Matzav

President Donald Trump intensified his public feud with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, launching into a scathing attack on Truth Social and mocking her as a “Republican in Name Only.”

“Lightweight Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Brown (Green grass turns Brown when it begins to ROT!), betrayed the entire Republican Party when she turned Left, performed poorly on the pathetic View, and became the RINO that we all know she always was,” Trump wrote.

He didn’t stop there, continuing his tirade with another swipe at other conservatives he accused of disloyalty. “Just another Fake politician, no different than Rand Paul Jr. (Thomas Massie), who got caught being a full fledged Republican In Name Only (RINO)! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

The fiery post came just one day after Trump officially revoked his endorsement of Greene, a move signaling a complete rupture with one of his most vocal supporters from previous election cycles. He also hinted that he would back a primary challenger to unseat her.

Greene responded with a lengthy message on X early this morning, suggesting that Trump’s anger stemmed from her recent decision to join a bipartisan discharge petition demanding the Justice Department release all remaining documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“I never thought that fighting to release the Epstein files, defending women who were victims of rape, and fighting to expose the web of rich powerful elites would have caused this, but here we are. And it truly speaks for itself,” Greene wrote. “There needs to be a new way forward.”

She was one of only four Republicans to sign onto the petition, despite Trump’s clear opposition. Greene added that Trump’s push to keep GOP lawmakers away from the issue was a “huge miscalculation.”

Meanwhile, both House Democrats and the Republican-led Oversight Committee published additional materials related to the Epstein investigation, including leaked emails implying that Trump may have had more knowledge of Epstein’s connections to underage girls than he had previously acknowledged. Trump forcefully rejected those claims and directed the Justice Department to investigate potential Democratic involvement with Epstein’s network.

In her posts, Greene also criticized U.S. foreign aid policies — including funding for Israel and Ukraine — and noted that she has not accepted donations from AIPAC. “This and the Epstein files is why I’m being attacked by President Trump,” she said. “It really makes you wonder what is in those files and who and what country is putting so much pressure on him?”

Despite the heated exchange, Greene ended her remarks on a conciliatory note. “I forgive him and I will pray for him to return to his original MAGA promises,” she wrote.

Trump fired back shortly after with another stinging retort on Truth Social: “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Green is a disgrace to our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY!”

{Matzav.com}

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was recovering at home today after a fall left him hospitalized with a deep facial injury and a long line of stitches running from his eyebrow to his nose.

Posting on X, the senator shared a close-up photo of his face and wrote, “20 stitches later and a full recovery, I’m back home with @giselefetterman and the kids. I’m overwhelmed + profoundly grateful for all the well-wishes. Truly.”

In the same post, he expressed appreciation for his medical team, writing, “Grateful for @UPMC for the incredible medical care that put me back together. THANK YOU SO MUCH. See you back in DC.”

According to his spokesperson, the senator was hurt “during an early morning walk” close to his Braddock residence.

“Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries,” the spokesperson said. “He is doing well and receiving routine observation at the hospital. He has opted to stay so doctors can fine-tune his medication regimen.”

The aide added that, in typical fashion, Fetterman managed to inject humor into the situation. “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!” the senator quipped in a Thursday statement.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I was appalled to come across a recent print advertisement boasting of “Torah camping designed to perfection for ‘discriminating’ bnei Torah mishpachos.” Yes, you read that correctly — “discriminating.” I had to read it twice to make sure it wasn’t satire. Sadly, it wasn’t.

Have we lost all sense of what it means to be a ben Torah? Since when is “discriminating” a badge of honor for a Torah family? Since when is elitism wrapped in religious language something to advertise proudly? It’s not clever. It’s not classy. It’s the opposite of Torah.

If you want to say your program is geared toward bnei Torah, there’s a respectful, refined, and honest way to do so. Say that it’s meant for mishpachos who appreciate a Torah environment. Say it’s a place where kedushah and tznius are valued. Say it’s for those who want their summer surroundings to reflect their spiritual standards. But don’t dare use the word “discriminating” — as if being a ben Torah means being picky, judgmental, or too refined to mix with the “lesser” crowd.

This kind of phrasing betrays a mindset that is entirely foreign to Torah values. The greatness of bnei Torah lies in anivus, in humility, in seeing the tzelem Elokim in every Jew — not in creating tiers of who’s “elite” enough to share a campfire. When we start turning Torah into a social label, when being a ben Torah becomes a marketing slogan instead of a sacred calling, something is deeply broken.

It’s painful to watch the language of Yiddishkeit being hijacked for the sake of pretentious advertising. Whoever wrote that line may have thought it sounded sophisticated. In truth, it only reveals how far we’ve drifted from the simplicity, sincerity, and emes that define real Torah life.

If the goal was to attract bnei Torah, perhaps start by speaking like one.

 A Non-Discriminating Ben Torah Family

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by CLICKING HERE. Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by CLICKING HERE.

The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth clarified that the government’s updated giyus proposal would maintain long-standing exemptions for those immersed in full-time Torah learning, while establishing a gradual framework to draft some members of the chareidi public who are not actively in yeshiva.

Speaking on Channel 12’s Meet the Press, Bismuth dismissed what he called “fake” reports about the law’s contents, assuring that it did not represent a sweeping change but a realistic plan designed in full coordination with the prime minister. “The law is more or less ready. I am in full coordination with the prime minister. The prime minister wants this law; very much so,” he said. Using a metaphor, he added, “The locomotive is ready to leave the station [and is] waiting for passengers.”

While the bill would allow full-time bnei Torah to continue learning without fear of conscription, Bismuth said that “within five years, 50 percent of those not in yeshiva” would be drafted — a figure he described as “huge.” He declined to elaborate on how the army would decide who among the non-learners would be enlisted and who would remain exempt.

He emphasized that the new structure would include oversight and sanctions but only limited national service participation. “There will be an oversight mechanism,” he said, noting that merely 10% of those mobilized would serve in civilian national service rather than in the IDF. He rejected talk of a “revolution” in chareidi enlistment, comparing the slow, steady process to the way women’s participation in combat units increased over time. “Two decades ago, there were debates over women in combat, but today, when my daughter comes back from Gaza with a red beret, it’s obvious. It’s the same with chareidim — each one who enlists is an ambassador,” he said.

For the past year, gedolei Yisroel and askanim have urged lawmakers to protect lomdei Torah from the draft, after the High Court declared that blanket exemptions for full-time yeshiva students were unconstitutional. Roughly 80,000 chareidi men between ages 18 and 24 are currently registered as eligible for service but remain in yeshiva. The IDF, facing manpower shortages due to the war against Hamas and other fronts, has sought an additional 12,000 recruits.

Bismuth assumed the chairmanship of the committee in August after Shas and United Torah Judaism temporarily exited the coalition in protest over the government’s delays in advancing the new giyus framework, which critics derisively called an “evasion bill.” Upon taking the post, Bismuth discarded the earlier draft prepared by Yuli Edelstein — which had been met with outrage from chareidi representatives — and began redrafting it from scratch.

He explained that his vision for the law sought to find the equilibrium between the world of the yeshiva and the needs of national defense. “I admire those who wear the uniform, but just as much — and I say this out loud — I admire those who study the Torah,” Bismuth said, stressing that he wanted a law that both safeguarded Torah learning and would withstand scrutiny by the High Court.

According to Hebrew media reports, the current version keeps the exemption age at 26 and sets a target for drafting half of the annual chareidi cohort within five years. Government support for yeshivos would only be affected if institutions failed to meet agreed-upon enlistment benchmarks after a year. Penalties for individuals who decline to serve would begin only after two years, and only if the overall enlistment goals were not met.

Last month, Bismuth told Channel 14 that he hoped to bring the final bill for its remaining Knesset votes in December, estimating that “10,000 chareidim” would be drafted within two years, with the number rising gradually thereafter. He underscored that “there will be sanctions — there will be personal sanctions, there will be institutional sanctions, there will be serious sanctions,” while emphasizing that the intent was not to provoke or demean the chareidi public.

Having met with many leading rabbanim, Bismuth said the message he heard consistently was that those immersed in Torah should continue undisturbed, while others should fulfill their civic duty. “I have met with many rabbanim from across the chareidi community,” he said. “The consensus among them was that those engaged in studying Torah full-time should be allowed to continue, while those who don’t should enlist.”

{Matzav.com}

A major new study suggests that women under 50 who regularly consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods face a significantly greater likelihood of developing precancerous colon polyps. The findings were published Thursday in JAMA Oncology.

Researchers analyzed data from 29,105 female nurses under the age of 50 and discovered that women who ate an average of three servings of ultra-processed foods daily had a 3% risk of developing a precancerous polyp. For those consuming 10 or more servings each day, the risk rose to 5%. Participants in the highest consumption group were found to have a 45% higher risk of adenomas — the type of growth that can precede colorectal cancer.

Ultra-processed foods cited in the study include items like sodas, chips, cookies, crackers, candy, boxed macaroni and cheese, frozen or ready-to-eat meals, lunch meats, jerky, and hot dogs.

The research, carried out jointly by Harvard University and Mass General Brigham between 1991 and 2015, did not conclusively establish that these foods cause the polyps, but the correlation was strong. Each participant underwent at least two lower endoscopies before turning 50 and completed detailed dietary questionnaires every four years, allowing scientists to estimate long-term eating patterns.

“Our findings support the importance of reducing the intake of ultra-processed foods as a strategy to mitigate the rising burden of early-onset colorectal cancer,” said senior author Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute and a professor at Harvard Medical School.

Chan added that “the increased risk seems to be fairly linear, meaning that the more ultra-processed foods you eat, the more potential that it could lead to colon polyps.”

The study’s authors also considered other known contributors to colorectal cancer, including weight, Type 2 diabetes, and low fiber intake. “Even after accounting for all these other risk factors, the association with ultra-processed foods still held up,” Chan said.

{Matzav.com}

Two senior members of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s governing coalition sharply criticized him for failing to publicly reject the idea of a Palestinian state, after a US-led coalition of nations issued a statement endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace framework as “a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded that Netanyahu “make it clear to the entire world” that “a Palestinian state will never be established,” condemning what he described as the prime minister’s ongoing “silence” on the matter as a “diplomatic disgrace.”

“Two months ago, immediately after several countries announced their unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, you committed to respond decisively on the matter as soon as you returned from the United States. Since then, as mentioned, two months have passed during which you chose silence and a diplomatic disgrace. The deterioration we are now witnessing regarding this issue is dangerous and is your responsibility due to your silence,” Smotrich wrote on social media.

He went on to urge Netanyahu to “formulate immediately an appropriate and decisive response that will make it clear to the entire world [that] a Palestinian state will never be established on the territory of our homeland.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voiced similar outrage, declaring in a separate statement that “there is no such thing as a ‘Palestinian people’” and that “they certainly do not deserve a reward for the terror, murder, and atrocities they have sown everywhere, especially from Gaza — the place where they received self-rule.”

Ben Gvir said his Otzma Yehudit party “will not be part of any government that agrees to this,” insisting that “the only real solution in Gaza is to encourage voluntary emigration, and certainly not a reward-state for terror, which would serve as a base for continued terrorism.”

“I call on the prime minister to make it clear that the State of Israel will not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in any form,” he added.

The criticism came after Washington coordinated a joint declaration from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan expressing support for the UN Security Council resolution to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza.

“We emphasize that this is a sincere effort, and the Plan provides a viable path towards peace and stability, not only between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but for the entire region,” the joint statement read. “We are looking forward to this resolution’s swift adoption.”

{Matzav.com}

Noam party leader Avi Maoz has launched a blistering attack on both US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, accusing them of undermining Israel’s sovereignty and advancing Palestinian statehood.

In a fiery post, Maoz charged that Trump is “advancing a Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria,” using the Biblical term for the West Bank. His remarks followed an international statement — coordinated by Washington and signed by several nations — claiming that Trump’s post-war Gaza initiative “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Maoz did not spare Israel’s leadership either, slamming Netanyahu’s “full-right-wing government” for what he called efforts to block his sovereignty legislation from progressing to its first Knesset reading. The bill, which would extend Israeli sovereignty to all settlements in the West Bank, has been a flashpoint within the coalition.

Although Maoz’s proposal narrowly passed a preliminary vote in late October, Netanyahu strongly opposed it. The Likud faction staged a boycott of the session, with the exception of MK Yuli Edelstein, who broke ranks and cast the deciding vote in favor — a move that cost him his position on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Following the initial approval, the measure was sent to the committee stage, where it has remained stalled. Observers believe Netanyahu will prevent it from advancing any further, wary of international repercussions and internal coalition instability.

Undeterred, Maoz this week appealed directly to committee chairman Boaz Bismuth of Likud, urging him not to drag his feet on the legislation and to move it forward for debate.

The Trump administration appears ready to abandon the planned deployment of an international stabilization force to Gaza — a central pillar of its postwar peace blueprint — in order to accelerate reconstruction of the devastated enclave, according to an Israeli television report today.

Negotiations over the next stage of the ceasefire have reached a standstill, with disputes centered on Hamas’s disarmament and who will govern Gaza once the fighting ends. As one Israeli official described it, the shift in Washington’s stance has created a “deadlock” in ongoing talks with Israel over the territory’s future.

An Israeli security source told Channel 13 that the White House has struggled to recruit nations willing to take part in the demilitarization of Hamas and has therefore started exploring “interim solutions, which are currently unacceptable to Israel.”

“This interim situation is the worst there is,” one senior Israeli official warned. “Hamas has been strengthening in recent weeks since the end of the war.”

“There can be no rehabilitation before demilitarization. It is contrary to Trump’s plan. Gaza must be demilitarized,” another Israeli security official stated emphatically.

Despite the tension, Washington is moving ahead with a draft UN Security Council resolution set for a vote on Monday. The text, previously obtained by The Times of Israel, incorporates all 20 points of President Donald Trump’s peace framework — a plan that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu publicly endorsed alongside Trump in September.

Under the proposed resolution, UN member states would “establish a temporary International Stabilization Force,” authorized to operate in Gaza through 2027. Countries that have considered sending troops reportedly insisted they would only do so with formal UN backing.

In anticipation of the resolution’s approval, Israel has already begun logistical groundwork to accommodate “thousands of foreign soldiers,” according to a report released today by the Kan public broadcaster. Israeli officials expect the international force to have wide authority to dismantle Hamas’s arsenal, but most nations involved have signaled that they would limit their role to peacekeeping rather than active disarmament.

On Friday, the US coordinated a joint statement from Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, all expressing support for the upcoming UN vote and describing the process as one that “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”

Moscow, however, is advancing an alternative draft that sidesteps the creation of a peacekeeping body altogether. The Russian proposal, circulated to Security Council members, acknowledges “the initiative that led to the ceasefire” but omits Trump’s name and merely calls on the UN secretary-general to study “the possibilities of deploying an international stabilization force” in Gaza.

As the diplomatic wrangling intensified, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Netanyahu by phone today. The Kremlin said the discussion focused on Gaza, Iran’s nuclear activity, and developments in Syria.

According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Putin initiated the call, which followed a series of recent conversations between the two leaders. The PMO said the talks “dealt with regional issues,” without offering further details.

{Matzav.com}

Anxiety is rippling through New York’s Jewish community as many residents rush to purchase firearms and undergo training ahead of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration, Arutz Sheva reports. With growing fears of weakened police presence and a potential rise in antisemitic incidents, gun ownership among Orthodox Jews has surged to levels unseen in decades.

In Marine Park, Brooklyn, 30-year-old Michael Bergida has become an unexpected symbol of this trend. The Orthodox businessman recently launched Samson Armory—Brooklyn’s first new gun store in over fifty years—and says the timing has brought a wave of customers from across the Jewish community. “We’re probably the only gun store to have a minyan,” Bergida quipped to the New York Post, describing prayer gatherings inside his shop. According to him, the election has spurred panic. “People are freaking out over Mamdani – anyone who has Judeo-Christian values,” he said, adding that “chaos” and NYPD understaffing are among his clients’ biggest concerns.

Bergida, who is certified by the NRA, has also begun coordinating with local synagogues on safety measures and emergency preparedness. “It’s like doomsday prepping – people are loading up ammo,” he said. “We’re here to stay. We’re not victims anymore.”

That same sense of unease is evident across other gun training centers. Veteran instructor Lance Dashefsky said requests for concealed-carry classes spiked immediately after Mamdani won the Democratic primary. “I always ask people why they want a gun,” Dashefsky said. “And now the answer is Mamdani.” NYPD statistics confirm the rise: concealed-carry permit applications jumped from 620 in June to 706 by August. The process, which requires an 18-hour state course, can take up to a year in New York City.

Ross Den, another firearms trainer in Brooklyn, said many previously hesitant Jews are now applying for permits. “There are plenty of Rabbis who carry – synagogues are where the greatest threat is,” he explained, noting that armed volunteers designated by the congregation are legally allowed to carry during services.

Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and former state assemblymember, has long courted controversy for positions seen as hostile by parts of the Jewish community. His past support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, along with comparisons between NYPD policing and Israeli military actions, has sparked fierce backlash. Mamdani has defended his stance, saying it stems from “concerns about human rights and policing.”

Election data reveals the extent of Jewish opposition to Mamdani: heavily frum neighborhoods such as Borough Park and Crown Heights voted overwhelmingly against him, favoring former Gov. Andrew Cuomo instead. The distrust runs deep—particularly among Israeli-born New Yorkers who say they no longer feel confident relying solely on law enforcement.

“We are Jewish and we will protect ourselves – even if the mayor despises us,” said one Israeli-American mother of four who applied for a firearm license the day after the election. “We want a say in our own protection and not have to rely on others.”

Tensions over Israel’s controversial draft legislation escalated violently in Yerushalayim this evening when Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur was assaulted by extremist youths. According to witnesses, Ben Tzur’s vehicle was surrounded and attacked, with rioters smashing his car windows before police forces arrived to restore order. His office described the assault as a “lynch attempt,” while others at the scene said he “was beaten.”

In a statement, the Shas party expressed outrage at the assault, declaring that it “strongly condemns the serious attack on the vehicle of MK Yoav Ben Tzur that was carried out this evening in Yerushalayim by a small group of rioters.” The party emphasized that “acts of violence of this sort, which cause a desecration of God’s name, are not the way of the Torah and do not represent any God-fearing public.”

Political leaders from across the spectrum weighed in. Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman blamed the broader social culture surrounding military exemptions for the incident. “When you accustom a person to idleness and draft-dodging—he becomes violent when you try to take the idleness away from him,” Lieberman said. He continued, “The attack by dozens of charedim on MK Ben Tzur of Shas is yet another example of why we must bring everyone into line immediately. All citizens of the State are subject to one, single, uniform, legal system. Zero tolerance for lawbreakers—from draft-dodgers and refusers to the crime militias and protection rackets. Very soon, we will bring order here!”

MK Boaz Bismuth, who chairs the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, also denounced the assault, calling it “a severe crossing of a line and a blatant attempt to intimidate elected officials.” Bismuth urged that complex national debates like the draft law must be handled “in the appropriate place, in serious dialogue, with proper judgment and through democratic decisions. Not in the street and not under threats by extremists.”

{Matzav.com}

A letter of clarification has been issued by Dayan Rav Yisroel Marmarush, following the publication of a recent psak halacha opposing Israel’s proposed draft law. The dayan stressed that anything publicized in his name is subject entirely to the ruling and guidance of the Gedolei Yisroel.

The clarification came hours after a psak signed by several prominent poskimwas published. That psak stated that “even if, by doing so, many yeshiva students who are currently learning will be saved from being drafted, one may not push aside one soul for another.”

Signatories on the ruling included HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, HaRav Nosson Kopshitz, HaRav Yisroel Marmarush, HaRav Avrohom Pozen, and HaRav Moshe Mordechai Karp and HaRav Amram Fried.

In his clarification letter released Thursday evening, Rav Marmarush, who serves as rav of Kehillas Chaneichei HaYeshivos in Bnei Brak’s Shechunas Gimmel, wrote that it is important to state unequivocally that under the current circumstances, “the decision rests solely in the hands of the Gedolei Yisroel shlita.”

Additionally, HaRav Eliezer Cohen, confidant and gabbai of HaRav Amram Fried, also issued a statement Thursday night clarifying that Rav Fried’s signature did not appear on the version of the letter that was circulated publicly, and that the content had been taken out of context.

{Matzav.com}

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani took aim at Eric Adams on Thursday, blasting the outgoing mayor for decisions made during his final months in office. He said it was “no surprise” that Adams was using his remaining time “to cement a legacy of dysfunction and inconsistency.”

Speaking to reporters during a visit with Pre-K students at the Friends of Crown Heights Education Center in Flatbush, Mamdani voiced strong opposition to Adams’ move to designate the Elizabeth Street Garden as official city parkland. The decision effectively halts a long-debated plan to develop affordable senior housing on the site—something Mamdani said symbolized City Hall’s failure to address real needs. “What New Yorkers are looking forward to is a City Hall where they can expect taking on these crises as opposed to creating them themselves,” he remarked.

Reports have also surfaced that Adams intends to appoint several landlord-friendly members to the Rent Guidelines Board before leaving office, potentially jeopardizing Mamdani’s pledge to freeze rent for residents in rent-stabilized apartments. The move is being interpreted as a last-minute challenge to the mayor-elect’s progressive housing agenda.

Despite his sharp criticism, Mamdani acknowledged that the outgoing administration has been cooperative as the transition begins. “I will say that while I vehemently disagree with a number of the decisions that he’s taken, his administration has also been open in the transition work that we are doing,” Mamdani said. He added that he looks forward to meeting with Adams upon the mayor’s return from Israel to discuss the path forward.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to replace police officers with social workers on certain 911 calls may face serious challenges — especially since the very pilot program it’s based on has already been found deeply flawed.

The initiative, known as the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, or B-HEARD, has been running since 2021 in select parts of the city. But according to a May report from the city comptroller, more than 60% of the mental health-related calls reviewed were ruled “ineligible” for B-HEARD intervention.

Adding to the concerns, the audit found that 35% of calls that were considered eligible never received any response from the program, with the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health unable to explain why. The office, which oversees B-HEARD, does not currently track the reasons for these lapses.

Mamdani intends to fold B-HEARD into a much larger $1.1 billion agency he’s calling the Department of Community Safety (DCS). His campaign materials describe the new department as one that will “fill the gaps of our programs and services” and operate with the mission to “prevent violence before it happens by taking a public health approach to safety.”

But the comptroller’s detailed findings raise doubts about whether that vision can realistically succeed. “Of the 96,291 mental health calls from within the pilot areas and hours of operation between FY22-24, 59,178 calls (over 60%) were considered ‘ineligible’ for a B-HEARD response because calls were considered potentially dangerous, were ineligible because a mental health professional was already at the scene, or were unable to be triaged because FDNY EMS did not take the call or all necessary information could not be collected about the person in distress,” the report stated.

The release added, “Some calls deemed ineligible for B-HEARD might have been eligible calls.” It went on to say that “of the remaining 37,113 calls assessed as eligible for a B-HEARD response, 24,071 (65%) resulted in 911 dispatching a B-HEARD team, but over 13,000 calls did not result in a dispatched B-HEARD team.”

Currently, the B-HEARD program fields just 18 teams covering parts of the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, central Brooklyn, and northwest Queens. Experts say expanding it citywide — as Mamdani envisions — would require an enormous increase in personnel and funding.

Richard Aborn, president of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, told the New York Post that success will depend entirely on execution. “The devil is in the details, and here the detail is implementation,” he said. “The fact that the program is not reaching people does not tell me it’s unsuccessful; that is a matter of resources.”

Still, Aborn cautioned that the plan raises critical questions about when it’s appropriate to send social workers rather than police. “But there are fundamental questions,” he said, acknowledging that some 911 calls can quickly turn dangerous.

Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf was far more blunt. “Exactly what New York doesn’t need: another government agency with an unmanageable bureaucracy,” he told the paper. “Domestic dispute calls can get violent,” he warned. “That’s the time when you need a social worker? He must be kidding.”

{Matzav.com}

As tens of thousands of visitors prepare to spend Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah at the Me’aras HaMachpelah in Chevron, Israeli forces carried out a major counterterrorism operation in the city, arresting dozens of wanted men involved in terror activity and arms trafficking.

According to the IDF, troops from the Yehuda Brigade led the large-scale sweep across several areas of Chevron, part of a wider security operation to ensure safety during the annual influx of visitors to the holy site. The forces conducted extensive searches, seizing a cache of weapons including an M-16 rifle, magazines, and additional firearm components.

Elsewhere, soldiers from the Binyamin Brigade arrested five suspects in the village of Silwad for incitement to terrorism and for supporting Hamas during a march held two weeks ago.

In coordinated actions across the Shomron, Menashe, and Efraim brigades, 21 more wanted individuals were apprehended. Troops also confiscated two improvised Carlo-type submachine guns and a hunting rifle.

The Etzion Brigade reported the arrest of ten additional terrorists, among them two who had thrown stones at IDF troops and another who hurled Molotov cocktails at Israeli civilians. In a separate operation, Binyamin Brigade forces captured two more suspects involved in the manufacture and activation of explosive devices.

All of the detainees and seized weaponry were transferred to the Shin Bet and the Shai District Police for further investigation and prosecution.

The coordinated crackdown comes as security forces tighten control throughout the region in advance of the annual Shabbos Chayei Sarah pilgrimage, which draws thousands of worshipers to the city of Chevron each year.

{Matzav.com}

Four and a half years after the Meron disaster — the deadliest civilian tragedy in Israel’s history — Mrs. Malka Saller, widow of Reb Chaim Ozer Saller z”l, has become engaged to Reb Shlomo Dov Pshevorsky, a yungerman from the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

The engagement took place Thursday evening.

Reb Shlomo Dov is a member of Kollel Daas Shmuel, affiliated with Levushi Oz, and is admired in his community for his diligence and refinement.

Mrs. Saller is a daughter of Rabbi Yitzchok Lupoliansky, Rosh Yeshiva of Nachalas Yair in Mitzad, and the granddaughter of Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky, chairman of Yad Sarah.

Her first husband, Rabbi Chaim Ozer Saller z”l, was just 24 years old when he tragically lost his life in the 2021 Meron tragedy. The young couple, residents of Neve Yaakov, had celebrated the birth of their only daughter just two weeks before the calamity. What was meant to be a kiddush celebration on the Shabbos following Lag BaOmer instead turned into heartbreaking mourning.

Those who knew Reb Chaim Ozer remembered him as a rare blend of deep spirituality and warmth, a young man immersed in Torah study and yiras Shamayim, yet beloved by everyone for his gentle nature and kindness.

Now, after several years of unimaginable grief and resilience, Mrs. Saller’s engagement marks a poignant new beginning, a moment of light and hope following years of sorrow.

Washington has secured the backing of Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey for its proposed UN Security Council resolution to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza — a move facing sharp resistance from Russia and China.

In a rare show of unity, the participating countries released a joint declaration endorsing the U.S.-led effort. “We are issuing this statement as the member states that gathered during [UN General Assembly] High-Level Week (in September) to begin this process, which offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” the statement reads.

The document continues with an appeal for swift global cooperation. “We emphasize that this is a sincere effort, and the Plan provides a viable path towards peace and stability, not only between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but for the entire region,” the statement says. “We are looking forward to this resolution’s swift adoption.”

The initiative follows President Donald Trump’s unveiling of a detailed 20-point framework outlining steps toward rebuilding Gaza and reforming the Palestinian Authority. The plan notes that conditions “may” allow for “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” if reconstruction and governance reforms progress as intended.

Unlike the original U.S. document, the new multinational statement goes beyond cautious diplomatic phrasing by treating Palestinian statehood as an explicit outcome rather than a theoretical possibility.

Diplomats say the White House had to make several linguistic concessions to secure such broad regional participation. Still, observers note that Washington’s agreement to language promoting Palestinian statehood marks a significant shift in tone — even if it doesn’t necessarily reflect a change in long-term U.S. policy.

Meanwhile, President Trump has recently stated that he has “not yet decided” whether to endorse a two-state solution. The Israeli government has strongly rejected the framework, signaling that the proposal will continue to stir debate on the international stage.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is set to host a special event at the White House on Thursday, November 20, welcoming the Israeli hostages who were freed as part of last month’s Gaza ceasefire arrangement, according to a source cited by The Times of Israel.

The insider clarified that previous reports suggesting Trump was arranging a private flight for the guests were inaccurate. Instead, the former captives will be arriving in Washington aboard commercial flights funded by the Israeli government.

All twenty individuals who were released on October 13 have received invitations from the White House to attend the meeting, which will mark their first official visit to the United States since their return to freedom.

{Matzav.com}

A 52-year-old man from Tirat Carmel has been formally indicted after police accused him of breaking into a parked car in the city and stealing a pair of valuable tefillin, Arutz Sheva reports.

Authorities said the incident occurred about ten days ago, when officers received a report that a vehicle in Tirat Carmel had been broken into and that tefillin had been taken. Detectives quickly launched an investigation, employing multiple investigative techniques to trace the suspect.

As the probe advanced, evidence began to mount against the man, also a resident of Tirat Carmel, who allegedly forced his way into the vehicle and stole the sacred items. Officers eventually tracked him down, placed him under arrest, and brought him in for questioning.

During the course of the investigation, police were able to locate the missing tefillin and return them to their rightful owner. The department reported that the victim was “very excited to receive them back.”

Upon completing their investigation, officers compiled sufficient evidence to charge the suspect. The prosecution has since filed an indictment and petitioned the court to keep the man in custody until the legal proceedings are concluded.

{Matzav.com}

A battle-hardened IDF reservist who has spent more than 400 days in active combat zones across Gaza and Lebanon has written a searing letter to his battalion commander, condemning the army’s decision to have soldiers protect humanitarian aid trucks bound for Gaza, Arutz Sheva reports.

In his emotional message, the soldier described the assignment as one of his most demoralizing experiences since the war began. “After around 400 days of reserve duty, fighting in Gaza, in Lebanon, in the cold and the heat, with heavy loads and little sleep, today I went through one of the most difficult days of the war,” he wrote.

He expressed outrage that men who have risked everything in battle were now ordered to defend supplies being sent to those who continue to attack them. “Unfortunately, we were given the difficult and immoral task of securing the entry of food and aid to the enemy who is fighting us… Despite many hours having passed, I still can’t calm down from the difficult feelings I experienced that day,” he continued.

The reservist confessed that the mission left him in inner conflict, struggling to reconcile his duties as a soldier with what he viewed as a betrayal of purpose. “We didn’t leave behind our wives, children, jobs, and entire lives just to deliver aid to the enemy,” he said, calling for a serious re-evaluation of such directives.

He urged the army’s leadership to rethink policies that place Israeli soldiers in harm’s way for what he termed a morally indefensible goal. “We need to lay things on the table: The immoral decision to risk our lives in order to bring food that fuels Hamas must change,” he declared.

Closing his letter, the reservist described the anguish of witnessing the situation firsthand. “As a civilian, you hear about ‘humanitarian aid’ and understand how bad it is, but when you see it with your own eyes, you can’t keep turning a blind eye to it,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

An unexpected political rendezvous took place Wednesday when New York’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, hosted Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Lina Khan—his transition co-chair and noted Big Tech critic—for a discreet meeting that didn’t stay secret for long.

The trio’s gathering came to light thanks to a sharp-eyed New Yorker working in an office across from Mamdani’s headquarters, who spotted them deep in conversation. “In deep debate,” the observer posted on X, along with a photo taken through the window. The next morning, he followed up with a dry update: “Update: the blinds are all closed this morning.”

While details of what was discussed remain a mystery, Warren wasted no time publicizing the meeting herself. Sharing a smiling photo of the three on Instagram, she wrote, “Tax the rich. Billionaire tears not pictured.”

The Post reached out to both Mamdani and Warren for clarification, but neither camp offered any insight into the purpose of the meeting.

Warren, known for her animosity toward Wall Street and her populist economic crusades, has been an outspoken admirer of Mamdani’s left-wing agenda. Over the summer, she lauded his “steely” commitment to affordability and praised his sweeping plans for free child care, transit, and rent freezes, calling them the true “Democratic message.”

Not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Maria Danzilo, a former New York state Senate candidate, expressed outrage online at what she viewed as Warren’s meddling in city politics. “This woman will not rest until she brings down America, starting with NYC. It’s bad enough we have [AOC] here,” Danzilo fumed on X.

“NYC is bleeding jobs and it’s headed for anti-growth and a death spiral thanks to years of De Blasio, no course correction with Adams, and now four years of [t]his! She should go back to Massachusetts and leave NYC the heck alone.”

Her frustration resonated with many New Yorkers growing uneasy about the far-left figures orbiting Mamdani’s administration. “Welp Bernie said it. He wants to bring Mamdani politics all across the country,” one user remarked, referencing Sen. Bernie Sanders, who had campaigned alongside Mamdani days before the election.

Others questioned why Warren was even getting involved in city affairs at all. “I don’t think her policies work for nyc,” one commenter wrote. Another bluntly asked, “She is a MA senator…why is she even there?”

Whatever was said behind those now-closed blinds, one thing is clear: Warren’s embrace of Mamdani has only deepened suspicions that New York City’s next chapter could look a lot like her vision of progressive America.

{Matzav.com}