Matzav

Senator John Fetterman was taken to the hospital on Thursday morning after tripping and hitting his face while walking near his Braddock, Pennsylvania home. His office said the move was made “out of an abundance of caution.”

Medical staff later determined that the Pennsylvania senator experienced a “ventricular fibrillation flare-up,” a condition in which the heart fails to pump blood properly.

Fetterman, who suffered a stroke in 2022 just months before his successful Senate run, was admitted for monitoring and medication adjustments. “He is doing well and receiving routine observation at the hospital,” his office said in a statement. “He has opted to stay so doctors can fine-tune his medication regimen. Senator Fetterman is grateful for the EMTs, doctors, and nurses who are providing his care.”

According to his team, the 56-year-old lawmaker had felt “light-headed” before the fall and sustained minor injuries. He managed to keep his sense of humor, remarking, “If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!”

The incident occurred just two days after the release of his memoir, Unfettered, in which he discusses his personal struggles with health issues, including a bout of depression during the early months of his Senate tenure.

{Matzav.com}

In the days following his mayoral victory, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has been quietly reaching out to key Democratic governors to discuss how best to confront President Trump and to prepare for potential challenges his administration may bring. Axios reports that these conversations have included three governors frequently mentioned as possible 2028 presidential contenders, indicating that Mamdani is drawing guidance from across the Democratic spectrum as he prepares to govern.

According to individuals familiar with the discussions, Mamdani spoke with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday and with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on election night. Earlier, he had also connected with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Each conversation reportedly touched on how their respective states and cities have navigated the political turbulence brought by Trump’s actions and policies.

Mamdani’s decision to engage specifically with governors whose states contain major urban centers — such as Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia — is no accident. These cities, like New York, have been frequent targets of Trump’s aggressive federal actions, from immigration raids to proposed National Guard deployments. The discussions reflected shared concerns over how to safeguard their residents and maintain autonomy under federal pressure.

Sources say Mamdani and Pritzker delved into strategy regarding Trump’s potential moves toward New York, drawing from Illinois’s prior experiences when the president deployed federal forces to the Chicago area. Their exchange came amid heightened tensions after Trump branded Mamdani a “communist” and warned that New York City’s federal funding could be at risk if he took office.

Discussions with Governor Moore extended beyond Trump. Mamdani reportedly praised Moore’s initiatives to streamline bureaucracy and boost small business development, seeking advice on ways to promote innovation in city governance. Their teams have also shared perspectives on managing federal-state tensions and navigating the national spotlight.

Mamdani’s earlier conversation with Governor Shapiro centered on issues of antisemitism and Israel, a call the mayor-elect himself initiated. Shapiro, who is Jewish, later confirmed the discussion to reporters, adding that they also spoke about reforms to streamline government permitting processes — an area where both leaders share interest in modernization and efficiency.

The governors Mamdani has turned to represent different wings of the Democratic Party. Pritzker, a progressive heavyweight, has made headlines for taking a combative stance toward Trump, once telling him, “You come for my people, you come through me.” Shapiro, by contrast, has struck a more moderate tone, while Moore has tried to balance collaboration with firmness — saying after Trump’s election that he would work to benefit Marylanders, but warning, “We do not need occupiers,” when Trump threatened to send the National Guard to Baltimore. Moore recently unveiled a redistricting commission to resist what he described as “Trump-inspired moves in other states,” adding, “We’re not just going to sit on our hands because Donald Trump tells us to.”

Within Democratic circles, Mamdani’s next steps are being closely monitored. Party strategists believe his leadership in New York could set the tone for Democrats nationwide, shaping future narratives around progressive governance in an era dominated by Trump’s influence. Many potential candidates for upcoming elections are already considering whether aligning with Mamdani could prove politically advantageous.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another potential presidential contender, noted that he sent congratulatory texts to Mamdani and other Democrats after their recent wins. For Mamdani, these alliances appear to be part of a deliberate effort to prepare for direct confrontation with Trump while surrounding himself with Democrats who have faced similar battles.

Mamdani has pledged to coordinate closely with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to counter any attempts by Trump to undermine the city’s autonomy. In his victory speech, he declared, “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu brushed aside concerns about visiting New York after its newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, vowed to have him arrested upon arrival. Speaking in an interview with Australian journalist Erin Molan, Netanyahu made it clear he wasn’t intimidated. “No. I’m not afraid. What do you want me to say about Mamdani? What about him?” he replied when asked about the controversial mayor’s comments.

Turning from the political to the ideological, Netanyahu used the opportunity to highlight the sharp contrast between his worldview and that of Mamdani. He recalled Israel’s transition from semi-socialism to a free-market economy under his leadership, crediting those reforms with transforming the Jewish state into a global innovation and technology hub.

He warned that the ideologies embraced by figures like Mamdani often carry dangerous undercurrents of antisemitism. “Antisemitism usually collapses societies,” Netanyahu said, “it starts with the Jews, then goes to the blacks, the gays, the Hispanics… and it just collapses societies.” He cautioned that New York, if led by such thinking, could face a “very dim future.”

Asked whether he would be willing to meet or engage in discussion with the new mayor, Netanyahu’s response was curt and pointed. “I have a lot of dialogues that I’m engaged in right now, a lot. And I think this one, I think he should get his act together before he makes these statements.”

Netanyahu added a sharp critique of Mamdani’s lack of experience and understanding, underscoring that leadership requires more than youthful enthusiasm. “It’s good to be a young leader, but it’s not good to be a young, uneducated leader,” he remarked. He urged the mayor to “brush up” on basic subjects like economics and antisemitism before attempting serious discourse.

Despite the evident tension, Netanyahu’s tone carried an undercurrent of pragmatism. While he signaled openness to dialogue, his message was unmistakable: meaningful conversation can only happen once Mamdani gains the knowledge and perspective necessary to speak responsibly.

{Matzav.com}

Naftali Bennett issued a scathing denunciation of proposals suggesting that Gaza’s post-war security be overseen by international forces, warning that such a move would severely compromise Israel’s safety. The former prime minister and defense minister took particular issue with suggestions that Qatar or Turkey could play a role in that framework.

“Transferring security control in Gaza to multinational forces—some of which are hostile, like Turkey, endangers Israel’s security,” Bennett cautioned.

He accused the government of contemplating a dangerous repetition of past mistakes. “Handing over control of our destiny to Hamas-sponsoring Qatar and to [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is Oslo on steroids,” he declared, referring to the failed Oslo Accords that many Israelis view as a catalyst for years of bloodshed.

Reflecting on the October 7 attacks, Bennett said that Israel’s foremost lesson from that tragedy must be eternal vigilance. “If there’s one takeaway burned into us from the October 7 failure, it’s that we cannot afford to fall asleep and hope for the best. The IDF must always have the freedom to act—to ‘mow the grass,’ to address threats while they’re still small, before they turn into terror monsters like we’ve experienced in the south and the north.”

He lambasted what he described as an erosion of Israeli sovereignty and independence in military operations. “How did we get to a point where our soldiers must coordinate the movement of Israeli forces with the American command center in Kiryat Gat? Israel is not a protectorate,” Bennett charged.

Concluding with a demand for transparency, Bennett called on the government to reveal any deals or understandings being struck without public oversight. “I demand the immediate publication of all commitments and concessions being made behind the backs of Israeli citizens. What is the declared or hidden motive of the Israeli government in agreeing to surrender our security and freedom of action? The citizens of Israel deserve full transparency regarding their safety.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, in a wide-ranging interview with Australian journalist Erin Molan, addressed President Donald Trump’s letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog urging a pardon for Netanyahu.

Speaking candidly, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Trump while rejecting any notion of admitting guilt. “Regarding the pardon request? I will think about it. I will definitely not admit guilt. I am grateful to President Trump; he speaks the truth. This trial is ridiculous. I spend three days a week, imagine, conducting a war and expanding peace, and three days in court talking about why my son Yair, when he was five, received a Bugs Bunny doll or cigars from friends. It’s ridiculous, the case is falling apart,” Netanyahu said.

He noted that the drawn-out proceedings have become a source of embarrassment for prosecutors and have long since lost public interest. “The news stopped covering it; it’s embarrassing for the prosecution, and President Trump essentially called it a political witch hunt.”

Netanyahu further emphasized that the ongoing trial is not just a personal distraction but a national burden. “It harms both American and Israeli interests, which is also what Trump said. My time should be free to pursue the issues that will determine Israel’s future and its place in the Middle East.”

As negotiations over a new draft law drag on with no legislation yet in sight, MK Meir Porush, head of the Shlomei Emunim faction, issued a stark warning in a wide-ranging interview in Hebrew with Kikar HaShabbat. Matzav.com presents portions of the interview here.

Porush described the situation of the chareidi public as the worst it has been “since the establishment of the State,” citing the arrests of yeshiva students and financial sanctions, and cautioned that continued arrests could provoke mass unrest.

“The fact that we have no law regulating the status of yeshiva students — that’s the root of all this,” Porush said. “As long as there is no law, whatever they’re doing to us now is just a fraction of what’s coming.” He pointed to the Supreme Court’s past rulings striking down deferments for Torah study, saying, “It began when the court ruled that thousands of yeshiva students cannot be exempt just because they’re learning Torah — because Torah study is not listed as a legitimate reason for deferment. You see the judicial activism at play.”

Porush lamented that the chareidi parties had failed to insist on passing the draft law before the coalition was formed. “Even at the time, I said — not behind closed doors — that everyone looked out for their own priorities. Smotrich, Ben Gvir, Netanyahu — each made sure his own law passed before the government was established. But the draft law was delayed. No one asked me if I agreed. Decisions were made elsewhere, and that’s how we got here.”

The veteran MK said the arrests of yeshiva students were a misguided approach. “This won’t work,” he stated. “Trying to force us — it won’t help. You can’t draft the chareidi public into the army by coercion when we have our own worldview about the army. Arrests won’t change that.”

Porush warned that the growing number of arrests could ignite a public backlash. “If the arrests intensify, our community will certainly rise up. People will not accept it. There will be a response — I don’t know what kind, but it will be real and forceful.”

He rejected claims that the IDF targets Sephardi yeshiva students disproportionately, saying, “When they come to our neighborhoods, there’s always a large crowd, so the army can’t act. They pick places where they can come at two in the morning when fewer people gather. It’s not about Ashkenazim or Sephardim — I don’t accept that view.”

Asked about the proposed draft bill put forward by MK Boaz Bismuth, Porush said he has not yet reviewed the final version. “I don’t know what the law says officially. I know what was leaked, but that’s not the final text. When I go to speak with the rabbonim, I prefer not to confuse them until there’s a final draft to review and discuss.”

Porush emphasized that he was never part of any agreement that included recruitment targets or sanctions. “I warned at a Cabinet meeting that these targets and sanctions were never approved by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel,” he said. “They told me, ‘You don’t know everything,’ but my position is clear — I’ll do whatever the Gedolei HaTorah instruct.”

Asked whether he supports drafting those who are not learning, Porush replied, “Don’t ask me about those who don’t learn. First, restore what always existed — the arrangement where those who sit and learn receive deferments. Reestablish that, and then we can discuss anything else. They stole the very foundation of our agreement — bring it back first.”

He added firmly, “I won’t hint at compromise. I’m not ready to give up anything. First, return what was ours — then we’ll talk.”

Regarding whether the chareidi parties would bring down the government if the draft law isn’t passed, Porush said, “You have to ask yourself: If we break everything and go to elections, what did we accomplish? Did we pass a law? No. So what’s the point?”

Still, he noted, “The coalition can’t pass any law without the chareidim. We’re not advancing their legislation as a form of protest — they feel it. If they tell us, ‘You won’t get your law,’ then we’ll say goodbye.”

On Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the issue, Porush was candid: “We have our complaints. He’s capable, and when he wants something, he knows how to make it happen. Of course he could have done more to move this forward — he knows this is our central issue. He didn’t help us enough, and that’s a valid criticism. But sometimes, even when he wanted to act, he faced legal advisers who constantly push back. That’s the reality.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Can we talk about the latest epidemic spreading quietly through the frum world?

No, not a new fad diet or a WhatsApp group.

I’m talking about grown men—yes, frum men, in their, fifties, sixties and seventies—dyeing their hair jet black as if they’re fooling us.

Do they honestly think we don’t notice? When a man’s face, posture, and wardrobe all scream “retirement age” but his hair is darker than his grandson’s, who exactly does he think he’s fooling? It doesn’t make him look younger. It makes him look ridiculous. You can practically hear the hair dye shouting, “I’m insecure!” from across the shul.

Let’s be real: no one is mistaking you for being 40 again. The only thing your “Mens Hair Now” routine does is make you look like a wax figure who escaped from Madame Tussauds. And while we’re not even touching the halachic side of it (that’s another conversation entirely), can we at least acknowledge that it’s just plain unbecoming?

There used to be a time when gray hair was considered a badge of honor. It meant wisdom, experience, dignity. Now, we have people running to the drugstore to erase every sign of life lived. Why? Are we so terrified of looking our age that we’d rather look absurd than authentic?

Gentlemen, it’s time to grow up—literally. Stop pretending, stop painting your heads, and stop believing that vanity will somehow make you more appealing. Embrace your years, your silver strands, your earned respect. A man with white hair has lived. A man who dyes it black just looks like he’s still trying to live in denial.

There’s nothing wrong with being forty, fifty, sixty or seventy or more. There is something wrong with being that age and acting like a teenager who just discovered Just for Men. So please, put down the dye, step away from the mirror, and let Klal Yisroel see that growing older with grace is still something to be proud of.

Signed,
A Yid Who Can Spot a Bottle of Hair Dye from a Mile Away

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

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

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

It’s midnight in the holy city of Yerushalayim, and a group of exalted and illustrious mekubalim stream in, one by one, into the Beis Medrash overlooking the Makom HaMikdash—the site of our destroyed Beis HaMikdash—where they will spend the night immersed in holiness.  

Each and every one of these carefully selected Yidden has already spent years in the study of the Zohar and the writings of the Arizal and his talmidim. Their faces radiate holiness and holy purpose, and they exude humility and piety.  

They are the Avreichim of Kollel Kabbalah B’Chatzos—a project of Torah-24 which is founded and led by HaGaon Rav Avrohom Eisen, shlit”a, Pozna Rov, a confidant of gedolei Yisroel.  

The night begins at midnight, when the avreichim tearfully and mournfully recite Tikkun Chatzos, along with other tefillos, lamenting what has been lost, and storming the Heavens for its restoration.  

Following this, they will delve into the deepest secrets of the hidden Torah—until the sun comes up over Yerushalayim. For the entire night, hour after hour, they chase sleep away, and remain immersed into the Kabbalah that has been handed down to us by the most exalted tzaddikim that Klal Yisroel possessed.  

Gedolei Yisroel who have become aware of the Kollel Kabbalah B’Chatzos phenomenon have expressed awe and admiration for these illustrious men.  

Hagaon HaMekubal Rav Abish Zenwirth, who has attested that he knows these men up close, has attested that “they are humble tzaddikim who prepare themselves for their holy nights by immersing in the mikveh, and study the secrets of Torah all night amid ahavas Hashem and deep fear of Heaven.”   

In his letter of endorsement for Kollel Kabbalah B’Chatzos, Rav Zenwirth writes: “Fortunate are all those who take part in this great and holy endeavor. They will surely merit all the Heavenly blessings and illuminations. They will be pursued by goodness and kindness all their lives, and in their merit we will soon hear the great blast of the shofar of Mashiach. Amen.”  

Partner in this incredible and holy endeavor today, and be joined with these holy mekubalim of Yerushalayim who will daven for you and your family to indeed merit the many Heavenly blessings that come to those who spend their nights immersed in Torah.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez avoided giving a straight answer when pressed on whether Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer should relinquish his leadership role after multiple Democratic senators sided with Republicans on a vote to reopen the government.

When asked directly on Wednesday if Schumer ought to step down as the party’s leader in the Senate, Ocasio-Cortez delivered a lengthy reply that skirted the issue entirely. “I think what’s important is that we understand that…a leader is a reflection of the party, and Senate Democrats have selected their leadership to represent them,” she said, according to the Washington Examiner’s Rachel Schilke.

The New York lawmaker went on to broaden her remarks, saying, “And so the question needs to be bigger than just one person. We have several Senate primaries this cycle. I know I’m being asked about New York. That is years from now. …We actually do have Senate elections this year, and my hope is that people across this country actually participate in their primary elections in selecting their leadership.”

Her comments came as Schumer faced a wave of internal backlash after eight Democratic senators broke ranks and joined Republicans in supporting a procedural measure on Sunday night that allowed a continuing resolution to advance — effectively paving the way to end the government shutdown.

Those who crossed the aisle included Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Tim Kaine of Virginia. They were joined by Catherine Cortez Masto of New Mexico, Angus King of Maine, and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, all of whom previously voted to move the House-approved funding measure forward.

By siding with Republicans, the eight Democrats abandoned efforts to secure a guaranteed continuation of enhanced Obamacare premium subsidies first enacted during the pandemic. In exchange, they accepted a verbal commitment from Senate Republican leader John Thune to hold a vote on the subsidies “no later than the second week in December.”

In an interview with Breitbart News prior to the shutdown on October 1, Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton accused Schumer of precipitating the crisis out of fear that Ocasio-Cortez might challenge him for his seat. “Chuck Schumer is shutting down the government because he’s terrified of a primary from AOC. His actions are disgraceful,” Cotton said.

After Sunday’s vote, Cotton renewed his criticism, blasting Schumer as “a disgrace” who put “his deranged hatred for President Trump ahead of serving the public.”

The internal Democratic rift over the spending deal has reignited tensions within the party, with progressives and moderates once again clashing over leadership and strategy — while Ocasio-Cortez continues to keep her distance from directly confronting Schumer’s standing at the top.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli officials confirmed Wednesday that Hamas possesses complete information about all four hostages whose bodies are still in Gaza. The report, released by Kan 11 News, cites senior sources familiar with the situation who said the terror group maintains detailed knowledge about each of the deceased.

According to those sources, the intelligence extends beyond Hamas itself, encompassing data about captives held by the Islamic Jihad group as well. This revelation underscores the complexity of the hostage situation and the overlapping control among militant factions inside Gaza.

The officials underscored that Israel’s stance remains firm: no half measures or partial deals will be accepted regarding the recovery of the fallen. “They must all be brought back – down to the very last one,” the sources declared, calling for increased diplomatic and security pressure on Hamas to achieve that outcome.

At the same time, efforts are reportedly being made to locate and retrieve the bodies through coordination involving Hamas representatives and the International Red Cross. These steps are said to form part of the broader framework addressing both captives and missing individuals from the war.

Separately, Asharq Al-Awsat reported earlier in the day that among the four, one of the deceased hostages is currently held by Hamas, another by Islamic Jihad, and two more are believed to be located in Israeli-controlled territory east of the Yellow Line.

{Matzav.com}

Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced Thursday afternoon that they will release the body of a deceased hostage later in the evening, saying the handover is set for 8:00 PM.

According to the joint statement, the remains were recovered in the Morag region, located just north of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

At present, the terrorist groups in Gaza are holding the bodies of four Israeli hostages — Dror Or, Meni Godard, Ran Gvili, and Sudthisak Rinthalak — whose families have been waiting in anguish for their return.

Officials cited by Kan 11 News on Wednesday confirmed that Hamas possesses complete information concerning all four of the deceased hostages whose bodies remain in Gaza.

The same sources added that these details are not limited to those in Hamas custody but also cover hostages held by Islamic Jihad.

Government officials stressed that no deal should move forward without the recovery of every last body, calling for intensified diplomatic and military pressure to ensure their return. “They must all be brought back – down to the very last one.”

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern on Wednesday that escalating unrest in the West Bank could endanger the fragile truce in Gaza. “Certainly there’s some concern about events in the West Bank spilling over and creating an effect that could undermine what we’re doing in Gaza,” Rubio told reporters. He added that while he hopes the tensions will not disrupt the ceasefire, he does not expect them to do so either.

Rubio commended Israeli leaders who have spoken out against the violence, noting the statements made by President Isaac Herzog and senior IDF officials condemning the latest attacks. Their remarks followed a massive assault by dozens of Israelis who torched Palestinian farmland and factories between Nablus and Tulkarem.

In contrast, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition have remained silent, prompting accusations that the government is quietly tolerating the attacks. The violence has become an almost daily occurrence, raising alarm among international observers.

Rubio’s measured comments marked one of the few times the Trump administration has addressed settler violence directly. Although he stopped short of outright condemnation, his acknowledgment signaled growing unease within Washington over the situation.

When Trump first took office, he reversed a policy imposed a year earlier by then-president Joe Biden, signing an executive order to end sanctions targeting extremist settlers and related organizations. Since then, settler raids — including attacks on Christian villages — have persisted.

In July, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, an ordained pastor, visited one of the affected villages and urged Israeli authorities to prosecute those responsible. “Those targeting the village must be brought to justice,” he said. However, despite his call, not a single indictment has been filed.

Accountability within Israel’s law enforcement remains limited. The commander of the police division overseeing the West Bank is under investigation for allegedly ignoring settler crimes to gain favor with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Despite the inquiry, the officer has been allowed to resume his duties.

Authorities detained four suspects linked to Tuesday’s large-scale arson attack, but by the following day, three had already been released. The IDF and police have traded accusations over who bears responsibility for failing to stop the violence, while some security sources quietly blame the government itself, citing ties between extremist settlers and certain ministers.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, has moved to reduce international scrutiny of the issue. A G7 statement released Wednesday offered only a vague pledge to “continue to maintain attention on the situation in the West Bank,” a softer tone than that taken under Biden, when a similar communiqué condemned settlement expansion and urged restraint from all sides.

As Rubio’s press briefing ended, new reports emerged of another assault — this one in the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. Armed settlers allegedly fired at a civilian guard, injuring a young man in the foot. The Sinjil Municipality blamed the attack on “settlers who are supported by the occupation army,” describing it as part of an ongoing wave of aggression.

Meanwhile, a Channel 12 investigation revealed that police probes into Jewish nationalist violence have sharply declined under Ben Gvir’s leadership. The number of investigations has dropped by 73% since 2023, even as settler attacks have hit record highs. Only 60 cases have been opened this year, compared to 150 in 2024 and 235 the previous year — a striking disparity as the violence continues unchecked.

{Matzav.com}

A newly revealed document shows that three months before the Simchas Torah/Oct. 7 massacre, then–Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar sent a written warning to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, urging him to take steps to restore deterrence against Hamas. Despite the stark warning, no discussion on the matter was ever held in the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to a report aired Wednesday night on Channel 12, the classified document — titled Shin Bet Strategic Policy for 2024 — outlined Bar’s concern over a growing erosion of Israeli deterrence and called for proactive measures in Gaza. In the report, Bar defined “rebuilding deterrence in the field to reverse the current trend” as one of the service’s top objectives for the coming year.

Bar’s memorandum, submitted in June 2023, three months before the October 7 massacre, recommended that Israel initiate “preemptive rounds against Hamas, expand targeted killings, maintain constant readiness, and treat preparedness for a large-scale confrontation as the organization’s top priority.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu annotated the document with the remark, “Not a Shin Bet directive,” implying that strategic decisions were his alone to determine. No follow-up meeting or formal review of the recommendations took place.

In response to the revelations, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement downplaying the significance of the memo. “Regarding the document, the Shin Bet director sent a ten-page memorandum on July 3, 2023, summarizing his recommendations for directives and operational directions for 2024,” the statement read. “In the document, the Shin Bet chief presented five key challenges: the Arab sector, internal societal division in Israel, the Shiite-Palestinian axis, the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, and ‘Jewish terrorism.’”

The statement continued: “As part of his recommendations on these issues, the Shin Bet director referred to Gaza only in one paragraph, suggesting the need to strengthen and stabilize the Strip by addressing the issue of labor permits, halting incitement from Judea and Samaria, and curbing smuggling. Beyond that, the document contained no reference to any offensive action by Hamas.”

The disclosure raises new questions about the government’s handling of intelligence warnings in the months leading up to the October 7 atrocities — and about whether critical calls for preventive measures were ignored.

{Matzav.com}

Time magazine has named Hostage, the gripping memoir by Israeli survivor Eli Sharabi, as one of the top 100 “must-read” books released in the past year. The book chronicles his harrowing 491-day captivity in Hamas tunnels beneath Gaza and the unimaginable loss he discovered upon returning home.

Sharabi, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri, was abducted during the October 7, 2023 massacre. His wife, Lianne, and their daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were murdered while hiding in their safe room, a tragedy Sharabi only learned about after his rescue. His brother Yossi was also taken hostage and later died in captivity.

Time’s reviewer, Hamilton Cain, described the memoir as “a searing” and deeply personal account. “In his best-selling memoir, Eli Sharabi… depicts his captivity in searing detail, from the dawn raid in which he was separated from his wife and daughters to his excruciating ordeal in the tunnels beneath Gaza,” Cain wrote.

Cain continued, “He writes of befriending a few fellow hostages and devising a plan to survive on ‘a siniyah between us per meal: a tray with a little rice, meat, or ful beans… a pita and a half to scoop out of the tray.’”

The review observed that “when a negotiated deal led to his freedom, Sharabi emerged into a world forever shattered and learned that his family had been killed in the attack. In this first memoir of captivity in Gaza following October 7, Sharabi offers a raw, intimate perspective on one of the most divisive conflicts in modern history.”

Since its release, Hostage has gained international recognition, reaching the fourth spot on The New York Times bestseller list and even appearing on the cover of Time. It is the first firsthand account of captivity in Gaza to be published after the horrific October 7 events.

Sharabi recently sent an English copy of his book to President Donald Trump, including a deeply personal inscription: “Dear President Trump, Thank you for securing my release. I am forever and eternally grateful. Your actions have given me back my freedom, my life.”

{Matzav.com}

Panic erupted on a sunny afternoon in Miami Beach when a Jewish baby was nearly kidnapped from his mother by an apparently unstable woman, who was later arrested after dropping the child and fleeing into the ocean.

The frightening incident took place Wednesday on Collins Avenue near 36th Street, where a group of Jewish women visiting from New York were relaxing together. Without warning, a woman approached and suddenly snatched a baby from one of the mothers. “She just grabbed him!” an eyewitness shouted as chaos ensued. Members of the group and a bystander immediately gave chase.

Multiple emergency calls flooded police dispatchers as the group ran after the suspect. When Miami Beach police officers arrived at the scene, the woman threw the infant to the ground and bolted toward the water, diving into the waves in an attempt to escape. Miraculously, the baby was unharmed.

Officers quickly apprehended the suspect without further incident. Authorities confirmed that she was taken to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Police have not yet released the woman’s identity but said initial findings suggest she acted alone and that the attempted abduction appeared random. Investigators emphasized that there was no prior connection between the suspect and the victims.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

On the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night when the windows of Europe’s Jews were shattered and the illusion of safety collapsed, Jewish residents of New York City once again find themselves in a familiar place: anxious, uncertain, and watchful.

We have a newly-elected mayor, a city whose moral compass feels unsteady, and a public square where anti-Semitism is no longer whispered but shouted. It is enough to make one shudder. The same poisonous ideas that once hid in the shadows now strut in daylight. Their champions sit in city councils, in Congress, in the Senate, and across social media feeds, shaping opinion and policy.

The facts don’t matter. What we say doesn’t matter. Words don’t matter, and debates don’t either. The New York City election reinforced and proved our fears, as a majority of voters supported an avowed anti-American anti-Semite.

A new day has dawned. We cannot look back and speak of what was. We must honestly assess the situation today and strengthen ourselves, for the weak will not survive, but the strong will.

We must remember our history, and if we don’t know it, we must learn it and teach it to our children. Am Yisroel has been under attack since time immemorial, and without fail, those who chased us, tormented us, killed us, and sent us into exile are all gone, while we are standing and thriving.

For generations, America has been different. It has been a malchus shel chesed, a land of kindness where Jews could breathe freely and build deeply. But now, many fear that the tide is turning. The recent election has forced open our eyes to an uncomfortable truth: the system that allowed us to flourish is changing. Groups that despise us are gaining power.

So where do we go from here?

Chazalremindus: “Einlonu al mi lehisho’einela al Avinu shebashomayim.” We are not a people who depend on the whims of rulers or the polls of the moment. We have been here before, and we have outlasted Paroh, Nevuchadnetzar, Titus, Stalin, Hitler, and every would-be destroyer who thought we would fade into history’s footnotes.

We are still here. They are not.

We say it every morning during Shacharis: “Eilehvorechevv’eilehvasoosim, vaanachnub’sheim Hashem Elokeinu nazkir,” Some of our enemies come after us with chariots and some with horses, but we daven to Hashem. They dropped to their knees and fell, but we have risen and stand strong.”

Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, the PonovezherRov, embodied this truth. Having watched the flames of Europe consume his world, he arrived in Eretz Yisroel with nothing. Yet, before he even had two shekels in his pocket, he climbed a barren hill in Bnei Brak and declared, “Here I will build a yeshiva,” and bought that property.

The world saw ashes. He saw a future. Those around him saw despair. He saw the potential for Torah to take root.

While Hitler’s legions marched through Lita and Nazi General Rommel’s tanks were ten days away from reaching Eretz Yisroel, Hashem was preparing the rebirth of Torah that would flourish there, a spiritual defiance stronger than any army.

While Jews the world over mourned their terrible losses and cried over the plight of millions locked in Europe as the war machine raged and concentration camps rose, there stood one lonely, penniless man planning for the future of Torah.

Such is Jewish strength. Throughout the centuries, since the destruction of the Botei Mikdosh, the Jewish people have persevered, drawing strength from their devotion to Torah and to their faith.

And Hashem has rewarded them.

We will soon read in ParshasVayeishev the story of Yosef being sold by his brothers. The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 85) says that when Yosef was sold, Yaakov was mourning, Reuven was grieving, and Yehudah was seeking a wife, and at that very moment, Hakadosh Boruch Hu was creating the light of Moshiach.

At a time when we see destruction, when everywhere we look we find reason to fear for the future, Hashem is laying the groundwork for Moshiach. When it seems that we have no future, that the world is crumbling before us, we must strengthen ourselves. We must know that our strength is not physical. It is spiritual and eternal, stronger than any enemy who has ever risen to destroy us.

The enemies may think themselves invincible, attacking us with missiles and massive armies, but they must know that we have faced the strongest armaments through the centuries, and in every era it appeared we had no chance, yet we endured and our enemies fell. They inflicted pain, and caused great human and financial loss, but we overcame and survive until this day.

Even in our darkest chapters, Heaven was already scripting redemption.

So too in our day. While we see chaos and corruption, Hashem is quietly setting the stage for the light of Moshiach that will soon shine.

The PonovezherRov, after the war, stood before the Arch of Titus in Rome, the monument celebrating the Roman Emperor’s most “glorious” victory: capturing Yerushalayim, destroying the Bais Hamikdosh, and carrying its keilim to Rome.

He raised his finger and pointed toward the arch. “Titus, Titus! Where are you now? You are dust, but I and my people are still here!”

That moment captures the entire saga of our people.

Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

The Jewish people have always continued. That is our greatest strength.

Last week’s election may sting. It may fill us with concern for what lies ahead. But our faith does not rise and fall with the political winds. We do what Avrohom Avinu did in last week’s parsha. After pleading with Hashem to spare Sedom, and realizing that his pleas were rejected and the decree would stand, the Torah tells us, “V’Avrohomshovlimkomo — And Avrohom returned to his place.”

He accepted, he realigned, and he moved forward with purpose and faith.

That is our task now: to return to our place — the place of Torah, of chesed, of community, of emunah. To lift our eyes beyond City Hall and toward Heaven.

History’s verdict is already written. Those who draw strength from Hashem, from Torah, and from one another will not only survive, but will prevail.

We have risen before, and we will rise again.

And not only on a historical or national level. On a personal and practical level, the themes of emunah and resilience in daily Jewish life — chesed, dignity, and empathy — must reign supreme.

We read in this week’s parsha how Eliezer, the faithful servant of Avrohom, was sent on a sacred mission to find a wife for Yitzchok. As he neared his destination, he lifted his eyes heavenward and davened to Hashem for success. He devised a simple yet profound test: the young woman who would offer water not only to him but also to his thirsty camels would reveal herself as the one destined to continue Avrohom’s legacy.

And so it was. Before Eliezer could even finish his prayer, Rivka appeared, a young woman radiant in her chesed, eager to serve, overflowing with compassion. Her kindness was not a performance, but an instinct of the heart. It was this middah, this generosity of spirit – that made her worthy to become the mother of Klal Yisroel.

The test for entry into the house of Avrohom — the foundation of our people — was not brilliance, wealth, or power. It was chesed. The truest mark of greatness in our tradition has always been how one treats another human being.

And in our time, as we brace for what may be difficult days ahead and as we long for the final redemption from golus, we must once again prove ourselves worthy of Hashem’s kindness by showing kindness to one another.

For decades, Hashem has shown us mercy, carrying our people to the shores of America, giving us safety and prosperity after the infernos of Europe. We have built communities, schools, shuls, and yeshivos. Yet, sometimes, amid comfort and success, we forget the simple warmth that sustained us when all we had was each other.

We must relearn the art of caring, the sensitivity to see the person in front of us not as a burden or obstacle but as a tzelemElokim.

We must be more thoughtful when we drive, when we speak, when we interact in business, at a simcha, or in moments of sorrow. To feel another’s pain, to share another’s joy — that is Avrohom’s house.

When we attend a simcha, let us not merely drop by with a quick mazel tov and rush away, but linger for a moment, look the baalei simcha in the eye, and let them feel that their happiness is our happiness.

And when we speak to others — young or old, rich or poor, familiar or stranger — let our words be gentle, our tone respectful. Every person yearns to feel valued. To make another Jew feel wanted, seen and cherished is to perform an act of holiness.

Kindness is not weakness. It is the truest expression of strength. It was Rivka’s chesed that built our nation, and it will be ours that sustains it and earns its final redemption.

As Rav Elozor famously taught (Sanhedrin 98b): “Mah yaasehadamveyinatzelmeichevloshel Moshiach? Yaasokb’Torahuv’gemilluschassodim.” What should a person do to be spared from the challenges that precede the coming of Moshiach? Engage in Torah study and acts of kindness.

In uncertain times like ours, when fear and worry cloud the future, the answer remains timeless: Strengthen our connection to Torah, deepen our acts of chesed, and live with faith.

The Chofetz Chaim, in Sefer Ahavas Chesed, takes it a step further and writes that gemilluschassodim is so important and powerful that if the performance of chesedwould spread throughout our people, the world would be filled with chesed, and all the suffering and hardship that confront our people would disappear.

He writes there, in the hakdomah, that “to the degree that a person accustoms himself to doing acts of goodness and kindness his whole life, to that degree he will receive Hashem’s goodness and kindness in this world and the next.”

Let us not become disillusioned. Let us not fret about the future. Let us know that we are an eternal people who have outlived Titus, the Crusades, Stalin, Hitler, and so many others.

From the churbanos of the BoteiMikdosh to the expulsion of 1492, to the Inquisitions, trials, and persecutions of every generation, our story has never been one of defeat, but of renewal, for wherever we appear to fall, Hashem plants the seeds of our rising.

By filling our lives with Torah and chesed, we contribute to building a future of light, hope, and redemption.

By increasing our emunah and bitachon, and our dedication to Torah, kindness, goodness, and gemillus chassodim, we will overcome our enemies of today and merit the coming of Moshiach very soon.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that Washington is preparing to finalize several “good deals” during next week’s visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is set to meet with President Donald Trump.

Speaking after the G7 foreign ministers’ conference in Canada, Rubio told reporters, as quoted by Reuters, “We’ll have some good agreements to sign with them … I feel good about where it’s at. There’s still a few things that need to be tightened up and finalized, and we’re going to have a good meeting next week.”

Although Rubio stopped short of providing details, recent reports suggest that the discussions between Washington and Riyadh have focused on a potential defense partnership that would significantly deepen the two nations’ strategic ties.

The Crown Prince’s arrival marks another step in Trump’s broader diplomatic vision to expand the Abraham Accords, the historic normalization agreements established in 2020 with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. The administration views Saudi Arabia as a key player in bringing additional Arab states closer to Israel.

However, Saudi leaders have repeatedly made clear that any move toward normalization with Israel would depend on progress toward a Palestinian state. That position has long been a major sticking point in regional diplomacy.

Last week, a senior member of the Saudi royal family told Kan 11 News that while normalization talks are not formally on the agenda, the United States is expected to make a strong push to “lay the groundwork” for renewed dialogue.

“The goal is to thaw the ice between the countries,” the source said, describing the initiative as an American effort to bridge the distance created by the ongoing war in Gaza and revive the atmosphere of quiet cooperation that existed before October 7.

Rubio, meanwhile, addressed concerns about recent unrest in Judea and Samaria, warning that violence there could jeopardize diplomatic progress. When asked if the flare-ups could derail the fragile Gaza ceasefire, he responded, “I hope not. We don’t expect it to. We’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen.”

{Matzav.com}

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