Matzav

After tense days of political wrangling, the coalition standoff finally ended with an agreement reached during a late-night meeting involving Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich’s representatives, Finance Committee Chairman Moshe Gafni, Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz, and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs. The parties struck a deal that will allow the long-debated bill granting tax breaks to IDF reservists to move forward.

Under the compromise, the legislation will advance to its second and third readings in the Knesset next week. A new provision will be added, ensuring that reservists earning lower incomes will receive an additional monthly payment of roughly 3,000 shekels, beginning in 2026.

The agreement also paves the way for the Religious Zionism Party to return to coalition voting, signaling a thaw in the recent freeze that had paralyzed key government initiatives.

According to the details of the bill, eligible reservists will receive income tax credits of up to 1,000 shekels per month. The measure is intended as both tangible support and a gesture of national appreciation toward working reservists—men and women who shoulder the dual responsibility of serving the country and supporting their families.

{Matzav.com}

At a deeply moving L’chaim celebration marking the publication of his 60th sefer, Mishmeres HaBayis on the halachos of challah, the renowned posek, Rav Moshe Mordechai Karp, was overcome with emotion and broke into tears as he began singing “Mah ashiv laHashem,” a moment that swept up all those present in heartfelt song and gratitude.

The event brought together rabbonim and dayanim of the Beis Horaah B’Yisrael, who gathered in honor of Rav Karp’s latest work. The sefer, a detailed and comprehensive halachic volume of more than 350 pages, offers clear guidance, lucid explanations, and illuminating psakim on topics relevant to the Jewish home. It also includes insightful notes on the Teshuvos Zeraim of the Rashba.

In his remarks, Rav Karp spoke emotionally of his formative years in the presence of the Steipler Gaon, author of Kehillos Yaakov zt”l. He shared that many of the halachos recorded in the new sefer were refined through discussions with the Steipler, who extended to him exceptional warmth and affection. Despite Rav Karp’s youth at the time, the Kehillos Yaakov greatly praised his diligence and talent, foreseeing in him a future vessel of blessing destined to illuminate batei Yisroel through Torah.

Rav Karp recounted how the Kehillos Yaakov would caution him that “sometimes stringencies can turn into leniencies,” reminding him that excessive chumros in one area could inadvertently lead to laxity in another. Those words, he said, continue to guide him in his approach to psak halacha until this day.

During the L’chaim, Rav Karp recited the berachah of Shehecheyanu, a practice he observes each time he completes and publishes a new sefer. In keeping with his view outlined in his work Yom Beyom (Hilchos Berachos, Volume 4), he donned a new garment beforehand, explaining that one who rejoices in wearing something new should bless Shehecheyanu upon it.

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As part of his visit to the United States, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Zev, Rav Boruch Soloveitchik, delivered a penetrating shiur klali at Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah in Monsey, headed by Rav Mordechai Dick. The shiur focused on the sugya of shaveh kesef k’kesef.

The bochurim eagerly absorbed every word of Rav Soloveitchik’s deep pilpul, visibly inspired by the clarity and depth of his approach. After the shiur, many of them crowded around the rosh yeshiva, engaging him in lively discussion for nearly an hour, passionately delving further into the inyan.

Rav Soloveitchik’s trip to the U.S. was arranged both in support of his yeshiva and in honor of the wedding of a daughter of his close friend, R’ Yitzchok Rakowsky of Lakewood, one of the leaders of Keren Olam HaTorah.

During his stay in Monsey, the rosh yeshiva was hosted by philanthropist R’ Ari Busbi.

Over Shabbos, he attended the aufruf of the son of Rav Mordechai Dick who last night married a daughter of Rav Aryeh Malkiel Schustal, granddaughter of Rav Dovid Schustal, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.

During his recent visit to Argentina, Rishon LeTzion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Dovid Yosef, displayed extraordinary personal involvement in helping release a woman who had been an agunah for nearly twelve years.

While visiting the local kehillah, the Chief Rabbi was urgently informed by rabbonim of a painful situation involving a husband who had persistently refused to grant his wife a get. Despite a full itinerary filled with official meetings, Rav Yosef immediately canceled a scheduled state appointment and traveled directly to the man’s location.

Rav Yosef sat with the husband for hours, speaking to his heart and pleading with him to do what is right according to halacha. The conversation extended well into the night, forcing his assistants to clear the remainder of his day’s schedule so that the Rav could remain focused solely on resolving this case.

By the next day, the breakthrough came. The husband agreed to give the get, and a qualified sofer gittin was immediately summoned to write and deliver the document properly, bringing long-awaited relief and freedom to the suffering woman.

Following the completion of the get, Rav Yosef again met privately with the husband, offering words of chizuk and encouragement, urging him to rebuild his life through teshuvah and proper conduct.

This incident, the Rishon LeTzion noted, is just one example of the hands-on approach he has made a hallmark of his leadership — personally intervening to resolve get refusals, even if it means visiting prisons or appearing unannounced in courtrooms.

“I go to prisons to meet with those who refuse, especially when it’s nearby,” Rav Yosef shared, describing his proactive efforts during his Argentina trip.

{Matzav.com}

New York’s political upheaval is already reshaping another state’s skyline. The election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor has set off a stunning $100 million property rush in Florida, as nervous New Yorkers scramble to buy homes before the new mayor’s economic policies take effect.

Isaac Toledano, CEO of the Miami-based BH Group, said the flood of new contracts began months before Mamdani’s victory was even sealed. In just the past few months, his firm has seen an unprecedented surge of buyers from New York, totaling more than $100 million in signed deals—nearly twice the amount recorded in 2024. “I think the election accelerated how people make decisions. People are nervous about what’s coming, how it’s going to affect their lifestyle, the quality of life, taxes, and even public safety,” Toledano explained.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old Muslim born in Uganda, defeated establishment candidate Andrew Cuomo in a stunning political upset that analysts have described as a defining moment for the Democratic Party’s future direction. “The uncertainty about what’s next and the fact that Mamdani made it clear what he believes is right for New York has a lot of people feeling uneasy,” Toledano told Fox News Digital.

The mayor-elect’s campaign platform—marked by sweeping socialist proposals—has rattled many of the city’s wealthiest residents. Among his promises were a rent freeze affecting more than two million tenants, universal child care for all children from infancy through age five, free city bus transportation, and even publicly operated grocery stores.

Florida officials, sensing opportunity, have begun preparing for an influx of wealthy New Yorkers relocating to the Sunshine State. Governor Ron DeSantis humorously weighed in on social media with an online poll asking how Floridians should handle the new arrivals. “Floridians — response to the Mamdani election in NYC should be to: Build a FL border wall, Tariff all transplants, or ‘Recruit new transplants,’” DeSantis quipped in a post on X.

President Donald Trump foresaw this exodus weeks earlier while speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami. “Now the Democrats are so extreme that Miami will soon be the refuge for those fleeing communism in New York City. They flee,” Trump declared. He added a warning he’s voiced many times before: “As I’ve warned for many years, our opponents are hell-bent on turning America into a communist Cuba or a socialist Venezuela, and you see what happened to those places.”

President Donald Trump issued a sharp caution to the Supreme Court, declaring that overturning his tariff policies would trigger catastrophic consequences for America’s economy and security.

“The U.S. Supreme Court was given the wrong numbers,” Trump posted early Tuesday on Truth Social. “The ‘unwind’ in the event of a negative decision on Tariffs, would be, including investments made, to be made, and return of funds, in excess of 3 Trillion Dollars. It would not be possible to ever make up for that kind of a ‘drubbing.’ That would truly become an insurmountable National Security Event, and devastating to the future of our Country – Possibly non-sustainable!”

The president has repeatedly cautioned the Court against dismantling his trade measures, describing them as vital to protecting American jobs, industry, and national stability. He said that reversing them would wipe out trillions in wealth and unravel years of progress.

Trump also outlined a broader economic vision in his recent posts, highlighting plans to use tariff revenue to support working Americans and reduce the ballooning national debt. “All money left over from the $2000 payments made to low and middle income USA Citizens, from the massive Tariff Income pouring into our Country from foreign countries, which will be substantial, will be used to SUBSTANTIALLY PAY DOWN NATIONAL DEBT,” he wrote Monday. “Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT.”

In the same flurry of messages, Trump took aim at critics of his approach, arguing that tariffs have strengthened the U.S. economy, spurred growth, and restored balance to global trade. “People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!” he wrote. “We are now the Richest, Most Respected Country In the World, With Almost No Inflation, and A Record Stock Market Price. 401k’s are Highest EVER. We are taking in Trillions of Dollars and will soon begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 Trillion. Record Investment in the USA, plants and factories going up all over the place.”

At the center of the legal battle is whether the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act authorizes the president to impose tariffs for national security reasons. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer represented Trump’s position before the justices last week. Lower courts have repeatedly rejected his interpretation but allowed the tariffs to stay in effect until the Supreme Court issues its ruling.

In another Truth Social post, Trump blasted what he sees as a double standard in trade authority: “So, let’s get this straight??? The President of the United States is allowed (and fully approved by Congress!) to stop ALL TRADE with a Foreign Country (Which is far more onerous than a Tariff!), and LICENSE a Foreign Country, but is not allowed to put a simple Tariff on a Foreign Country, even for purposes of NATIONAL SECURITY. That is NOT what our great Founders had in mind! The whole thing is ridiculous! Other Countries can Tariff us, but we can’t Tariff them??? It is their DREAM!!! Businesses are pouring into the USA ONLY BECAUSE OF TARIFFS. HAS THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT NOT BEEN TOLD THIS??? WHAT THE H— IS GOING ON??? President DJT.”

{Matzav.com}

Minister Ron Dermer has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, concluding a term marked by war, diplomacy, and deep national challenges.

In his resignation letter, Dermer reminded Netanyahu of the commitment he made to his family when he first took office. “On the day I was sworn in as a minister in the government, I promised my family that I would serve only two years in the role. I extended my term twice with their blessing. The first time to work with you to remove the existential threat posed by Iran’s military nuclear capabilities, and the second time to end the war in Gaza on terms set by Israel, and to bring our hostages home,” he wrote.

Reflecting on the defining moments of his tenure, Dermer stated, “This government will be remembered both for the October 7 attack and for the management of the two-year war and the seven fronts that followed it.” His words underscored the magnitude of the challenges faced by Israel during his time as Minister for Strategic Affairs.

Dermer concluded his letter on a personal and forward-looking note, expressing uncertainty about his next steps while reaffirming his lifelong mission. “I do not know what the future holds for me, but in all that I do, I will continue to do my part to ensure the future of the Jewish people,” he told the prime minister.

{Matzav.com}

In a breakthrough move, Israel and the United States agreed Tuesday on a plan to deport roughly 200 Hamas terrorists currently trapped in tunnels beneath Rafah, within an IDF-controlled zone known as the Yellow Line. The deal, part of broader efforts to crush Hamas’s remaining strongholds, represents a coordinated step forward in the campaign to fully dismantle the group’s influence in Gaza.

Despite the progress, a critical obstacle remains unresolved — no nation has yet consented to receive the deportees. Diplomats from both sides are said to be working urgently to find a host country willing to take them, but as of now, the fate of the militants remains in limbo.

The understanding came after an intense meeting in Jerusalem between Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Jared Kushner, the special envoy and son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The two discussed the broader U.S.-Israel strategy for postwar Gaza, including the complete demilitarization of the enclave and guarantees that Hamas would never again wield power there.

“Any decision regarding the 200 terrorists trapped in Rafah will be made in coordination with the Trump administration,” Netanyahu’s spokesperson said Monday, underscoring the degree of cooperation between Washington and Jerusalem on every stage of the process.

Kushner landed in Israel on Sunday to meet Netanyahu and review the next steps in executing the U.S.-backed framework for ending the Gaza conflict, according to a source familiar with the talks. Real estate developer and envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive shortly to take part in the ongoing discussions.

Netanyahu had previously sat down with both Kushner and Witkoff just a month earlier to evaluate shifting dynamics in Gaza and fine-tune the diplomatic roadmap. The talks this week were described by insiders as a continuation of those efforts, now focused squarely on the handling of the Rafah tunnel network and the operatives trapped inside.

American officials have expressed urgency in resolving the matter, telling Israeli counterparts they “think [the terrorists] should get free passage, after Goldin’s release.” The reference is to the long-standing issue of retrieving the body of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, held by Hamas since 2014 — a humanitarian priority deeply tied to any broader arrangement in Gaza.

An Israeli government spokesperson reiterated to Reuters that decisions about the Rafah detainees “will be made in collaboration with the Trump administration,” reflecting the ongoing alignment between the two governments as they attempt to finalize one of the most sensitive chapters of the Gaza war.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s High Court pressed the warring sides in the Sde Teiman video leak controversy to strike a deal over who should lead the criminal investigation, after a marathon hearing on Tuesday that highlighted both political tension and legal ambiguity.

Justice Yael Willner urged the parties to “deliberate until white smoke comes out,” pleading with them to settle the dispute rather than force the court to impose a decision. “We implore you from the public’s perspective to reach an agreement,” she said, acknowledging the charged political atmosphere surrounding the case. “We will wait for you here until five o’clock, until six o’clock, seven o’clock and even later. Just reach an agreement.”

The judges gave the opposing sides until 5 p.m. to agree but indicated they would continue waiting into the night if progress was being made. Among the options Willner floated was authorizing the court to appoint either a serving or retired district judge, or even a retired Supreme Court justice, to supervise the investigation.

She also suggested entrusting the probe to the Israel Securities Authority or the Israel Competition Authority. These alternatives underscored the court’s growing skepticism toward both Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s move to install State Ombudsman for Judges Asher Kula and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s insistence that State Attorney Amit Aisman lead the case.

Willner’s comments signaled that the court is unwilling to endorse either camp’s proposal outright, reflecting frustration with what it sees as overreach on both sides. “The problem is that as ombudsman there is a clause in the law which says he can’t do any other job, either directly or indirectly,” she remarked, a point echoed by Justice Alex Stein.

The judges also questioned whether Levin had exceeded his authority by invoking Clause 23 of the 1959 Civil Service Law to appoint Kula — a move Justice Gila Canfy Steinitz described as “certainly intervention” in the justice process. Willner challenged Levin’s attorney, Zion Amir, to cite a precedent for such use of the clause, but none was provided.

At the same time, the bench pressed Baharav-Miara’s team on its own potential conflicts. Willner questioned whether Aisman could truly serve impartially, given his previous involvement in discussions concerning the military advocate general’s internal review. She further noted that if Baharav-Miara herself had a conflict of interest in overseeing the probe, that conflict might extend to her authority to appoint Aisman in the first place.

The dispute stems from the explosive leak of a video allegedly showing IDF soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention facility. Former military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi has admitted authorizing the leak and is now under investigation for breach of trust, abuse of office, and obstruction of justice.

Following that revelation, Levin stripped Baharav-Miara of her oversight role, accusing her of a conflict of interest, and named Kula to take over. Baharav-Miara initially refused to comply but relented after the Justice Ministry’s own legal adviser found her conflicted. She then appointed Aisman instead — setting off the current standoff.

The court observed that both appointments carried legal and ethical problems. It warned that Kula’s dual position could undermine judicial independence, since as ombudsman he holds authority over judges who might later hear cases he initiates. But it also raised doubts about the propriety of the attorney general’s delegation powers, which are not explicitly grounded in law.

The broader fallout has deepened political fault lines across Israel. Levin and his supporters accuse the legal establishment of targeting soldiers and defying elected officials, while critics contend the government is exploiting the affair to weaken an already embattled attorney general and erode judicial independence.

By Tuesday night, the judges’ plea for compromise remained unanswered, leaving open whether the opposing camps would heed Willner’s call — or whether the High Court itself will be forced to resolve the explosive dispute.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Moshe Shternbuch addressed the recent election of New York City’s new Muslim mayor, Zohran Kwame Mamdani, whose history of harsh anti-Israel rhetoric has stirred deep concern among Jewish residents.

Speaking during his weekly shiur delivered to listeners abroad, Rav Shternbuch sought to calm fears, emphasizing that nothing happens without Hashgachah Pratis.

“The Jews in New York are going through a difficult time,” the senior posek began. “A Muslim mayor was elected, and many Yidden in New York are afraid of him.”

He then urged, “We must remember that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is with us! Because Hashem is with us, that non-Jew can’t harm us at all. Chas veshalom, we must not become confused and think he has the power to hurt us.”

Rav Shternbuch illustrated his point with a well-known story about the Brisker Rav: “Rav Chaim Brisker used to say, ‘When I walk in the streets of Brisk and a gentile approaches me, he may want to kill me, and he may be able to kill me — but why doesn’t he? Because Hashem makes him lazy.’”

Applying the same lesson to the current situation, Rav Shternbuch said, “So too here. This gentile — Mamdani — may want to do harm, and perhaps he can. But if Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t want it, he will be lazy and do nothing.”

The posek hador concluded his remarks with a clear message of faith and reassurance: “We must not worry or be afraid of him. We must simply trust in Hashem. There is no need to fear. Hashem will take care of us.”

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

In a fiery and impassioned address delivered at Beis Medrash Beis Yehoshua in Yerushalayim, the renowned Chassidishe mashpia, Rav Menashe Yisroel Reisman, launched a searing critique of roshei yeshiva and mashgichim who expel or refuse to accept talmidim into their yeshivos. He warned that the abandonment of these young men is “worse than any draft decree” and decried the silence surrounding their plight.

Quoting from Gemara Nedarim 32a, Rav Reisman opened his remarks: “Rav Avahu said in the name of Rav Elazar: Why was Avraham Avinu punished, resulting in his descendants’ enslavement in Mitzrayim for 210 years? Because he made use of Torah scholars for his army, as it says, ‘And he armed his disciples, those born in his house.’” Rav Reisman explained that Avraham’s punishment came because he sent talmidei chachamim to fight in battle, a transgression so grave it brought centuries of servitude upon his children.

“On the basis of this very Gemara,” the mashpia continued, “thousands upon thousands have filled the streets, crying out through the night to prevent even one bochur from being drafted into the army.”

But then his tone shifted sharply. “The cry ascends to the heavens!” he thundered. “Yes, you protest for these causes—but what about the precious boys, finer than gold, who are not accepted into yeshivos? What about those who are expelled for trivial reasons, cast out for the smallest missteps? What about those wandering souls who drift through the streets? This is a mirror from Heaven, showing us what we have chosen to ignore. No one reports these crimes—no one tells our gedolim what’s really happening.”

Rav Reisman called for deep cheshbon hanefesh: “We need 600,000 Jews to fill the streets and cry out with a great and bitter wail over this sin—the sin of rejecting bochurim from our yeshivos. These are holy souls we are driving away.”

Alluding to the recent tragedy during the massive Yerushalayim rally, the mashpia offered a chilling interpretation: “Perhaps Hashem orchestrated that at the very gathering meant to defend Torah learning, such a tragedy occurred. A bochur took his own life, and afterward we learned that he suffered persecution in his yeshiva and that no one paid attention to his pain. The message is clear to anyone who understands.”

“This was a remez from Hashem,” Rav Reisman concluded. “At that very asifah, Heaven was telling us: you cry out about drafting talmidei chachamim, but what about the boy who was mocked, tormented, and abandoned? For him, there is no protest, no demonstration, no outcry.”

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset on Monday night passed in first reading a bill that would make permanent a temporary order banning Qatari network Al Jazeera‘s operations in Israel.

The temporary order, “Preventing a Foreign Broadcasting Organization from Harming State Security (Temporary Provision‒Swords of Iron),” was extended for six months in May and is set to expire on Nov. 30.

According to the explanatory section of the current bill, which was proposed by Knesset member Ariel Kallner of the Likud Party:

“Due to the need to preserve the powers and tools required to deal with foreign channels whose broadcast content seriously harms national security, even unconnected from the ‘Swords of Iron War,’ it is proposed to determine that the temporary order will become a standing order and its validity will not depend on significant military operations or the declaration of a special situation on the home front.”

Other provisions of the bill include expanding the powers of the communications minister to deal with hostile news outlets, and eliminating the need for court approval to take actions against them.

“We are fighting not only against those who shoot at us. Limiting the fight to that misses the entire concept of the Islamist imperialist threat,” Likud lawmaker Ariel Kallner told JNS on Tuesday. “We are fighting against that ideology and against those who, through propaganda, recruit terrorists. Al Jazeera is one of their weapons. They brainwash people, incite hatred—and the result is Oct. 7,” he added, referring to the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Kallner noted that Israel is in a constant state of war against this threat and warned that the entire Western world faces growing danger.

Al Jazeera, he said, operates with two main “arms.” One, he explained, functions as an intelligence arm—taking photos, revealing the locations of Israeli soldiers, publishing that information worldwide and leaking it to terrorist groups. The other is its propaganda arm, through which the network presents itself as a journalistic outlet.

“Some of our former hostages, like Noa Argamani, were held by Al Jazeera employees, and some of them even took part in the Oct. 7 massacre,” said Kallner. “I can’t say that without Al Jazeera Oct. 7 wouldn’t have happened, but it is certainly one of the tools of this Islamist threat.”

“We must protect ourselves and not allow them to broadcast freely and spread propaganda,” he continued.

In 2024, lawmakers voted 71-10 to pass the original legislation giving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the authority to shut down Al Jazeera. Under that law, the communications minister may act against a foreign channel that harms the state’s security, with the consent of the prime minister and the approval of the Cabinet.

The measure enabled authorities to order television providers to stop broadcasting the Qatari news outlet, close its offices in Israel, seize its equipment, shut down its website and revoke press credentials for staff.

In September, Jerusalem announced its intention to revoke all press passes of Al Jazeera reporters working in territory under its control.

Qatar, which hosts Hamas leaders and has provided the terrorist group with hundreds of millions of dollars, played a role in mediating the release of some hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Is the coalition on the brink of collapse over the draft law? Commentators Yaakov Rivlin and attorney Avi Bloom offered sharply differing analyses during a discussion on the Main Edition program with Avi Mimran, assessing the prime minister’s fragile standing with his chareidi partners and the growing internal tension surrounding the controversial legislation.

Bloom began by asserting that “Netanyahu keeps delaying discussions in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee about the draft issue — not because he’s evading it, but because he has no answers from the chareidim.” Despite numerous meetings with gedolim, Bloom said, “there’s still no agreed formula. Meir Porush himself told me, ‘I’m not submitting any draft to the Rebbes because I have no idea whether it’s something we can move forward with.’”

Bloom added that Netanyahu “knows full well this law won’t pass without clear chareidi consent, and it’s possible he’s already thinking ahead — perhaps toward elections.”

Rivlin, however, argued that “the real battle isn’t in the Knesset — it’s among us. There’s no internal consensus, neither in the Litvishe Moetzes nor among the chassidim. Everyone knows there’s a deep divide between supporters and opponents of the law.” The heart of the issue, he said, is simple: “Can we live with a law that calls for drafting 4,800 bochurim a year? Everything else is just noise.”

Turning his attention to public expectations, Rivlin criticized the notion that Netanyahu should “defend the chareidim,” calling it “a badge of shame. We have representatives in the Knesset — let one of them get up and speak. We don’t need a feudal lord to protect us.”

Bloom disagreed. “The chareidi public is Netanyahu’s most loyal partner. When vile statements are made in the plenum, it’s only natural to expect him to stand up and say — the chareidi community is not an enemy, it’s a faithful ally.”

Rivlin countered, “He didn’t defend Ben-Gvir either when he was under fire. Everyone defends himself — enough with this mindset that someone needs to protect us.”

The discussion then shifted to the ideological divide within the chareidi camp. “There are groups that don’t want any law at all,” Rivlin said. “Their approach is chaos — as long as there’s no law, they’re happy.” Bloom warned that “anyone who imagines that the Torah world can simply cut itself off from the state is mistaken. Without a law, thousands of families will starve. Even now, roshei kollel can’t raise funds — the donors are closing the spigots.”

Drawing a historical parallel, Rivlin compared the current dispute to the famous debate between the Chazon Ish and the Satmar Rav: “The Chazon Ish understood that the Torah world couldn’t survive without the state — and today we see the results: hundreds of thousands learning Torah, a massive teshuvah movement — all thanks to that historic decision.”

Bloom concluded on a spiritual note: “At the end of the day, the yeshivos are the mezuzah of the state. As long as the state helps support Torah learning, it carries deep spiritual meaning. Anyone who wants to sever that connection is essentially removing the mezuzah from the house.”

{Matzav.com}

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After nearly four years of deliberation, retired judge David Hashin is expected to release his long-awaited arbitration ruling in the decades-long dispute that has divided Ponevezh Yeshiva. Both sides have been informed that the decision will be issued pending final payment arrangements.

The ruling will determine the future of the famed yeshiva and could finally bring closure to the bitter conflict between the two factions, know generally as the Sonim and the Mechablim.

Payments Before the Verdict

According to information obtained by sources, both parties must pay Judge Hashin a total of 700,000 shekels — 350,000 from each side — in addition to 300,000 shekels still owed by the Mechablim. Only after these payments are completed will the arbitration ruling be released.

No one — apart from Hashin himself — yet knows the content of the verdict. However, several possible outcomes have been discussed in the media and by those close to the case.

Possible Outcomes

Option 1: Dividing the Hill
One scenario would divide the Ponevezh campus into northern and southern sections — though this is considered among the less likely possibilities. Under such an arrangement, the Sonim faction would retain the southern section, including dormitories and administrative areas, while the Mechablim would control the northern side, which includes the smaller beis medrash with the gold Aron Kodesh.

Option 2: Complete Removal of One Faction
A more dramatic option would grant the Sonim faction full control over the hill, forcing the Mechablim to relocate elsewhere in Bnei Brak. Such a decision would likely come with substantial financial compensation, and possibly the transfer of the “Ponevezh” name and brand to the Mechablim — a reversal of the current situation, in which the Sonim faction legally controls the yeshiva’s title and organization.

Option 3: The Reverse — Total Transfer to the Mechablim
The least probable, though theoretically possible, ruling would be the opposite: awarding complete control of the campus to the Mechablim, requiring the Sonim faction to evacuate, with compensation provided by the Mechablim for their relocation.

Option 4: “Gud Oy Agud ” Formula
Another potential solution would allow both sides to submit sealed offers stating how much they are willing to pay to retain the campus. The side willing and able to meet the higher bid would retain the property. In such a scenario, observers believe the Sonim faction is more likely to prevail financially.

Regardless of which outcome emerges, the ruling is expected to be historic — either cementing the long-standing division or bringing about a dramatic realignment. For now, the Torah world awaits the decision, contingent on the full payment to the arbitrator.

{Matzav.com}

A senior Chareidi official involved in the ongoing negotiations over Israel’s proposed draft law has expressed deep skepticism that a final version will ever be approved. “There won’t be a draft law because there is no agreement on it,” he said Monday night in the Knesset. “It’s quite possible that it simply won’t pass.”

The official, who has been closely tracking developments around the legislation meant to define the status of yeshiva students, added, “It’s convenient for the Chareidim as well to delay the legislation, which probably wouldn’t have a majority in the Knesset and likely wouldn’t withstand a Supreme Court challenge.”

He predicted that after the failure to pass the bill, the Chareidi parties and Prime Minister Netanyahu would reach a mutual understanding on holding elections “after Pesach.”

This comes as the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Boaz Bismuth, has not convened this week to discuss the latest draft of the proposed law. While in the past Chareidi MKs would have protested such delays, this time they have not pressed for renewed discussions. Sources indicate that despite appearances last week that rabbinic leaders had approved moving forward, prominent gedolim remain opposed to key clauses in the current draft, stalling the process further.

Behind the scenes, Shas leader Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism chairman Moshe Gafni have been consulting on possible revisions to the bill to address the demands of the committee’s legal adviser, Attorney Miri Frenkel-Shor. She has called for significant amendments, including raising first-year enlistment targets to around 5,700—a figure about a thousand higher than what the Chareidi side agreed to—and retaining a controversial clause requiring yeshiva students and kollel members to record attendance through fingerprint verification.

The disagreements over quotas and sanctions remain unresolved, and with the legislative window narrowing, Chareidi leaders now acknowledge that the chances of the draft law moving forward before elections are slim.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer overplayed his hand during the recent government shutdown, arguing that Democrats’ strategy backfired and left their party divided.

“I think he made a mistake in going too far,” Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on The Ingraham Angle. “He thought he could break the Republicans, and the Republicans broke him.”

The political standoff ended when eight Democratic senators crossed the aisle to support the House-passed plan reopening the government, which their own party had blocked multiple times. The Senate ultimately voted 60-40 to approve the measure, with final passage in the House expected later in the week.

The revolt has sparked tension within Democratic ranks, as lawmakers like Rep. Ro Khanna of California called for new leadership. Trump, reflecting on Schumer’s evolution, offered a pointed critique.

“I feel badly ‘cause I know Chuck Schumer,” he said. “I’ve known him since he was a person who loved Israel, and now he’s a Palestinian. He’s become a Palestinian… I’ve never seen a politician change so much.”

The shutdown—the longest in U.S. history—was fueled by debate over extending Obamacare subsidies, disrupting thousands of federal workers and halting major services, including flights and food aid programs.

Trump claimed Democrats’ real motivation was to fund benefits for illegal immigrants. “What they really wanted was $1.5 trillion for people that came in illegally, people that come in through and out of prisons,” he argued.

“We’re trying to get them out, because we don’t want 11,000 murderers in our country. You don’t it. Nobody wants it,” he continued. “And we have drug dealers, and we have everything else, and they wanted to make sure they got good healthcare.”

Covering healthcare costs for those in the country illegally, Trump warned, would have “hurt other people’s healthcare.”

Turning to the broader issue, Trump blasted Obamacare as “horrible” and overpriced. “The premiums have gone up like rocket ships,” he said. “And I’m not even talking about just recently, I’m talking about for years they’ve been going up.”

He said Americans should have more freedom to manage their coverage. “I want, instead of going to the insurance companies, I want the money to go to an account for people where the people buy their own health insurance,” Trump explained. “They’re actually able to go out and negotiate their own insurance.”

When asked how Republicans plan to prevent another shutdown when government funding expires on January 30, 2026, Trump hinted that legislation is in the works.

“Well, we’re trying to put in a bill, as you know, or a bill that you can never do that again,” he said. “You can’t just shut down the government because you’re trying renegotiate a deal that you didn’t.”

{Matzav.com}

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has urged that his agency be entrusted with leading Gaza’s postwar recovery, even as global scrutiny mounts over its links to Hamas.

“UNRWA, with its thousands of Palestinian personnel, has the capacity, expertise and community trust required to provide healthcare, education and other public services to a devastated population,” Lazzarini wrote in an opinion piece for The Guardian.

He emphasized that “for decades, the agency’s teachers, doctors and engineers have formed a vital part of a functioning system of public services for millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the region.”

Citing a recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion, Lazzarini said the court “reaffirmed the professionalism of UNRWA’s staff, underlined the agency’s indispensable humanitarian role and concluded that UNRWA remains an impartial and neutral actor.”

However, those assurances stand in stark contrast to the evidence Israel has presented linking UNRWA employees to the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre. Israeli intelligence revealed that several agency staffers participated in the slaughter, distributing ammunition, kidnapping a woman, and directly joining the attack at Kibbutz Be’eri, where 97 people were killed.

In response to the revelations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed a panel headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to review the allegations. When the group issued its findings in April, it admitted to identifying “neutrality-related issues” within UNRWA but argued that Israel had not yet provided sufficient proof that large numbers of its employees belonged to terror groups.

Testimonies have continued to emerge since then. Emily Damari, an Israeli woman freed after 470 days as a hostage in Gaza, disclosed that she was imprisoned in a facility operated by UNRWA.

Adding to the controversy, USAID reported in April 2025 that the United Nations had actively blocked an American probe into connections between UNRWA’s Gaza staff and Hamas.

Despite mounting evidence and criticism from both Israel and Washington, the International Court of Justice ruled last month that Israel must continue to permit humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza through UN agencies — including UNRWA — a decision that reignited anger among Israeli officials and their allies.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is heading to Israel this Friday for a five-day visit that will extend through next Tuesday, his office confirmed.

According to the statement, the mayor’s agenda includes meetings with Israeli government officials, business and tech leaders, and other key figures in the country’s innovation and economic sectors.

“He will also visit religious sites and discuss efforts to combat antisemitism here in New York City and across the world,” the statement said.

Adams, long known for his outspoken support of both Israel and New York’s Jewish community, has made the issue of antisemitism a centerpiece of his administration. His upcoming trip marks his second to the Jewish state in just over a year. During his previous visit in August 2023, he met with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and other senior officials.

In May, Adams introduced the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism — the first such municipal department established anywhere in the United States. A month later, he took another step by signing an executive order officially adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism for New York City agencies.

Although Adams had planned to seek reelection as an independent candidate, he later dropped out of the race and threw his support behind Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo ultimately lost to Zohran Mamdani, a left-wing politician known for his anti-Israel positions.

At the time of his endorsement, Adams sounded the alarm about the growing hostility facing minority communities in the city. He also strongly condemned Mamdani’s public defense of the inflammatory slogan “Globalize the intifada.”

“When you tell Jewish residents that you need ‘globalize intifada,’ you’re saying you don’t care,” Adams said.

{Matzav.com}