Matzav

Financial planners are urging Americans to take immediate steps before December 31 to prepare for major tax code changes that will take effect in 2026. “Taking action before the end of this year can be a huge benefit to your financial health in 2026,” said Dan Snyder, director of financial planning at the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA). “There have been many changes in the tax and financial planning space this year and now is the time to educate yourself and make changes that can affect your tax bill before April 15, 2026.”

One of the most notable changes announced by the Trump administration is the discontinuation of IRS Direct File, the free electronic filing system created under Joe Biden. Officials confirmed earlier this month that the program will not return next year, arguing that private companies can better handle online tax services. Treasury Secretary and IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent explained at the White House, “It wasn’t used very much. And we think that the private sector can do a better job.” He added that there are “better alternatives” available.

The Direct File platform, despite its limited reach, had grown in popularity among taxpayers who praised its simplicity and cost-free approach. The Center for Taxpayer Rights obtained an internal report showing that 296,531 taxpayers successfully submitted returns for the 2025 filing season — more than double the 140,803 accepted through the system in 2024. The findings suggest that interest in a government-run filing option was increasing before its cancellation.

Republican lawmakers long criticized the initiative as an unnecessary government expense, arguing that free filing tools already exist, even if they are complicated to use. The private tax-preparation industry, which earns billions annually from software fees, also opposed the program’s expansion, lobbying heavily against it throughout Biden’s term.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has introduced sweeping new provisions under the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.” The legislation raises the standard deduction and adds a $6,000 bonus deduction for qualifying seniors, offering substantial relief for older taxpayers. However, it also reshapes the rules for charitable donations and itemized deductions, meaning many filers will need to reexamine their strategies before the year closes.

Snyder and the AICPA are advising filers to consider “bunching” — combining multiple years of charitable or medical expenses into one tax year — to determine if itemizing might yield greater savings than taking the standard deduction. According to the Tax Foundation, roughly 86 percent of taxpayers are expected to claim the standard deduction in 2026, which could make timing especially important.

Charitable giving will also face new restrictions. Beginning in 2026, taxpayers can take an above-the-line deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals or $2,000 for joint filers, even if they don’t itemize. Higher-income earners who do itemize will encounter new limits, including a requirement that only donations exceeding 0.5% of their adjusted gross income can be deducted. For many donors, making contributions before December 31 could help them avoid the stricter rules.

Another new provision allows Americans who purchased U.S.-assembled cars to deduct up to $10,000 in interest from their auto loans, though that benefit phases out for individuals earning above $100,000 or couples earning more than $200,000.

As the landscape grows more complex, Snyder cautioned that professional guidance is critical: “Taxpayers should work with a CPA or CPA personal financial specialist as soon as possible to craft a tax and personal finance strategy for 2026.”

{Matzav.com}

A violent neo-Nazi from the country of Georgia, who called himself “Commander Butcher,” has confessed to planning a horrifying terror campaign targeting Jews and other minorities in New York City.

Twenty-three-year-old Michail Chkhikvishvili admitted guilt to federal hate crime charges after he sent detailed instructions for producing bombs and the deadly poison ricin, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Investigators revealed that Chkhikvishvili’s plan included distributing poisoned candy to children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn, alongside other acts of violence aimed at minority groups.

Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg condemned the acts in the strongest terms, saying, “Chkhikvishvili’s monstrous plots and propaganda calling for racially motivated violence against civilians, including children, posed a grave threat to public safety.”

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi credited the swift and coordinated response of law enforcement with preventing tragedy, noting that their efforts had “saved untold lives.”

Known by several aliases—including “Mishka,” “Michael,” and “Butcher”—Chkhikvishvili was a key figure in the Maniac Murder Cult (MKY), a global neo-Nazi network that advocates brutal violence against Jews and others. The group, prosecutors said, operates primarily in Russia and Ukraine but maintains followers in the United States and elsewhere.

Authorities uncovered a manifesto authored by Chkhikvishvili titled the Hater’s Handbook. The document glorified murder, promoted “ethnic cleansing,” and urged adherents to record violent acts, including school shootings and suicide bombings. In it, Chkhikvishvili claimed he had “murdered for the white race.”

The extremist traveled from his home in Tbilisi, Georgia, to Brooklyn in June 2022, where he stayed with his grandmother. During his time in New York, he boasted of committing hate crimes.

By that summer, he began using encrypted messaging apps to recruit and direct others to carry out attacks for MKY. He shared footage of assaults and provided materials on making explosives and biological weapons, urging participants to seek recruits with military or chemical expertise.

One of the people he contacted was, in fact, an undercover FBI agent posing as a potential recruit. In conversations with the agent, Chkhikvishvili proposed a large-scale New Year’s Eve attack in New York City in which someone dressed as Santa Claus would distribute poisoned candy to minorities.

He instructed the agent to strike specifically at Jewish schools, saying, “Jews are literally everywhere” in Brooklyn and suggesting that “some Jewish holiday” would provide the ideal time to target “Jewish schools full of kids.” He then added chillingly, “Dead Jewish kids.”

In messages with another extremist from the Feuerkrieg Division (FKD), Chkhikvishvili bragged, “Mky is only group so far that done so many kills,” claiming to have attacked and attempted to murder a Jewish victim in Brooklyn.

Members of New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force later discovered that Chkhikvishvili had once been employed at a rehabilitation center in Brooklyn and had worked for an Orthodox Jewish family, caring for one of their relatives.

Prosecutors said he sent the FBI’s undercover agent detailed instructions for creating chemical weapons, along with video manuals urging the filming of violent acts. He even borrowed tactics from radical Islamist groups such as ISIS, praising jihadist ideology while blending it with neo-Nazi extremism.

Chkhikvishvili was captured in Chișinău, Moldova, on an Interpol warrant, extradited to the United States, and brought before the federal court in the Eastern District of New York.

His online incitement was later linked to multiple deadly attacks, including a school shooting in Tennessee in January, in which a 17-year-old gunman—who cited MKY—killed one person and then himself while livestreaming the rampage.

Chkhikvishvili faces a maximum prison sentence of 40 years when he is sentenced in March. Federal officials say his arrest prevented “a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.”

{Matzav.com}

In an unusual move, the Shas faction convened on Monday at the Knesset rather than at the party’s Har Chotzvim headquarters, where meetings have been held since the beginning of the war. The session, chaired by party leader Aryeh Deri, was called amid recent tensions and incidents involving attacks on chareidi lawmakers.

Deri gathered all Shas Members of Knesset for a briefing following a series of assaults and demonstrations by extremists, including an attack on MK Yoav Ben-Tzur and protests outside the home of MK Yaakov Asher of Degel HaTorah.

During the closed-door meeting, Deri expressed optimism that the long-debated Giyus Law would soon reach its conclusion. “I hope that today or tomorrow the matter will be finalized, one way or another,” he told his colleagues. “As of yesterday, I was informed that the Litvishe Gedolei Yisroel will rule in favor of the Bismuth proposal. If they indeed decide in favor, an official announcement will be published in Yated Ne’eman,” he said.

Deri further predicted that “Porush and Eichler will join Shas and vote in favor,” signaling growing support for the compromise version of the draft law.

Addressing the ongoing wave of protests and attacks, the Shas chairman suggested that the demonstrations could paradoxically strengthen their cause. “They’re only helping us,” Deri remarked. “The legal advisors now see that the chareidim are paying a heavy price, and that increases the likelihood that the law will pass in the High Court.”

He also strongly condemned the violence targeting public representatives. “We all completely denounce and reject the severe attack on MK Yoav Ben-Tzur that took place on Motzoei Shabbos,” Deri declared. “When you hear Lieberman today, and the disgraceful way he speaks about those who study Torah in response to the incident, you understand the tremendous chillul Hashem caused by those rioters. The incident itself was a real danger to life and could easily have ended much worse. To our dear friend, Reb Yoav, we say: Chazak ve’ematz, Hashem imcha gibor chayil!”

{Matzav.com}

During his “Medabrim” radio program, Israeli media personality Yaakov Friedman launched a fierce critique of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, contrasting him sharply with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whom he described as the only politician in the right-wing bloc who continues to stand firmly with the chareidi public.

Friedman noted that although Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party and Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit ran on a joint list in the last election—winning 14 seats together—their partnership has grown increasingly strained. “Anyone who remembers how much muscle Smotrich flexed before agreeing to run with Ben-Gvir can see that things look very different today,” Friedman said. “Ben-Gvir isn’t just growing stronger—he’s eating up Religious Zionism. Some polls show them hovering near the electoral threshold.”

The host emphasized that Ben-Gvir’s loyalty to the chareidi cause has been consistent, particularly regarding the sensitive issue of the draft law. “When it comes to the matters that matter most to us—especially the Chok HaGiyus—there’s not one word against us. Not one person on his team can be accused of turning his back on the chareidim,” Friedman asserted. In contrast, he accused Smotrich of “siccing the media” on the chareidi community and cited Smotrich’s earlier remark that “the unwritten pact is over.” Friedman shot back: “It didn’t end with you, Mr. Minister—and it certainly didn’t start with you.”

Friedman also pointed to what he called Smotrich’s “arrogance,” referencing comments made earlier that day at an Yisroel Hayom conference. When asked if he liked Ben-Gvir, Smotrich curtly replied, “No.” According to Friedman, when pressed about the possibility of another joint run, Smotrich hesitated—proof, Friedman said, that “he knows he needs Ben-Gvir.”

In contrast, at an Otzma Yehudit press conference later that evening, Ben-Gvir was asked by journalist Yehuda Schlesinger to respond to Smotrich’s remark. Ben-Gvir replied simply: “I love every Jew.” When asked again, he repeated, “I love every Jew—except maybe Ofer Cassif—and I love Minister Smotrich.”

Friedman concluded by highlighting the stark difference in tone between the two men. “Look at the contrast,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on with Smotrich—maybe he’s chasing headlines, maybe he’s just trying to stay above the threshold—but the difference in derech eretz speaks for itself.”

{Matzav.com}

The East Wing of the White House, which had stood for generations, was demolished last month at President Donald Trump’s direction. Rising in its place is a sprawling new ballroom — a gleaming 90,000-square-foot monument that may not outlast the next election cycle.

If a Democrat wins the presidency in 2028, the ornate new space could quickly become a political lightning rod. While any incoming administration would have weightier issues like foreign crises and domestic policy to tackle, there’s already growing chatter among Democrats about what should be done with the ballroom that Trump built. They could actually tear it down.

Within the Democratic Party, influential voices are brainstorming ideas for transforming the $300 million structure into something less reflective of Trump’s opulent tastes. Some have floated proposals that would turn the space into a cultural or civic center, rather than the gilded venue Trump envisioned for high-profile events and dinners.

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who has hinted at a possible presidential run if Democrats reclaim the House, said he has no intention of leaving Trump’s vision intact. “No way,” Raskin declared. “This is a space that’s owned by the people and that serves the people. So, it should be used opposite of what Trump has in mind, which is for the American aristocracy and plutocracy to gather.”

California Rep. Ro Khanna, also viewed as a potential presidential contender, echoed that sentiment, suggesting that the hall should instead “celebrate and empower forgotten Americans,” rather than serve as a setting for lavish state banquets.

Critics within the party argue that maintaining the ballroom would reward what they call Trump’s disregard for process — tearing down the East Wing without warning and using private donations to bankroll the construction. To them, preserving it as a ballroom would symbolize complicity.

Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen takes the opposition even further. “I don’t think it would be a bad idea to tear it down,” he said bluntly. “It’s this gigantic blob there that’s Donald Trump.”

Asked about what might become of the ballroom after Trump leaves office, the White House declined to comment. Trump himself, however, has defended the project as a practical improvement, designed to eliminate the need for outdoor tent events. He has said the ballroom will allow future leaders to “hold large events in a convenient indoor space.” White House officials insist that presidents for over 150 years have wanted precisely such a facility.

Anita McBride, a board member of the White House Historical Association and former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush, praised the idea — provided it is done right. “I hope it remains a ballroom and hope that it’s tastefully and beautifully done so that future presidents will be proud to host honored guests there,” she said. “But what I mostly hope is that the new building includes offices for the Office of the First Lady, White House social office and White House Visitor Office. Those offices serve the presidency in a unique and special way, welcoming all visitors to the People’s House.”

History shows that presidents altering the White House often invite criticism. Harry Truman was ridiculed for adding a balcony to the South Portico in 1948, prompting a cartoon that mocked him saying, “Love me… love my balcony.” Yet none of those renovations compare to the scale of Trump’s new addition — or to the controversy surrounding it.

For many Democrats, the ballroom is an irresistible political symbol. It plays perfectly into their narrative of Trump’s excess and disregard for norms. Polling backs their instincts: a recent Washington Post-Ipsos survey showed that 88% of Democrats and 61% of independents oppose the project altogether.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, another name floated for a 2028 presidential bid, pulled no punches when discussing it. “It’s a metaphor for this administration — the recklessness to which he goes about things, the fact that he doesn’t believe in rules, he doesn’t believe they apply to him,” Newsom said in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press. “So, you know, he’s a wrecking ball presidency.”

Still, tearing it down could prove politically cumbersome. With other priorities competing for attention, a Democratic president might simply decide to ignore the ballroom and focus elsewhere. Even Newsom, who is no admirer of Trump, hasn’t said what he would do with it. His office declined to comment.

Some on the left, however, are already pitching creative ideas. Saikat Chakrabarti, a congressional candidate from San Francisco running for the seat being vacated by Nancy Pelosi, said he would introduce legislation to turn the ballroom into a Smithsonian museum about “corruption and autocracy.” The exhibit, he said, would showcase the private donors who financed the project, to “really put into the sunlight how this thing came to even be.”

Raskin envisions something different — a mixed-use hall that hosts some official events while also serving as an educational space on American democracy. “One side of the space,” he proposed, would trace the history of attempts to “undermine and thwart popular democracy in American life,” from King George III to Trump’s challenge of the 2020 election results. His suggested name: the “Democracy Matters Ballroom.”

Khanna, meanwhile, thinks the public should have the final say. “We need a White House that is not for the tech billionaires, but for forgotten Americans,” he said. “In that spirit, we should ask Americans — in rural communities, urban centers and hollowed-out factory towns — for their ideas of what to do with the space.”

Republican presidents might choose to keep the ballroom intact, viewing it as part of Trump’s enduring legacy. Yet even within the GOP, tastes differ. Trump’s penchant for gilded décor and grand halls isn’t universally shared. As one historian observed, the project risks altering the image of the White House itself.

“The White House is a residence that symbolizes American democracy,” said Edward Lengel, former chief historian of the White House Historical Association. The ballroom, he cautioned, makes it look less like a presidential home and more like “a palace.”

{Matzav.com}

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President Trump delivered a fiery address at the McDonald’s Impact Summit on Monday, telling attendees that America narrowly avoided an economic collapse by electing him in 2024. Speaking before an audience of McDonald’s owners, suppliers, and executives, he declared, “You are so […] lucky that I won that election, I’m telling you,” a line that drew laughter and applause from the crowd.

Trump contrasted his record with that of Vice President Kamala Harris, asserting that her leadership would have plunged the nation into disaster. “Welfare was going up. Everything was going up. Government jobs were going up, real jobs were going down,” he said, claiming that Harris’s policies would have drained the economy. “So you would have had that catastrophe, and on top of that, instead of $20 trillion coming in, you would have had $10 trillion leaving our country. In other words, you would have had a catastrophe. You probably would have had a bankrupt country,” he warned.

The president’s remarks come amid mounting frustration among voters and economists over the nation’s sluggish economic performance. While Trump campaigned on reversing inflation and cutting costs after what he called the “Biden-era price explosion,” inflation has remained stubbornly high through his second term. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer prices rose 3 percent in September — the same level as when he assumed office — and the job market has cooled sharply, with fewer than 30,000 new positions being added per month. Several major corporations have already announced upcoming layoffs heading into the end of the year.

Throughout his campaign, Trump promised to reignite growth, vowing to restore the strength of the U.S. economy through tariffs and deregulation. However, the reality of persistent inflation and job losses has forced a recalibration within the administration and the broader GOP. After Republicans suffered setbacks in last month’s elections, party strategists have urged a renewed focus on the cost-of-living crisis that has dominated voter concerns.

To that end, Trump has introduced new measures in recent weeks aimed at easing financial pressures. He moved to roll back tariffs on key imported food products such as beef, bananas, and coffee — a reversal of policies he had once touted as economic leverage. Additionally, he directed the Justice Department to launch an investigation into the meatpacking industry, accusing major producers of conspiring to inflate prices for consumers.

Trump and his allies have continued to emphasize positive indicators like record-breaking tax revenue from tariffs and promises of future corporate investment, seeking to reassure the public that his strategy remains sound. Still, the administration faces growing skepticism from both economists and everyday Americans as prices remain stubbornly high and job growth falters.

{Matzav.com}

An essential component of the internet’s background mechanics experienced a widespread failure on Tuesday, resulting in numerous websites displaying error notices to users across the globe.

The United States-based firm Cloudflare, which provides services essential for safeguarding countless websites against cyber threats and other issues, encountered an unnamed difficulty on Tuesday. This incident prevented some internet users from reaching certain websites that rely on the company’s protection.

A representative for Cloudflare stated: “We saw a spike in unusual traffic to one of Cloudflare’s services beginning at 11.20am. That caused some traffic passing through Cloudflare’s network to experience errors. While most traffic for most services continued to flow as normal, there were elevated errors across multiple Cloudflare services.

Owners of some websites were also unable to log into their management tools and performance monitoring dashboards.

Addressing the root cause, the spokesperson added: “We do not yet know the cause of the spike in unusual traffic. We are all hands on deck to make sure all traffic is served without errors. After that, we will turn our attention to investigating the cause of the unusual spike in traffic.”

Though the disruption is still active the company announced a degree of return to normal operations: “We are seeing services recover, but customers may continue to observe higher-than-normal error rates as we continue remediation efforts.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] A newly surfaced video of Rav Hershel Schachter, rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva Rabbeinu Yitzchok Elchonon (RIETS) of Yeshiva University and a leading posek for the Orthodox Union, features comments from him regarding the recent atzeres tefillah in Eretz Yisroel protesting the drafting of yeshiva bochurim into the army.

In the video, Rav Schachter dismissed the large public gathering—attended by leading gedolei Torah and hundreds of thousands of people—as “utterly ridiculous.”

“They just had in Eretz Yisrael, they had this whole yom atzeret,” he said. “I think it was utterly ridiculous. The country is at war and no one wants to go to the army? I think the whole thing was ridiculous. I don’t think anybody from YU would ever participate in such an atzeret.”

Rav Schachter continued, “They’re big talmidei chachamim, but they exaggerate so much that nothing else counts by them. Here we’re more reasonable. Torah is important, and the war is important, and the army, everything is important, everything is. You shouldn’t exaggerate [and say] everything just depends on Torah.”

“The Jewish people has to have an army. If everyone’s gonna sit and learn, the enemy is gonna kill all of us,” he said. “You have to have an army, you have to have other things. So I think our hashkafah is more normal, more reasonable.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Schachter added, “We have to present it to the public. They shouldn’t think anyone who learns Torah is a meshuggener. Everything is exaggerated.”

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{Matzav.com}

During an interview on Fox News, Israeli opposition leader and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was asked how he would feel if New York’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, were to follow through on his earlier remarks about arresting Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu should he visit the city.

The interviewer noted that Mamdani, known for his vocal anti-Israel positions, previously declared that he would have Netanyahu detained if he set foot in New York. “He said that if Prime Minister Netanyahu comes here, he will arrest him,” the anchor reminded Bennett, pointing out that a Republican congresswoman from New York had already fired back on social media, writing: “I invite you—go ahead and invite him to your inauguration. I dare you to try to arrest him on January 1.”

Bennett responded sharply, questioning Mamdani’s priorities: “Is he so obsessed with a country that’s six thousand miles away? Has he solved all the crime here? Is the economy perfect? Are prices low? Has everything else been taken care of that he can afford to be so fixated on Israel?”

When asked how he personally felt about the possibility of Netanyahu facing such a threat—given their long and complex political relationship—Bennett said that, despite his political opposition, there were limits no Israeli would tolerate being crossed.

“Yes, I’m in the opposition, and I oppose Netanyahu domestically,” Bennett said. “But make no mistake—every Israeli would be outraged and would fight anyone who tries to arrest our prime minister, whoever that may be. We stand behind Israel, our soldiers, and our leaders.”

{Matzav.com}

An attack at the Gush Etzion Junction in the West Bank has resulted in one death and several people injured.

Medics report four people injured, with one woman in critical condition, two in moderate-to-serious condition, and one lightly hurt.

Magen David Adom confirmed a man in his 30s died after being stabbed.

The incident reportedly began with an attempted car-ramming before the assailants exited their vehicle and tried to stab victims. Security forces shot and killed the at least two attackers involved.

Magen David Adom transported three other injured individuals to hospitals in Yerushalayim: a woman in serious condition and a man and a teenager in moderate condition.

{Matzav.com}

Three recently freed Israeli captives—Matan Angrest, Segev Kalfon, and Etan More—spent Shabbos together with their families at the Waldorf Astoria in Yerushalayim. The gathering, arranged by Kesher Yehudi founder and CEO Tzili Schneider, was meant to give the survivors and their loved ones a chance to reflect, heal, and draw strength from one another.

Arutz Sheva reported on the weekend. Over the course of the weekend, the men spoke openly about what Shabbos meant to them during their time in Hamas captivity. For the first time, they described the Shabbosos they observed deep underground, in darkness and danger—moments of emunah and connection that helped them endure the impossible.

Matan Angrest recounted how he found his way back to tefillah while in Gaza. “I had a prayer book that I got after a lot of digging, and I began to pray. I said, ‘I have a prayer book, why shouldn’t I pray three times a day?’ I saw during the Shabbat prayers that they talk about the Sabbath being holy and one of the most important things in Judaism. I felt something was missing, I said, ‘I can’t pray without observing Shabbat.’ Slowly, I began keeping Shabbat.”

He explained that Shabbos observance became a lifeline for him. “At first, I would recite Kiddush, and then for Havdalah, I would wait for the cup of black coffee, which would sometimes come days later. I wouldn’t eat at night to wait until Havdalah came on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. I would also study a daily Torah study booklet. Since learning was difficult, it was short. It got to me by chance; apparently, it was left by soldiers in the area. I would study it regularly.”

Segev Kalfon described how, even in the tunnels, they created a sense of Shabbos together. “We were in a small tunnel. We would welcome the Sabbath. Even though we would recite Kiddush on water, it’s the thought that counts. We would sing ‘Lecha Dodi’ (a liturgical song welcoming the Sabbath) and ‘Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’ (a song about the Jewish sage, often sung on Friday nights). I would tell them not to fill up on salads, even though we only had half a pita and cheese to eat. We would sit and reminisce about what we would eat at home on Shabbat.”

Even Yomim Tovim were marked, though they often had no idea what day it truly was. “We would celebrate the holiday, we would finish it, and then it would turn out that the holiday just began. But it’s the thought that counts.” Kalfon reflected that keeping Shabbos helped them hold on to who they were, even while in the hands of their captors.

Eitan More expressed his gratitude in simple words that carried deep emotion: “I want to say thank you very much for Shabbat.”

Tzili Schneider, who organized the retreat, said she was deeply moved by their words. “It was moving to hear the amazing testimonies by the captivity survivors about their dedication to observing Shabbat in impossible conditions. Their stories are inspiring. It is amazing to discover how faith and Shabbat observance in the brutal captivity gave them strength to face the terrible difficulties.”

For the survivors and their families, the Shabbos spent together in Yerushalayim was more than a reunion. It was a reaffirmation that Shabbos kodesh can bring light, even in the darkest of tunnels.

{Matzav.com}

Negotiations between Israel and Syria over a potential security agreement have stalled, according to Israeli officials who spoke with Kan 11 News on Monday. The discussions, which had been progressing quietly for weeks, have now hit a standstill over Syria’s insistence that Israel retreat entirely from areas captured by the IDF following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Sources familiar with the talks explained that Israeli leaders flatly rejected President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s call for a complete withdrawal, deeming it unacceptable without a broader peace framework. They emphasized that Israel might consider giving up limited positions only in the context of a full peace treaty with Syria—something that appears unlikely for the foreseeable future.

The impasse follows statements al-Sharaa made last week during a visit to Washington, where he confirmed to the Washington Post that direct talks between Damascus and Israel were taking place. He reiterated his key demand that Israel return to the lines that existed prior to his rebel faction’s ousting of Assad. “We have gone a good distance on the way to reach an agreement. But to reach a final agreement, Israel should withdraw to their pre-Dec. 8 borders,” al-Sharaa said. “Today, we found that Mr. Trump supports our perspective as well, and he will push as quickly as possible in order to reach a solution for this.”

Al-Sharaa also dismissed suggestions that Syria might agree to a demilitarized zone south of Damascus, calling such a proposal unrealistic. “To talk about an entire region demilitarized, it will be difficult, because if there is any kind of chaos, who will protect it? If this demilitarized zone was used by some parties as a launching pad for hitting Israel, who is going to be responsible for that?” he asked. He continued, “At the end of the day, this is Syrian territory, and Syria should have the freedom of dealing with their own territory.”

In a separate Fox News interview broadcast one day earlier, al-Sharaa was pressed about whether Syria might join the Abraham Accords or formally recognize Israel. He avoided a direct answer, replying only, “Syria has borders with Israel, and Israel occupies the Golan Heights since 1967. We are not going to enter into a negotiation directly right now. Maybe the United States administration, with President Trump, will help us reach this kind of negotiation.”

Back in September, al-Sharaa had struck a more optimistic tone, telling journalists in Damascus that discussions with Israel over a potential security arrangement could “lead to results in the coming days.” He hinted that such an understanding might open the door to “additional agreements,” though he made clear that normalization or a formal peace treaty with Israel was not under consideration at that stage.

Now, with both sides holding firm to incompatible conditions—Syria demanding total withdrawal and Israel linking any territorial concessions to a broader peace—officials acknowledge that the once-promising negotiations have ground to a halt.

{Matzav.com}

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The Orthodox Union has announced a sweeping policy change concerning the kashrus of beer, significantly tightening standards for what will be permitted at OU-supervised establishments and events, Matzav.com has learned.

The OU Kashrus Division stated that beginning January 1, 2026, only beers with reliable kosher certification will be allowed at OU-certified venues and functions.

Historically, unflavored beers were widely assumed to be kosher because of their simple ingredient list—water, hops, barley, and yeast. However, the OU explained that “the rise of craft brewing and new production methods has led to a proliferation of flavored beers, diverse additives, and shared equipment that can compromise the kosher status of even seemingly straightforward brews.”

After extensive research and discussions with other leading kashrus agencies, including the Star-K and OK, the OU determined that a more rigorous approach is needed to “ensure our strict kosher standards will consistently be met.”

A letter regarding this matter from the OU notes that while many national brands already maintain kosher oversight and will remain acceptable, all craft beers will now be required to carry a kosher symbol or a letter indicating valid hashgachah.

The OU has a partial list of nearly 1,000 certified breweries and emphasized that it will continue working with proprietors to make the transition as smooth as possible.

The organization urges caterers and event planners to contact OU mashgichim in advance “to review the beer (and all alcohol) selections to ensure they will be compliant with this updated policy.”

The OU adds that this decision is a joint effort with the OK and Star-K, along with several local supervision agencies, “to uphold the highest standards of kashrus in the ever-changing landscape of food and beverage production.”

{Matzav.com}

In a characteristically provocative speech before the Knesset Finance Committee on Monday, MK Avigdor Lieberman lashed out at chareidi lawmakers over what he described as excessive funding to yeshivos and kollelim, while mockingly urging them to “learn more Torah.”

“The Finance Committee this week is busy with only one thing—handing out money wholesale to yeshivos and kollelim,” Lieberman said. “If the chareidi politicians learned Torah the way they study the state budget, the Beis Hamikdash would already be rebuilt tomorrow.”

Lieberman’s remarks, which he himself described as “messianic,” came just hours after he renewed his call to revoke the voting rights of chareidi men who study Torah but do not serve in the army. “We’ve seen gangs of bullies attacking MKs,” he said, referring to recent incidents of violence against chareidi lawmakers. “I heard today that both Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher were assigned personal security. These are criminals. If they learned Torah as well as they know how to riot, the Third Beis Hamikdash would already stand.”

The Yisrael Beiteinu leader went on to outline his proposed legislation targeting yeshiva students who do not enlist. “We will put all the draft dodgers in prison and then strip them of their right to vote,” Lieberman declared. “At the same time, we will build enough prisons to hold them all.”

He further announced his intention to introduce a bill denying voting rights to all inmates. “Draft evaders will go to jail and will not be allowed to vote,” he said. “What is democratic in the United States and in thirteen of the twenty-seven European Union countries will be democratic in Israel as well.”

Lieberman’s comments drew strong criticism across the political spectrum, with opposition figures accusing him of inciting hatred against the chareidi community. Nonetheless, the secular lawmaker—who has long positioned himself as a fierce critic of chareidi influence in government—appeared unrepentant.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset on Monday evening passed a landmark law restoring the authority of the batei din to adjudicate child support cases within the framework of divorce proceedings. The move comes months after a controversial Supreme Court ruling stripped the rabbinical courts of this jurisdiction, a decision that drew sharp criticism from rabbinic leaders and religious lawmakers.

Speaking after the law’s passage in its second and third readings, Rishon LeTzion Rav Dovid Yosef expressed gratitude and relief, describing the development as a victory for halacha and for the traditional legal order. “In the Supreme Court, there is a judge named Yael Willner—remember that name,” he said. “That judge decided that the batei din have no authority to deal with child support, which accounts for 70 percent of all cases. For 80 years, the courts handled these issues without a problem, and suddenly, what was legal became illegal.”

Rav Yosef recounted how repeated petitions to the High Court had paralyzed the batei din after that decision. “Every case we received, they told us: ‘You have no authority.’ I turned to Justice Yitzhak Amit and asked him to allow a rehearing on this critical issue—it’s not even written in the law! But he rejected my request outright. The only solution left was to make a new law,” Rav Yosef said.

He added that the process had caused him great distress. “I won’t weary you with how much pain and effort this took,” he said. “Just minutes ago, Rav Elbaz sent the Knesset members from here to vote in the final readings, and baruch Hashem, with Heaven’s help, we are restoring the crown to its former glory.”

The newly approved legislation reaffirms the provision originally enacted in 1953, explicitly granting rabbinical courts the authority to rule on “child support claims of the couple’s children” that are linked to divorce proceedings. This restores the status quo that existed before the Supreme Court’s February ruling, issued by Justices Yael Willner and Ruth Ronen against the dissenting opinion of Justice Noam Sohlberg, which had removed that authority and created confusion in the family law system.

Under the new law, the reinstated powers will be applied as a temporary measure for two years. During that period, a special committee appointed by Rav Dovid Yosef, who also serves as President of the Rabbinical High Court, will formulate recommendations for how to calculate and distribute child support responsibilities between parents, ensuring uniformity across both rabbinical and civil courts.

“The Supreme Court’s decision caused serious confusion and disrupted the proper order of family law in Israel,” Rav Yosef said. “Restoring the rabbinical courts’ authority will bring back the needed stability. The expert committee I appointed will, be’ezras Hashem, produce a halachic framework that is fair, balanced, and respectful of both parents’ responsibilities. Our goal is to clarify the criteria, ensure consistency in rulings, and prevent unnecessary disputes between spouses during their most difficult moments. The welfare of the children of Israel remains foremost in our minds.”

MK Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, who sponsored the bill, called the passage of the law a “historic correction.”

“I’m pleased to announce that the bill from my committee, amending the Rabbinical Courts Jurisdiction Law on marriage and divorce, was approved today,” Rothman said. “This law restores the authority of the batei din as intended and returns the legal status to what it was before the High Court ruling. It clarifies the law, allows the rabbinical courts to handle child support cases linked to divorce, and prevents double litigation.”

Rothman added, “The High Court’s decision created needless chaos and undermined the courts’ legal authority. I’m proud that the Knesset and the committee acted quickly and responsibly to restore order and certainty until a permanent arrangement is established, be’ezras Hashem, through future legislation.”

{Matzav.com}

The special investigative team handling the explosive Force 100 (Sde Teiman) case made significant progress on Monday, marking a key development in their ongoing inquiry.

According to Yisroel Hayom, investigators successfully retrieved data from the mobile phone of former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, which had been submerged in water after being lost earlier this month. The phone was reportedly pulled from the sea roughly ten days ago, about five days after it had allegedly gone missing on the beach.

Authorities are now combing through the recovered data in search of possible links or collaborators connected to the leak of the Force 100 video. Officials emphasized that the process is being carried out strictly under judicial supervision, in compliance with a court-issued order, and utilizing pre-approved search terms to ensure lawful access.

The latest development comes amid uncertainty regarding Tomer-Yerushalmi’s legal status. Her house arrest, which was supposed to expire on Sunday, has not yet been formally extended. Last week, she was rushed to the hospital after reportedly ingesting an excessive quantity of sleeping pills.

Emergency responders from Magen David Adom were dispatched to her residence in Ramat Hasharon, where they found her semiconscious but not in life-threatening condition, according to reports.

Before the incident, the Tel Aviv Magistrates Court had ruled that Tomer-Yerushalmi remain under ten days of house arrest and refrain from communicating with anyone linked to the investigation for a total of 55 days.

Investigators are now hoping the retrieved phone data could provide crucial evidence in tracing how the sensitive Force 100 video was leaked and who might have been involved in its distribution.

{Matzav.com}