Matzav

The Chassidishe Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel convened Wednesday evening in Yerushalayim to deliberate its position on the proposed draft law, amid heightened tension within the governing coalition and intense anticipation over whether a formal decision will emerge.

One by one, senior chassidic rebbes arrived at Beis Malka Hall, the Belzer venue on Brandeis Street, for the high-level meeting.

Among those present were the rebbes of Gur, Belz, Vizhnitz, Sanz, Boyan, Seret-Vizhnitz, and Modzitz.

The Slonimer Rebbe was absent, while the Biala Rebbe is currently abroad.

At the instruction of the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Pinchas Friedman also arrived and appeared before the Moetzes to present and clarify the Belzer Rebbe’s position regarding the draft law.

Behind the scenes, sources told Matzav.com that in the 24 hours preceding the meeting, messages were conveyed from Degel HaTorah to Agudas Yisroel in an effort to prevent the adoption of a decision opposing the draft law.

On Tuesday, a conversation reportedly took place between Rav Aharon Hirsch, son of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and Yaakov Veltz, secretary of Agudas Yisroel’s Moetzes. The message conveyed was a request that no decision be taken at this stage against the draft legislation.

Following that discussion, Veltz met with the Gerer Rebbe and relayed Degel HaTorah’s position. The Gerer Rebbe did not dismiss the argument and even raised a far-reaching proposal: to cancel Wednesday’s Moetzes meeting and instead convene a joint council of chassidishe and Litvishe gedolim in the coming days to reach a unified stance on the law.

The Moetzes meeting proceeded as scheduled, but it remains unclear whether a clear ruling against the law will be issued or whether the pressure from Degel HaTorah will ultimately shape the outcome. Coalition leaders are watching developments closely.

Present at the Moetzes meeting are Knesset members Yitzchak Goldknopf, Meir Porush, and Yisrael Eichler, as well as Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert. MK Yaakov Tessler is not attending, as he is currently abroad for a family simcha.

{Matzav.com}

Federal civil rights officials are closely monitoring New York City following a warning from the Justice Department that City Hall may be veering into unlawful discrimination.

The caution from Washington centers on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s decision to appoint Cea Weaver, a far-left housing activist, as the city’s new tenant advocate, a role that influences housing policy and tenant protections across the city.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon publicly raised alarms after an old video of Weaver resurfaced online, reviving concerns about the ideological direction of the administration’s housing agenda and whether it aligns with equal protection under the law.

In that video, Weaver argued that the United States should abandon the idea of property as an individual right and instead reframe it as a “collective good,” promoting what she described as “shared equity.”

During the same remarks, Weaver said such a shift would require families — “especially white families” — to have a “different relationship to property” than the one they currently have.

Those comments quickly drew backlash on social media and from legal observers, who said the language raises red flags about racial bias being baked into policy discussions.

Dhillon responded directly on X, making clear that the Justice Department views discrimination as illegal regardless of who it targets.
“New York: Consider this your official notice from @TheJusticeDept,” Dhillon wrote, adding, “We will NOT tolerate discrimination based on skin color. It is ILLEGAL.” She also said the Civil Rights Division is “paying very close attention.”

The warning was reinforced in a subsequent interview on OANN’s “Fine Point with Chanel Rion,” where Dhillon said civil rights protections apply equally to all Americans and that federal intervention is possible if New York City crosses legal lines, according to the Washington Examiner.

“Just because you’re white doesn’t mean you have fewer rights in this country,” she said, adding that the administration is “on high scrutiny.”

Additional scrutiny intensified after the New York Post published a report highlighting Weaver’s past online activity, including posts that were later deleted. In those posts, Weaver urged supporters to “seize private property” and labeled homeownership “a weapon of white supremacy.”

The Post also reported that Weaver called on voters to “elect more communists” and sharply criticized law enforcement during the unrest that followed the 2020 death of George Floyd.

Weaver has been affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America and previously worked with Housing Justice for All, according to the report.

The Post further noted that she served as an adviser to Mamdani’s 2025 campaign and was heavily involved in pushing for stricter rent stabilization measures in 2019.

Opponents of the mayor warn that the appointment reflects a broader housing strategy they say could harm landlords and property owners, including Mamdani’s proposal to freeze rents on approximately one million rent-regulated apartments across the city.

Humberto Lopes, founder and CEO of the Gotham Housing Alliance, told the Post that such policies repeat the mistakes of government-run housing, which he described as a long-term failure.

For critics on the right, the controversy reaches beyond housing policy. They argue it raises fundamental questions about whether the nation’s largest city is moving toward race-based decision-making and anti-property ideology — and whether federal authorities will step in before those ideas are translated into law.

{Matzav.com}

Drivers inching along Route 9 may not be surprised, but new federal estimates now make it official: Lakewood, NJ contains the most heavily populated ZIP code in the United States.

Fresh rankings drawn from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates place ZIP code 08701 at the very top nationwide, with a population exceeding 140,000 residents, cementing Lakewood’s position ahead of every other ZIP code in the country.

The margin is not close. The second-place ZIP code, 92336 in Fontana, is home to 103,393 people.

The top 5 most populated ZIP codes in the U.S. are:
• 08701 (Lakewood, NJ): 136,784
• 92336 (Fontana, CA): 103,393
• 90650 (Norwalk, CA): 100,808
• 94565 (Pittsburg, CA): 99,933
• 77573 (League City, TX): 97,871

For decades, Newark and Jersey City have alternated as the state’s most populous cities, each hovering between roughly 300,000 and 317,000 residents. Lakewood’s total township population is about half that size, yet its concentration of residents is closing the gap with major cities at a rapid pace.

Current estimates place Lakewood’s population density at approximately 9,500 to 9,800 people per square mile. Although that remains below the “hyper-density” of Jersey City, which exceeds 17,000 residents per square mile, and Newark, which tops 12,000 per square mile, it dwarfs New Jersey’s statewide average of 1,263 people per square mile.

{Matzav.com}

As demonstrations across Iran stretched into an eleventh consecutive day, Senator Lindsey Graham issued a blunt message to the country’s leadership, suggesting that continued bloodshed against protesters could trigger the most severe response imaginable from Donald Trump.

Speaking during an interview on Fox News, Graham addressed Iran’s clerical rulers directly, urging them to halt the violent suppression of demonstrations that have spread nationwide. He framed the moment as a critical test of resolve, emphasizing that the current administration should not be underestimated.

Graham argued that Tehran’s leadership must “take Trump seriously,” warning that the use of lethal force against civilians demanding improved living conditions would provoke retaliation aimed at the very top of the regime.

The senator sharpened his remarks by issuing a direct threat toward the country’s highest authority, declaring, “If you keep killing your people who are demanding a better life, Donald J. Trump is going to kill you.”

Turning to recent events elsewhere, Graham cited Venezuela as a lesson for Iran, describing the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro as “a prime example of America at her best.” He said decisive American action abroad should serve as a clear signal to Tehran that Washington will not look the other way when governments open fire on their own citizens.

He further cautioned that allowing Maduro to stay in power after such a dramatic U.S. operation would be a “fatal mistake to our standing in the world,” portraying the Venezuela episode as a model for reestablishing global deterrence.

On the ground in Iran, unrest continued to widen. In the western city of Abdanan, video footage showed massive crowds filling the streets and chanting “Death to Khamenei,” a slogan aimed at Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Online reports also suggested that some local police officers may have broken ranks and aligned themselves with demonstrators.

International observers highlighted the momentum building in the streets. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee pointed to what it described as protesters “claiming entire cities,” sharing footage of the Abdanan marches and the escalating anti-regime chants as evidence of the growing challenge to Iranian authorities.

According to circulating reports, the crackdown has already taken a heavy toll, with at least 34 protesters killed and 2,076 people detained across the country. The unrest has reportedly reached 92 cities spanning 27 provinces.

U.S. Coast Guard teams carried out near-simultaneous predawn boardings of two suspected “ghost fleet” tankers in international waters, a move the Department of Homeland Security says sends a warning to criminal networks worldwide.

In a social media post Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the actions underscore heightened enforcement at sea. “are on notice,” she wrote, referring to criminals globally, after the operations targeted “two ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ships.”

The vessels identified were the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor Tanker Sophia. Noem said both ships had ties to Venezuela, noting that they “were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it,” and that one was intercepted “in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean.”

The two seizures occurred just hours apart and followed extensive coordination across the federal government. Noem credited the outcome to leadership at the top, calling the actions the product of “President [Donald] Trump’s bold and visionary leadership,” with Coast Guard units working alongside the Justice Department and State Department during the back-to-back interdictions.

Noem emphasized that the operation was intended to send a clear message. “You can run, but you can’t hide,” she wrote. “We will never relent in our mission to protect the American people and disrupt the funding of narco terrorism wherever we find it, period.”

According to Noem, one of the tankers — the Bella I — had actively tried to evade U.S. authorities over several weeks. She said the ship switched its flag and even repainted its name on the hull while under pursuit, describing the effort as “in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice.”

The pursuit was carried out by the crew of the USCGC Munro, which tracked the vessel across vast stretches of ocean and through severe weather before executing the boarding. “The heroic crew … pursued this vessel across the high seas and through treacherous storms,” Noem wrote, citing their “determination and patriotism.”

She added that the service members involved merited public appreciation. “These brave men and women deserve our nation’s thanks for their selfless devotion to duty,” she said.

U.S. European Command later confirmed that the Munro followed the Bella I — which had been renamed the Marinera — prior to the seizure, saying the boarding was conducted “pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court.”

Noem said the takedown of the two tankers was meant to go beyond routine maritime enforcement, framing it as a direct blow to international networks that finance narco-terrorism and corruption.

The Department of Homeland Security did not disclose what cargo, if any, was discovered on the ships, nor did it say whether arrests resulted from the boardings.

The maritime actions followed closely on the heels of another high-profile operation, coming just days after U.S. military forces captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a nighttime raid in Caracas.

Summing up the significance of the interdictions, Noem wrote, “This is our country’s greatest fighting force at their best.” She added, “This is America first at sea.”

{Matzav.com}

[Videos below.] Federal immigration agents shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis after authorities say she tried to ram officers with her car during a confrontation tied to immigration enforcement activity, an incident ICE labeled an act of domestic terrorism.

According to officials, the shooting occurred Wednesday morning at the intersection of East 34th Street and Portland Avenue. The City of Minneapolis confirmed the location and timing in a post on X, noting reports of gunfire in the area.

The Department of Homeland Security described a rapidly escalating situation that unfolded while ICE officers were carrying out what it called targeted operations in the city. DHS assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said the encounter turned violent when protesters interfered with officers on the scene.

“Today, ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers and one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them — an act of domestic terrorism,” McLaughlin said in a statement.

She added that officers responded after perceiving an immediate threat.

“An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots. He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers.”

Video footage from the scene captured a heavy law enforcement presence and a large crowd gathered behind yellow police tape. Protesters could be heard chanting anti-ICE slogans, with some throwing snowballs toward officers stationed in the street.

Additional video livestreamed by Fox 9 showed federal agents standing shoulder to shoulder as demonstrators filmed them at close range, occasionally shouting insults. The footage also appeared to show the aftermath of a collision involving three vehicles — a plum-colored SUV, a white sedan, and a dark-red sports-style car.

Images from the scene showed extensive damage to the front end of the white sedan as police officers and FBI agents surrounded the vehicle. Other photographs taken by journalists depicted protesters winding up to hurl snowballs at officers, while another image showed a police officer deploying pepper spray against a small group of demonstrators who had linked arms to block the roadway.

The confrontation took place amid what authorities describe as the largest deployment of federal immigration enforcement personnel to Minneapolis since the start of the second Trump administration.

Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez wrote on the social media platform Bluesky that U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino responded to the scene following the shooting.

A sweeping overhaul of federal nutrition advice was announced Wednesday as the Trump administration rolled out updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans that dramatically reorient the government’s approach to food, elevating protein and saturated fats while urging Americans to cut back on sugar and ultra-processed products.

At a White House briefing, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the new framework is designed to reverse soaring rates of chronic disease and reduce long-term medical spending by steering Americans toward whole, nutrient-dense foods.

“Today our government declares war on added sugar. Highly processed food loaded with additives — added sugar and excess salt — damage health and should be avoided,” Kennedy said.
“Diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce disease risk more effectively than many drugs. Whole grains outperform refined carbohydrates,” he added.

Under the revised guidance, meals built around high-quality protein and healthy fats take center stage. Poultry, red meat, beans, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich whole grains are encouraged, while white bread, crackers, sugar-sweetened beverages, packaged snacks, cookies, and fast food are discouraged.

Kennedy said the updated recommendations reflect a fundamental shift away from decades of advice shaped by outside interests. “The hard truth is our government has been lying to us to protect corporate profit-taking, telling us that these food-like substances were beneficial to public health,” he said.
“Today the lies stop. The new guidelines recognize that whole, nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health and lower healthcare costs. Protein and healthy fats are essential and were wrongfully discouraged in prior dietary guidelines.”

The new approach, which Kennedy said will “revolutionize our nation’s food culture,” directly affects meals served across a wide range of federally supported institutions, including public schools, military bases, prisons, and other government facilities that together serve millions of people each day.

“These guidelines replace corporate-driven assumptions [and] will revolutionize our nation’s food culture and make America healthy again,” Kennedy said.

A central objective of what officials described as a “whole food framework” is lowering national healthcare expenditures. According to a White House fact sheet, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related chronic illnesses are costing taxpayers an estimated $600 billion annually.

Administration officials noted that at least 78% of participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are also enrolled in Medicaid. While the new guidelines do not directly change SNAP — which is governed by Congress and serves more than 40 million Americans — officials said the standards will serve as the benchmark for more than 100 government feeding programs across over 10 federal agencies.

“We have five times higher obesity rates than any other country in the developed world,” one official said. “This is because of our diet.”

Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which gained momentum during his 2024 presidential campaign before he joined the Trump administration, has emphasized protein-heavy eating patterns. He has frequently highlighted the role of diet in preventing disease since taking office.

During a March 2025 trip to West Virginia, Kennedy publicly leaned into that message while standing alongside Gov. Patrick Morrisey. “The first time I saw him, I said, ‘You look like you ate Governor Morrisey,’” Kennedy joked. “I am going to put him on a really rigorous regimen, and we’re gonna put him on a carnivore diet.”

Medical leaders welcomed the shift. Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association, praised the administration’s move, saying the organization is “focused on helping physicians translate this science into everyday care and helping patients improve their overall health.”

“The American Medical Association applauds the Administration’s new Dietary Guidelines for spotlighting the highly processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, and excess sodium that fuel heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic illnesses,” Mukkamala said. “The Guidelines affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health.”

Mukkamala added that the AMA will “work with Congress to enact meaningful, lasting nutrition change that can improve lives,” while expanding education for doctors and medical students and convening discussions to “make it easier for physicians to talk to patients about the role of food in preventing, and even treating, chronic disease.”

The latest guidelines also mark a symbolic departure from earlier federal nutrition models. In 2011, the Department of Agriculture replaced the traditional food pyramid with the MyPlate system under then-first lady Michelle Obama and then-Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a change that began reducing the emphasis on carbohydrates.

In its fact sheet, the Trump White House criticized the Biden administration for what it described as a retreat from science-based nutrition policy, arguing that efforts to address chronic disease were diluted by placing equity considerations at the center of dietary guidance.

“We reject this logic: a common-sense, science-driven document is essential to begin a conversation about how our culture and food procurement programs must change to enable Americans to access affordable, healthy, real food,” the document stated.

“The Trump administration welcomes all stakeholders to be part of this conversation in the coming year.”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands gathered today at the levayah of Yosef Eisental z”l, 14, after he was tragically killed during a protest against Israel’s draft law in Yerushalayim, when he was struck by a bus.

The levayah departed from the courtyard of Ohel Torah Yeshiva in the Ramot neighborhood, where Yosef learned. Among those who delivered hespeidim were roshei yeshiva and family members, who spoke of a boy whose brief life left a deep imprint on all who knew him.

But it was the words of Yosef’s father, Rabbi Shmuel Eisenthal, that pierced the hearts of the crowd and left scarcely a dry eye.

“Hashem gave and Hashem has taken, may the Name of Hashem be blessed from now and forever,” the grieving father began. “Yossi—our Yossi—was a precious son to me, a child of delight. A delight in Torah, a delight in his character, a delight in his warm countenance, in a smile that never faded.”

Rabbi Eisenthal shared moments from Yosef’s childhood that revealed his son’s extraordinary sensitivity and generosity. At just six years old, he recalled, Yosef once went out with his mother holding 20 shekels meant for treats. On the way, he noticed a poor man asking for charity. “He couldn’t bear it,” his father said. “He told his mother, ‘I want to give all the money to tzedakah.’”

He described how Yosef would return from special learning programs and distribute every candy he received to his family without keeping any for himself. When he began learning Gemara, his father said, Yosef’s joy in understanding was unmistakable. “What a pleasure it was to learn with you,” he said. “You wouldn’t give up until everything was clear.”

Rabbi Eisenthal spoke of winter Friday nights when Yosef, still new to the demanding schedule of yeshiva learning, would insist on cutting the family meal short so he could return to the beis medrash. “If the meal wasn’t finished, you would bentch and get up to learn,” he said.

In recent months, Yosef had entered yeshiva as a full-fledged bochur and was filled with happiness at the progress he was making. He would come home, his father recounted, and if a sugya was unclear, he would ask, “Abba, do you want to learn?” relishing the moment when everything finally made sense.

During Chanukah, Yosef shared that he had taken upon himself to complete Maseches Bava Basra ten times. When his father asked how that was possible, Yosef replied simply, “It’s not a problem,” and asked for a Gemara he could take with him on the road. “You didn’t yet merit to finish Bava Basra in this world,” Rabbi Eisenthal said softly, “but in the World of Truth you will have great rabbanim. How you worked, how you yearned to know and to learn.”

He spoke of how beloved Yosef was—by his sisters, his mother, his family, and his friends—how they all waited eagerly for the “free Shabbos” when he was meant to come home this week. “It’s so hard to speak of you in the past tense,” he said. “In truth, we can speak of you in the present. Your body is no longer here, but your neshamah will be with us every day, every hour, showing us what it means to love Torah and to love another Jew.”

Rabbi Eisenthal said, “The Ribbono Shel Olam decreed this decree. Everyone feels this was a communal korban. So many tears have been shed by Klal Yisrael. But we must be careful not to ask ‘why.’ We do not ask why. It is forbidden to ask why. We say thank You. Thank You for the 14 years You entrusted us with such a neshamah. We return to You a pure neshamah, one who left this world in the midst of a mitzvah.”

He told the crowd that while no words can truly comfort bereaved parents, his consolation would be if each person present—family members, yeshiva students, neighbors—would take upon themselves a small, realistic commitment. “Not something big,” he emphasized, “but something small that can endure. Then we will know this was truly a perfect offering.”

In the most wrenching moments of the hesped, Rabbi Eisenthal turned directly to his son. “Yossi, our Yossi, you are ascending before the Kisei Hakavod. You are closer than anyone. Tear open the gates of Heaven. Be a melitz yosher for me, that Hashem give me the strength to withstand this test. Pray for your mother, who invested everything in you, physically and spiritually, from the day you were born. Be an advocate for your sisters, who loved and cherished you so deeply.”

He continued, “Be an advocate for little Dovid, whom you were so happy was born, and whom we hoped you would be a model for. I promise you—we will teach him who you were and what you were. Tear open the gates of Heaven for the entire family, for your grandparents, for all the בני הישיבה, for all of Klal Yisrael.”

His voice broke as he concluded with a plea that echoed through the crowd: “Be a meilitz yosher for the world of yeshivos, that no one disturb it in its Torah learning. How much this pained you in recent months—how it hurt you to see Jewish bochurim thrown into prison. May Hashem help that ‘death be swallowed forever, and Hashem wipe away tears from every face.’ Yossi—we will merit to see you again soon, at the resurrection of the dead.”

{Matzav.com}

The Yerushalayim Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday extended by nine days the detention of the bus driver suspected of running over and killing yeshiva bochur Yosef Eisental z”l, during last night’s protest in the capital.

During the remand hearing, Judge Sharon Lary-Babli reviewed police video footage documenting the moments leading up to the fatal incident. When the driver’s attorney argued that his client did not notice the protesters ahead of him or felt endangered and fled the scene out of fear, the judge sharply rejected the claim.

“Tell me he didn’t see them. He didn’t see them? Twenty children are standing right in front of him,” the judge said from the bench.

Describing what is visible in the footage, Judge Lary-Babli said that several youths climbed onto the bus, kicked the protective barrier, and that one of them spat at the driver. In response, she said, the driver accelerated sharply. “At that stage, the driver begins driving at a very high speed as the youth falls from the bus, while dozens of young people standing in front of the bus are pushed aside by it,” she stated.

“I do not believe that driving rapidly into a crowd is the correct option,” the judge added. “The victim is the deceased, not the driver.”

A police representative at the hearing highlighted the severity of the incident, noting that investigators are carrying out approximately 39 additional investigative actions. “The very high level of dangerousness posed by the suspect is evident given the offense and the brazenness of charging toward a crowd of teenagers,” she told the court. While police have, at this stage, removed the suspicion of murder, they emphasized that suspicion of another serious offense has been strengthened.

Yerushalayim District Police Commander Superintendent Avshalom Peled also commented on the incident, saying the intersection where the tragedy occurred remained open to traffic as a designated “fabric-of-life” route. He noted that the driver’s claim of distress is being examined, but stressed that it “does not diminish the severity of the incident.”

{Matzav.com}

Disturbing images of clothing ripped to shreds, left behind after last night’s bus-ramming incident at the draft protest in Yerushalayim, are highlighting just how close the event came to becoming a far deadlier catastrophe. The photos, showing garments completely torn from the body of one of the injured bochurim who was dragged beneath the bus, illustrate how narrowly a mass-casualty disaster was averted.

The young man, who had been participating in the protest, became caught on the bus and was dragged along the roadway. He survived by what eyewitnesses are describing as a clear miracle. Tragically, the incident claimed the life of Yosef Eisenthal z”l, whose death has shaken the chareidi public.

The shredded clothing—torn apart by contact with the underside of the bus and the asphalt—points to the sheer force of the impact and the extreme danger faced by others at the scene. “When you see the clothes, you understand that this was an open miracle,” an eyewitness said. “A few centimeters, a few seconds—and we would be speaking about additional fatalities.”

According to accounts from the scene, several bochurim were in immediate peril, with some clinging to the bus and others falling dangerously close to its wheels as it continued moving. “This is tangible proof that the number of victims could easily have been far higher,” the witness added. “It is a miracle within a tragedy.”

{Matzav.com}

Iranian authorities reported that an individual they described as an agent of Israel’s Mossad was executed after being convicted of espionage, as Tehran continues an intensified campaign of death sentences against those accused of ties to Israeli intelligence.

According to Iran’s judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency, Ali Ardestani was put to death after being found guilty of spying for Israel. Iranian officials claimed Ardestani was recruited through cyber channels and carried out assignments for the Mossad in exchange for financial compensation and promises made by his handlers. The report alleged that he transferred sensitive information to Israeli intelligence.

Iranian authorities said Ardestani confessed to receiving digital currency payments at the completion of each task. He was also accused of meeting with a Mossad contact inside Iran, handing over information he had gathered, including photographs and video footage, and then receiving additional assignments.

The judiciary stated that the death sentence was carried out only after approval by Iran’s Supreme Court and following what it described as full legal proceedings. “The death sentence of Ali Ardestani for the crime of espionage in favor of the Mossad intelligence service, through the transfer of sensitive state information, was implemented after confirmation by the Supreme Court and completion of judicial procedures,” the judiciary said.

Iran has significantly increased executions in recent months of individuals accused of cooperating with Israeli intelligence services. Iranian media outlets have reported a sharp rise this year in the number of people sentenced to death on espionage charges linked to Israel.

In a separate case cited by Iranian state television, authorities announced that on December 20, 2025, Iran executed Aqil Kashavarz, who was also convicted of spying for Israeli intelligence and the Israeli military. According to Iranian claims, Kashavarz maintained what officials described as “close intelligence cooperation” with the Mossad and photographed sensitive military and security sites.

Kashavarz was arrested in May while allegedly photographing a military headquarters in the northwestern city of Urmia, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran. Iranian officials accused him of carrying out more than 200 similar missions for Israeli intelligence across multiple cities throughout Iran, including in the capital.

{Matzav.com}

In a major development for the English-speaking community in Israel, Chaim V’Chessed, the leading organization supporting Olim with guidance, resources, and advocacy across all areas of life, has appointed former Knesset member Rabbi Yitzchak Pindrus as Senior Governmental Liaison. This appointment represents a significant milestone in Chaim V’Chessed’s history.

Rabbi Pindrus brings extensive experience in public service, having served as Mayor of Beitar Illit, Assistant Mayor of Jerusalem, and a Member of Knesset. His considerable connections with municipalities, government ministries, and senior officials across Israel position him to dramatically enhance Chaim V’Chessed’s reach and influence.

As the son of American immigrants, Pindrus understands firsthand the challenges facing English-speaking Olim. In his new role, he will spearhead Chaim V’Chessed’s engagement with government offices and municipalities, strengthening the organization’s ability to advocate for and support Anglos in Israel at every level.

Paysach Freedman, CEO of Chaim V’Chessed, said: “The addition of Rabbi Pindrus is a pivotal moment for Chaim V’Chessed. His experience, national recognition, and deep understanding of our community will take our work to an entirely new level and significantly benefit English-speakers across Israel.”

This landmark appointment underscores Chaim V’Chessed’s ongoing commitment to expanding its impact and ensuring that English-speaking Olim have the resources, guidance, and support they need to thrive in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Fourteen-year-old Chaim Yosef Eisenthal z”l was killed last night during a protest in Yerushalayim, an event that has left the city—and far beyond it—reeling in shock and grief.

[Pictured above is the invitation to Yosef’s bar mitzvah, held a year and a half ago.]

The morning after the tragedy did not begin with routine headlines or updates, but with a heavy sense of anguish. The loss of a child, many said, eclipses politics, sectors, and arguments, forcing a painful national reckoning.

At the opening of the Kikar FM broadcast in Israel, host Eli Gothelf said that the very fact that a 14-year-old boy lost his life in the street should shake the entire country. “Not a sector, not a camp, not a political debate,” he said. “In a democracy, protest is a right. But in a democracy, a 14-year-old child is not supposed to die in the street. He is not supposed to be killed.”

Gothelf stressed that when a child is killed, questions of affiliation or ideology become irrelevant. “When a child goes out to a protest and does not come home, this is no longer an internal dispute. This is a flashing red warning light,” he said.

Also interviewed on the program was Motti Bukchin, spokesman for ZAKA, who spoke with visible pain as he described what the organization’s volunteers encountered at the scene.

“This is a horrifying event,” Bukchin said. “I don’t know whether to call it an accident, a killing, or an attack. In the end, there is a child in his early teens who was killed for nothing. Entire families are destroyed.”

According to Bukchin, ZAKA volunteers arrived shortly after the incident, while rescue forces were still working to extricate the victim. “The bus dragged him,” he said. “People ran after the driver and shouted for him to stop—and he kept going.”

He described long, agonizing minutes as teams waited for firefighters to arrive with hydraulic equipment. “Only after they lifted the bus were they able to extricate the victim. Sadly, he was already without signs of life, with multi-system injuries, no pulse and no breathing.”

Bukchin emphasized that, from his perspective, the central issue is not only the sequence of events but their tragic result. “It doesn’t matter what came before what,” he said. “The outcome is a 14-year-old child who lost his life in a tragic way.”

He noted that the scene was especially difficult, requiring extended and painstaking work by volunteers to collect findings and care for the deceased with dignity. “This work is done in front of the public, in front of a family that understands that their child has been killed. It is true kindness,” he said.

Despite decades of experience with ZAKA, Bukchin said the pain never dulls. “Every time it is new. No two events are the same. Every family, every person who dies, is an entire world.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

There is something deeply disingenuous about the way many of our communal media platforms — including Matzav, by the way — operate today, whether in print, online, or across WhatsApp and social media.

On the one hand, these very same outlets regularly publish articles, op-eds, and impassioned posts lamenting the “culture of excess” that has crept into our lives. They bemoan the outrageous costs of weddings, the pressure to keep up, the corrosive effect of luxury spending on families, and the unhealthy expectations being imposed on young couples and parents just trying to breathe.

And then, without skipping a beat, the next page, post, or story is an advertisement for a five-star Pesach program in Europe, a luxury summer rental with “full staff,” a high-end restaurant opening, concierge services, boutique interior designers, or upscale apartments in Eretz Yisroel marketed as “must-have opportunities.” One minute we’re being warned about runaway materialism. The next minute we’re being sold $25,000 watches, gourmet tasting menus, and prestige real estate, all wrapped in glossy graphics and slick copy.

The uncomfortable truth is that the very platforms that wring their hands over the spending culture are, in fact, major engines driving it. Advertising does not merely reflect reality; it shapes it. When luxury is constantly normalized, glamorized, and pushed into every communal space, it inevitably seeps into expectations and behavior.

You cannot pour gasoline on a fire all week long and then publish a sermon on fire safety and expect to be taken seriously.

To then posture as critics of the problem they actively profit from is, quite frankly, hypocrisy. Sorry for saying the raw emes.

At the very least, there should be some honesty. These outlets are not neutral observers. They are nogeya b’dovor. They are making substantial money off the very excesses they publicly decry. Stop pretending to occupy some lofty moral high ground while cashing the checks that keep the cycle spinning.

If communal media truly wants to be part of the solution, it starts with self-awareness and integrity. Until then, the lectures about “crazy spending” ring hollow, drowned out by the posts and ads screaming the exact opposite message.

Sincerely,
Yehoshua Boruch Jacobs

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{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Moshe Aryeh Sheinert zt”l, who was niftar at the age of 90.

Rav Sheinert was among the senior and most respected members of the Belzer community and served for many years as the mashgiach ruchani at Talmud Torah Machzikei Hadass of Belz in Boro Park. He also served as a mashpia at Yeshivas Torah Ve’Emunah of Belz, where he influenced generations of talmidim with warmth, depth, and unwavering devotion to Torah.

Born in Sivan 5695 (1935) to his father, Reb Shlomo Sheinert, he studied in his youth at Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood under Rav Aharon Kotler.

Following his marriage, Rav Sheinert was among the founders and early members of the Belzer kehillah on Manhattan’s East Side, together with Rav Yosef Meir Weiss, the rov of Narol. He maintained a close relationship with the Naroler Rebbe, the Rav’s son, and together they were instrumental in establishing Belzer institutions in the United States.

Rav Sheinert later settled in Boro Park, where he served for many years as a spiritual guide and mechanech, shaping hundreds of talmidim in the mesorah handed down through generations. He was renowned for sharing stories and teachings he had personally heard from Rav Aharon of Belz and other Torah giants.

Approximately twenty years ago, Rav Sheinert moved to Kiryat Belz in Yerushalayim. At the directive of the Belzer Rebbe, he assumed the role of mashpia at Yeshivas Torah Ve’Emunah, an institution dedicated to baalei teshuvah. There, he devoted himself to drawing Jewish hearts closer to their Father in Heaven, leaving an indelible impact on countless lives.

In recent years, his health declined and he was confined to his home.

The levayah took place Tuesday, departing from the Sanhedria Funeral Home in Yerushalayim and passing the Belzer Bais Medrash, before continuing to the Machzikei Hadass section at Har HaMenuchos for kevurah. 

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

After arriving in New York following a nonstop 22-hour journey from Sydney, Ahmed al-Ahmed and Rabbi Yehoram Ulman began their time in the United States Tuesday at the resting place of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in Queens.

The visit marked the start of a joint tour that will take the two men through New York and Washington, D.C., where they are scheduled to meet with a range of public figures and dignitaries. For Rabbi Ulman, the trip is deeply personal: a chance to publicly and privately express gratitude to a man who risked his own life to save members of his community.

Al-Ahmed became known worldwide following the Dec. 14, 2025, terror attack at Chabad-Lubavitch of Bondi’s Chanukah celebration in Sydney. During that attack, two terrorists opened fire on the crowd, murdering 15 people. Al-Ahmed, a local shopkeeper, charged one of the gunmen, wrestled away his weapon, and was shot twice in the process. Rabbi Ulman serves as the rabbi and spiritual leader of Chabad-Lubavitch of Bondi, where most of the victims were congregants or colleagues, including his son-in-law, Rabbi Eli Schlanger.

For Rabbi Ulman, traveling together to the United States symbolizes the Jewish community’s appreciation to a Syrian-born Muslim who acted without hesitation to save others. “Ahmed did what he did that day because he believed that G d placed him at the scene for a reason, and that’s what gave him the strength to save lives,” Ulman told Chabad.org. “This is something people from all walks of life can and must learn from.”

Al-Ahmed recalled how the events of that night unfolded almost by chance. On the early evening of Sunday, Dec. 14, he was walking along Bondi Beach looking for a cup of coffee. Finding none, he noticed a large gathering across the street at Archer’s Park. “I thought there might be coffee there, so I approached the security guard, who told me it was the Chanukah by the Sea celebration,” al-Ahmed told Chabad.org. “I saw the Menorah standing tall. I knew these were our Jewish brothers, and I felt happy to see it.”

Moments later, the celebration turned into a scene of terror. Gunfire erupted as two attackers positioned above the crowd began shooting. “If G d had willed to take my life, it would have ended there,” al-Ahmed said, describing how bullets flew past him. He dropped to the ground and crawled behind parked cars for cover, where he realized he was in a position to act as one of the terrorists advanced, continuing to fire at men, women, and children.

Al-Ahmed said he could not remain hidden. “To hear children screaming and women crying, I couldn’t stand it,” he said. “I had a duty; there was nothing to think about. Here was a man taking innocent lives. Nobody can take a human life—that’s in G d’s hands alone.”

Another bystander, 30-year-old Israeli Gefen Bitton, joined him and relayed information about the gunman’s movements. Despite still recovering from painful surgery on his left arm, al-Ahmed edged closer, moving from car to car before making his move. “It was as if I saw myself from above, going around the car toward him, and, I swear: I felt G d helping me,” he recalled.

He lunged at the terrorist, tackled him, and managed to wrench the gun away, halting the attack for crucial moments. Almost immediately, the second terrorist opened fire, striking al-Ahmed in the shoulder and arm. Bitton, who followed him in, was also shot and badly wounded.

At 6:46 p.m., six minutes and ten seconds after the first shots were fired, police finally neutralized the attackers. By then, Rabbi Ulman’s community had been devastated.

The victims included Rabbi Ulman’s son-in-law, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, with whom he had worked side by side on community initiatives for more than 18 years; Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, a quiet but central force in the community; Reuven Morrison, a close friend and pillar of Chabad of Bondi; Alex Kleytman, another longtime friend; and eleven others. Those lost included cherished community members, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl, Matilda.

That night, Rabbi Ulman rushed to the hospital to be with his daughter, Chayale Schlanger, whose back had been grazed by a bullet, and her two-month-old son Shimshy, injured by shrapnel. He was the one who had to call Eli’s parents and deliver the devastating news.

Despite his own grief, Rabbi Ulman felt a responsibility to his shattered community. “I didn’t have the luxury to wait a week before speaking to my community,” he said, “We all desperately needed to hear some perspective.” Over the course of that week, he officiated at ten funerals, each eulogy heavier than the last.

Three weeks later, still immersed in mourning, Rabbi Ulman reflected on the balance between grief and gratitude. “You have to allow yourself to be broken at a time like this,” he said. “At the same time, amidst the brokenness, we have to be grateful.”

He credits al-Ahmed’s bravery, along with others such as Morrison who also tried to stop the attack, with saving countless lives. Thinking of his daughter, his five grandchildren, and the many others who survived, Rabbi Ulman said, “In the greatest tragedies, there are always miracles. It could have been much, much worse.”

Standing beside al-Ahmed at the Ohel, Rabbi Ulman said he was grateful for the opportunity to personally express thanks on behalf of the Jewish people. “He’s a hero,” Ulman said. “It may be tempting to think, ‘someone else is being attacked, that’s not my business.’ But Ahmed didn’t think that way. His actions announce that this is not a Jewish issue; it is a human issue. We don’t only take care of our own. We look after each other. We are all G d’s children, and He gave each of us the ability to choose good over evil.”

Ulman added that al-Ahmed’s actions exemplify true kindness. “In the Torah, among the non-kosher birds, there is listed one bird called a ‘chasidah’—which means ‘kindness.’ Why is it called that? ‘Because,’ the Talmud says, ‘it shows kindness to its friends.’ But if it’s kind, why isn’t it kosher? It’s not kosher because it is kind exclusively to its own friends. That’s not true kindness. True kindness extends beyond our circle—if innocent people are being hurt, and G d puts us in a position to help, we must act. Ahmed did exactly that. He shows us what true kindness looks like.”

Al-Ahmed, for his part, has downplayed the attention he has received since the attack. “I just did my duty as a human being,” he told Chabad.org. “Afterward, in the hospital, my phone started ringing and ringing. I was told the whole world knows me. For what? I did my duty as a human being.”’

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing for a consequential stretch, with decisions expected as early as Friday in cases that carry far-reaching political, economic, and social consequences in the United States and beyond.

According to the court’s public schedule, the justices signaled on Tuesday that opinions in argued cases may be issued when they take the bench for a scheduled session on Friday. As is customary, the court has not disclosed which specific rulings will be released.

Among the most closely watched matters is the challenge to President Donald Trump’s global tariff regime, a case that could reshape international trade policy and redefine the limits of presidential authority. The dispute stems from Trump’s decision to impose broad tariffs by invoking a 1977 statute designed for national emergencies.

During oral arguments held on Nov. 5, justices from across the ideological spectrum raised pointed questions about whether the law justified the administration’s actions. The case reached the high court after lower courts ruled that the administration’s use of the statute went beyond what Congress authorized.

Trump has publicly voiced alarm over the possibility of an adverse ruling. In a social media post last Friday, he warned that striking down the tariffs would be a “terrible blow” to the United States. In another message posted on Monday, Trump defended the policy, writing, “Because of Tariffs, our Country is financially, AND FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY STANDPOINT, FAR STRONGER AND MORE RESPECTED THAN EVER BEFORE.”

The tariffs were imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on imports from multiple countries. The administration argued that persistent trade deficits constituted a national emergency and also used tariffs targeting China, Canada, and Mexico as leverage to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the United States.

Beyond the tariff dispute, the court — which has a 6–3 conservative majority — is weighing several other high-profile cases. In October, justices heard arguments over a challenge to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a cornerstone provision that prohibits election maps that weaken minority voting power even without explicit proof of discriminatory intent.

During that hearing, the conservative bloc appeared inclined to narrow the reach of the provision, potentially making it harder to challenge redistricting plans alleged to dilute minority influence.

Also argued in October was a First Amendment challenge to a Colorado law barring licensed psychotherapists from performing “conversion therapy” on minors. The law targets practices aimed at changing a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

In that case, a majority of justices signaled sympathy toward a Christian counselor who contends the law violates constitutional protections for free speech, suggesting the statute may not survive scrutiny.

The court’s docket remains packed in the weeks ahead. On Jan. 13, the justices are scheduled to hear arguments over Republican-backed state laws that prohibit transgender athletes from competing on female sports teams at public schools.

Later in the month, on Jan. 21, the court will take up another case with sweeping economic implications: Trump’s effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The challenge, which raises questions about the independence of the central bank, involves an action without historical precedent. Cook continues to serve in her role while the case is pending.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has taken a decisive step toward launching construction of the long-disputed E1 settlement project east of Yerushalayim, clearing the final procedural barrier with the release of a government tender inviting developers to submit bids.

The tender, posted on the website of the Israel Land Authority, calls for proposals to build 3,401 housing units, a move that would allow work on the project to proceed once contracts are awarded. According to critics, the publication of the tender signals a sharp acceleration toward actual construction.

Peace Now, the anti-settlement monitoring organization, was the first to report the tender’s release. Yoni Mizrahi, who heads the group’s settlement watch division, said that preliminary construction activity could begin as soon as within the next month.

“In an alarming display of political recklessness, the Israeli government continues to undermine any prospect for a political solution and a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians,” Peace Now said in a Monday statement. “Construction in E1 is intended to create irreversible facts on the ground leading to a one-state reality.”

The E1 area, an open stretch of land east of Yerushalayim near the Ma’ale Adumim settlement, has been the subject of planning discussions for more than 20 years. Despite repeated consideration, development was repeatedly frozen in the past under pressure from the United States during earlier administrations.

The project has drawn particularly intense opposition because of its geographic significance. The planned construction would extend from the outskirts of Yerushalayim into the heart of the West Bank, a configuration critics argue would sever the territory into northern and southern sections and block the formation of a contiguous Palestinian state.

Palestinians and much of the international community regard Israeli settlements as illegal under international law and maintain that continued expansion undermines the prospects for establishing a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank.

Plans for a new neighborhood linked to Ma’ale Adumim in the E1 zone have long alarmed foreign governments and international bodies. Opponents say such development would prevent the emergence of a Palestinian urban corridor connecting East Yerushalayim with Bethlehem and Ramallah, an area Palestinians envision as central to a future state.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees settlement policy and is a leading proponent of expansion, has for years pressed for E1 to move from planning to reality.

“The Palestinian state is being erased from the table not with slogans but with actions,” he said in August, when Israel granted final approval to the plan. “Every settlement, every neighborhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea.”

Peace Now said the tender’s release “reflects an accelerated effort to advance construction in E1,” warning that once the bidding process is complete, stopping the project would require direct political intervention.

In his role as a minister in the Defense Ministry responsible for civilian affairs in the West Bank, Smotrich has pushed through extensive settlement planning, large-scale land appropriations for new construction and infrastructure, and the retroactive legalization of outposts that were previously considered illegal under Israeli law.

Smotrich has openly stated that these policies, including the E1 project, are intended to effectively annex the territory and block the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Tenders are typically issued only after all planning and regulatory approvals have been secured. As a result, unless there is a political decision to halt the process, construction is expected to proceed once contracts are awarded, a process that generally takes between one and two years.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed members of Congress this week that President Donald Trump is pursuing the idea of acquiring Greenland through a financial deal rather than by force, reviving a proposal that has drawn strong objections from European governments and reignited discussion about American priorities in the Arctic.

According to U.S. officials, Rubio shared those views during a private briefing with lawmakers from the armed services and foreign affairs panels in both the House and Senate.

Although the session was largely devoted to developments in Venezuela, questions turned to Greenland following recent public remarks by Trump and comments from senior adviser Stephen Miller that renewed attention on the issue.

Officials said that on the same day as the Capitol Hill briefing, Trump directed his aides to prepare an updated proposal outlining potential avenues for obtaining Greenland. The president has spoken about Greenland since his first term, presenting the matter as a strategic concern linked to intensifying competition in the Arctic region.

Greenland, while under the sovereignty of Denmark—a NATO ally—has significant autonomy over its internal affairs and is known for its sparse population and vast natural resources. Rubio did not provide details on what a purchase might involve or confirm whether any official discussions with Denmark have taken place.

On Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen joined the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland in issuing a coordinated statement dismissing Trump’s claims that the United States should assume control over Greenland.

The joint declaration stressed the importance of NATO cooperation and the protection of national borders and sovereignty.

“Security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with NATO allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the U.N. Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders,” the leaders said. “These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them.”

“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement added. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”

Later that same day, the White House indicated that military action had not been taken off the table.

“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” the statement said. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said that “Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.” While both Russia and China have increased their activity in the Arctic, the United States already has a longstanding military footprint on the island, including Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, which Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited last year.

U.S. officials have also highlighted Greenland’s possible deposits of critical minerals as a key factor in the administration’s interest.

The administration’s National Security Strategy places dominance in the Western Hemisphere at the forefront of U.S. priorities, a theme reflected in recent American military actions in Venezuela and earlier comments by Trump suggesting that Canada could become the 51st state.

{Matzav.com}

Diplomatic channels indicate that understandings are taking shape over a future role for Palestinian Authority security forces at the Rafah crossing, with plans focusing on restoring traffic between the Gaza Strip and Egypt once the crossing reopens.

In preparation for post-conflict arrangements, Egypt has over the past year trained hundreds of officers from the Palestinian Authority’s security services. Cairo is seeking to position these forces as part of a future security deployment inside Gaza.

Addressing internal governance issues, Palestinian Authority cabinet head Mohammad Mustafa said punitive financial steps taken by Israel, including the withholding of tax revenues, would not derail the government’s ability to continue supplying basic services to Gaza’s population.

Mustafa, speaking at the weekly PA cabinet session in Ramallah, underscored the administration’s broader political goals, declaring, “The government will take all necessary steps to establish a sovereign Palestinian state.”

At the same meeting, he framed the current reform drive as an effort to consolidate Palestinian governance structures across territories, saying, “The government is determined to unify Palestinian institutions in Judea and Samaria and in the Gaza Strip, and to address the economic and security challenges despite the constraints imposed by the occupation.”

Officials say the reform agenda is being advanced in line with directives from PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and is closely tied to U.S. expectations, as Washington presses for changes that would enable the Palestinian Authority to be incorporated into any future governing framework for Gaza following the conflict.

{Matzav.com}