Matzav

Knesset Education Committee chairman Tzvi Sukkot said he will move quickly to address what he described as an unacceptable daycare registration crisis, promising to convene an urgent committee discussion to prevent children from being shut out of supervised frameworks.

Speaking in a radio interview with journalist Yisroel Meir on the program Osim Seder, Sukkot addressed mounting complaints from parents who say bureaucratic cutoffs are leaving infants without placement for the coming school year. Meir described the reality facing many families: parents of babies born in late winter or spring are told registration is closed, leaving them with no options. “The child was born after February or March—registration is closed, and there’s nothing I can do,” Meir said, noting that many families are then pushed toward unregulated solutions, an issue that has taken on added urgency following Monday’s tragedy in Yerushalayim.

Sukkot, who assumed the committee chairmanship about a month ago, acknowledged that the issue is relatively new to him but said he has already received numerous appeals from parents. He pledged to take up the matter immediately. “I will definitely study this and I will convene a discussion to see what can be done, because there is no chance we should legitimize a reality in which children are not registered simply because they were born after an initial cutoff,” he said, adding, “This is something that makes no sense.”

Turning to practical solutions, Sukkot rejected the current rigid model and argued for a more flexible system that can expand during the year to reflect natural population growth. In his view, the system must adapt to children—not the other way around. “Anyone born in May or June should be able to enter, and new groups need to be opened,” he said, stressing that the issue requires in-depth work and a determined response because it addresses a basic need of young families.

Sukkot concluded by linking the registration failures to the broader need for oversight and regulation of daycare centers, especially in light of the recent disaster in the capital. “We are under harsh and painful scrutiny because of this terrible tragedy in Yerushalayim,” he said. Outlining his goals for the committee, he added: “We want supervised daycare centers, we want orderly frameworks, and we want parents to be able to send their child to a place where the child receives proper conditions. We are going to fight for that.”

{Matzav.com}

As authorities continue investigating the deadly incident at a daycare center in Yerushalayim’s Romema neighborhood, the director of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital says that early medical findings have ruled out poisoning and point instead to extreme environmental conditions as the likely cause of the tragedy.

In an interview on Kol Chai radio’s main evening program, Dr. Yaniv Scherrer, director of Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, shared initial insights from hospital treatment rooms and laboratories hours after two toddlers died and dozens of others were rushed for medical care. Despite extensive testing using advanced equipment, Scherrer said doctors have not identified “any toxin or substance that we can say caused the incident involving dozens of infants,” leaving investigators still searching for definitive answers.

Scherrer explained that once the first emergency report was received from Magen David Adom, Hadassah’s hospitals immediately prepared for an unusually complex scenario. While the medical teams are experienced in mass-casualty events, he said this case raised particular alarm. “This is not a routine incident. We are talking about very young children, infants in a daycare, with three in life-threatening condition,” he said. Because of the initial concern that the children may have been exposed to a toxic substance, staff prepared the emergency rooms with separate clean and potentially contaminated zones to protect both patients and medical personnel.

During comprehensive examinations of the 45 children treated at Hadassah Ein Kerem and Hadassah Mount Scopus, several key possibilities were ruled out. Doctors searched for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, a dangerous gas sometimes emitted by heating devices in enclosed spaces, but blood tests did not show elevated levels. Exposure to pesticides was also excluded. “Very quickly we saw that this was not an external substance, but rather some kind of irritation that was likely respiratory,” Scherrer said, adding that rarer possibilities such as contaminated food or bottles are still being examined, though the cause may ultimately prove to be environmental.

With toxic exposure largely ruled out, medical assessments are increasingly focusing on the physical conditions inside the daycare. Scherrer addressed this cautiously, saying, “It’s possible that in the end this is a story of crowding and heat and suffocation that were there—we don’t know.” As part of preparations for worst-case scenarios, the hospital even readied its hyperbaric chambers in case of severe poisoning, but they were ultimately not needed. Most of the children required only mild respiratory support, and their conditions stabilized quickly after receiving oxygen and initial treatment.

Concluding the interview, Scherrer sought to reassure families and the wider public about the condition of the surviving children. “The infants who are still hospitalized with us—at the moment they are not in danger, and we expect they will be discharged tomorrow,” he said. He also expressed appreciation for the medical teams at both Hadassah hospitals, noting that they mobilized within minutes to provide life-saving care to dozens of infants who arrived at emergency rooms simultaneously amid great uncertainty.

{Matzav.com}

A pre-dawn operation by the military police in the yishuv of Adam ended without an arrest early Tuesday morning after residents and yeshiva students rushed to the scene and physically blocked officers from taking a yeshiva bochur into custody.

According to reports, heavily reinforced military police units entered Adam at around 3:00 a.m. with the aim of arresting a talmid from the Noam HaTalmud Yeshiva who is considered a draft evader. The quiet community was jolted awake as the forces moved toward the bochur‘s home.

Once it became clear that military police were operating inside the community, activists triggered the so-called “Black Alert” system, a rapid-response warning used by opponents of the draft. Within minutes, dozens—and then hundreds—of residents and yeshiva students converged on the location, surrounding the police vehicle and forming a human barrier around the bochur.

After a prolonged standoff marked by tension and confrontations, the officers withdrew from the area without making the arrest. The retreat was met with loud cheers from those gathered at the scene.

The nighttime incident has once again fueled anger and unrest in the chareidi public, particularly among the Sephardic community. Individuals familiar with the details voiced sharp criticism, claiming a troubling pattern. “Time and again we see these initiated arrests—nighttime raids that reach right into people’s homes—focused on young men from the Sephardic community,” one source said. “Is this coincidence, or a deliberate policy? The public is no longer buying claims that it’s random.”

Following the withdrawal of the forces, the atmosphere quickly shifted. The home in Adam turned into a scene of celebration, with footage showing dozens of yeshiva students dancing energetically alongside the student and his family, expressing gratitude for what they described as a late-night miracle.

“They came to take him to prison, and in the end he stayed in the study hall,” one participant said during the dancing. “It feels like the spirit won over brute force.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly released data following a court petition has revealed how public funds totaling hundreds of thousands of shekels were used in 2024 to cover personal and household expenses connected to the private residences of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in Caesarea and Yerushalayim.

The information was disclosed after a legal petition filed by the Movement for Freedom of Information, leading to the publication of expenditure records from the Prime Minister’s Office that had previously been partially redacted. The newly released documents provide a clearer and more detailed picture of daily and personal spending, including food purchases and maintenance of private facilities such as a swimming pool.

According to the records, more than NIS 27,000 was spent on maintaining the swimming pool at Netanyahu’s private home in Caesarea. An additional roughly NIS 50,000 was used for food, groceries, and gas refills for both the Caesarea residence and the private home in Yerushalayim.

The documents further show that thousands of shekels were paid during the year for maintenance and renovation work at the Caesarea property. These included approximately NIS 5,000 for waterproofing consultation, around NIS 6,550 for sealing and insulation work following water damage, and about NIS 1,500 for pest control. In parallel, roughly NIS 6,000 was allocated for communications infrastructure work at the private residence on Gaza Street in Yerushalayim.

Other listed expenses included about NIS 1,400 for laundry services and approximately NIS 12,500 categorized as “maintenance and miscellaneous” costs. Additional payments to individual professionals were also detailed, including roughly NIS 1,650 to replace a kitchen faucet, around NIS 7,300 to repair bursts in the main water line, and NIS 650 to fix a clothes dryer.

Visits by other technicians—covering refrigerator repairs, electrical work, and plumbing—amounted to an additional roughly NIS 16,000, bringing the total spent on professional services alone to about NIS 18,000.

Public funds were also used for exterior maintenance at the Caesarea residence. Nearly NIS 1,400 was spent on torch fuel, approximately NIS 4,680 on replacing window screens, and close to NIS 7,000 on root-cutting work. These items had originally been redacted from public disclosure on security grounds, with the redactions now partially lifted.

Despite the expanded transparency, some information remains withheld. About NIS 46,000 in expenses is still classified due to security considerations, while another roughly NIS 20,000 was not itemized for privacy reasons. In total, around NIS 250,000 in public spending had until now not been fully disclosed.

Attorney Yaara Winkler-Shalit, who represents the Movement for Freedom of Information, sharply criticized the Prime Minister’s Office, saying that despite clear rulings by the Supreme Court and district courts, the public is repeatedly forced to turn to the legal system to understand how its money is being used. She said the matter involves basic information about personal expenses funded by the state budget.

{Matzav.com}

Prominent figures who served in the Biden administration are sharply criticizing the vetting process used by Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro disclosed that he was asked whether he was “an Israeli agent” while being considered as a potential running mate.

Deborah Lipstadt, who served as the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, said the reported question reflected deeply troubling bias. “This report is extremely distressing. When vetted by the White House for my position as Special Envoy, I was not asked anything akin to this. Had I been, I would have responded that the question is an example of why an Envoy is necessary. It is classic antisemitism,” Lipstadt wrote on social media.

In a follow-up post, Lipstadt said her concerns only intensified as more details emerged. “The more I read about Josh Shapiro’s treatment in the vetting process, the more disturbed I become. The questions to him, I repeat, are why they needed a Special Envoy on antisemitism. These questions were classic antisemitism,” she added.

Similar criticism came from Aaron Keyak, who previously served as Lipstadt’s deputy, in a statement addressing the episode. “The minimum demand of Jews in the United States and our allies – even those in public service – is to simply be treated like any other American, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or race. That Governor Josh Shapiro wrote that he was asked if he was a double agent of the world’s only Jewish state is an antisemitic inquiry,” Keyak said.

Keyak questioned why Shapiro, in particular, was subjected to such scrutiny. “While we can safely assume that asking all potential Vice Presidential picks if they are an Israeli double agent is not included on the standard list, the obvious question is why it was Governor Shapiro who was targeted by the staff of the presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee, Kamala Harris, in particular. The truth is, we almost certainly know why,” he added.

He went on to argue that such treatment reflects a broader pattern. “Unfortunately, this is not the first time the US government or a presidential campaign has applied a double standard to American Jews during the vetting process for a wide range of officials. I have heard from too many being asked similar questions over many years and I can speak from personal experience. During my vetting process I faced questions in a classified setting that my fellow non-Jewish political appointees did not. These sort of antisemitic questions are anti-American and do not represent the best that the Democratic Party offers. Now and especially during the next Presidential campaign we must demand better,” Keyak concluded.

The remarks followed reporting by The New York Times, which published excerpts from Shapiro’s forthcoming memoir, Where We Keep the Light, scheduled for release on January 27.

In the book, Josh Shapiro describes what he characterized as an unusually tense and intrusive vetting process, particularly surrounding Israel. “Had I been a double agent for Israel?” Shapiro wrote, recounting a last-minute question posed by the vetting team. He said he pushed back, calling the inquiry offensive, and was told in response, “Well, we have to ask.”

Shapiro wrote that while he believed the staffer was “just doing her job,” the exchange nevertheless “said a lot about some of the people around the VP.”

A spokesperson for Kamala Harris did not respond to a request for comment.

Shapiro was among the finalists under consideration to join Harris on the Democratic ticket, though she ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

President Donald Trump, who defeated Harris in the 2024 election, has repeatedly argued since then that Harris passed over Shapiro, whom he described as a stronger option than Walz, because Shapiro is Jewish.

Shapiro has rejected the claim that antisemitism determined the outcome, and has dismissed Trump as the “least credible person” to lecture others about opposing hatred and bigotry.

At the same time, Shapiro acknowledged broader concerns, saying, “Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president. Absolutely none. It is also true that antisemitism is present in our commonwealth, in our country and in some areas within our party, and we have to stand up and speak out against that.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s military chief has alerted the country’s top political leadership to a growing crisis in combat manpower, cautioning that the Israel Defense Forces could face serious operational limitations if the issue is not addressed swiftly.

In a letter disclosed by Channel 12 News, Eyal Zamir, the IDF Chief of Staff, warned that “the shortage of fighters is already acute” and could begin “to undermine the military’s readiness within the next year.”

Zamir wrote that the security pressures of the past two years have placed extraordinary strain on the IDF, disrupting personnel systems and creating challenges without precedent. He pointed out that legislative efforts tied to the Draft Law and to extending compulsory service are moving too slowly, a lag he said threatens the army’s capacity to carry out its responsibilities.

According to the Chief of Staff, only an immediate, urgent, and even retroactive extension of mandatory service for men to 36 months can prevent serious harm to the IDF’s force-building plans. He cautioned that without such a step, both readiness and the standard of combat training would deteriorate, with effects becoming noticeable as soon as next year and intensifying from January 2027.

The warning comes as the IDF reports shortfalls of thousands of soldiers in combat units and raises concern that, beyond the current gaps, the Knesset is advancing legislation that would broaden draft exemptions, potentially worsening the manpower crisis.

{Matzav.com}

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld In Shemos, Perek Yud Bais the Torah tells us that we have a mitzvah to bring a Korban Pesach on Erev Pesach. Was the bracha of shehecheyanu recited when they brought the Korban Pesach since it is a mitzvah that occurs infrequently? The Nesiv Chaim in siman taf lamed bais says that they did not say the bracha of shehecheyanu while shechting the Korban Pesach. They relied on the shehecheyanu that would be said on the night of Pesach during Kiddush. This is similar to the fact that we don’t make a bracha of shehechyanu while building the sukka, but rather we say the bracha of shehecheyanu during Kiddush when we also have the building of the sukka in mind. The Shailos Utshuvos Shevet Halevi in chelek gimmel, siman samech heh questions the above comparison. We don’t make a bracha of shehecheyanu on the building of the sukkah because that act is actually a hechsher mitzvah, a preparation for the mitzvah of eating in the sukka. We therefore rely on the shehecheyanu on the mitzvah of eating in the sukka itself, which includes the preparation for the building of the sukka as well. A similar scenario would be concerning saying shehechayanu while searching for chametz. We do not say shehecheyanu while we check for chametz since it is only a hechsher mitzvah; the actual mitzvah is not having chametz in your domain on Pesach, so we are yotze with the shehecheyanu we say as we usher in the Yom Tov during Kiddush. In contrast, when it comes to shechitas Pesach where the Rishonim count the shechita and the achilas Pesach as two separate mitzvos, we should be required to say shehecheyanu on the shechita and then at night when we eat the Pesach we could either rely on the original shehecheyanu on the shechita or rely on the shehecheyanu we say for the Yom Tov itself. The bottom line is that since the shechitas Pesach is a mitzvah on its own and comes infrequently; we need to say a shehecheyanu. The Shevet Halevi was asked a question in Chelek Tes, siman kuf yud yud gimmel based on what we pasken in Yoreh Deah, siman chof ches, seif koton gimel concerning a shochet who shechts for the first time. The shochet makes a bracha of shehecheyanu on the kisui hadam, (the covering of the blood) but not on the shechita because when one shechts, the animal is hurting so we don’t say shehecheyanu during the shechita. The question then is, how could we say a shehecheyanu when we shecht the Korban Pesach when we are causing pain to the animal? The Shevet Halevi answers that there is a difference between these two scenarios. When one shechts an animal because he wants to eat meat, then there is no place for him to say shehecheyanu since he is causing the animal pain in order to have his own pleasures fulfilled. On the other hand, when one brings the Korban Pesach, he is shechting the korban because Hashem told him to and not for his own personal pleasure. In such a case one could say shehecheyanu despite the fact that the animal is in pain since that is what Hashem commanded us to do. May we be zocheh soon to bring korbanos and be required to say shehecheyanu for shechita in our lifetime.

Denmark has moved to bolster its military presence in Greenland, sending additional troops to the Arctic territory as tensions escalate with President Donald Trump over the region’s strategic importance.

Danish broadcaster TV 2 reported that the Armed Forces confirmed the arrival of a fresh deployment late Monday at Greenland’s main international airport, describing the move as “a substantial contribution” to security efforts on the island.

According to Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, who heads Denmark’s Arctic Command, roughly 100 Danish soldiers have already been stationed in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, with further forces set to be positioned in Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland.

The decision follows recent remarks by Trump emphasizing Greenland’s military and geopolitical significance and accusing Denmark of failing to adequately protect the territory.

In a Jan. 18 post on Truth Social, Trump warned that Denmark had neglected its responsibilities in safeguarding Greenland from external threats.

“NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,’” Trump wrote.

“Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!” he said.

On Monday, a statement released a text message exchange between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that addressed Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize.

“Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?” Trump said before adding that there were “no written documents; it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also,” he said in part of the exchange.

“I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT,” he added.

Prior to the release of the exchange, Andersen had said, according to Reuters, that Denmark’s troop movements were motivated by general security considerations rather than by Trump’s statements.

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen also said Denmark is expanding its military activity in and around Greenland in coordination with NATO allies as part of a broader effort to reinforce Arctic defenses, Reuters reported.

Existing Danish units in Greenland may remain in place for a year or longer, with further rotations planned in the years ahead.

Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Jan. 15 that the deployment of European forces would not influence Trump’s stance on Greenland.

“I don’t think troops from Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,” she told reporters.

The latest Danish troop increase follows Trump’s announcement that the United States will impose a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from countries that have backed Denmark and Greenland, including Norway.

{Matzav.com}

The deadly incident at an unlicensed daycare center in Yerushalayim on Monday has prompted urgent action in the Knesset, with a special joint hearing scheduled to address the dangers posed by unlicensed childcare facilities.

Next Monday, January 26, at 9:30 a.m., the Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee, chaired by MK Zvi Sukkot, will convene an emergency joint session together with the Committee on the Rights of the Child, headed by MK Keti Shitrit.

The discussion has been formally designated as an emergency hearing and will focus on the serious risks involved in operating daycare centers for infants without proper licensing, an issue that has once again come to the forefront following the tragic events in the capital.

MK Sukkot said: “My heart aches for the pain of the bereaved families, and I am praying for the injured. But our responsibility as public representatives is to ensure that scenes like today’s tragedy never happen again.”

He added that “we will demand that the supervision and enforcement authorities in the education system provide immediate solutions that will prevent danger in daycare centers operating without a license.”

The tragedy has ignited a fierce public and political backlash, with criticism centered on a decision by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to cancel state subsidies for daycare centers serving families of avreichim.

Chareidi political figures argue that the decision, widely referred to as “the daycare decree,” has pushed thousands of parents to place their children in unregulated and unsupervised facilities, potentially endangering the lives of infants and toddlers.

According to these claims, the removal of subsidies has directly undermined the ability of economically vulnerable families to choose safe, supervised daycare frameworks.

MK Yoav Ben-Tzur, who previously served as the minister responsible for daycare subsidies, said he had warned in advance about the possible consequences of eliminating the funding.

“My heart is bleeding over the terrible tragedy at the unregulated daycare center in Yerushalayim. At this moment, our hearts go out to the families of the toddlers whose world has been destroyed by the heavy disaster that struck them all of us,” Ben-Tzur said.

He continued: “In the fierce struggle I waged to continue daycare subsidies also for avreichim, I warned and cried out in dozens of written documents, legally supported, to the Attorney General, about the grave danger of denying subsidies to supervised daycare centers and pushing thousands of families into unsupervised daycare frameworks.”

“Sadly, today the fear has proven to be a true outcry. The writing was on the wall. Helpless toddlers paid with their lives because of forceful and irresponsible decisions that harm, first and foremost, helpless infants,” Ben-Tzur concluded.

MK Moshe Arbel also sharply criticized the policy, saying: “In the State of Israel, the children of illegal infiltrators are entitled to daycare centers and preschools. In the name of the battle against the chareidi public, the children of avreichim are expelled from supervised daycare centers. The voices of the blood of ‘tinokos shel beis rabban,’ infants who never tasted sin, cry out from the ground. Children’s lives must be kept outside of any political struggle.”

The Chalamish organization, an association advocating on behalf of daycare centers in Israel, also issued a strong statement in response to the tragedy.

“We heard with shock about the heavy disaster that occurred at the pirate daycare center in Yerushalayim,” the organization said. “We have no doubt that government ministries that restrict the steps of daycare operators and parents, together with the decrees of the Attorney General that prevent subsidies for Torah-learning avreichim and punish toddlers for the ‘sin’ of their parents, will not be able to say: ‘Our hands did not spill this blood and our eyes did not see.’”

The organization added: “We call on all law enforcement authorities and the Supreme Court to look at the disaster that occurred today at the pirate daycare center and understand that the exclusion of chareidi children from supervised daycare centers is what could lead to the next disaster.”

{Matzav.com}

One of the two toddlers who died in Monday’s tragic disaster at a private daycare center in Yerushalayim Romema neighborhood was Aharon (Ari) Katz, the young son of Rabbi Yaakov Katz and Chani Katz. Chani is widely known for her work with bereaved families across Israel.

In the immediate aftermath of the outbreak of the war on October 8, Mrs. Katz and her sister, Chavi Voger, established the volunteer Tachshik initiative, a nationwide memorial project. Through the effort, thousands of remembrance necklaces bearing the names and photos of fallen soldiers and terror victims were created and delivered to grieving families throughout the country. The project quickly became a powerful symbol of solidarity and shared mourning in the months following the attacks.

On Monday morning, Mrs. Katz brought her son Ari to the daycare center for his very first day. Family members said the caregiver was someone they trusted deeply, describing the setting as a warm, home-based framework where the family’s older children had also been cared for in the past.

As news of the tragedy spread, relatives of the family released a brief statement expressing their faith despite the pain. “We do not know the calculations of Heaven,” the family said. “May Hakadosh Boruch Hu comfort her as only a loving Father can comfort His daughter.”

Later that evening, amid the shock and unbearable grief, Voger shared a deeply emotional reflection that quickly circulated on social media. “How, Master of the World, do you eulogize a baby?” she wrote. “How much did he love tickles and kisses? How did he smile, and when did he want to cry? How mischievous was he, which pacifier did he love most? How much did he weigh, and at what age did he begin to crawl?”

She continued with haunting questions directed heavenward: “And what, Master of the World, do the sweet souls do in the Garden of Eden of babies? Do they draw angels? Do mothers laugh? Do they sit in a circle of the righteous, tiny whole hearts beating, telling stories of the end of days? And is the firmament up there not too vast for my little baby, who only knew how to crawl?”

The Tachshik memorial initiative, which has stood as a quiet monument of comfort for thousands of bereaved families since Simchas Torah, now faces an unthinkable silence, confronting the private, shattering loss of its own founder.

{Matzav.com}

A nuclear-era bunker beneath the White House’s East Wing was dismantled during renovation work ordered by President Donald Trump, CNN reported Monday, citing people familiar with the project.

The report said the underground complex was removed as part of demolition to clear space for a large new ballroom planned for the White House. As part of the overhaul, the East Wing—long home to the first lady’s offices—was entirely torn down.

One source briefed on the matter told CNN that the plan is to construct a replacement bunker using updated, state-of-the-art technology. The White House declined to comment.

Since returning to the White House about a year ago, Trump, a billionaire and former real estate developer, has pursued a series of changes intended to remake the historic residence and leave a permanent imprint. After smaller efforts such as repaving the Rose Garden and erecting tall flagpoles on the grounds, the administration moved ahead in October with the much larger ballroom project, which is expected to surpass the main White House building in size.

CNN reported that the demolition reached deep below ground, encompassing the bunker built more than eight decades ago during World War II at the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The facility is formally known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, or PEOC.

“With a high degree of confidence, I can say that all of the subterranean structures, including the PEOC, heating and ventilation systems, and underground facilities used by the White House Military Office and the Secret Service, appear to no longer exist,” one source told CNN.

According to the report, removing the aging bunker has not triggered alarm among security officials. Sources said multiple backup protections remain in place to safeguard the president during emergencies. CNN added that plans for a new underground facility are being developed under strict secrecy, though Trump and senior aides have publicly alluded to a highly classified project beneath the White House.

At a recent meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, White House Director of Management and Administration Joshua Fisher was questioned about why the East Wing was demolished without advance approval, an unusual step. Fisher indicated that the decision was tied to sensitive underground work.

“There are some aspects of this project that are of a top-secret nature and are currently underway,” he said. The administration has made similar claims in court filings defending the construction, arguing that stopping the underground work would pose a risk to national security.

The original bunker was constructed in the early 1940s as a bomb shelter in the aftermath of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Over time, it was upgraded into a fortified command center designed to survive a nuclear blast, complete with independent power, water, air filtration, secure communications, and an emergency escape route.

The facility has been activated during past national crises, including the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, when then–Vice President Dick Cheney was taken there shortly before a hijacked plane struck the Pentagon. Trump was also reportedly escorted to the bunker during unrest following the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

While the price tag for the new underground installation has not been disclosed, CNN said it is expected to be significant. Trump has stated that the ballroom—estimated to cost about $400 million—will be paid for with private donations, but any underground security infrastructure would ultimately be funded by U.S. taxpayers.

{Matzav.com}

As investigators continue probing the deadly daycare disaster in Yerushalayim, authorities say that initial medical and environmental tests have not revealed any abnormal findings that would explain the sudden deaths of two infants.

Emergency and rescue forces, along with the Israel Police, are focusing on determining what led to the tragedy in which two babies died at a daycare center in the Romema neighborhood. Early suspicions of poisoning or exposure to hazardous substances have, for now, been largely ruled out.

Israel Fire and Rescue Services reported that examinations conducted at the daycare using specialized detection equipment did not identify the presence of dangerous or toxic materials. “From the checks carried out with designated instruments, no values indicating hazardous or poisonous substances were detected at the site,” officials said.

In addition, blood tests performed on the infants and toddlers evacuated from the daycare to hospitals in Jerusalem did not show any unusual findings. Despite this, officials emphasized that the possibility of exposure to harmful substances has not been completely dismissed and remains under review.

One of the central theories now being examined is whether the air conditioner in the room where the infants were staying was set to heating mode without adequate ventilation, potentially contributing to the fatal outcome.

Medical officials at Hadassah Medical Center said that all infants and toddlers brought to Hadassah hospitals following the incident will remain hospitalized overnight for observation. A total of 43 children were admitted: 25 to Hadassah Mount Scopus and 18 to Hadassah Ein Kerem. All are reported to be in mild and stable condition and fully conscious.

Professor Yoram Weiss, director-general of Hadassah Medical Center, said that once the scope and nature of the incident became clear, the hospitals declared a mass-casualty event. He said trauma teams were rapidly reinforced by specialists in pediatrics, emergency medicine, toxicology, respiratory care, and intensive care. At Hadassah Ein Kerem, hyperbaric chamber and ECMO teams were placed on full standby as a precaution.

According to Weiss, the swift and professional response enabled rapid diagnosis and initial treatment for all the affected infants and toddlers. Throughout the day, social workers at both Hadassah hospitals provided ongoing support to the children and their parents, helping reunite families and addressing their needs. National service volunteers and additional staff also assisted, offering comfort and care to the children until family members arrived.

The Israel Police said the investigation is continuing. Yerushalayim District Commander Maj. Gen. Avshalom Peled told officers that the case is “a very tragic incident,” adding that investigators are working to uncover the truth while acting with great sensitivity toward the families, including efforts to allow burial of the infants as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection also issued a statement rejecting rumors circulating online. The ministry said that inspections at the daycare ruled out a hazardous materials incident. An emergency officer from the Yerushalayim District was dispatched to the scene, and based on updates from Fire and Rescue Services, the presence of dangerous substances was definitively excluded. The ministry urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely only on official updates.

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday approved legislation that imposes new licensing requirements on people who ride e-bikes across the state, marking a significant shift in how the increasingly popular vehicles are regulated.

The measure comes as e-bike use continues to rise sharply, with state officials citing mounting safety concerns, particularly involving children and teenagers who have been injured while riding them.

Under the statute, every category of e-bike — including models that function with pedals but also include an electric motor — is now legally defined as a motorized bicycle. As a result, riders must obtain a license issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

According to information published by the NJ MVC, applicants for a motorized bicycle license must be at least 15 years old, present six points of identification, successfully complete written and vision exams, and pass a road test after holding a permit for a minimum of 20 days.

State residents who already possess a standard New Jersey driver’s license are exempt from obtaining a separate motorized bicycle license in order to operate an e-bike, the commission’s website notes.

The law also mandates that e-bikes be properly registered and covered by insurance before they can be legally used.

“It is clear that we are in an age of increasing e-bike use that requires us to take action and update regulations that help prevent tragedies from occurring,” Murphy said. “Making our roads safer for all users has been a key priority for my Administration. I’d like to thank Senate President Scutari for taking the initiative to improve the safe use of e-bikes in New Jersey.”

{Matzav.com}

MK Yisroel Eichler was appointed on Monday as Deputy Minister of Communications and subsequently resigned his Knesset seat under the Norwegian Law, paving the way for the return of former MK Yitzchok Pindrus to parliament.

Following his appointment, Eichler delivered remarks that focused on the shocking incident earlier in the day in Yerushalayim’s Romema neighborhood. He sharply criticized the judicial system, saying the tragedy was “a result of the terrible cruelty of the legal system,” which, he argued, had stripped chareidi families of daycare subsidies and denied tens of thousands of children from families of Torah learners access to licensed daycare frameworks.

Eichler said that during his tenure as chairman of the Knesset Labor and Welfare Committee, he repeatedly warned over the past year of the grave dangers posed by canceling daycare arrangements. He said he demanded passage of daycare legislation, but his warnings “went unheeded,” adding: “Regarding the judicial system in this context—your hands spilled this blood.”

Addressing criticism leveled at him in recent days, Eichler said that “the gates of Gehennom were opened in the panic channels,” accusing media outlets of branding him anti-Zionist and an enemy of the state. He dismissed the accusations as unsurprising, saying that for 45 years he has fought what he described as the delegitimization of the chareidi public and the incitement against chareidi children in Israel. He also rejected claims that he lacks experience in communications, noting that he has long been active across the media spectrum.

Eichler further denied allegations that he used sweeping derogatory language against the secular public, calling such claims “a systematic, Bolshevik lie.” He said he consistently targets those who incite and persecute the chareidi community without generalizing about entire populations, adding that if he trusted the courts, he would file a defamation suit over the accusation.

Responding to claims that he is anti-Zionist, Eichler said his critics “do not know what Zion is or what Eretz Yisrael is.” He recounted his family’s deep roots in Yerushalayim spanning some 160 years, describing ancestors who immigrated with self-sacrifice during the Ottoman era. He also told a family story in which his great-grandfather sought refuge with Rav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohein Kook after entering the country without papers, quoting Rav Kook as saying that a Jewish child seeking refuge “is not a criminal,” and that Eretz Yisrael is his mother.

Eichler added that, as part of his ideology of settling the land, he helped establish neighborhoods and communities at a young age, including chareidi communities in Ashdod, questioning how such actions could be labeled anti-Zionist. He concluded by saying that the chareidi public loves all who love Zion and Yerushalayim, regardless of differing views, while opposing those who hate Zion and Yerushalayim, whom he described as a small and dwindling minority.

The political move followed an arbitration ruling tied to a rotation agreement between Degel HaTorah and Agudas Yisrael within United Torah Judaism. The panel of rabbinic arbitrators ruled that Eichler was required to resign to allow Pindrus to return to the Knesset. According to party sources, Eichler’s appointment as deputy minister enabled the transition via the Norwegian Law, resolving the dispute without further escalation.

{Matzav.com}

The AirTrain terminal serving JFK Airport has increasingly become a refuge for homeless individuals, with travelers reporting aggressive panhandling, commandeered restrooms, and little visible intervention from Port Authority police, according to a report by The New York Post.

As winter temperatures drop and city shelters remain overcrowded or unstable, dozens of homeless people have taken up residence inside the heavily trafficked station, transforming a key transportation link into an uncomfortable — and at times intimidating — environment for passengers.

“I’ve been through this place a bunch of times in the last three years,” said a traveler identified only as Michael, who was returning Monday from a family trip to Florida with his fiancée. “This morning was definitely the worst.

“The second we came in the station, there was guys yelling, ‘Can you buy me something?’ All the cops did nothing while that guy followed us, asking us for money. The entire time, wouldn’t leave us alone. I told him I had no cash and he was telling me to take something out and pointing to ATMs.”

Multiple commuters said access to public restrooms has effectively disappeared, as homeless individuals occupy stalls for extended periods. Others described seeing people sleeping on the floor while travelers wheeled luggage through the terminal.

“Yes, it’s a problem,” said Arata, 69, who works at a newsstand inside the station. “There are four of five homeless outside here every day. They confront customers. No, the police do not make them move.”

The AirTrain station is a critical transit hub, connecting JFK’s airport terminals with the Long Island Rail Road and New York City’s subway system, making the situation particularly disruptive for both residents and visitors.

Although freezing weather has recently pushed more homeless individuals indoors, the terminal was already crowded earlier this month even on milder days, including when temperatures hovered around 50 degrees, according to the Daily Mail.

“I think the city should definitely do something,” Stony Brook University student Aishik Deb told the outlet.

One homeless man at the terminal, however, argued that the city’s shelter system is to blame. Griffin, 67, said he avoids shelters because of theft and unsafe conditions.

“The shelter is no good,” he said while standing near the Sutphin Boulevard entrance on Monday. “They pick you clean. You can’t even let your shoes dry without somebody taking them. Then you walk around in socks. Now you’re in trouble.

“This is all right,” he said of the terminal. “Don’t act the fool and it works out. They don’t bother anybody here. Getting too crowded now, though. Crazies up there. All night with the arguing and screaming, fighting in the bathroom.”

The disorder at the AirTrain station reflects the broader scope of New York City’s homelessness emergency.

According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, New York State had more than 158,000 people experiencing homelessness in 2024, a 53% increase from the year before, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the nation’s unhoused population.

HUD attributed the surge to factors including pandemic-related eviction backlogs, a shortage of affordable housing, rising rents, and the ongoing migrant crisis, noting that the state’s homelessness rate reached 81 people per 10,000 residents.

Within New York City alone, homelessness climbed to 140,134 people last year, up from 88,025 in 2023, Newsday reported, citing HUD figures. The Coalition for the Homeless said more than 130,000 people stayed in city shelters in October, with thousands more believed to be living on the streets.

Critics argue that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new approach has worsened the problem.

Before taking office, the city’s newly elected Democratic socialist mayor said he would end the practice of clearing homeless encampments across the five boroughs. After his inauguration, he also announced plans to install 30 public toilets for the homeless.

An MTA employee working at the AirTrain terminal summed up the situation bluntly, saying, “This is what I’m used to.”

In response, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it coordinates with the MTA and other agencies to preserve safety and order at JFK and surrounding facilities, while acknowledging that it is not “immune from the conditions facing the unhoused throughout the region,” especially during winter months.

“Port Authority Police Department personnel are assigned to the JFK AirTrain portion of the station at Jamaica 24/7 and seek to enforce Port Authority rules and applicable laws, which do not permit use of the station for non-transportation purposes,” the agency said.

“PAPD also conducts regular outreach in conjunction with service providers, including Urban Pathways, to offer assistance and connect unhoused individuals with shelter, social services, and medical or mental health care as appropriate.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday pressed Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to dismantle a US-run multinational coordination center that plays a central role in advancing US President Donald Trump’s proposal for ending the fighting in Gaza.

The facility, known as the Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC), was set up by Washington last October. It brings together civilian and military officials from dozens of countries to work alongside Israeli and American counterparts on plans for Gaza after the war.

Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party, said the base in Kiryat Gat should be shut down, arguing that its continued operation harms Israel’s interests. In remarks released by his office, he said closing the site would allow Israel to remove foreign representatives from countries he described as hostile and as acting against Israeli security, naming Egypt and the United Kingdom in particular. He did not elaborate on why Britain was singled out.

No immediate responses were issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the US State Department, or US Central Command. The foreign ministries of Egypt and the United Kingdom also declined to comment.

In December, US Central Command said that roughly 60 countries and international organizations had personnel assigned to the CMCC. Since a ceasefire took effect in early October 2025, the center has also coordinated the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The CMCC was launched following Trump’s announcement of a 20-point framework for ending the war. Among the nations participating are Germany, France, and Canada.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the establishment of the new Jewish settlement of Yatziv in the West Bank, Smotrich said Israel owes Trump gratitude for his role in securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and other terror groups in two separate agreements. Nevertheless, he said the broader Gaza plan itself runs counter to Israel’s interests and should be abandoned.

Instead, Smotrich called for issuing Hamas a brief ultimatum to disarm and leave Gaza. If that demand is rejected, he said, Israel should launch a full-scale military campaign to eradicate the group.

“Gaza is ours, and its future will shape our own more than anyone else’s,” Smotrich said, adding that Israel must assume direct responsibility for the territory and impose military rule over its roughly 2.3 million residents.

Much of his speech revisited his long-standing opposition to Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. He described that disengagement as a grave error and said that while the government has already reversed the evacuation of several northern West Bank settlements, the removal of Jewish communities from Gush Katif remains an uncorrected wrong.

Gush Katif was a bloc of 17 Jewish communities inside the Gaza Strip, home to some 8,600 residents before Israel evacuated the area in August 2005.

Smotrich cited the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel as evidence that Israel must reestablish a permanent presence along Gaza’s coast. He argued that Israel has paid too high a price in blood over the past two years to allow foreign-backed actors to shape Gaza’s future.

He also lashed out at Turkey and Qatar, which back Hamas and have been included by the United States in the executive committee of the Board of Peace tasked with overseeing postwar Gaza. “There is no difference between them,” he said, equating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar with the terror group.

Smotrich framed the issue in stark terms, saying Israel faces a binary choice: full Israeli control of Gaza, the destruction of Hamas, sustained counterterrorism, encouragement of enemy emigration, and renewed Jewish settlement — or the loss of the gains achieved in the war and the inevitability of another round of violence.

Under Trump’s Gaza plan, Hamas members who renounce violence and surrender their weapons would be eligible for amnesty, while those wishing to leave Gaza would be offered safe passage to other countries.

The White House announced last week that the plan has entered its second phase, focusing on Gaza’s demilitarization and large-scale reconstruction.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu marked the one-year anniversary of US President Donald Trump’s second term on Monday, publicly lauding the American leader and underscoring the close coordination between Israel and Washington as efforts continue to shape postwar plans for Gaza.

In a message shared on social media, Netanyahu offered warm congratulations, writing, “Congratulations to President Donald Trump and the United States of America for an incredible first year of a second term – A year like no other.”

Since Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025, the two leaders have maintained frequent contact, holding five face-to-face meetings along with multiple phone conversations to discuss regional and strategic matters.

Their most recent in-person meeting took place on December 29, 2025, at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where discussions centered on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire framework, Iran, and other security-related concerns.

Last Friday, the White House revealed new details about Trump’s Gaza initiative, announcing that the “Board of Peace,” chaired by the president, would “play an essential role in fulfilling” 20 components of his proposal aimed at permanently ending the war in Gaza and advancing reconstruction efforts.

According to the announcement, the board’s mandate includes “providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.”

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu addressed the Knesset, where he spoke about developments in Gaza and reports indicating movement toward the next stage of negotiations with Hamas.

Clarifying Israel’s position, Netanyahu declared, “Phase two means one simple thing: Hamas will be disarmed, and Gaza will be demilitarized, either through the easy way or the hard way.”

He also stressed that Israel would categorically oppose any foreign military presence from certain regional actors, stating, “Turkish and Qatari soldiers will not be in the Strip.”

{Matzav.com}

A formal signing event for U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace was scheduled to take place Thursday alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to an invitation that circulated publicly.

Israeli journalist Barak Ravid shared what was described as a White House notice inviting “the chief of state or head of government” to participate in signing the “Board of Peace Charter” at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

President Isaac Herzog was expected to be present at the Davos gathering, while Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu did not plan to attend. Netanyahu had earlier confirmed that he had received an invitation to join the new body.

Details about the composition of the Board of Peace remained unsettled, with some international leaders signaling their intention to participate and others voicing doubts or saying they required additional time to consider involvement. The United Nations also raised concerns, suggesting that the initiative could challenge or erode the UN’s existing mandate.

{Matzav.com}