Matzav

Colombia’s president escalated tensions with Washington on Monday, warning that he would personally resist any American military action against his country after President Trump publicly hinted that Bogotá could be next in a broader anti-drug campaign.

The sharp exchange followed a dramatic U.S. operation over the weekend that led to the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro, an event that Trump cited while suggesting Colombia and its leader could face similar pressure.

In a message posted online, President Gustavo Petro invoked Colombia’s history of conflict and peace, saying he would abandon a long-held personal pledge if the nation were attacked. “I swore not to touch a weapon again since the 1989 Peace Pact, but for the homeland, I will take up arms again,” Petro wrote on X.

He went on to frame the confrontation as a popular struggle rather than a personal one. “Know that you are facing a commander of the people. Free Colombian forever,” he added.

Petro said the Colombian military and security services had been instructed to protect the country’s leadership and population from any foreign incursion, stating that forces had orders to fire on “the invader.”

Responding to Trump’s rhetoric, the left-wing president insisted that his administration has been actively battling narcotics trafficking and warned that an attack on Colombia’s government would only strengthen criminal organizations. He argued that destabilizing the state would hand an advantage to the very cartels the U.S. claims to be fighting.

Petro also cautioned that airstrikes against drug groups would have devastating civilian consequences, accusing cartels of operating among noncombatants. “If you bomb even one of these groups without sufficient intelligence, you will kill many children,” Petro said. “If you bomb peasants, thousands of guerrillas will return in the mountains.

“And if you arrest the president whom a good part of my people want and respect, you will unleash the popular jaguar,” he added, using a metaphor for mass unrest among Colombians.

The Colombian leader’s remarks came after Trump warned that Petro should “watch his a–” in the aftermath of the U.S. raid in Caracas that captured Maduro and his wife.

Petro had publicly denounced that operation and urged the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency session to address Maduro’s detention.

Trump, for his part, intensified the feud by branding Petro “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” a claim the Colombian president flatly rejected.

Petro dismissed any suggestion of ties to drug cartels and said his finances are fully transparent, insisting he has no involvement with criminal networks.

In a final warning, Petro turned his attention inward, cautioning members of Colombia’s security establishment against siding with Washington. “Every soldier of Colombia has an order from now on: every commander of the public force who prefers the flag of the US to the flag of Colombia must immediately withdraw from the institution by order of the bases and the troops and mine,” Petro said.

{Matzav.com}

Large numbers of Americans are increasingly using ChatGPT as a substitute source for medical guidance, with roughly 40 million people saying they turn to the tool for health-related information, according to new findings cited by OpenAI and reported by Axios. The report indicates that health questions now account for more than 5 percent of all messages sent to the AI system worldwide, even though medical decisions are often highly personal and depend on individual circumstances.

The data suggests that many users rely on ChatGPT when traditional medical care is harder to access. Underserved rural areas alone generate “an average of nearly 600,000 health care-related messages every week,” and seven out of ten health-related questions are submitted outside standard office hours, Axios reports.

Beyond symptom-related concerns, users are increasingly employing the technology to navigate the financial side of health care. The report estimates that between 1.6 million and 1.9 million insurance-related searches are conducted weekly, with people seeking help to understand coverage, compare prices, identify possible overcharges, and even challenge denied claims.

Survey responses included in the report show that a majority of U.S. users have turned to ChatGPT for direct medical exploration. Among respondents, 55 percent said they had used the tool to “check or explore symptoms,” 48 percent reported using it to “understand medical terms or instructions,” and 44 percent said they relied on it to “learn about treatment options.”

The report notes that its findings focus solely on ChatGPT usage and do not account for other artificial intelligence tools, including AI-generated responses that appear at the top of Google search results.

{Matzav.com}

An urgent meeting of leading roshei yeshiva and rabbonim from across the tri-state area was convened last night in Lakewood, NJ to address what participants described as the growing spiritual dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and the need to safeguard yeshivos from its influence.

The gathering was held at Ateres Chana Hall at Bais Faiga and drew senior Torah leadership. The meeting was called amid rising concern that rapid advances in AI technology present unprecedented challenges to kedusha, focus, and the integrity of the Olam HaTorah.

Those in attendance included Rav Yosef Mermelstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Novominsk; Rav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Tiferes Yerachmiel; Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta of Lakewood; Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg; Rav Elya Kanarek, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Hameir of Peekskill; the roshei yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah, Rav Malkiel Kotler, Rav Dovid Schustal, Rav Yeruchem Olshin, and Rav Yisroel Neuman; Rav Yisroel Ehrlich, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mishkan Hatorah; Rav Eliyahu Yagid, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Keren Hatorah; Rav Avrohom Bromberg, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Shaar Hatalmud; Rav Yaakov Horowitz, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Meir; Rav Dovid Breslauer, rosh kollel of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe of South Fallsburg; Rav Shmuel Abba Olshin, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah of Hillside; Rav Yitzchok Lichtenstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rav Simcha Bunim Paler, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Mekor Chaim; Rav Uri Meir Kanarek, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Noam Hatalmud; Rav Moshe Pruzansky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chemdas Hatorah; and other rabbonim.

Speakers emphasized that while technology in general — and AI in particular — is advancing at a pace never before seen, the Torah world must respond with clarity and firm boundaries. The discussion focused on how AI tools can quietly penetrate yeshiva environments, affect purity of thought, undermine discipline, and introduce influences that can be damaging to a ben Torah.

In his remarks, Rav Wachtfogel framed the challenge in stark but nuanced terms, describing AI as an “Eitz Hadaas Tov V’Ra.” He explained that the difficulty lies precisely in the fact that AI contains elements that are beneficial alongside components that are deeply harmful. “Halevai that it should only be ra, if only it would only have bad components,” he said. If that were the case, he noted, the battle would be far simpler. It is the blend of usefulness and danger, he explained, that makes AI so complex and so perilous for the Olam HaTorah.

Speakers stressed that what makes AI especially threatening is not only what it can do, but how subtly it can enter a person’s life, reshape thinking, and erode sensitivity without immediate awareness.

The assembled rabbonim spoke about the responsibility of roshei yeshiva and mechanchim to act proactively and establish clear policies.

At a public gathering marking the return home of a yeshiva bochur who had been released from Israeli military prison after refusing to report to the Draft Office, Rav Tzemach Mazuz delivered pointed remarks urging reconciliation and mutual respect across Israeli society.

The rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Kisei Rachamim focused his comments on tensions between the chareidi community and the Israel Defense Forces, warning that internal strife only weakens the nation.

Calling for a shift in mindset, Rav Mazuz stressed that the relationship between Torah learners and soldiers should not be viewed as adversarial. “It’s a shame that we have baseless hatred, as if we and the army are against each other. No, we complement each other!”

He went on to invoke the historical consequences of division, urging the public to replace animosity with genuine care and unity. “Enough with baseless hatred, it caused the destruction of the Second Bais Hamikdosh. Let’s increase ‘baseless love.’ I love every soldier. I love the army. They are doing their job, and we are doing our job. Together, with G-d’s help, Am Yisroel chai.”

{Matzav.com}

A defamation lawsuit seeking half a million shekels has been filed by Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Zini against Haaretz, alleging that the paper carried out a coordinated effort to damage his reputation and that of his family. The suit was submitted through his legal team, Dr. Yehiel Weinrot, Tal Shachaf, and Yehuda Schwartz.

According to the filing, the campaign began on September 4, 2025, when a prominent article appeared on the front page of a Haaretz weekend supplement. Written by Hilo Glazer, the piece carried the headline “There Have Been Extremists in Israel’s Leadership, But a Shin Bet Head Like David Zini Has Never Been Seen.”

The lawsuit claims the presentation of the article was designed to cultivate what it describes as a “dramatic and dark atmosphere,” featuring oversized text and a black background. The article allegedly cast suspicion on Major General David Zini, the incoming head of the Shin Bet, and focused particular attention on his uncle, Rabbi Eliyahu Zini.

At the center of the complaint is Glazer’s assertion that Rabbi Zini authored an article in the book Baruch HaGever. In that piece, Glazer allegedly wrote, Rabbi Zini praised the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs and claimed that “the prohibition of ‘Do not kill’ does not apply to a Jew who kills a non-Jew.”

Rabbi Zini flatly denies those claims, calling them entirely fabricated. The lawsuit states that “the plaintiff never wrote or contributed an article to this book; his name does not appear in the list of authors; there is no reference to him regarding the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs; and he has never made the claims attributed to him on any platform.”

The suit further alleges that the accusations were repeated weeks later. On September 22, 2025, another Haaretz article, this time by Doron Koren, again attributed the same statements to Rabbi Zini, adding what the lawsuit describes as heightened “sensationalism,” including the claim that “His nephew (Rabbi Dr. Zini) praised the massacre at the Cave of the Patriarchs in an article in the book Baruch HaGever and claimed that ‘Do not kill’ does not apply to a Jew who kills a non-Jew.”

According to the filing, additional Haaretz writers echoed the allegations after the initial publication, including in an editorial titled “Zini’s Test” and in a separate article by Yossi Klein.

Rabbi Zini contends that the cumulative effect of these publications amounted to a “coordinated and timed campaign of intimidation designed to tarnish the reputation of the family and relatives of the new head of the Shin Bet, Major General David Zini, with the goal of thwarting his appointment.” He argues that readers could reasonably come away believing he praised the massacre, an assertion he insists is completely untrue.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivered a forceful response this evening to opposition criticism during a 40-signature debate in the Knesset, rejecting claims about the government’s conduct and laying out what he described as the strategic consequences of its decisions.

Turning to the opposition benches, Netanyahu addressed Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid directly, saying, “Keep shouting.” He followed with a pointed jab at the party’s political standing: “You should carefully measure the level of shouting in your faction because there are only four realistic seats.”

Netanyahu then launched a broader attack on the opposition’s approach, accusing it of reflexive resistance to critical government actions. “You are an extremist opposition that automatically opposes the fateful decisions we make, and thanks to which we guarantee the eternity of Israel. It’s lucky we didn’t listen to you, because otherwise there would have been hostages alive in Gaza, Sinwar would have been alive, Nasrallah would have been alive, and Iran would have rushed towards nuclear weapons. Reality clearly proves that we are not the extremists. We are very balanced, determined, and powerful.”

Addressing Iran, Netanyahu warned that Israel and the United States remain aligned on preventing Tehran from rebuilding its military capabilities. “Trump and I will not allow Iran to restore its ballistic missile industry and nuclear program,” he said. He added that Israel stands with the Iranian public while underscoring the gravity of the moment: “We identify with the struggle of the Iranian people. We may be standing at a crucial moment. If we are attacked, the consequences for Iran will be very serious.”

Referencing his meeting with President Trump in Florida last week, Netanyahu said the two leaders reaffirmed shared objectives regarding Gaza. “The President emphasized our shared commitment to disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza,” he told the Knesset.

In closing remarks aimed again at his critics, Netanyahu accused the opposition of undermining national strength while claiming to promote unity. “You, with your defeatism and bowing your heads, in opposing every decision the government has made for Israel, are the extremists who are harming our national cohesion and resilience. This is expressed in many areas. You talk about unity and at the same time, you are dividing.”

Ousted Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro erupted in Manhattan federal court Monday, denouncing his arrest as an abduction before being swiftly halted by the presiding judge as the proceedings began.

“I’m the president of the republic of Venezuela … I am here kidnapped … I was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela,” Maduro declared at the outset of the hearing, prompting an immediate interruption from Alvin Hellerstein, who moved to rein in the outburst.

“Let me interfere — there will be a time and a place to go into all of this. Your counsel will be able to make motions … at this time, I just want to know one thing: Are you Nicolás Maduro Moros?” the judge asked from the bench.

“I am Nicholas Maduro Moros,” the defendant responded.

The confrontation set the tone for a contentious arraignment in which Maduro repeatedly proclaimed his innocence and insisted he remains the legitimate leader of Venezuela. After Hellerstein advised him of his right to legal counsel, Maduro pushed back.

“I am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man. I am still president of my country,” he said.

When informed of his constitutional rights, Maduro claimed he was learning of them in real time. “I did not know of these rights. Your honor is informing me of them now,” Marudo said, adding that he was seeing the indictment for the first time and formally entering a plea of not guilty.

“I am innocent. I am not guilty of anything that is mentioned here,” he said.

The exchange followed brief pleasantries between judge and defendant, with Hellerstein opening the session by saying, “Good morning, Mr. Maduro,” before launching into a sweeping recitation of the charges. The 92-year-old jurist read aloud allegations spanning more than a quarter century.

“Mr. Maduro … is charged in one count of narco-terrorism conspiracy, specifically from 1999 to 2025, he knowingly conspired with others … and intentionally provided something of pecuniary value to a person or organization engaged in terrorism and terrorist activity,” Hellerstein said.

As the charges were read, Maduro scribbled furiously on a white sheet of paper at the defense table.

Monday marked the first appearance in a U.S. federal courtroom for Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The 66-year-old former leader and his 69-year-old spouse were indicted Saturday in the Southern District of New York on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.

Federal prosecutors say the couple was taken into custody at their heavily fortified compound in Caracas during a high-risk operation carried out by U.S. forces, dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” after Donald Trump authorized the mission earlier that day.

The Trump administration has long labeled Maduro’s rule illegitimate, asserting that he clung to power through rigged elections, including the 2024 vote. Under Venezuela’s constitution, Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez would be next in line to assume the presidency.

Maduro and Flores are currently being held in separate, solitary cells at Metropolitan Detention Center, the high-security Brooklyn facility guarded by heavily armed law enforcement. The jail has previously housed some of the most notorious defendants in recent history, including Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, and accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione.

{Matzav.com}

During his weekly shiur, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, the former Rishon LeTzion, addressed the recent arrests of yeshiva students and what he described as their mistreatment in military detention. Speaking at Beis Knesset HaYazdim in Yerushalayim, Rav Yosef wove the issue into his ongoing halachic discussion of Maariv, including whether one who davens an early Maariv has already accepted nighttime.

Rav Yosef shared a personal account involving a family member. “I have a grandson, a yeshiva bochur, who received a draft order,” he said. “He tore it up and put it in the toilet, as I told him to, and I told him not to come home to visit. Why? They’ll come at two in the morning, knock on the door, and take him to arrest. They don’t enter the yeshiva. Stay in the yeshiva – lock yourself in.” He added pointedly, “Maybe something good will come from this — that they’ll stay locked inside the yeshiva.”

The Rishon LeTzion then related the story of a yeshiva student arrested for what authorities term “draft evasion” and taken to a military prison, using the account to frame a halachic question raised during the shiur. “There was someone who didn’t stay in the yeshiva,” Rav Yosef said. “He wasn’t feeling well and went to his home in Ofakim. They came in the middle of the night and arrested him. He was taken to detention. In the morning he asked for tefillin — they took him quickly and he didn’t have a chance to bring tefillin — but they refused under any circumstances, especially if there are female guards there.”

Rav Yosef continued with a description relayed to him by one of the detainees. “One of the prisoners told me that a guard said to him, ‘Do you believe in Hakadosh Boruch Hu?’ He answered, ‘Of course, what do you mean?’ The guard said, ‘Hakadosh Boruch Hu will bring you [the tefillin].’ That’s how they mock. Evening came and they had to eat quickly. What did he do? At ten past four he davened Maariv. What else could he do there?”

At that point, Rav Yosef explained, the story took an unexpected turn that raised a practical halachic issue. “After he finished Maariv, at four-ten, suddenly they brought him tefillin,” the Rishon LeTzion said. “Can I put on tefillin now? He already davened Maariv — he already made it night.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

A troubling tone has crept into our communal conversation, one that treats roshei mosdos not as devoted servants of the tzibbur, but as convenient targets for frustration, suspicion, and public scorn.

At a time when our mosdos are under unprecedented financial and societal pressure, the people standing at the helm are being second-guessed, attacked, and blamed for problems they did not create and cannot magically solve. It is long past time to pause, step back, and speak honestly about what roshei mosdos actually carry on their shoulders, and why they deserve our understanding, support, and gratitude rather than our anger.

Do you know what it’s like to be constantly harassed?

Not criticized in good faith. Not asked sincere questions. Harassed. Day in and day out. Anonymous emails. Public WhatsApp groups. Snide comments whispered at simchos. Armchair experts who have never balanced a budget, never signed a paycheck, never sat across from a rebbi whose rent is overdue, yet somehow feel fully qualified to pass judgment.

Do you know what it’s like to fundraise just to survive?

To wake up every morning knowing that if the checks don’t come in, the lights don’t stay on. That tuition — even when painfully high — still doesn’t cover expenses. That every month is a cliffhanger. That one donor pulling back can mean cutting a program, a rebbi, a therapist, a lifeline for a child who needs it most.

Do you know what it’s like to make payroll?

To stare at numbers late at night, calculating and recalculating, wondering how to stretch what you don’t have into what you must have. To sign checks knowing full well that your own salary — if you even take one — is the last priority. To absorb the stress so that rabbeim can teach, educators can inspire, and children can walk into a building that feels safe and stable.

Most roshei mosdos didn’t sign up for this.

They didn’t open yeshivos and schools because they wanted power, prestige, or a title. They opened mosdos to serve the community. To answer a need. To give children chinuch. To build something that would outlive them.

And instead, they are crushed under an impossible load.

They deal with parents who are hurting financially, but who sometimes turn that pain into anger directed at the very people trying to keep the doors open. They hear, “Why is tuition so high?” from both sides of their office door: parents who can’t afford it, and staff who can’t live without raises.

They deal with staff shortages, burnout, emotional crises, special needs cases that require infinite patience and resources, and children who come to school carrying burdens far heavier than backpacks. They are expected to be educators, administrators, fundraisers, social workers, compliance officers, and miracle workers — all at once.

They deal with ציבור pressure.

Everyone has an opinion. Everyone knows better. Everyone is sure there’s a simpler solution — until it’s their turn to sit in the chair.

And yet, despite all of this, they keep going.

They answer calls late at night. They sit with parents who are crying. They advocate for students who have no one else. They take the hits so others don’t have to. They absorb the stress, the blame, the venom — because if they don’t, the system collapses.

We owe them far more than criticism.

We owe them gratitude. Respect. Basic mentchlichkeit.

You don’t have to agree with every decision. You don’t have to think every policy is perfect. But the casual, relentless bashing of roshei mosdos has crossed a line. It is cruel. It is ignorant. And it is deeply unfair.

Before firing off that message. Before joining that pile-on. Before declaring, with great confidence, what “they should do,” ask yourself one question:

Could you do this?

Carry the financial burden. The emotional toll. The responsibility for hundreds or thousands of lives. The sleepless nights. The endless pressure. The public judgment.

Most people couldn’t last a week.

Roshei mosdos carry an impossible load so that our children can have a future. The least we can do is stop making it heavier.

L. K.

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{Matzav.com}

Authorities arrested an Ohio man early Monday after an apparent break-in attempt and vandalism at the Cincinnati residence of Vice President JD Vance, an incident that unfolded just after midnight.

According to Hamilton County jail records, 26-year-old William DeFoor faces multiple charges, including obstructing official business, criminal damaging or endangering, criminal trespass, and vandalism. Court records indicate that his initial appearance before a judge is set for Tuesday.

The Associated Press reported, citing two law enforcement officials, that U.S. Secret Service agents stationed at the property heard a loud crash during the night. When they investigated, they allegedly found DeFoor using a hammer to smash a window and attempting to gain entry into the house.

One of the officials told the AP that the suspect also damaged a Secret Service vehicle while moving up the driveway toward the home.

Vance later addressed the incident in a post on X, writing: “I appreciate everyone’s well wishes about the attack at our home. As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows. I’m grateful to the secret service [sic] and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly.

“We weren’t even home as we had returned already to DC,” Vance added. “One request to the media: we try to protect our kids as much as possible from the realities of this life of public service. In that light, I am skeptical of the news value of plastering images of our home with holes in the windows.”

Local station WLWT-TV reported that Vance, 41, had spent much of the previous week in Cincinnati before heading back to Washington, D.C., on Sunday afternoon. The vice president purchased the Walnut Hills property in 2018 for $1.4 million.

Court documents cited by WXIX-TV show that DeFoor has a recent criminal history involving vandalism. In April, he pleaded guilty to two counts after causing more than $2,000 in damage to a local interior design business.

As part of that case, DeFoor was ordered to undergo two years of treatment at a mental health facility and to pay $5,550 in restitution.

{Matzav.com}

Following Nicolás Maduro’s arrest, President Trump openly suggested the United States could take military action against Colombia.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump lashed out at Colombian President Gustavo Petro, portraying him as deeply entangled in the cocaine trade and hinting that his time in power may be short. “Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man, who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he’s not going to be doing it very long,” Trump said.

When pressed directly on whether the United States might launch military operations against Colombia, Trump did not rule it out, replying, “it sounds good to me.”

The comments sparked immediate outrage in Bogotá, where Colombia’s government accused Trump of crossing a dangerous line. In a sharply worded statement released late Sunday, the country’s Foreign Ministry said the remarks were unacceptable, declaring that “It represents an undue interference in the internal affairs of the country, against the norms of international law.”

Trump’s escalation comes in the wake of Maduro’s capture and impending court appearance in New York City on federal drug-trafficking and related charges. The arrest followed months of U.S. airstrikes targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean, an operation that later widened to include ships in the eastern Pacific believed to have originated from Colombia.

The administration has already taken punitive steps against Petro. In October, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Colombian president, members of his family, and one senior official, citing allegations that Colombia was complicit in the global cocaine trade.

Trump doubled down on his rhetoric Sunday, again accusing Petro of overseeing cocaine production facilities. “He’s not going to be doing it for very long,” Trump said of the Colombian leader. “He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories. He’s not going to be doing it.”

At the same time, an unexpected diplomatic opening emerged from Caracas. Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez struck a markedly different tone from her earlier denunciations of the raid, which she had described as an illegal attempt to seize national resources.

“We invite the US government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation oriented towards shared development within the framework of international law to strengthen lasting community coexistence,” Rodriguez said.

She followed with a direct appeal to Trump, adding, “President Donald Trump, our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war.”

Rodriguez, who also serves as Venezuela’s oil minister, is widely viewed as the most pragmatic figure within Maduro’s inner circle, and Trump has previously indicated that she was open to engagement with Washington.

Despite her conciliatory remarks, Rodriguez has continued to insist publicly that the arrests of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, amounted to a “kidnapping,” and she maintains that Maduro remains Venezuela’s president.

{Matzav.com}

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has pulled the plug on his campaign for a third term, a sudden move that comes as the state grapples with a widening fraud scandal tied to public assistance programs that exploded during his tenure.

Until the announcement, Walz had been regarded as the clear favorite heading toward November, benefiting from nearly two decades of consistent Democratic victories in statewide races. He formally launched his bid back in September, aiming for an unprecedented third term since Minnesota governors began serving four-year terms in the 1960s.

Explaining his decision, Walz said the demands of another campaign would distract him from what he sees as more pressing responsibilities. “In September, I announced that I would run for a historic third term as Minnesota’s Governor. And I have every confidence that, if I gave it my all, I would succeed in that effort,” Walz said in a statement.

He continued that, after extended reflection, he chose to step aside. “But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can’t give a political campaign my all,” he said.

Walz argued that his focus must remain on the fallout from the massive fraud investigation. “Every minute I spend defending my own political interests would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences.”

The scandal hanging over the administration involves widespread abuse of Minnesota’s social safety net. While estimates differ, authorities believe at least $1 billion was stolen, with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson suggesting late last year that the figure could climb as high as $9 billion.

Investigators say the fraud was concentrated within segments of the state’s Somali community, where sham nonprofit organizations were allegedly created to siphon state funds intended for homelessness services, food programs, and childcare assistance. To date, prosecutors have brought charges against more than 90 individuals.

Republicans quickly seized on Walz’s exit. “Good riddance,” said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota.

Walz’s departure opens the field for a crowded race. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is widely viewed as the leading Democrat who could enter the contest. If she does, she would join several sitting senators from both parties who are seeking governorships elsewhere, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and Michael Bennet of Colorado.

Klobuchar, reelected in 2024, is not scheduled to face voters again for her Senate seat until 2030. National Democrats had hoped to aggressively challenge Republicans in the 2026 midterms, defending only 13 Senate seats compared with the GOP’s 22. That strategy has been complicated by retirements in states such as New Hampshire, Michigan, and Minnesota, where Sen. Tina Smith has announced she will not run again. With Republicans holding a 53–47 Senate majority and only a handful of competitive GOP seats in places like Maine and North Carolina, Democrats already face a narrow path.

Other Democrats rumored to be weighing a gubernatorial bid include Attorney General Keith Ellison and Secretary of State Steve Simon. On the Republican side, possible contenders include My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell and Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.

In recent months, Walz had been traveling extensively, hosting town halls and appearances nationwide following Kamala Harris’ loss in the presidential race, a move seen as an effort to raise his national profile after serving as her running mate in 2024.

In announcing his withdrawal, Walz also took aim at President Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Minnesota over the welfare fraud revelations. “I won’t mince words here. Donald Trump and his allies – in Washington, in St. Paul, and online – want to make our state a colder, meaner place,” Walz said. “They want to poison our people against each other by attacking our neighbors.”

He went further, accusing Republicans and conservative activists of reckless behavior. “We’ve got Republicans here in the legislature playing hide-and-seek with whistleblowers. We’ve got conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers breaking into daycare centers and demanding access to our children,” Walz said. “We’ve got the President of the United States demonizing our Somali neighbors and wrongly confiscating childcare funding that Minnesotans rely on.”

Walz concluded his remarks with a stark warning about the tone of the debate. “It is disgusting. And it is dangerous.”

{Matzav.com}

A shul in Beitar Illit has posted a striking new notice warning mispallelim to silence their phones before entering for davening — or face a financial penalty.

The sign, which appeared over the past week at the Breslover shul Kollel Chatzos – Nachalas Yehoshua, a central shteibelach-style venue hosting early-morning Shacharis minyanim, states that anyone whose phone rings during davening will be required to pay a 50-shekel fine to the shul‘s fund.

According to the posted notice, “Anyone entering to daven in this beis medrash does so on the condition that their cellphone is switched to silent mode. If a cellphone rings during the davening, the owner must pay a fine of 50 shekels to the shul fund.”

The notice further adds that charging phones in the building is prohibited throughout the day unless the device is set to silent.

A gabbai explained the move, saying that while reminders to turn off phones have long been standard in shuls, enforcement has slipped in recent times, leading to repeated disruptions. “It has become a real disturbance to the mispallelim,” he said. “Just last week, during a single minyan, phones rang three separate times in the middle of tefillah. We felt it was time to awaken the public to the issue.”

While similar measures have been adopted in the past by other communities, the sums involved were typically modest, often between 10 and 18 shekels. The newly announced 50-shekel fine marks a significantly tougher stance.

{Matzav.com}

Shas delivered a blunt ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, warning that it will not support the state budget unless legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students and military conscription is approved in its second and third Knesset readings.

In an unusually sharp statement, Shas spokesman Asher Medina made clear that the party is prepared to bring down the budget — and with it, potentially the government — if the issue is not resolved swiftly.

“Shas will not vote for the state budget unless the draft law is approved in its second and third readings,” Medina declared in an interview with Kol Berama Radio. “This law is the only thing that will save the world of Torah. What will stop the wave of arrests is not street protests — it is a properly regulated law.”

Medina framed the crisis as a fundamentally political battle, saying that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has become the focal point of mounting pressure precisely because of his central role in sustaining the coalition. “This is a completely political event,” Medina said. “They see Deri as the figure holding the government together, and that’s why all the pressure is directed at him — both through the arrests of Sephardic bochurim and through attacks by extremists.”

He added that Shas has recently shifted its tone toward the judicial system, acknowledging that such rhetoric would not have been permitted in the past. “In the past, Deri would not have approved such harsh statements against the legal system as those we have issued recently,” Medina said. “We feel like hostages.”

The Shas ultimatum came as tensions boiled over during a cabinet meeting, where a direct confrontation unfolded between ministers and the legal establishment. Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon accused the government of operating within what he described as a “constitutional crisis,” arguing that it is violating High Court rulings by failing to establish an enforcement policy for yeshiva students who have received draft orders.

Limon further sparked controversy by asserting that “a state commission of inquiry is the only appropriate mechanism to investigate the failures of October 7. The public has a right to know what led to the breakdowns and who must bear responsibility.”

{Matzav.com}

Ret. Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille commends the military excellence carried out by U.S. forces during the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on ‘Fox News Live.’

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New Yorkers woke up Sunday to a pricier ride, as the MTA’s latest fare increase took hold and pushed the cost of a subway swipe to an even $3, up from $2.90 set in 2023.

For many riders, the extra dime felt like one burden too many in a city where daily expenses already seem to climb without pause. Some commuters said the change will quietly but surely eat into their budgets over time.

The fare bump arrives amid uncertainty about the MTA’s long-term direction under newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has pledged to carry out his campaign promise to make city buses free of charge.

Mamdani has estimated that such a plan would cost roughly $700 million and said he would cover it by raising taxes on corporations and top earners.

Some state leaders are pushing back against rising commuter costs. New York state Comptroller candidate Adem Bunkeddeko said the timing of the increase could not be worse for working New Yorkers.

“Let’s be clear, we need to freeze fares — not raise them,” Bunkeddeko said. “The cost of everything is going up, and what working people don’t need right now is to pay more just to get around.”

Sunday’s increase marked the MTA’s second fare hike in just over a decade. Before the 2023 jump to $2.90, subway fares were last raised in 2015, when the price climbed from $2.50 to $2.75.

{Matzav.com}

Family members and friends gathered over the weekend in an atmosphere charged with tears, gratitude, and quiet joy as Barak Nixon stood beneath the chuppah to marry his kallah, Li-Yam.

For those present, this was far more than a wedding celebration. It marked the culmination of a personal journey that began in terror and ended in faith, commitment, and renewal.

Barak is known to many Israelis as one of the survivors of the Nova music festival massacre on Simchas Torah morning. During the attack, he spent long, agonizing hours hiding inside a chemical toilet, listening as gunfire, screams, and chaos unfolded around him. Trapped in darkness and fear, with death seemingly moments away, Barak reached a turning point that would redefine his life.

In those harrowing moments, he made a promise. If he emerged alive, he promised, his life would never be the same. He would return to his roots, seek out his Creator, and rebuild himself on the foundations of Torah and mitzvos.

That vow did not fade with time. Following his miraculous survival, Barak embarked on a profound process of teshuvah. He immersed himself in Torah study and attached himself to a guiding mentor, Rav Shlomo Ofer, who accompanied him step by step as he entered a fully observant Jewish life.

The emotional high point of that journey came when Barak married Li-Yam in a modest, distinctly chareidi wedding ceremony. Rav Ofer was honored with being mesader kiddushin.

During the seudah, Barak asked for the music to be paused and addressed those gathered. Speaking with visible emotion, he recounted the hours spent hiding, the tefillos whispered from the depths of his heart, and the promise he made to Hashem. “I never believed I would merit to stand here today,” he said. “But Hashem heard my cry there. I am here to keep my promise—to build a faithful home in Klal Yisroel, a home of Torah and yiras Shamayim.”

{Matzav.com}

A deeply emotional Shabbos unfolded this past weekend at the Toldos Avraham Yitzchak court, as thousands of chassidim converged on the central Toldos Avraham Yitzchak beis medrash in Yerushalayim’s Meah Shearim neighborhood to mark a historic anniversary in the life of the chassidus.

The Shabbos commemorated 29 years since the momentous day of 18 Teves 5757, when the Toldos Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe was formally crowned to lead Toldos Avraham Yitzchak, laying the foundations of what would become one of the most vibrant chassidic communities in the world.

Veteran chassidim could not help but be carried back nearly three decades, to the period following the passing of the Rebbe’s illustrious father, the author of Divrei Emunah of Toldos Aharon. After the conclusion of the shivah and shloshim, the eldest son assumed the mantle of leadership, guiding a newly formed community that, at the time, faced skepticism and uncertainty.

Few believed then that a fledgling chassidus, housed in a simple and temporary structure in Meah Shearim, could endure the challenges ahead. This Shabbos told a very different story. Thousands packed the magnificent beis medrash, bearing witness to the remarkable growth of Toldos Avraham Yitzchak into a global chassidus with vast institutions and thriving communities across major chareidi centers.

Throughout Shabbos, the Rebbe led the tefillos and tishen with extraordinary intensity, despite ongoing concerns for his health. During Friday night davening, the familiar Yom Tov melody of Lecha Dodi filled the hall, but the most electrifying moment came during Bo’i B’Shalom. To the astonishment and emotion of those present, the Rebbe rose and began a passionate dance, an act that sent visible waves of excitement and relief through the assembled chassidim.

The Friday night tish, which extended for nearly five uninterrupted hours, was marked by elevated song and gratitude. The Rebbe sang Eishes Chayil to a festival melody, while the chassidim joined him in extended niggunim.

The emotional peak of the Shabbos arrived during Rava Deravin, סעודה שלישית. For the first time since Elul, the Rebbe delivered words of Torah in public. Before speaking, he sang with deep feeling the verse, “When I call, answer me, O G-d of my righteousness; in distress You have given me הרחבה”—a line that would echo throughout his remarks.

As the Rebbe spoke, his words were accompanied by overwhelming tears. In the quiet darkness of Meah Shearim, his voice rose in heartfelt pleas for the salvation of both the ציבור and the individual, expressing gratitude for the spiritual “expansion” the chassidus merited even amid times of constraint.

{Matzav.com}

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