waltz is either the most CORRUPT government official in history, or the most INCOMPETENT. Even a very low IQ person, of which there are many, should have known what was going on in Minnesota!!! President DJT.”

According to a recent New York Times report, the U.S. Department of Justice during the Biden administration opened an inquiry into Omar’s finances after reports indicated her net worth increased by as much as $30 million following her election to Congress.

Breitbart News reported additional scrutiny surrounding Omar’s household finances, citing Rep. James Comer, who said he would seek to subpoena Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, over questions tied to the couple’s wealth. “Most recently, Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said he would subpoena Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett, over the couple’s suspicious net worth. As Breitbart News reported last year, Omar and Mynett’s financial documents indicate that by the end of 2024, the pair had a net worth of anywhere from $6 million to $30 million.”

The outlet has also reported that large-scale welfare fraud cases linked to Minnesota’s Somali community have intensified scrutiny over Omar’s possible knowledge of the alleged schemes. “Reports say that Omar has many close ties to organizations, businesses, and individuals named in the various cases that have uncovered massive fraud of Minnesota’s overly generous welfare schemes, cases that total up to more than a billion dollars in stolen taxpayer money,” the article stated.

Omar has denied claims that she is worth millions and has said she is being unfairly targeted by conservatives. Trump, however, has continued to accuse Omar and Walz of using ICE enforcement actions and the protests and riots aimed at federal agents as a diversion from the fraud allegations, according to Breitbart News.

“Omar, who is Somalia-born, represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District and is already the subject of a House Oversight Committee investigation into her and husband Tim Mynett’s finances,” the outlet reported on January 23.

{Matzav.com}