Matzav

New York City will not dismantle homeless encampments during one of the most severe snowstorms in its history, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday, even as many people living on the streets declined repeated offers of shelter.

The powerful winter system, known as Winter Storm Hernando, brought a fresh challenge for Mamdani’s administration. His handling of a major January storm drew sharp criticism after it spiraled into a deadly crisis during his opening weeks in office.

“The blizzard is a time when our focus should be not on physical infrastructure, but on people and on getting them indoors,” Mamdani argued during a news conference over Winter Storm Hernando.

The earlier storm resulted in 19 deaths across the city, many linked to hypothermia, fueling accusations that City Hall had failed to move vulnerable residents into safe housing quickly enough.

Just days ago, Mamdani had shifted course on his prior stance against dismantling homeless encampments, announcing that the city would resume clearances but provide individuals with seven days’ notice before any action was taken.

During the current storm, outreach teams helped 79 people enter shelters while snowfall totals approached two feet, according to the mayor. He emphasized that none of those placements were forced.

Still, some individuals remained outside despite the dangerous conditions. On the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian walkway, several tents were buried in snow on the Manhattan side as FDNY personnel, NYPD officers, and a private ambulance crew checked on those inside.

“I’m alright,” one man said, shaking his head as responders peeled back the tarps.

An FDNY EMT said the man had rejected appeals made in both English and Spanish.

“We can’t remove them. People have the right to be homeless in New York City,” the EMT said.

Two NYPD officers remained nearby while outreach workers attempted to persuade those sheltering in tents to relocate, but the man was not taken from the scene.

Police officials said officers made contact with 130 homeless individuals during the storm, and 127 declined offers to enter shelters. Only two agreed to accept city assistance.

Although outreach staff did not compel anyone to leave the streets, police did carry out one involuntary removal after determining the person posed a danger to themselves, according to a department spokesperson.

Under city policy, officers may remove someone against their will if they are considered a threat to themselves or others, though emergency medical technicians lack authority to enforce such removals.

These involuntary transports are distinct from broader encampment clearances, commonly referred to as “homeless sweeps.”

Both policies were heavily debated during January’s storm, when Mamdani faced intense backlash over the 19 outdoor deaths while maintaining that involuntary removals should remain a measure of last resort.

City officials said outreach teams accompanied by licensed clinicians conducted 33 involuntary removals between Jan. 19 and Feb. 10, encompassing the prior storm and the following cold spell.

During that same period, NYPD officers carried out 52 removals, according to a police spokesperson.

As of Monday, the mayor said there had been no confirmed fatalities connected to the latest blizzard.

“We are not aware of any deaths related to this blizzard on our city streets or in public areas,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

The Washington Post reports that the United States has amassed an unprecedented concentration of military power in the Middle East, including roughly one-third of its active naval fleet, a deployment that would allow Washington to carry out anything from limited, targeted strikes to a wide-ranging bombing campaign against Iran.

The report comes amid recent claims that elements within the U.S. military establishment oppose a potential strike on Iran being considered by President Donald Trump. According to the Post’s counter-report, however, the scale and scope of the current buildup signal that the administration now has a full spectrum of operational options at its disposal.

According to the report, the U.S. military has assembled forces sufficient to sustain either a prolonged military campaign or a series of focused, limited strikes. Contrary to earlier reports suggesting a short, five-day intensive assault, the Post indicated that the American forces currently positioned in the region could support a broader and more significant operation.

Dana Stroul, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, told the newspaper that the massive concentration of forces gives President Trump the ability to implement virtually any operational decision, ranging from limited missions to an extensive kinetic campaign.

Defense analysts cited in the report assessed that the military assets now in place point to preparations for a multi-day air operation, though not one that would include a ground invasion.

The scale of the U.S. military presence in the region is considered one of the largest in more than two decades, rivaling levels seen in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003.

The buildup follows the conclusion of a second round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran on February 17 that ended without a breakthrough, as well as President Trump’s warnings that Iran could face military action if no agreement is reached to curb its nuclear ambitions.

While Tehran has maintained that an agreement remains achievable but requires additional time, Washington has accelerated its force deployments beyond the reinforcements observed prior to American strikes last June.

Flight tracking data and satellite imagery cited in the report show that more than 150 aircraft have been transferred to bases in the Middle East and Europe since the collapse of negotiations.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrived Monday off the coast of Crete carrying dozens of aircraft, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently stationed off the coast of Oman.

The arrival of the Ford underscores that approximately one-third of the United States’ active naval vessels are now concentrated in the Middle East region.

Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base has become a central hub for U.S. forces. Satellite images from Friday reportedly showed more than 60 aircraft stationed there, including F-35 fighter jets used to neutralize air defense systems.

At the same time, more than half of the recently deployed aircraft have landed at bases in Europe. Experts cited in the report explained that positioning aircraft in Europe places them outside the range of Iranian missile systems, reducing their vulnerability while preserving the ability to rapidly move personnel and equipment as needed.

The reinforcements also include the deployment of one-third of the U.S. fleet of E-3G Sentry airborne early warning aircraft, as well as F-22 fighter jets stationed in the United Kingdom and F-16 aircraft positioned in Portugal.

U.S. defense officials confirmed the large-scale deployment but declined to provide specific operational details for security reasons. Military analysts noted that the emerging strategy appears designed to enable swift, high-intensity action while minimizing the risks of severe retaliatory strikes.

{Matzav.com}

At the conclusion of Monday’s shiur kloli at Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dovid Levy addressed thousands of talmidim, calling on them to reinforce the well-established Purim learning sedarim observed in the yeshiva each year.

The shiur klali focused on a sugya in the second perek of Maseches Bava Basra, a weighty discussion involving the laws of tumah and taharah. During the shiur, Rav Levy cited a foundational teaching from his rebbi, Harav Shmuel Rozovsky zt”l, regarding the parameters of tumah in cases involving less than the minimum shiur.

Following the shiur, the Rosh Yeshiva delivered special remarks in anticipation of Purim. Continuing the longstanding tradition instituted at Ponovezh by Rosh Yeshiva Harav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, the yeshiva prepares unique learning frameworks for both the night of Purim—immediately after the reading of the Megillah—and for Purim day itself.

As part of these sedarim, thousands of bochurim sit and learn Torah for extended, uninterrupted hours, filling every available seat throughout the batei medrash and the various wings of the yeshiva. The sight, observers say, is awe-inspiring, with no empty spaces in the botei medrash, reminiscent of the atmosphere on the night of Shavuos. The sedarim are organized by Rav Shimon Margulies, a close associate of the Rosh Yeshiva, and conclude with a large public tefillah led by the yeshiva’s nosi, Rav Eliezer Kahaneman, together with the entire student body.

In his remarks, Rav Levy referenced the Rambam’s teaching that although all the moadim will be nullified in the future era of Moshiach, the days of Purim and Megillas Esther will never be annulled. From this, he said, it is evident that Purim is an exceptionally elevated time, and it would be a loss to squander it on trivial matters such as excessive drinking and the like. Instead, he urged the bochurim to devote the day to vigorous and enthusiastic Torah study, as is customary in the yeshiva, where extended sedarim known as “Kimu V’Kiblu” are held. Through these sessions, he explained, the talmidim symbolically accept the Torah anew each year with love and willingness.

The Rosh Yeshiva further emphasized that especially in these times—when “our enemies have raised their heads” and seek to uproot Torah from Klal Yisrael and restrict the yeshiva world—it is incumbent upon the bochurim to publicly demonstrate their unbreakable bond with Torah. That connection, he said, must remain firm without interruption—even on Purim itself.

Concluding his address, Rav Levy expressed hope that from Ponovezh, the light of Torah on Purim would radiate throughout the entire yeshiva world, and that in turn the influence would return to Ponovezh. Just as waves travel from place to place, he said, so too should the voice of Torah spread from one makom Torah to another, strengthening dedication and diligence in Torah study during these especially auspicious days of Purim.

{Matzav.com}

Feb. 24 marks four years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine — an assault widely expected at the outset to conclude within days but which has instead evolved into one of Europe’s bloodiest wars since World War II.

Putin’s move to attack a sovereign neighboring state upended long-standing international norms and has resulted in immense human and physical devastation. The war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, left millions wounded, and reduced large swaths of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure to ruins.

Because both Moscow and Kyiv tightly control the release of battlefield data, establishing precise casualty figures remains impossible.

Still, independent assessments paint a grim picture of the scale of the conflict:

• Combined military casualties — including those killed, injured, or missing — are estimated to reach as many as 1.8 million. Of that total, Russia is believed to have suffered about 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 fatalities, while Ukraine’s losses are estimated at roughly 500,000 to 600,000, with as many as 140,000 dead.

• Ukrainian government data indicates that approximately 55,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed, with many others either wounded or unaccounted for.

• Civilian suffering has also been severe. The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission reports at least 14,999 civilian deaths and more than 40,600 injuries in Ukraine since 2022, though the actual numbers are widely believed to be higher.

• At least 763 children are among the civilian dead, and 2025 has proven to be the most lethal year yet for non-combatants since the war began.

Altogether, even conservative tallies suggest that the total number of dead and wounded on both sides approaches or surpasses two million — underscoring the enormous human cost of the war.

Numerous diplomatic initiatives and international summits have failed to produce a durable ceasefire.

In August 2025, President Donald Trump welcomed Putin to Alaska for a much-anticipated summit focused on ending the fighting.

Those discussions concluded without an agreement to halt hostilities. Reports afterward indicated that Russia’s demands — including territorial concessions and formal recognition of annexed areas — were deemed unacceptable by Ukraine and its Western allies.

Moscow also continued to insist that Ukraine be denied meaningful security guarantees from the United States, NATO, or leading European powers.

Following the summit, Russian forces intensified their campaign, carrying out ongoing drone and missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, power systems, and other civilian infrastructure.

Just in the past week, Russia unleashed a large-scale wave of drones and missiles aimed at energy facilities and residential districts in several Ukrainian regions, killing and injuring civilians and highlighting the ongoing instability.

Ukraine, increasingly exasperated by stalled negotiations, has answered with expanded strikes inside Russian territory, targeting military and industrial assets in an effort to undermine Moscow’s war-making capabilities.

Human rights groups, U.N. observers, and independent investigators have documented numerous alleged breaches of international humanitarian law during the conflict:

• Russian forces have been accused of deliberately striking civilian sites, including hospitals, schools, electrical grids, and housing complexes — actions that run afoul of the Geneva Conventions.

• Episodes such as the April 2025 airstrike in Sumy, which killed 35 civilians, including children, and wounded 129 others, have been cited as evidence of indiscriminate attacks.

• The International Criminal Court has issued war crimes charges and arrest warrants for Putin and senior Russian officials, including allegations related to the unlawful deportation of children and other offenses, emphasizing the seriousness of the accusations tied to the war.

Many analysts describe repeated attacks on civilian and non-military targets as clear violations of accepted rules of armed conflict and, in some cases, as war crimes.

Policy experts caution that without stronger backing from the United States and its allies, the conflict could settle into a prolonged and destructive stalemate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with numerous Western security specialists, argues that Russia will press forward militarily unless it faces sustained pressure on the battlefield and through diplomacy, calling on Washington to maintain defensive assistance and leadership.

Recent analysis suggests that the war’s consequences extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Zelenskyy has portrayed Putin’s campaign not merely as a regional war but as a trigger for broader global instability comparable to the early stages of a Third World War, urging more robust guarantees from the United States and NATO to deter further escalation.

As the war enters its fourth year, Putin’s original calculation — built on expectations of a rapid triumph and divided Western resolve — has not materialized.

Instead, the conflict has settled into a grinding deadlock that continues to take lives, destroy communities, and alter the security landscape of Europe.

The international community looks on, with hopes that renewed unity and determination from the United States and its partners might yet help Ukraine achieve a just resolution — one that ends the violence and ensures accountability for those responsible.

{Matzav.com}

A judge in Utah is set to determine Tuesday whether the local prosecuting team should be barred from handling the case against the man accused of killing conservative figure Charlie Kirk, after it emerged that the daughter of a senior prosecutor witnessed the shooting.

Earlier this month, Utah County District Court Judge Tony Graf convened a hearing to consider a motion filed by attorneys for Tyler Robinson, who argue that lawyers from the Utah County Attorney’s Office should be taken off the case due to a potential conflict of interest.

According to the defense, the 18-year-old daughter of a high-ranking prosecutor was present when the fatal shooting occurred on September 10.

They contend that the office’s move to pursue capital punishment less than a week after the killing reflected a “strong emotional reaction” by Chad Grunander, a deputy county attorney whose daughter notified him of the shooting through a series of text messages.

Grunander took the stand and rejected the claim that his daughter’s involvement influenced the office’s decision. He testified that prosecutors sought the death penalty only after concluding that the evidence against Robinson was strong enough to support it.

“We felt there’s simply no conflict here,” Grunander told the Provo, Utah, court during a Feb. 3 hearing.

Court proceedings and filings have not addressed who would assume responsibility for prosecuting the case if Judge Graf rules that Grunander and his colleagues must step aside. Defense attorneys have previously asked that the Utah Attorney General’s Office respond to their allegations of a conflict, rather than the Utah County Attorney’s Office.

Robinson, 22, had been training to work as an electrician. Authorities allege that he fired a single shot from a rooftop, killing Kirk while the conservative activist was engaged in a debate with students at Utah Valley University in Orem as part of a nationwide campus tour.

Kirk was widely recognized for energizing young voters who contributed to President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. His killing, carried out before a large crowd, underscored what many have described as a disturbing rise in political violence across the country.

Robinson faces charges of aggravated murder, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of justice. He is not expected to enter a plea until after a preliminary hearing that is currently anticipated to take place in mid-May.

{Matzav.com}

The family of Nancy Guthrie, the missing 84-year-old mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, announced Tuesday that they will offer a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her recovery or an arrest.

In a tearful video message 24 days after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, Savannah Guthrie said the family realized their mother may no longer be alive but still hoped to bring her home. Guthrie pleaded for anyone with morsels of information to come forward so the family “can either celebrate a glorious miraculous homecoming or celebrate the beautiful, brave and courageous and noble life that she has lived.”

“We need to know where she is,” she said in the video. “We need her to come home.”

The high-profile case has drawn intense interest from people across the world who have followed closely as investigators sought to uncover evidence, news reports surfaced about purported ransom notes, and Savannah Guthrie and her siblings pleaded for help. It took nearly two weeks for federal officials to describe a suspect they were pursuing. Even then, after expansive searches through the remote Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson where Nancy Guthrie resided, there were no signs of her.

Savannah Guthrie said Tuesday that her family would also donate $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which helps families put in the same position as them. On Instagram, Guthrie wrote that the reward would be subject to the same criteria as the FBI’s $100,000 reward, paid for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.

“We’re hoping that the attention that has been given to our mom and our family will extend to all the families like ours who are in need,” Savannah Guthrie said.

Guthrie, 84, spent the evening before she disappeared at the home of her daughter, Annie, for a game night. She returned home around 9:45 p.m., Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a news conference.

The next day – Feb. 1 – her family realized she was missing and called 911 around noon. A sprawling search ensued.

By nightfall, word had spread that the mother of the “Today” show host had disappeared, kicking off a storm of media coverage. In several Instagram videos, Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings pleaded with their mother’s captor and said they would pay for her return. They also asked the public to pray and to report any useful information to law enforcement. They told their mother they loved her.

The White House and President Donald Trump pledged support for the investigation. Thousands of calls flooded the FBI’s tip line. But the case remained at a standstill.

Then, on Feb. 10, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office revealed they had recovered footage from Guthrie’s doorbell camera. They released photos and video showing an “armed individual” wearing a ski mask and backpack walking up to the front door. That night, the sheriff’s office said they had detained and questioned someone in the case but released the man soon after. The office later told reporters in an emailed update that it had executed two search warrants and was processing evidence from those searches but did not specify where they happened.

Two days later, officials described the person seen in the doorbell camera footage as a suspect – a man around 5 feet 9 inches tall with an average build. He wore a black 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack in the video from the doorbell camera, according to the FBI.

After that description went public, tips kept pouring in. Authorities again searched the area around Guthrie’s home and recovered additional evidence, including multiple gloves that were sent for lab analysis. On Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said that there were no DNA matches found in federal records for a sample from the gloves found closest to Guthrie’s house, about two miles away.

Investigators are also attempting to locate Guthrie’s pacemaker, according to the sheriff’s department, and are working with Walmart, which sells the same model of backpack the suspect was seen wearing. Detectives canvassed local businesses to show owners the doorbell camera footage in case someone recognized the suspect.

Over the weekend, as the investigation neared its third week, Savannah Guthrie made another plea.

“It is never too late to do the right thing, and we are here,” she said in the video, directly addressing a possible captor. “We believe, and we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, and it’s never too late.”

Days earlier, Savannah Guthrie published another post on Instagram. But instead of an address to her mother’s potential abductors or a request for help, this one was a home video.

In the footage, Nancy Guthrie and her then-young children could be seen picking flowers and giggling.

“Our lovely mom,” Savannah Guthrie wrote in the caption. “We will never give up on her. Thank you for your prayers and hope.”

(c) The Washington Post

[Photos and videos below.] An Israel-to-JFK flight that was unexpectedly diverted to Detroit turned into a powerful display of achdus and chesed, as members of the Detroit Jewish community mobilized within hours to provide passengers with kosher food and emergency assistance.

The flight, originally scheduled to land at JFK Airport in New York, was rerouted to Detroit due to unforeseen circumstances, leaving dozens of passengers stranded far from their intended destination. With little notice and limited airport food options that met kosher standards, the situation quickly became challenging for the frum travelers.

Enter Daniel Greenbaum, owner of Metropolitan Dry Cleaners, who immediately began coordinating a community response. Working together with the owners of Jerusalem Pizza and members of Hatzalah Detroit, Greenbaum helped organize a large-scale food delivery to the airport to ensure that every passenger in need would be taken care of.

Within a short time, cars were packed and dispatched to the airport loaded with an extraordinary amount of food and supplies. The shipment included 65 large pizza pies, 8 gluten-free pies, and several vegan and cheeseless pies to accommodate a range of dietary needs. In addition, volunteers prepared and delivered 150 individually plated orders of fries and 50 tuna and egg sandwiches.

Several cases of water and Snapple were also included to make sure passengers had drinks after hours of unexpected delay.

Community members described the effort as seamless and inspiring. Volunteers worked quickly to prepare, pack, and transport the food, transforming what could have been a stressful and uncomfortable ordeal into a moment of genuine ahavas Yisroel.

Hatzalah Detroit members were also on hand to assist with any medical or emergency needs, ensuring that passengers had access not only to food but to support and reassurance as well.

What began as a routine international flight disruption became an unforgettable example of how a Jewish community—no matter the city—steps up instantly when fellow Yidden are in need.

Passengers expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of support, many noting that after a long and uncertain travel interruption, the sight of cars arriving filled with hot kosher food was both comforting and uplifting.

{Matzav.com}

[Videos below.] The Police Benevolent Association is urging authorities to make arrests and pursue charges after a group was filmed throwing snowballs at NYPD officers Monday in Lower Manhattan.

The incident occurred during a pre-arranged snowball fight gathering at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. Video circulating online shows several individuals trailing uniformed officers, shouting at them and hurling snowballs as the officers made their way toward a police van.

Police officials confirmed that the encounter is under review. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the conduct in a post on social media, writing, in part, “The behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal. Our detectives are investigating this matter.”

Staten Island Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis also spoke out, calling for public officials to respond. “This is disgraceful. @NYCMayor and every elected official in our city should denounce this juvenile attack on our #NYPD. Back the blue and hold those who disrespect them accountable.”

The Police Benevolent Association said those involved should be identified and charged, arguing that attacks on officers — even if involving snowballs — cannot be dismissed as harmless behavior. Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.

WATCH:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quipped Sunday that if there is ever a spike in pizza deliveries near the Pentagon, it might simply be him placing large orders to mislead online observers who monitor such activity as a predictor of major world events.

Appearing on Fox News, Hegseth was asked about the “Pentagon Pizza Report,” an account on X that tracks ordering patterns at pizzerias located near the Pentagon and other key military facilities. The account analyzes Google Maps “popular times” data under the theory that unusually high late-night demand may signal that senior officials are working extended hours in response to unfolding military developments.

Hegseth acknowledged he is familiar with the account and joked about deliberately disrupting its conclusions.

“I’ve thought of just ordering lots of pizza on random nights just to throw everybody off,” he said Sunday on Fox News. “Some Friday night when you see a bunch of Dominos orders, it might just be me on an app, throwing the whole system off so we keep everybody off balance. We look at every indicator.”

The Pentagon Pizza Report focuses on spikes in evening activity at restaurants near U.S. military headquarters, suggesting that sudden increases could indicate heightened operational tempo or pending action abroad.

On June 12, for instance, hours before reports emerged of Israel launching a major strike on Iran, the account noted a sharp rise in activity at four pizza establishments close to the Pentagon around 7 p.m., interpreting it as a sign that top officials remained on site to monitor events.

“As of 6:59 p.m. ET nearly all pizza establishments nearby the Pentagon have experienced a HUGE surge in activity,” the account posted on X that evening.

Although the United States initially said it did not take part in the first wave of attacks against Iran, it later entered the 12-day conflict. On June 22, U.S. forces carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in an operation known as Midnight Hammer.

Hegseth maintained that Pentagon officials are conscious of publicly available tracking methods and take them into account.

“There’s a reason Midnight Hammer worked, because we understood open sourced, we understand classified ways in which the public and others are trying to watch movements and in sensitive ways, we control for a lot that,” he said.

Launched in August 2024, the Pentagon Pizza Report is part of a longer-standing public fascination with pizza deliveries as a barometer of military activity, a pattern observers have noted since the 1980s.

In January 1991, Frank Meeks, who owned 43 Domino’s locations in the Washington area, told the Los Angeles Times that pizza delivery patterns sometimes reveal more than official briefings.

“The news media doesn’t always know when something big is going to happen because they’re in bed, but our [pizza] deliverers are out there at 2 in the morning,” Meeks said.

He recalled that on Aug. 1, 1990, the CIA placed an order for 21 pizzas — a one-night record at the time — just hours before Iraqi troops moved into Kuwait, setting off the Gulf War.

{Matzav.com}

In an emotional radio interview, internationally acclaimed Jewish singer Gad Elbaz disclosed a deeply personal secret he carried unknowingly for nearly four decades. Speaking live on Kol Chai Radio in Israel, Elbaz revealed that until recently he had never undergone a bris milah, a discovery that led him, at age 39, to undergo the procedure and formally enter the covenant of Avrohom Avinu.

The stunning revelation has sent ripples through the Jewish music world. Elbaz, known for performing on major stages around the globe and widely seen as a symbol of connection to Jewish heritage and tradition, told listeners: “I was uncircumcised my entire life.”

In a heartfelt conversation with radio host Menachem Toker, Elbaz described the moment he accidentally discovered that he had not been circumcised as an infant. “At age 39, I had a bris milah after I discovered that they did not circumcise me when I was born,” Elbaz told a stunned Toker.

The singer spoke candidly about the shock and emotional turmoil that accompanied the revelation, as well as the medical and spiritual journey he undertook to correct what he described as a lifelong omission. Undergoing the procedure as an adult, he said, was both physically and emotionally challenging, but ultimately transformative.

According to Elbaz, performing the mitzvah marked the closing of a profound personal circle and reshaped his understanding of his identity. He said the experience gave renewed meaning to the songs and tefillos he has sung throughout his extensive career, infusing them with a deeper sense of personal connection and spiritual authenticity.

{Matzav.com}

Member of Knesset Meir Porush delivered a sharp speech in the Knesset plenum on Monday evening, accusing opposition leaders of relentlessly targeting bnei Torah and the chareidi community and branding them as part of what he called a “Losers Government.”

Speaking from the podium, Porush said he wanted to use his limited speaking time to address what he described as a pressing issue.

“I want to use the few minutes at my disposal,” Porush began, “to speak to you about another important issue. ‘The Losers Government.’ Yes, what you heard. Today, two governments are serving in Israel — the elected government and the ‘Losers Government.’ You are familiar with the term ‘shadow government’ from Britain? Here, we have the ‘Losers Government’ — people whose only common denominator is failure.”

Porush continued by elaborating on his remarks.

“‘The Losers Government’ is made up of members from various parties, some currently serving as Knesset members and some aspiring to serve. What they all have in common is that they served in the previous government and failed — just as losers fail. The members of the ‘Losers Government’ are many, and I will list the main ones in alphabetical order so as not to offend anyone.”

He then proceeded to name: “Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, Yoaz Hendel, Avigdor Lieberman.”

Porush also criticized additional political figures who, he said, were undecided about joining what he termed the “Losers Government.”

“There are also those still deliberating whether they want to be members of the ‘Losers Government,’ such as Gadi Eisenkot and Benny Gantz, who have one foot here and one foot there. What distinguishes the members of the ‘Losers Government’? They have nothing genuine to offer the citizens of Israel. So what is their solution to justify their tenure? Incitement, division, hatred, and more of the same.”

He added that competition among them was intense.

“Lieberman wants to send us to the garbage dump, Lapid wants to strip us of the right to vote, Hendel wants us thrown out of our workplaces, and Bennett is a genius — he knows what we don’t know. If he just publishes multi-billion-shekel plans, all the chareidim will run to vote for him, just as he surely explained in his booklet ‘How to Defeat a Pandemic.’”

In closing, Porush said: “In the meantime, the losers are competing among themselves over who is the bigger loser, and the battle is tough — every day a new poll is published in which a different loser leads the race for who is closest to the electoral threshold. The head of the opposition who spoke here a few hours ago usually wins that race for the threshold. Dear losers, let me give you a spoiler — it won’t help you. Tommy Lapid tried this. It worked for a few short years, but it ended in disappointment. It’s a shame for you.”

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that advancing Russia’s nuclear triad remains an “absolute priority,” outlining his government’s approach to its strategic weapons program during remarks tied to Defender of the Fatherland Day, according to media reports.

Speaking at a ceremony in which he presented state honors to military officers involved in the war in Ukraine, Putin highlighted efforts to reinforce the country’s nuclear capabilities, the Moscow Times reported.

During his address, Putin pointed to Russia’s nuclear triad — the three-part system designed to deliver nuclear weapons by land, sea and air — which is intended to guarantee a viable second-strike capacity in the event of a nuclear confrontation.

He characterized the continued development of the system as “an absolute priority,” adding that it “guarantees Russia’s security and ensures effective strategic deterrence and a balance of forces in the world.”

Putin also said Russia would keep bolstering its army and navy, “taking into account developments in the international situation, based on combat experience gained,” referencing lessons drawn from the ongoing war with Ukraine.

He further stated that Moscow plans to “significantly” upgrade the capabilities of other military branches, enhancing their operational readiness, flexibility and capacity to function under even the most demanding conditions.

“And, of course, we will accelerate the development of advanced systems for the armed forces,” he added.

The comments follow Russia’s decision on Feb. 5, 2023, to suspend participation in the New START Treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between Moscow and Washington.

The treaty had placed caps on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems each side could maintain.

Despite halting its formal participation, Russian officials have previously indicated they intend to continue managing their strategic nuclear arsenal in what they described as a “responsible” manner and to adhere to previously agreed-upon limits.

Putin’s statements came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marked the start of a far broader global conflict, saying the Russian leader had effectively launched “World War III.”

“I believe that Putin has already started it. The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him… Putin will not stop at Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told the BBC in an interview Feb. 23.

Zelenskyy described the war as part of what he sees as Putin’s larger effort to impose a “different way of life” on the international community.

“Stopping Putin today and preventing him from occupying Ukraine is a victory for the whole world,” he said.

When asked whether Ukraine might relinquish control of the contested Donbas region as part of a negotiated settlement, Zelenskyy cautioned that Moscow could rebuild its military power within “no more than a couple of years” and initiate another offensive.

“Where would he go next? We do not know, but that he would want to continue [the war] is a fact,” Zelenskyy said.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

This Taanis Esther 5786, will mark 40 years since the Rosh Yeshiva, Maran HaGoan Rav Moshe Feinstein ztvk”l, Rabban of Klal Yisroel, the poseik hador, left this world. He left us a remarkable legacy of Torah and Halachah through his Dibros Moshe and Igros Moshe.

Fifteen years ago, a project began to publish the thousands of shailos and teshuvos of halacha, hadracha and hashkafa that were transmitted orally, and recorded meticulously by his grandson, close talmid and gabbai, Rav Mordecai Tendler shlit”a. The result has been 5-volume masterpiece named Mesores Moshe, giving over Rav Moshe mesorah’s to our generation, with many volumes still to come, b’ezras Hashem.

Harav Dovid Feinstein zt”l recommended that before publishing, the work should be reviewed by talmidim of the Rosh Yeshiva zt”l. He suggested that Rav Shmuel Fishelis shlit”a, his son-in-law, and Rav Shmuel Fuerst shlit”a, Dayan of Agudath Yisroel of Illinois look over the galleys and edit it as needed. Rav Fuerst added a letter of haskama, detailing his involvement with the project.

The children of the Rosh Yeshiva then added their own haskama, pointing out that these seforim are a tremendous window into the thought process and daas Torah of their illustrious father.

Baruch Hashem the seforim were received by the Torah world with much excitement and is found and used in batei medrish around the world. 

A few years ago, there was a growing interest in translating these works into English, so that those more comfortable with English can also be enlightened by the Rosh Yeshivah’s insights, sensitivity and worldview. After receiving a beracha from HaRav Dovid Feinstein zt”l, this new project began. Sections from the first two volumes were chosen, and translated from the original Hebrew. 

The result is a wonderful blend of fascinating shailos brought to the Rosh Yeshiva, and his view of various topics such as doctors, shidduchim and giving berachos. There are numerous historic recollections the Rosh Yeshiva himself shared, of life in Russia and early years in America. HaRav Reuven Feinstein shlit”a graced this sefer with a warm haskama.

  The Sefer has been acclaimed as a masterfully engaging release. It is widely being learned by chavrusa-schafts, Talmidei Chachamim, Baalei Batim, adults, and teenagers.  The Sefer is noted to be exciting and exhilarating, whoever picks it up cannot put it down.

Available at all Jewish booksellers in stores and online.
Distributed by Alef to Tav – info@aleftotav.com

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rebbetzin Leah Rila Meisels a”h, wife of Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Meisels zt”l, Gaavad of Kehillas Yereim of Sea Gate, Brooklyn. She was 98 years old.

For decades, the rebbetzin stood devotedly at the side of her illustrious husband as he spread Torah to multitudes and led the community. Known for her exceptional warmth, she merited to become related by marriage to many of the leading rebbes and rabbanim in Eretz Yisroel and around the world. Those who knew her recount that she received every visitor — from gedolei hador to the poor who knocked at her door — with a radiant countenance and genuine kindness.

Acquaintances describe her as a remarkable figure of hachnosas orchim and chesed. She quietly distributed large sums of tzedakah without seeking recognition, often ensuring that no one would ever know the source of the assistance. She served as a pillar of strength for both her family and the broader community and merited to see upright and distinguished generations continuing in her path.

The rebbetzin is survived by eleven children, all prominent rabbanim and admorim serving with distinction across the globe.

Her sons include: Rav Yisroel Shlomo Meisels, Av Beis Din of Limanov; Rav Dovid Dov Meisels, rav hatzair of Sea Gate and author of the seforim “Otzar HaShabbos”; Rav Yisroel Moshe Meisels, Av Beis Din of Alesk; Rav Pinchos Mordechai Meisels, Dayan in Sea Gate; and Rav Shmuel Zev Meisels, Av Beis Din of Yismach Moshe in Kiryas Yoel and son-in-law of the Satmar Rebbe. Among her sons-in-law are prominent admorim and rabbanim, including the Dushinsky Rebbe; Rav Yisroel Eliezer Unsdorfer, Rav of Kehillas Reishis Chochmah in Montreal; Rav Yisroel Meisels, Av Beis Din of Uhel-Williamsburg; Rav Yisroel Horowitz, Av Beis Din of Kinyan Torah in Flatbush; Rav Avrohom Yehuda Lowy, Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Tiferes Eliezer; and Rav Avrohom Anshel Schorr, Av Beis Din of Klausen.

The levayah took place at Kehillas Yereim of Sea Gate in Brooklyn and proceeded to the Satmar cemetery in New Jersey for kevurah.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A four-year-old boy in Israel was rushed to the hospital after suffering from severe abdominal pain and repeated vomiting. Following a series of comprehensive examinations, doctors discovered that he had swallowed eight small magnets.

The child arrived at Bnai Zion Medical Center with his parents after complaining of intense stomach pain and frequent vomiting. After undergoing thorough testing in the Pediatric Emergency Department, physicians identified the cause of his symptoms.

Dr. Liat Yaniv, a senior physician in the Pediatrics Department at Bnai Zion Medical Center, noted that the vomiting occurred without diarrhea and was an unusual color — findings that raised concern for a serious gastrointestinal issue. An urgent imaging scan revealed magnets lodged in the small intestine, along with evidence of an intestinal blockage.

In consultation with Dr. Raouf Naser, a pediatric gastroenterology specialist, the toddler was referred for surgical intervention. He underwent emergency surgery performed by Dr. Daniel Dubin, Deputy Head of the Pediatric Surgery Department at Bnai Zion Medical Center, together with Dr. Yair Ben Shmuel, a senior pediatric surgeon. Dr. Omar Abu Ras served as the senior anesthesiologist during the procedure. Surgeons successfully removed eight magnetic balls from the child’s small intestine.

The toddler was subsequently hospitalized in the Pediatric Surgery Department for continued monitoring and treatment and was discharged home several days later.

Dr. Yaakov Genizi, Head of the Pediatrics Department at Bnai Zion Medical Center, warned of the significant dangers posed by swallowed magnets. “They can attach to one another through the intestinal wall and cause blockage, tissue death, and even perforation of the intestine,” he cautioned. “Parents are urged to keep magnets and small parts out of reach of children.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly surfaced details in the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie indicate that at least one image captured by her Nest doorbell camera was recorded on a different day than the others, suggesting the masked suspect may have visited the property prior to her suspected abduction on Feb. 1. A source familiar with the probe confirmed the development to Fox News Digital on Monday.

According to the source, one of the images released by the FBI does not match the date of the remaining footage, pointing to the possibility that the individual surveyed the residence in advance. The source declined to identify the specific date of the earlier image, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told Fox News that the information about the differing date did not originate from him.

Investigators have at various times asked neighbors to review their home surveillance footage from the entire month of January, specifically the night of Jan. 11, and also the period between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, when Guthrie is believed to have disappeared.

ABC News was the first to report that the suspect may have scouted the property earlier, citing unnamed sources.

Jason Pack, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent, said the apparent advance visit suggests the crime was deliberate rather than spontaneous.

“That’s sophistication. That’s the hallmark of someone who thought about this before they acted. And it matters significantly from a legal standpoint, because premeditation and planning elevate the severity of what investigators are looking at,” Pack said. “The suspect in this case may have thought they were being careful. But appearing twice on camera while trying to avoid identification isn’t careful. That’s exposure. And right now, investigators are working very hard to close that gap.”

The disclosure also implies that the information recovered by the FBI and Google from the camera system extended beyond the final event stored in the device’s memory.

According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Guthrie’s doorbell camera went offline at 1:47 a.m. on the night she was taken. Roughly 25 minutes later, at 2:12 a.m., another camera on the property detected a person but failed to record any footage.

Initially, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department directed inquiries to the FBI. After publication of the initial report, however, the department released a statement clarifying that no timestamps had been publicly disclosed in connection with the Nest images.

“We are aware that doorbell images released earlier in the investigation depict a suspect in different stages of attire, including with and without a backpack,” the PCSD said in a statement. “There is no date or time stamp associated with these images. Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.”

Prior to this clarification, experts had raised questions about whether the masked individual shown in the images was the same person, noting differences in clothing and the absence in some images of a backpack and holstered firearm that appeared in others.

{Matzav.com}

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld

Posuk yud zayin in Perek chof heh in Chumash Devarim tells us that we should remember what Amalek did to Bnei Yisroel. That is why we have the mitzvah of Parshas Zachor, to be leined for all to hear.

The Gemara in Brachos, daf mem zayin, amud bais, brings down a story about Reb Elazar, who came to Shul and found that there were only nine people for the minyan. Reb Elazar freed his Eved Knani, Tevi, who then completed the minyan. The Gemara questions how he was allowed to do that, if Reb Yehuda says that one who frees his slave is oiver an aseh that one should keep an Eved Knani forever. The Gemara answers that since minyan is a mitzvah of a rabim, it therefore was allowed.

The Rosh in siman chof says that the mitzvah of a rabim is stronger than a regular mitzvah because the posuk says “Venikdashti” amongst Klal Yisroel, the source for a minyan. This premise will hold true even if it is for a mitzvah deRabbanan, like to hear kedusha or borchu; nevertheless, it will be doche a mitzvah deOraysa of a private person not to free a slave. The Rosh concludes that this must be the case because the Gemara is not speaking in a situation where the tzibbur was laining Parshas Zachor, which is min haTorah. So we see that this point, of a tzibbur being stronger, applies even if one is just doing a mitzvah deRabbanan.

The Trumas Hadeshen, based on this Rosh, says in siman kuf ches that the mitzvah of Parshas Zachor is to listen to it with a minyan. Therefore, if one has only one of the following options—either hearing Zachor with a minyan, or Krias Hamegillah with a minyan—one should choose Zachor with the minyan, since the mitzvah is min haTorah. The Shulchan Aruch in siman kuf mem vov, seif bais, concurs.

The Pri Chodosh in seif koton bais asks: Where did the Rosh learn this halacha, that one needs a minyan for the reading of Zachor? In addition, why don’t we find that a person has a chiyuv to hear any of the other mitzvos of zechiros (for example, remembering Yetzias Mitzrayim or Maaseh Miriam) betzibbur?

The Hagahos Peulas Sachir on the Sefer Maaseh Rav for the Gra says that the chiyuv of tzibbur for Amalek will come as a result of the shita of the Yereim in siman taf lamed heh, who holds that the mitzvah of erasing Amalek is not a mitzvah for every private person, but rather a mitzvah on the tzibbur under a king. With this in mind, it makes sense that we should read the parsha of Amalek betzibbur, to remind us that this is a tzibburdige din.

There are many poskim who disagree and say you do not need a minyan; however, according to the Rosh, we can understand why we need a minyan.

Let us hope we are zocheh to the tzibbur and the king Moshiach to wipe out Amalek.

President Donald Trump will step before Congress on Tuesday night to deliver his State of the Union address, using the nationally televised platform to argue that his first year back in office has been a success, even as political headwinds build ahead of November’s pivotal midterm elections.

The annual address arrives at a moment of heightened political tension. After a year marked by rapid policy moves and sweeping executive actions, the 79-year-old Republican faces growing scrutiny from critics and fresh challenges that could shape the trajectory of his second term.

Among the developments reportedly frustrating the president are recent opinion surveys showing sagging approval numbers — figures he has publicly brushed aside — and a Supreme Court decision overturning his signature tariff program, a central element of his economic strategy.

The optics of the evening add another layer of drama. Trump will speak before the very justices who invalidated the tariff policy, including two whom he appointed to the bench. Following the ruling, he sharply criticized the court, calling members of it “fools.”

Control of Congress hangs in the balance this fall. Should Democrats reclaim either chamber, Trump could face significant legislative gridlock for the remainder of his term and renewed talk of impeachment, potentially setting the stage for a third such effort against him.

Despite those risks, the president is expected to project confidence. His speech is likely to blend a forceful defense of his administration’s record with a clear pivot toward the upcoming midterm campaign.

“It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” Trump said at the White House on Monday.

He also rejected the legitimacy of unfavorable polling data, labeling as “fake” surveys such as a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Sunday that pegged his approval rating at 39 percent.

Democrats, meanwhile, are preparing visible counterprogramming. Some lawmakers plan to boycott the address, while others intend to stage silent protests during the speech. The address itself is required under the Constitution, which directs that the president shall “from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union.”

Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced she would not attend, saying Trump uses such appearances to “spread lies – not to mention they’re long and boring.”

The speech follows a year in which Trump has expanded executive authority, aggressively confronted political adversaries and advanced a high-profile domestic agenda, while pursuing a more disruptive approach to international affairs.

On immigration, Trump is expected to highlight what his administration describes as substantial progress in reducing illegal crossings at the southern border. He has frequently pointed to enforcement actions along the Mexican border as evidence of a crackdown.

Yet public opinion appears divided. While many voters support tougher immigration policies in principle, some surveys indicate discomfort with large-scale enforcement raids. Protests over those operations in January were linked to unrest that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens.

Economic policy will also feature prominently. The president plans to argue that inflation has eased under his watch and to promote what he has repeatedly called a “Golden Age” of American prosperity.

Still, he faces skepticism from voters who remain concerned about rising living costs. Many critics have tied those pressures to the tariff policies that were later struck down by the Supreme Court, complicating his economic message.

Internationally, observers will be listening closely for signals regarding Iran. A significant U.S. military buildup in the region has intensified pressure on Tehran to reach a nuclear agreement, raising speculation about potential military action if negotiations falter.

State of the Union speeches have historically served as platforms for major foreign policy initiatives. In 2003, George W. Bush used his address to lay the groundwork for military action in Iraq, underscoring the significance of the moment.

As tradition dictates, attention will also focus on the guests seated in the House gallery. Lawmakers from both parties often invite individuals whose stories align with their political messages.

Trump has extended an invitation to the U.S. men’s ice hockey team, which captured Olympic gold in Italy with a 2-1 victory over Canada — the program’s first such triumph since 1980.

However, according to U.S. media reports, the women’s team declined an invitation from the president. The development followed remarks Trump made in a call with the men’s team in which he joked that he would be impeached if he failed to invite the women as well.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said tonight that California Gov. Gavin Newsom has “just dropped out of the Presidential Race,” despite the fact that Newsom has made no such announcement and has not formally declared a 2028 campaign.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump asserted that the California governor had exited the contest,  writing “Wow! Gavin Newscum just dropped out of the Presidential Race!!! President DJT,” a statement that conflicts with Newsom’s own public comments. Although Newsom has long been viewed as a potential White House contender, he has neither confirmed nor ruled out a future bid in recent months.

Speculation about Newsom’s national ambitions has circulated for several years. In 2021, he flatly rejected the idea, saying he had “sub-zero interest” in seeking the presidency. More recently, however, his rhetoric has softened. In a June 2025 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Newsom said “it’s a path that I could see unfold,” while stressing that he had not made any immediate plans. His expanded national presence — including a widely covered CNN speech criticizing Trump’s decision to deploy military personnel to Los Angeles — has only intensified talk about his political future.

Newsom has remained active in national debates and has continued to challenge Trump directly, including publicly correcting what he described as false statements made on Truth Social. Those posts included accusations that California was harboring a “drug cartel” and claims regarding Walmart’s business operations, both of which Newsom disputed. The two have repeatedly sparred in public settings, including at the 2024 Munich Security Conference, where Newsom accused Trump of fostering an “age of authoritarianism”

Political observers say Newsom’s recent activity suggests a deliberate effort to build a broader national profile. Larry Sabato, who directs the University of Virginia Center for Politics, characterized one of Newsom’s recent comments as a “home run,” arguing that it effectively positioned the governor’s opposition to Trump as part of a larger defense of democratic norms. At the same time, a December 2024 survey found that more than half of California voters believe Newsom is more focused on potential presidential ambitions than on governing the state.

For now, Newsom has not provided a clear answer about whether he intends to pursue the presidency in 2028. His office has declined to clarify his shifting tone or respond directly to Trump’s latest assertion.

{Matzav.com}