Matzav

On Isru Chag, the second yahrtzeit of the beloved singer and baal menagen, R’ Michoel Schnitzler z”l, whose stirring songs continue to move the hearts of thousands even after his passing, was marked.

Beginning on Motzaei Yom Tov and continuing late into Monday night, a crowd estimated at nearly 2,000 people gathered at the beis hachaim Har Shalom in Monsey to pay tribute at R’ Michoel’s kever. Family members, rabbanim, friends, and fellow singers were among those who came to mark the occasion and remember the man whose voice brought chizuk Yidden across the world.

A large tent was set up near the kever for candle lighting and tefillah, creating a space for people to gather in reflection and song. The event was arranged and overseen by R’ Michoel’s close friend, composer and baal chessed Moti Attias, who dedicated significant time and effort to ensuring the hilula would be a meaningful and uplifting experience.

Among those who participated in the hilula were the Spinka Rebbe of Monsey and the noted mashpia Harav Moshe Yaakov Horowitz of Spinka, both of whom came to honor R’ Michoel’s memory.

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יארצייט ר’ מיכאל שניצלער ז”ל (צילום: מוטי אטיאס) יארצייט ר’ מיכאל שניצלער ז”ל (צילום: מוטי אטיאס)

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A Manhattan jury determined Tuesday that The New York Times did not commit libel in a 2017 editorial that Sarah Palin argued had harmed her reputation.

Palin, who had Trump’s backing during her 2022 run for Alaska’s House seat, ultimately lost that race. Her long-running defamation suit against The Times has now returned to court for another round.

The jury reached its conclusion in just over two hours following closing remarks from both sides during the second week of proceedings in the federal civil case.

During her testimony, Palin said the editorial had a personal toll, triggering a spike in death threats and affecting her emotionally. She testified that it left her disheartened and deflated.

The editorial in question was corrected in under 14 hours after publication, according to the newspaper.

Palin’s attorney, Kenneth Turkel, told jurors that The Times should be held responsible because its then-editorial page editor, James Bennet, either knowingly included falsehoods or was reckless in failing to verify the information.

He asked the jury to award Palin damages for the impact on her reputation and for the emotional distress she endured. “Find a number and let her get some closure to this thing,” he said.

“To this day, there been no accountability,” Turkel told the panel. “That’s why we’re here.”

He cautioned jurors not to be misled by Palin’s outward appearance on the stand. “She doesn’t cry a lot,” he said. “It may have been to them an honest mistake. For her, it was a life changer.”

Palin, who has a degree in journalism, filed the defamation suit in 2017—roughly ten years after becoming a household name as the Republican pick for vice president.

The suit focused on a New York Times editorial published after a gunman with a history of anti-Republican views wounded Rep. Steve Scalise during a 2017 Congressional baseball practice.

In that editorial, the newspaper connected Palin’s political action committee to a climate of violence, referencing a controversial map that highlighted electoral districts, including Rep. Gabby Giffords’, with stylized crosshairs. Giffords was critically injured in a 2011 mass shooting that killed six people.

The Times later acknowledged the piece included factual mistakes, issuing a correction that clarified “the editorial had ‘incorrectly stated that a link existed between political rhetoric and the 2011 shooting’ and that it had ‘incorrectly described’ the map.”

Bennet, appearing emotional on the stand last week, told the court he deeply regretted the mistake. He said he acted swiftly to fix it after readers raised concerns.

Representing the paper, attorney Felicia Ellsworth argued that there was no basis to conclude that either The Times or Bennet acted with intent to deceive. “There’s not been one shred of evidence showing anything other than an honest mistake,” she said.

Ellsworth emphasized that the correction was made promptly and transparently. She said The Times “corrected the record loudly, clearly and quickly.”

She also noted that numerous editors consistently testified about their dedication to accuracy and the immediate efforts taken to correct the error. Meanwhile, she said, Palin’s accusations lacked concrete support. “Palin’s claims were ‘supported by nothing other than her say so,’” Ellsworth told the jury.

She reminded the court that because Palin is a public figure, the legal bar for proving defamation is particularly high—requiring proof of “actual malice.”

“To Governor Palin, this is just another opportunity to take on fake news. To James Bennet, the truth matters,” she said.

Back in February 2022, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff had ruled against Palin’s claims while the jury was still in deliberations. Ultimately, the jury ruled the same way.

The current trial was made possible after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived the case last year.

The appeals court faulted the initial trial, stating that the judge’s actions overstepped jury boundaries. It also noted that the earlier proceedings had multiple legal missteps, including barring certain evidence, giving jurors incorrect instructions, and mishandling one of the jury’s questions.

{Matzav.com}

Walgreens has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice that could total as much as $350 million, resolving accusations that the company knowingly filled countless illegitimate prescriptions for opioids and other controlled drugs, and submitted fraudulent billing requests to federal programs.

According to an announcement from the DOJ, alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG), Walgreens will pay $300 million in penalties related to violations of the Controlled Substances Act. The DOJ also stated that the pharmacy chain sought government reimbursement through Medicare and other health programs for many of those improper prescriptions, thereby violating the False Claims Act. The settlement includes an additional $50 million payment if the company is acquired or merges before the year 2032.

The lawsuit filed by the federal government on January 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois accuses Walgreens of dispensing unlawful prescriptions for controlled drugs over an extended period, from August 2012 through March 1, 2023.

Federal prosecutors claim that Walgreens filled scripts involving “excessive quantities of opioids,” provided medications far in advance of the allowable dates, and supplied what they described as an “especially dangerous and abused combination of three drugs” referred to as a “trinity.” This trio—composed of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and carisoprodol—is often sought by substance abusers and poses an even greater risk than opioids alone.

Despite clear warning signs indicating potential abuse or invalid prescriptions, Walgreens pharmacists continued to fill them, the DOJ contends. These so-called “red flags” suggested that many of the prescriptions may not have had any legitimate medical justification or were not written in line with accepted professional standards.

The complaint also accuses Walgreens of pushing its employees to prioritize speed over diligence when filling prescriptions, creating a work environment that discouraged proper verification of medication legitimacy.

Furthermore, the company’s compliance division allegedly disregarded mounting evidence that its stores were filling unlawful prescriptions, and in some cases, deliberately withheld critical data from pharmacists that could have helped them detect and prevent such activity.

“Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.”

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York John J. Durham added, “This settlement holds Walgreens accountable for failing to comply with its critical responsibility to prevent the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances.”

Walgreens, however, pushed back on the government’s position. “We strongly disagree with the government’s legal theory and admit no liability,” said company spokesperson Fraser Engerman in a statement published by NBC News.

“Our pharmacists are dedicated healthcare professionals who care deeply about patient safety and continue to play a critical role in providing education and resources to help combat opioid misuse and abuse across our country,” Engerman added.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Tuesday a major overhaul of the State Department, announcing the elimination of numerous internal offices and programs as part of a broader effort to eliminate waste and streamline operations.

“Today is the day. Under @POTUS’ leadership and at my direction, we are reversing decades of bloat and bureaucracy at the State Department. These sweeping changes will empower our talented diplomats to put America and Americans first,” Rubio stated in a public message, marking the launch of the department’s reorganization.

In a detailed statement, Rubio criticized the department’s current structure, claiming it had grown inefficient and too large to meet its responsibilities effectively. “In its current form, the Department is bloated, bureaucratic, and unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission in this new era of essential diplomatic competition,” he wrote, pointing to rising costs and diminished results. He added that this expansion had led to “less effective and efficient diplomacy” for the American people.

Rubio outlined a sweeping strategy to modernize the State Department, asserting it would decentralize authority and strengthen operations at every level. “That is why today I am announcing a comprehensive reorganization plan that will bring the Department into the 21st Century. This approach will empower the Department from the ground up, from the bureaus to the embassies,” he said. He further explained, “region-specific functions will be consolidated to increase functionality, redundant offices will be removed, and non-statutory programs that are misaligned with America’s core national interests will cease to exist.”

According to the Free Press, part of the reform includes closing 132 offices, shrinking the total from 734 to 602. Department leaders have also been tasked with submitting plans to reduce their workforce by 15 percent. In some instances, departments will be merged or renamed to increase efficiency. One notable change involves the office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights—commonly referred to as the J office.

The Free Press elaborated on the shift: The J office, the documents show, is being overhauled and renamed as the Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance and Human Rights. There, officials plan to abolish its Office of Global Criminal Justice, which was formed in 1997 to advise on U.S. policy related to genocide, war crimes, and other grave human rights violations.

Some of the responsibilities previously held by that office will be reassigned to the Office of the Legal Adviser, based on internal plans.

The report also noted that Rubio has teamed up with Elon Musk, who is working through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to spearhead these reforms.

Currently, the State Department ranks 15th among 22 federal agencies for cost-saving performance, according to DOGE’s efficiency rankings. The Department of Justice sits at the bottom of the list, while Health and Human Services holds the top spot. Overall, DOGE has reported $160 billion in taxpayer savings to date.

{Matzav.com}

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Antisemitism in the United States surged to record-breaking levels in 2024, marking the fourth straight year of increasing incidents, according to data released Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League.

The ADL documented 9,354 incidents of harassment, vandalism, and physical attacks—more than any year since the organization started monitoring such acts in 1979. That total represents a five percent jump over 2023, the previous record-setting year.

This figure averages out to over 25 antisemitic acts per day—more than one each hour—across the country. The highest numbers came from New York, with 1,437 incidents, and California, with 1,344. Every state reported at least some cases.

“This horrifying level of antisemitism should never be accepted, and yet, as our data shows, it has become a persistent and grim reality for American Jewish communities,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “Jewish Americans continue to be harassed, assaulted and targeted for who they are on a daily basis and everywhere they go. But let’s be clear: we will remain proud of our Jewish culture, religion and identities, and we will not be intimidated by bigots.”

Following the October 7, 2023, terrorist massacre by Hamas in Israel, antisemitic actions sharply escalated both domestically and abroad. The ADL has closely monitored this trend, publishing in-depth analyses on topics like bias in artificial intelligence, false narratives on Wikipedia, and initiatives to counter campus hatred.

For the first time, more than half—58 percent—of all recorded antisemitic acts in the U.S. were tied to Israel or Zionism, with 5,452 such incidents reported. Nearly half of those stemmed from anti-Israel demonstrations, where protesters employed antisemitic rhetoric, signs, chants, or slogans.

Groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) played prominent roles in organizing these demonstrations and were linked to more than half of them, according to the ADL.

In its methodology, the ADL explained that each rally was logged as a single event, regardless of how many antisemitic episodes took place during it.

“These incidents… serve as a clear reminder that silence is not an option,” said Oren Segal, ADL’s senior vice president for counter-extremism and intelligence. “Good people must stand up, push back, and confront antisemitism wherever it appears.”

The report highlighted a troubling 21 percent spike in antisemitic assaults, totaling 196 attacks that affected at least 250 individuals—none fatally. Notably, Orthodox Jews were the targets in about 30 percent of those cases.

Jewish institutions saw more than double the number of assaults compared to the previous year, and acts of vandalism climbed by 39 percent. Authorities also recorded 647 bomb threats throughout the year.

College campuses experienced a dramatic rise in incidents, with a record 1,694 cases—a staggering 84 percent increase from the year before. Much of the spike came from anti-Israel protests that veered into explicit antisemitism.

The report also revealed 2,606 incidents of vandalism, 37 percent of which included swastikas. Harassment made up the majority of the total, with 6,552 cases—many occurring during antisemitic demonstrations.

In addition, 962 incidents involved antisemitic propaganda disseminated by white supremacist organizations. Three groups—Patriot Front, Goyim Defense League, and White Lives Matter—were behind 94 percent of those cases.

The ADL clarified that their report included both criminal and non-criminal acts, sourced from victims, law enforcement, media outlets, and partner groups, and vetted by the organization’s analysts. They also cautioned that the real number of incidents is likely higher, particularly in primary and secondary schools, where underreporting is common.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is set to travel to the Middle East from May 13 to May 16, with confirmed stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, according to an announcement released by the White House.

Although Israel is not currently listed on the president’s travel schedule, Trump noted that “it’s possible other stops could be added,” leaving room for potential changes.

This upcoming tour marks Trump’s inaugural visit to the Middle East during his second term in office.

While Saudi Arabia had initially been selected as Trump’s first international destination following his return to the presidency, he revealed yesterday that he would instead begin his overseas engagements by attending Pope Francis’s funeral in Rome later this week.

{Matzav.com}

For the past year, Dan Hoffman, of Hollywood, Fla., has watched his 11-year-old daughter Nessa train several hours a day, five days a week for the 2025 USA Gymnastics Florida Xcel women’s championships.

The Hoffmans, who are frum Jews, planned each of Nessa’s meets around Shabbos and Yomim Tovim, but it turned out that the Florida championships were to be held over the first days of Pesach.

“This has been a tremendous part of her life for the last year, and then literally, two weeks before, it was ripped away,” Hoffman told JNS. “We considered scootering the 8.2 miles to the Florida Convention Center on the Sunday between seders, which would have been a disaster.”

Months before the competition, the Florida arm of USA Gymnastics told the family that Nessa would be able to compete in the state championship on April 11, the Friday before Pesach. But the private body told the family two weeks prior to the competition that Nessa’s performance scores wouldn’t count toward medals or regional qualification.

Hoffman told JNS that the policy felt punitive. “They told us she could compete on Friday with the same judges, same equipment, same everything, but that her scores wouldn’t count,” he said.

“The only reason not to count the scores was to penalize Jewish athletes for choosing to be religious,” he said. “Everything about it just seemed wrong.”

Hoping to preserve his daughter’s opportunity to compete after so much hard work, Hoffman sought help from the Christian Legal Society and the Orthodox Union.

Nathan Diament, executive director of Orthodox Union Advocacy, told JNS that when he learned of Nessa’s situation he partnered with the Christian Legal Society.

“We knew we had to reach out to the decision makers to urge and press them to accommodate Nessa’s Sabbath observance and still enable her to qualify for regionals,” he told JNS.

The two groups sent a joint letter to Florida Gymnastics urging it to reconsider its policy and allow Nessa’s scores to count.

Steve McFarland, director of the Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law and Religious Freedom, told JNS that Florida Gymnastics changed its policy.

“To say ‘We’ll score her but the scores can’t count’ is just mean-spirited or just brain-dead,” he told JNS. “They recognized that and rectified it, which is a real pleasant turnaround.”

“We didn’t have to spend a quarter-million dollars in legal fees and have somebody say what any rational human being could conclude: let the 11-year-old get scored and try to reach her childhood dream,” he said. “You don’t need lawyers for that. Just common sense and a heart.”

On April 11, Nessa competed and qualified for the 2025 Florida Xcel Gold Regionals.

It’s rare for youth sports organizations to accommodate religious beliefs of young athletes, according to McFarland.

“There are things worth sacrificing for and obviously, Nessa is willing to sacrifice countless hours to perfect her athletic ability,” he told JNS. “She also realizes that, apparently, there are things even worth more than athletic success and in our society, athletics can be a religion, with all the fervor and passion and emotion and sacrifice that one used to associate with religion.”

“It’s only appropriate that we realize that religious conscience should be celebrated and accommodated wherever possible,” he added.

A fifth grader at Brauser Maimonides Academy, a Modern Orthodox day school in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Nessa told JNS that she is grateful to the two groups for their intervention and for helping her achieve her dream of making it to the regionals.

“Almost not being able to go was really horrible,” she told JNS. “Steven and Nathan helped me get to that goal of regionals and they were super powerful. They helped a lot.”

The gymnast told JNS that Orthodox Jewish athletes should never feel that their religious observance will hold them back.

“Everyone who is having a hard time just has to keep going and push yourself,” she said. “Practice really hard and you’ll get there if you set your mind to it.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

Three key Mossad operatives—R., D., and N.—have been informed by Minister Miri Regev that they will jointly light a torch at the upcoming Independence Day ceremony on Mount Herzl. The honor recognizes their leadership in the high-level “pager operation” conducted in Lebanon.

R., age 49 and based in central Israel, oversaw the mission as the lead commander within the Mossad’s operations division. Her responsibilities spanned all active components of the mission, including deploying agents, creating support infrastructure, and coordinating tightly with other internal Mossad units focused on intelligence, tech, and logistics.

D., a senior technologist within the Mossad’s technology operations unit, led a specialized team that tackled major technological hurdles during the operation. His group engineered breakthrough solutions to preserve the mission’s secrecy and ensure flawless coordination during execution.

N., who serves in the Mossad’s intelligence division, was the driving force behind the intelligence arm of the initiative. He guided the mission from its inception through the planning phase and all the way to operational completion, spearheading dozens of intelligence efforts targeting Hezbollah.

Minister Regev emphasized, “The three Mossad members R., D., and N., together with their colleagues in the Mossad, are behind the seminal operation that will go down in history as operational activity throughout the world. Their complete surprise explosion of thousands of pagers throughout Lebanon, along with thousands of additional radios the following day, led to the breaking of the spirit of the terrorist organization Hezbollah.”

She continued, “The pager operation was a dramatic turning point in the northern sector and contributed to Israel’s achievements against the axis of evil led by Iran. The choice of the men and women of the Mossad is how the people of Israel thank you and all the figures in the shadows who stand guard day and night.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Trump is reportedly weighing a new executive order that would prevent nonprofit organizations from distributing grant money to entities outside the United States, a source familiar with the matter revealed to The NY Post today.

The proposed directive would specifically apply to organizations categorized under “501(c)(3),” the federal tax code classification for nonprofits that are exempt from paying federal income tax.

Some of the most prominent 501(c)(3) entities potentially impacted by the move have been established by major figures often critical of Trump, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the Open Society Foundations — the latter founded by progressive billionaire George Soros.

Although the measure has not yet been finalized, the source said internal conversations within the administration are ongoing, with staffers divided on whether to proceed.

“There’s definitely an effort to limit and scrutinize federal tax dollars being shipped overseas, ramp up scrutiny of foreign acquisitions, protect research and [intellectual property], along with critical supply chains. And we’re seeing it across all the different departments,” a source close to the White House told The Post.

The Trump administration has already made moves to cut back international financial outflows. USAID, a major channel for global aid, was effectively dismantled, and AmeriCorps programs were significantly downsized following an internal review by the Department of Government Efficiency.

As things currently stand, nonprofits in the 501(c)(3) category are legally allowed to make donations to overseas groups, provided the funds are used for charitable activities. These donations benefit from a tax-exempt status, allowing American donors to channel their money through U.S.-based nonprofits to support global causes.

For instance, DirectRelief — one of the top ten American nonprofits in terms of annual donations — delivers large quantities of medical supplies and support to nations facing war and disaster.

Similarly, Americares, which receives over a billion dollars annually in donations, extends healthcare-related grants to foreign partners in locations such as Ukraine, Haiti, and areas governed by the Palestinian Authority.

The Gates Foundation alone disbursed $3 billion in grants to 135 countries in 2023, tackling issues such as “gender equality” and “global health.”

Meanwhile, Open Society Foundations distributed funds to recipients in more than 100 nations last year, and as of 2022, it held $130 million in active investments aimed at achieving social impact.

Faith-based charities would also be affected by the proposed order. In 2023, the Christian humanitarian group World Vision International allocated over $70 million to aid efforts in Ukraine, $11 million to programs in Mexico, and another $25 million to support Colombia.

The potential crackdown on international philanthropy comes on the heels of Trump’s move to reconsider Harvard University’s tax-exempt status. That action was prompted by Harvard’s resistance to his call for faculty and student audits focused on “viewpoint diversity” and institutional reforms addressing campus antisemitism.

{Matzav.com}

Efforts to locate the diver who disappeared following a shark attack in Chadeira on Monday have been suspended, according to an announcement by ZAKA.

The search was called off after authorities discovered what are believed to be human remains near the area where the diver went missing.

“From the moment we received the report, we went to the scene with large forces from the Israel Police, the Marine Police Unit, the Fire and Rescue Flame Unit, volunteers from the rescue units and other forces,” ZAKA stated.

They described the situation as both rare and highly challenging, noting that it required significant coordination and a high level of expertise from all those involved in the response effort.

ZAKA’s professional diving team conducted thorough underwater sweeps with the help of advanced sonar equipment. The organization noted that these divers are highly trained and experienced in aquatic search-and-rescue missions.

Material recovered from the location was sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir for analysis and identification. Officials close to the investigation indicated that a decision on whether to resume the search will be made after the forensic results are reviewed.

ZAKA added that “we are prepared to bring the findings found at the scene to the Israel Grave and are accompanying the family during their difficult time.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Trump administration is actively exploring initiatives to increase marriage and childbirth rates across the country, with one idea under discussion being a $5,000 “baby bonus” granted to mothers following the birth of a child, according to a new report.

Senior officials in the White House have recently been engaged in developing strategies to counter the nation’s waning birth and marriage figures, with the broader goal of encouraging more Americans to embrace the family-oriented ideals championed by Trump and his supporters.

According to four individuals who have been involved in recent discussions, advocates for raising the national birthrate have held talks with administration staffers to design policies aimed at persuading more women to have children, the New York Times reported.

One of the proposals involves awarding a $5,000 payment to new mothers. Another idea floated in the meetings would prioritize married people or those with children for 30% of all Fulbright scholarship allocations.

As of now, the administration has not announced which, if any, of these proposals might move forward.

Those close to the talks emphasized that improving fertility rates will likely become a central theme in efforts to ignite the kind of “baby boom” Trump is aiming to foster.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump revealed today that he held a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu covering several pressing topics, and emphasized that both leaders see eye to eye on those matters.

“I’ve just spoken to Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, relative to numerous subjects including Trade, Iran, etc. The call went very well—We are on the same side of every issue,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Their recent dialogue follows a face-to-face meeting in Washington two weeks earlier, where Trump disclosed that the United States was initiating a new phase of engagement with Iran focused on its nuclear program.

“We are having direct talks with Iran. On Saturday we will have a very big meeting and we will see what can happen. I think everybody agrees that a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious, and the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with, or frankly that anyone here wants to be involved with.” He added that the scenario was “getting to be very dangerous territory. Hopefully, those talks will be successful, and I think it would be in Iran’s best interests if they are,” Trump said.

Addressing the issue of hostages held by Hamas, Trump stressed his desire to see the conflict come to an end. “I want to see the end of the war. Right now, we have a problem with the hostages, we’re trying to get the hostages out. We got quite a few out, but it’s a long process. It shouldn’t be that long, but we have a big problem,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz on Tuesday rebuked U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for accusing Israel of committing a “war crime” via its policy on humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling the senator’s claim both false and ignorant.

Responding to a post Sanders published Monday on X—where the senator alleged that “no humanitarian aid has entered Gaza” for 51 days and quoted Katz out of context—Katz wrote: “Contrary to the Senator’s statement, Israel is acting in full accordance with international law.”

“The humanitarian condition in Gaza is constantly monitored and large quantities of aid were delivered,” the defense minister stated, adding that aid must be prevented from falling into the hands of Hamas, which he said “exploits humanitarian aid to maintain control over the civilian population and to profit at their expense—profits that fund and sustain terror infrastructure used to target IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.”

Katz emphasized the need for the international community to ensure that aid bypasses the terror group and reaches civilians directly and securely.

“It is unfortunate that the honorable Senator has learned nothing from the lessons of October 7 and the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli citizens and the Jewish people,” Katz continued, referencing the murder of the Bibas children while in Hamas captivity “simply because they were Jewish.”

He concluded by reaffirming Israel’s obligation to prevent a repeat of such horrors and expressed gratitude to the United States for supporting Israel’s right to self-defense “in the face of the hypocrisy of some international bodies.”

Sanders has repeatedly criticized Israel’s war against Hamas and has led calls in Congress to condition U.S. military aid to the Jewish state. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Trump’s Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, has spoken out in strong support of the administration’s move to resume collecting student loan debt, accusing colleges of taking advantage of loan forgiveness initiatives enacted under Biden.

On Monday, the Department of Education revealed that starting May 5, it would resume collection efforts on student loan debt from the approximately 5.3 million individuals currently in default.

In a sharply worded opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal, McMahon pinned the blame for the student debt crisis on Biden’s policies and institutions of higher learning, saying they’ve misled students while benefitting from the system.

“Colleges and universities call themselves nonprofits, but for years they have profited massively off the federal subsidy of loans, hiking tuition and piling up multibillion-dollar endowments while students graduate six figures in the red,” McMahon wrote.

She pointed to research from nearly a decade ago that links the rise in tuition to increases in federal loan limits.

“A widely cited 2015 study found that for every dollar of increased federal caps on subsidized loans, colleges raised tuition by 60 cents,” she continued.

McMahon also blasted academic institutions for continuing to push students toward degrees that hold little real-world value, while encouraging them to take on huge financial burdens.

“Many of the degree-granting programs that qualify for student loans are worthless on the job market, but colleges continue to accept students to these programs and encourage them to borrow to pay for them.”

She emphasized that both students and institutions must be held responsible for the role they play in the growing student debt crisis.

“Accountability is a two-way street. As we push to hold student borrowers to account, we will also push colleges to be responsible and transparent.”

Dismissing claims that the resumption of collections is punitive, McMahon said the decision is rooted in fiscal responsibility and called out President Biden for making hollow campaign pledges.

She said Biden used student loan forgiveness to appeal to younger voters during his campaign, without the legal authority to deliver on those promises.

Student loan payments were first suspended during Trump’s administration in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, McMahon noted, but the Biden White House extended those suspensions beyond what she says was legally permissible.

According to her, this extension only made things worse by giving borrowers the false impression they wouldn’t need to repay what they owed.

“I am announcing the end of this dishonest and irresponsible policy. We will conform the department’s repayment options to federal court decisions and end the Biden-era practice of zero-interest, zero-accountability forbearances that are pushing borrowers into loan delinquency and default,” she said.

She outlined the steps that will soon take effect, including getting nearly 2 million borrowers back into active repayment status and restarting collection efforts for those who are still in default.

“On May 5, we will begin the process of moving roughly 1.8 million borrowers into repayment plans and restart collections of loans in default. Borrowers who don’t make payments on time will see their credit scores go down, and in some cases, their wages automatically garnished.

“Why? Not because we want to be unkind to student borrowers. Borrowing money and failing to pay it back isn’t a victimless offense. Debt doesn’t go away; it gets transferred to others. If borrowers don’t pay their debts to the government, taxpayers do,” McMahon added.

She also underscored the unique nature of student debt, saying it must be taken seriously and cannot be viewed like ordinary consumer loans.

“We are committed to ensuring that borrowers are paying back their loans, that they are fully supported in doing so, and that colleges can’t create such a massive liability for students and their families, jeopardizing their ability to achieve the American dream,” McMahon said.

Earlier, McMahon had taken aim at Biden’s repeated attempts to erase large amounts of student debt—moves that were partially thwarted in court decisions last year.

According to the Department of Education, 42.7 million Americans currently owe over $1.6 trillion in student loans, creating what the agency described as a looming threat to the financial health of the federal student loan system.

The department further warned that millions of borrowers have gone well over a year without making payments, with some having defaulted on their loans for more than seven years.

{Matzav.com}

At a climate-focused event in San Francisco on Monday, former Vice President Al Gore delivered a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump’s administration, drawing comparisons to Nazi Germany and issuing warnings about the dangers of political manipulation and unchecked power.

Speaking at the opening of Climate Week in San Francisco, Gore accused the Trump administration of shaping a distorted version of reality to serve its agenda, likening the strategy to the tactics employed by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime during the 1930s and 1940s.

“I understand very well why it is wrong to compare Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich to any other movement,” Gore said to a crowd of about 150 policymakers and climate activists gathered at a science museum near the city’s waterfront. “It was uniquely evil, full stop. I get it. But there are important lessons from the history of that emergent evil.”

Gore’s criticism comes amid a wave of similar condemnations from prominent Democratic figures who have recently taken aim at the Trump administration. In a recent speech, Barack Obama voiced his alarm over federal threats against universities for not disclosing student protesters’ identities, saying that Trump’s leadership has corroded core American values. Kamala Harris has accused the administration of acting beyond constitutional boundaries and fostering a climate of fear. Hillary Clinton, in a New York Times op-ed, accused Trump of “squandering America’s strength and threatening our national security,” adding to the chorus of Democratic voices opposing the current administration.

During his speech, Gore referenced post-World War II reflections by German philosophers on the Nazi regime’s rise to power.

“It was [Jürgen] Habermas’ mentor, Theodore Adorno, who wrote that the first step in that nation’s descent into hell was, and I quote, ‘the conversion of all questions of truth into questions of power,’” Gore said. “He described how the Nazis, and I quote again, ‘attacked the very heart of the distinction between true and false.’ End quote. The Trump administration is insisting on trying to create their own preferred version of reality.”

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Gore’s statements.

Gore, who received an Academy Award for his 2006 climate documentary An Inconvenient Truth, also took direct aim at several public claims made by Trump regarding climate science and energy. He cited them as examples of the administration’s rollback of environmental protections and policies enacted under previous Democratic leadership.

“They say the climate crisis is a hoax invented by the Chinese to destroy American manufacturing,” he said. “They say coal is clean. They say wind turbines cause cancer. They say sea-level rise just creates more beachfront property.”

In his 25-minute address, Gore also referenced figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope Francis while calling on the audience to continue the fight against climate change and resist authoritarianism.

“We’ve already seen, by the way, how populist authoritarian leaders have used migrants as scapegoats and have fanned the fires of xenophobia to fuel their own rise of power,” he said. “And power-seeking is what this is all about. Our constitution, written by our founders, is intended to protect us against a threat identical to Donald Trump,” he said, prompting applause from the audience.

Following Gore’s speech, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie addressed the gathering. Pelosi emphasized key climate measures such as the Inflation Reduction Act and praised Pope Francis for his environmental leadership. Lurie highlighted San Francisco’s achievements in sustainability, including investments in electric vehicle infrastructure and renewable energy initiatives.

{Matzav.com}

Harvard Law School Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz said in an interview with Newsmax on Monday that Harvard’s new lawsuit is likely a strategic move intended to pressure the Trump administration into negotiations, and warned that the university stands little chance of prevailing if the case reaches the Supreme Court.

Harvard filed the legal action in an effort to stop a federal decision freezing more than $2.2 billion in grant money. Speaking on The Record With Greta Van Susteren, Dershowitz explained that the government isn’t legally obligated to provide such funding to any academic institution.

“Harvard’s going to lose. It has no obligation legally, the government, to fund a $53 billion university. I don’t understand the basis of the lawsuit,” Dershowitz said. “They’re claiming First Amendment. But, you know, Harvard has the First Amendment right to speak and to teach and academic freedom, but it doesn’t have the right to get funding.”

He went on to suggest that the lawsuit is less about winning in court and more about opening a path to dialogue. “I think the lawsuit is designed to send a message to the administration — come sit down and negotiate. Their two lawyers who they hired initially are negotiators; they’re close to the Trump family and Trump business. And I think this is simply a ploy to try to get a resolution,” he added.

According to Dershowitz, a settlement is the likely outcome, though he believes the administration ultimately holds the stronger position.

“About a third of the things that the government asked for from Harvard are right; they should do it. Third of them may be wrong and about a third of them are subject to negotiation. So this case will settle. But if it goes to the Supreme Court, it’s going to lose. [Harvard] may win in the district court because it’s Massachusetts, but it will lose in the Supreme Court,” Dershowitz said.

{Matzav.com}

According to new demographic research from the Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the global community is expected to lose 70% of its Holocaust survivors within the next decade, and 90% over the next 15 years. The findings will be unveiled at a major conference scheduled for Tuesday.

The report, titled Vanishing Witnesses: An Urgent Analysis of the Declining Population of Holocaust Survivors, estimates that by the year 2040, the number of survivors worldwide will dwindle to approximately 21,300.

Pinchas Gutter, one of the few remaining individuals who fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, reflected on the report’s sobering implications. “We have an important piece of history that only we hold and only we can tell. I hope in the time we have, we can impart the learning from the Holocaust so that the world will never again have to endure that level of hate,” said Gutter.

“I am a witness. Those of us witnesses still alive are working to make sure our testimonies are heard and preserved through any means possible. We are counting on this generation to hear us and future generations to carry our experiences forward so that the world does not forget.”

The release of the study coincides with Yom HaShoah, Israel’s national day of Holocaust remembrance, and comes just four months after the world marked eight decades since the liberation of Nazi death camps.

The population projections are based on data from 2022 and 2023 involving more than 250,000 survivors who were recipients of compensation, social services, or support through the Claims Conference.

Because survival rates vary by region, the decline in the survivor population will differ across countries. In Israel, for instance, 40% of Holocaust survivors are expected to pass away within the next five years. In the former Soviet Union, the decline is projected to be even steeper—about 50% over the same period.

The report points out that although Holocaust survivors have benefited from the broader global increase in life expectancy due to advances in healthcare, this longevity often comes with age-related challenges that require long-term medical and emotional support.

Nearly all of the remaining survivors were children during the Holocaust—either imprisoned in ghettos or concentration camps, or hidden to escape capture. Today, 98% of survivors are over the age of 80, and the median age is 87. The report also reveals that around 1,400 survivors have reached the milestone of 100 years or older.

Vladimir Shvetz, whose mother, Nechama Grossman, is 110 years old, shared that her life has been a living testament to resilience. “We must remember her story, remember the Holocaust, remember all the survivors, and learn from it so that her past does not become our future,” said Shvetz.

Malka Schmulovitz, a 109-year-old survivor, expressed her urgency in a public statement, saying her advanced age is a stark reminder that the opportunity to share these stories is fading quickly. “We all have a testimony that needs to be shared. We all want to be sure that this generation of young people and the ones that come after them, hear and understand what truly happened during the Holocaust; if only so that we do not see it repeated,” said Schmulovitz.

Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference, stressed that the diminishing number of living witnesses underscores the immediate need to amplify Holocaust education and remembrance.

“Now is the time to hear first-hand testimonies from survivors, invite them to speak in our classrooms, places of worship, and institutions. It is critical, not only for our youth but for people of all generations to hear and learn directly from Holocaust survivors,” said Taylor.

“This report is a stark reminder that our time is almost up, our survivors are leaving us, and this is the moment to hear their voices.”

{Matzav.com}

During remarks on Monday in Yerushalayim, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfas, spoke critically about recent decisions issued by the Israeli Supreme Court, asserting that such rulings lack halachic legitimacy when they run counter to Torah law.

Rav Eliyahu emphasized that these types of rulings carry no halachic authority and explained that his position is firmly grounded in classical Jewish sources.

“If the Supreme Court rules against the law and a minister or Knesset member asks me who to listen to, their ruling has no validity and the source for that is in the Gemara, Mishna, and the Rambam’s halachic rulings — practical halachic rulings — and the sages ruled that way since that’s what the Torah says.”

Expanding on his point, the rov highlighted that Torah law obligates individuals to think for themselves and not surrender their judgment to external authority. “The Torah tells man to use his discretion, don’t follow blindly, and anyone who demands that you follow blindly is contradicting the Torah, how can we go against the Torah, G-d forbid?”

Rav Eliyahu concluded his remarks by reiterating that from a halachic perspective, there is no requirement to adhere to judicial rulings that oppose the law of the Torah. “Therefore, we hope that there won’t be a situation where the judges rule against the law, since if they rule against the law, there is no need to follow their ruling.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Petach Tikvah community is mourning the passing of Rabbi Avraham Chaim Grossman zt”l, a beloved askan and baal chessed who was a pillar of chessed and Torah in the city. He was 70 years old.

Rabbi Grossman passed away following a brief and sudden illness, having suffered from pulmonary edema.

His levayah took place Monday evening, departing from his home in Petach Tikvah to the Segulah Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.

Born on 8 Iyarin 1954, Rabbi Grossman was the a of Reb Yitzchok Dovid Grossman zt”l, founder of the Gan Construction Company, and tbl”c Mrs. Pesia Grossman.

As a bachur, he learned in Yeshivas Kol Torah in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim and later in Yeshivas Grodna in Ashdod.

He married a daughter of Reb Yaakov Weissehaus and together they built a home of Torah and chessed in the Kfar Avraham neighborhood of Petach Tikvah. Rabbi Grossman was widely known as a man of deep yiras Shamayim, a lover and supporter of talmidei chachamim, and a tzurba meiRabbanan.

In his youth, he was close to the Gerrer Rebbe, the Beis Yisroel zt”l, and later developed close ties with other gedolim, including the famed mekubal Baba Elazar Abuchatzeira zt”l of Be’er Sheva.

Throughout his life, Rabbi Grossman devoted himself to supporting others. He established numerous shiurim and initiatives for the needy, including being one of the founding members of the Kol HaDaf program over four decades ago.

He gave of himself—physically and financially—for countless acts of chessed. He was particularly known for his involvement in shidduchim, where he invested tremendous effort to help finalize engagements that had stalled, often stepping in to resolve complicated or sensitive situations with heart and wisdom.

He accepted his suffering in recent times with emunah and bitachon, living every day with quiet devotion and trust in Hashem.

Rabbi Grossman is survived by his family, including his sons R’ Yisroel, R’ Tzvi, and R’ Mordechai, all known for their own acts of chessed.

He is also survived by his brothers, R’ Nati Grossman, editor of HaPeles, and R’ Eli Grossman.

The family is sitting shivah at the Grossman home, located at 3 Rechov HaMeginim in Petach Tikvah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}