Matzav

The United States accused China of secretly carrying out at least one nuclear explosive test, escalating tensions as Washington presses for a new arms control framework that would bring Beijing into negotiations alongside the United States and Russia.

Speaking Friday at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Thomas DiNanno, the undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said Washington believes Beijing has conducted prohibited nuclear activity.

“I can reveal that the US government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons,” DiNanno told delegates at the conference.

DiNanno later elaborated on social media, alleging that Beijing had deliberately masked its actions. “China has used decoupling — a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring — to hide its activities from the world,” he wrote on X, adding that one such test took place on June 22, 2020, during the height of global COVID-19 lockdowns.

China rejected the accusations. Shen Jian, Beijing’s ambassador on disarmament, did not directly respond to the specific claim but criticized Washington’s broader narrative, saying “the US continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives … [The US] is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race.”

The allegations surfaced just one day after the expiration of the 2010 New START treaty between the United States and Russia, ending the last remaining agreement that limited the two countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals and leaving them without binding constraints for the first time since the SALT agreements of the early 1970s.

DiNanno argued that the changing global landscape requires a new approach to arms control. “Today, the United States faces threats from multiple nuclear powers. In short, a bilateral treaty with only one nuclear power is simply inappropriate in 2026 and going forward,” he said, warning that China is expected to possess more than 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

Beijing, however, ruled out joining trilateral talks for now. Shen said China would not participate in such negotiations at this stage, adding: “In this new era we hope the US will abandon Cold War thinking … and embrace common and cooperative security.”

At the same time, Russian and American officials discussed the issue on the sidelines of broader diplomatic talks in the United Arab Emirates, where Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. delegations held two days of meetings focused on a potential peace settlement in Ukraine.

“There is an understanding, and they talked about it in Abu Dhabi, that both parties will take responsible positions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. “and both parties realize the need to start talks on the issue as soon as possible.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump drew sharp condemnation after sharing a racist video clip that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, prompting outrage and renewed scrutiny of Mr. Trump’s long record of promoting offensive stereotypes about Black Americans and other groups.

The short clip appeared near the end of a 62-second video that circulated conspiracy theories about supposed irregularities in the 2020 presidential election. The segment was set to the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and was included as part of a montage posted by Mr. Trump during a late-night burst of activity on social media Thursday.

Depicting the Obamas as apes echoes a deeply racist trope that has long been used to dehumanize Black people and to rationalize violence, including lynchings and other atrocities. A spokeswoman for Mr. Obama declined to comment on the video.

The post fits into a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric by Mr. Trump targeting people of color, women, and immigrants. During his second administration, official government social media accounts, including those of the White House, the Labor Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, have also shared images and slogans that critics say resemble white supremacist messaging.

Asked about the video, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the criticism, calling it “fake outrage.”

“This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King,” she said. “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.”

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, publicly objected to the post, writing on X that he hoped it was fake “because it’s the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House. The President should remove it.”

The clip appears to have originated from a video shared on X in October by a user who captioned it “President Trump: King of the Jungle,” accompanied by a lion emoji.

That earlier video portrayed several prominent Democrats — including former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and former vice president Kamala Harris — as various animals, while Mr. Trump was depicted as a lion. In that version as well, the Obamas were shown as apes, and the video concluded with the animals bowing before Mr. Trump.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office issued a statement condemning the post, calling it “disgusting behavior by the President.” Mr. Newsom added, “Every single Republican must denounce this. Now.”

Since returning to office, Mr. Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly mocked Mr. Obama or promoted false claims about him, keeping the former president a frequent target of political attacks.

{Matzav.com}

Administrators at a prominent chareidi seminary have canceled a planned trip to Mount Hermon after a forceful halachic ruling by Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, who ruled that it is forbidden to enter the site due to its public desecration of Shabbos.

The ruling, published this week in the weekly Torah journal Divrei Chemed, prompted the seminary to shelve one of the main attractions planned for a two-day excursion in northern Israel. The expanded issue marked the journal’s 100th edition and included a detailed responsum from Rav Zilberstein addressing the question.

According to the report, the principal of a chareidi seminary approached Rav Zilberstein on behalf of the teaching staff. The educators explained that they were organizing a two-day trip and hoped to surprise and delight the students with a visit to Mount Hermon, particularly appealing during the winter season when the mountain is covered in snow.

The seminary administrators acknowledged that the site operates throughout the week and remains open on Shabbos, involving public chillul Shabbos. They asked whether, despite this, it might still be permissible to visit the area itself—without using the cable cars, sleds, or other attractions—arguing that Mount Hermon is fundamentally a public space, even if the site is managed by an operating authority.

Rav Zilberstein responded at length, ruling unequivocally that entering the site is prohibited. He explained that without the organized site, access to the mountain would not be reasonably possible. The operators paved the roads, leveled the terrain, and invested extensive resources to make the area accessible and enjoyable. As a result, even visiting without using the attractions is forbidden, since the site’s operation is inseparable from ongoing chillul Shabbos.

Beyond the technical prohibition, Rav Zilberstein emphasized the obligation to protest chillul Shabbos. He warned that there is no greater desecration of Hashem’s Name than observant Jews visiting a site that openly violates Shabbos, thereby lending legitimacy to its operation.

He added that if it were clear to the site’s management that chareidi visitors would stay away as long as it remains open on Shabbos, the resulting financial pressure might lead them to close on Shabbos. Anyone who goes there, he argued, indirectly assists the continued chillul Shabbos.

Rav Zilberstein concluded his ruling with an emotional outcry, expressing pain that educators would even feel the need to ask such a question. He drew a stark comparison, saying that had there been a sign at the entrance barring Jews, no one would consider entering such a place. Here too, he said, the large sign advertising that the site is open on Shabbos constitutes a direct affront to Heaven, making it unthinkable to even ask whether a visit could be permitted.

The ruling had an immediate impact. The seminary, heeding the guidance of Rav Zilberstein, canceled the planned visit to Mount Hermon and arranged alternative destinations for the students elsewhere in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

With a 30-day deadline looming to approve Israel’s state budget, political commentators are warning that the coalition is nearing a decisive moment: Either advance a draft law acceptable to the chareidi parties or risk the dissolution of the Knesset. Analysts say the coming weeks will determine whether the crisis ends in compromise or collapse.

The issue was discussed Thursday night on the main news program of Kol Chai Radio, where host Betzalel Kahn spoke with political commentators Avi Grintzeig and Yishai Cohen. The panel examined the growing political and legal knot threatening government stability, focusing on the late-night drama in the Knesset, the chareidi parties’ decision to halt the Economic Arrangements Law as leverage, and the ongoing stalemate over the draft law in light of the legal establishment’s position.

Cohen opened by describing the dramatic chain of events in the Knesset, saying the chareidi factions surprised their coalition partners with a coordinated move. “We all saw the messages and attacks between Aryeh Deri and Gafni over religious services, yet at that very moment they were cooperating and deciding to freeze the budget and block the transfer of the Arrangements Law to committee. They informed no one in the coalition except Inbal Mazolai and Uri Maklev, instructing them to announce after midnight that the chareidim were not on board. When the vote stage arrived, the full implications became clear, and the decision was made to pull the vote and delay it until Monday.”

He went on to explain the legal complications preventing progress on the draft law, despite assurances from Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. “Netanyahu claims there is a majority of 61 for the draft law, but the chareidim respond that there is no bill agreed upon by the legal adviser. The situation has become even more complicated because everything is now frozen for technical reasons as well, since a senior official in the Knesset’s legal advisory department who is handling the issue was forced to step aside due to personal circumstances. Every day is critical because the legislation is tied to the budget, and we could reach a point where the chareidim realize there will be no draft law and vote in favor of the budget simply to protect their funding, while simultaneously demanding a bill to dissolve the Knesset.”

Despite the pessimism, Grintzeig stressed that Israeli politics often remain fluid until the final moment. “In Israel, as in Israel, until the 90th minute things can still go either way. If I had to estimate, both the draft law and the budget will pass in the final days before the deadline. The real question is whether, when the clock is ticking, the laws will actually be there. I cautiously think the chances are still high, because the ultimatum directed at Netanyahu is meant to pressure the legal advisers to show flexibility, and that is the real test of this entire episode.”

In closing, Grintzeig sharply criticized the conduct of the judicial system and the attorney general, particularly regarding judicial appointments. “The justice minister is dealing with a legal adviser who never misses an opportunity for confrontation, and in the end the ones who suffer are the citizens in the magistrate and district courts. The attorney general has become a fully political actor, even drawing rebukes from Supreme Court justices for repeatedly losing her own positions. Even the Supreme Court president is emerging as a political figure acting in full public view, unlike his predecessors who operated with far greater sophistication. This has turned the entire system into a frontal clash with the elected leadership.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

A single, throwaway line from Elon Musk managed to expose a truth many people spend their lives running from.

“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness really knew what they were talking about.”

Cue the sarcasm, the mockery, the eye-rolling. “Cry me a river.” “Try being poor.” “I’d rather be miserable and rich than miserable and broke.” Very clever. Very predictable.

But beneath the snark was something raw and uncomfortable, and that’s exactly why people rushed to drown it out.

Here is a man who has more money than kings ever dreamed of, more access than entire countries, more power than most governments, openly admitting that it didn’t deliver what it promised. Not in a philosophical essay. Not in a self-help book. In one blunt sentence and a sad emoji.

And instead of pausing to listen, the world laughed.

Because if he isn’t happy, the fantasy collapses. If money doesn’t fix the emptiness at the very top, then maybe the problem isn’t “not enough.” Maybe the problem is thinking that having more will finally quiet the noise inside.

We’ve trained ourselves to believe that unhappiness is a budgeting issue. That anxiety is a temporary stage before the next raise. That fulfillment is one deal, one upgrade, one win away. And so when someone who has already crossed every imaginable finish line says, “This isn’t it,” we feel threatened. His honesty interferes with our coping mechanism.

So we mock him. We minimize it. We tell ourselves we’d handle the money better. We’d enjoy it more. We’d be grateful. We’d finally be calm.

But deep down, we know that’s not true.

Money solves problems. Real ones. Painful ones. No one is romanticizing poverty. But meaning, contentment, menuchas hanefesh — those don’t scale with net worth. If anything, they’re often buried under pressure, isolation, and expectations that never stop growing.

The saddest part isn’t that a billionaire admitted he isn’t happy. The saddest part is how desperate we are to pretend he’s wrong.

Because if he’s right, then we may have to confront a far harder question than how to make more money. We may have to ask what we’re actually living for.

And that’s a conversation far more uncomfortable than any sad emoji.

Sincerely,
An observer who thinks the joke is on us

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The White House on Thursday pointed to new research indicating that homicide rates in America’s largest cities fell to their lowest level in more than a century, crediting aggressive law enforcement and border policies under President Donald Trump.

During a press briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt referenced findings published by the Council on Criminal Justice, describing the decline as unprecedented in modern records.

“A study from the Council on Criminal Justice shows that the murder rate across America’s largest cities plummeted in 2025 to its lowest level since at least 1900,” Leavitt said, noting that it “marks the largest single year drop in murders in recorded history.”

Leavitt attributed the sharp decrease to a broad federal crackdown on crime and illegal immigration. “This dramatic decline is what happens when a president secures the border, fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and aggressively deports the worst of the worst illegal aliens from our country,” she said.

She also highlighted law enforcement data comparing recent arrest figures. According to Leavitt, the Federal Bureau of Investigation made twice as many violent-crime arrests in 2025 as it did in 2024, which she described as the final full year of President Joe Biden’s administration. She added that during Trump’s first full year in office, total FBI arrests were nearly 200 percent higher than during the period from January 20, 2024, to January 20, 2025.

“The FBI also disrupted 1,800 gangs and criminal enterprises, a 210 percent increase from the year prior. The FBI has arrested 1,700 child predators and more than 300 human traffickers across the country,” Leavitt said. “Since President Trump took office, six of the FBI’s top 10 Most Wanted fugitives have been captured.”

The White House also pointed to crime trends in Washington, D.C., where Trump federalized local policing last year and authorized the deployment of the National Guard. According to the administration, crime levels in 2026 to date are significantly lower across nearly all categories compared with the same period in 2025. As of Thursday, the city recorded three murders so far this year, an 83 percent decrease from the 18 murders reported between January 1 and February 5 in 2025.

Other crime categories showed similar declines, with sex abuse offenses down 63 percent, robberies reduced by 58 percent, burglaries falling 44 percent, motor vehicle theft dropping 58 percent, and arson reduced by 100 percent.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers echoed the administration’s assessment in comments to Breitbart News earlier this week. “President Trump promised to make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful again — now it is one of the safest cities in the country,” Rogers said. “Thanks to President Trump’s successful federal law enforcement operation, our nation’s capital has seen a dramatic decrease in crime and homicide.”

{Matzav.com}

Senior rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel have issued a sharp and emotional public appeal calling on the Jewish public to completely avoid the ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, formerly known as Beit Hatfutsot, following its refusal to remove exhibits that recognize and legitimize intermarriage.

The extraordinary statement comes after repeated approaches by Yad L’Achim, which has been campaigning for the removal of what it describes as offensive displays that normalize intermarriage and constitute a serious chillul Hashem. According to the organization, museum management has persistently rejected all requests to alter or remove the exhibits.

In their joint declaration, leading poskim, dayanim, and rabbanim warned both adults and children “not to dare set foot on the threshold of Museum ‘ANU,’ nor to come near it for any reason whatsoever,” stressing the spiritual danger posed by the content on display.

The letter is signed by Rav Masoud Ben Shimon, Rav Moshe Bransdorfer, Rav Shamai Kehas Gross, Rav Menachem M. Lubin, Rav Naftali Nussbaum, Rav Moshe Shaul Klein, Rav Sariel Rosenberg, Rav Yaakov Meir Stern, Rav Shmuel Eliezer Stern, and Rav Chaim Schmerler.

In the text of the appeal, the rabbanim wrote that they had received “reliable and deeply troubling information” from the leadership of Yad L’Achim, describing displays at the museum that greet visitors with messages of heresy and public recognition of intermarriage, which they say strike at the very root of Jewish continuity. “Upon hearing these matters,” the letter states, “our souls recoiled in anguish.”

The rabbanim further noted that Yad L’Achim had made numerous attempts over an extended period to engage museum officials and seek the removal of the exhibits, employing every reasonable form of dialogue and advocacy. “To our great sorrow,” the letter continues, “all of these appeals were met with sealed ears and hardened hearts. Woe to us that such things have arisen in our days, particularly at a time when the nation of Hashem is in dire need of salvation.”

Citing the teaching of Chazal that “one who causes others to sin is worse than one who kills,” the rabbanim emphasized the severity with which they view the matter.

In a statement following the publication of the rabbinic call, Yad L’Achim said the leading poskim were shaken by the full scope of the information presented to them regarding the museum’s exhibits and the prolonged struggle with its management.

The organization made clear that the public warning would not mark the end of its efforts. “Alongside the publication of this call,” Yad L’Achim stated, “we will continue to employ every legitimate tool available to us. We will not rest and we will not be silent until the exhibit is removed. It is inconceivable that while the Jewish people face grave external threats, a state-recognized institution in Israel should deal such a devastating blow to Jewish identity by granting malicious and reprehensible recognition to its desecration.”

Yad L’Achim added that the fight against assimilation is being waged worldwide, while “here, in Tel Aviv, a sword is being plunged into Jewish identity under the guise of culture and pluralism.”

{Matzav.com}

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that a Democratic victory in the midterm elections would lead to aggressive oversight of President Donald Trump, including efforts to address what he described as corruption across Washington.

Speaking on MS NOW’s “All In,” Jeffries argued that Trump has acted as though he should not be subject to the same standards as other presidents. “Donald Trump likes to conduct himself as if he should be held to a standard different than every other American president or former president. And we can’t allow that to happen on all of the things,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said a Democratic-controlled House would focus both on policy priorities and oversight. “And certainly it’s going to be the case that in a Democratic majority, we’re going to fight hard to tackle the issues that matter, to drive down the high cost of living, fight hard, fight hard, to fix our broken health care system, of course,” he said. He added that Democrats would also move to address ethics concerns throughout the federal government. “But also at the same time, we’ve got to clean up the corruption that exists in Washington, DC, in the Congress, with the Supreme Court, and also deal with Donald Trump and his administration, who spend all of their time. It seems like trying to enrich themselves, their family and their friends, as opposed to focusing on doing their job to make life better for the American people.”

Jeffries said Democrats intend to use the House’s constitutional role as a check on executive power. “We will hold the Trump administration accountable in a manner consistent with what the House should be all about a check and balance on an out-of-control administration,” he said.

Looking ahead to November, Jeffries predicted electoral losses for Republicans, saying Trump is aware of the political stakes. “Donald Trump understands that if there is a free and fair election in November, and we’re going to make sure there is one, that the House is lost, Democrats are going to take back control of the House of Representatives,” Jeffries said.

He also suggested the GOP’s prospects in the Senate are weakening. “And the Senate is looking increasingly shaky as well, because the American people are rejecting this extremism. Donald Trump and Republicans have failed,” Jeffries said.

Freezing January temperatures left tens of thousands of New York City residents without heat or hot water, triggering a wave of complaints and putting pressure on Mayor Zohran Mamdani just weeks into his term. While some tenants faulted the city’s response under the new administration, housing officials pointed to enforcement efforts and deep-rooted infrastructure failures.

Interviews published by the New York Post detailed residents across several neighborhoods who said their buildings went extended periods without reliable heat or hot water during the coldest stretch of winter. The accounts described daily disruptions and makeshift solutions as temperatures dropped.

In Williamsburg, tenant Alex Hughes told the Post he had endured “over 40 days of no hot water over the last 11 months” and was then on “day eight or nine straight of no hot water,” saying he resorted to showering at a friend’s apartment.

Similar problems were reported in Astoria, where Nicole Pavez, a city planner, said the heat in her building had been failing almost every night throughout the month.

Residents of public housing described comparable conditions. Malik Williams, who lives at the Lehman Houses, told the Post that his apartment lacked heat for much of January and that he boiled water on the stove in an effort to warm his home.

According to Breitbart, approximately 80,000 people contacted the city’s 311 system in January to report a lack of heat or hot water, marking what it described as the highest monthly total ever recorded.

Separate data released by the city’s Housing Preservation and Development agency showed that, through Jan. 29, there had been 215,045 heat-related complaints during the current heating season, compared with 187,775 complaints at the same point last season.

Mamdani, who was sworn in on Jan. 1, has been pressed to explain how the city is handling emergency responses and enforcing heat regulations amid the surge in complaints.

The report also tied the spike in calls to the mayor’s housing agenda and his decision to appoint tenant advocate Cea Weaver to head the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants. The appointment was announced on Jan. 1 alongside an executive action aimed at reviving and expanding that office’s role.

The New York City Housing Authority, which oversees the nation’s largest public housing system, said it maintains a 24-hour heat desk and emergency response operation and has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in heating upgrades in recent years.

Even so, estimates contained in city and NYCHA documents place the cost of restoring the housing authority’s properties to a state of good repair at roughly $78 billion over the next two decades.

{Matzav.com}

Organizers behind an international flotilla carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza said Thursday that they are preparing a far larger mission set to depart in March, involving more than 100 vessels, according to a report by The Associated Press.

Those leading the campaign framed the planned voyage as the biggest civilian-driven effort yet opposing Israel’s conduct in Gaza, and they called on governments and international bodies to ensure that Israeli forces do not attempt to stop the flotilla at sea.

The plans were unveiled during an event at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, where speakers included Mandla Mandela, the grandson of South Africa’s former president.

Mandela took part in last year’s Global Sumud flotilla and was among the activists detained when Israeli forces stopped their vessel before it reached Gaza.

According to organizers, more than 1,000 participants are expected to take part in the upcoming mission, including physicians, engineers, and investigators focused on alleged war crimes. In addition to the maritime effort, a land convoy is being organized that could attract thousands more supporters traveling from countries such as Tunisia and Egypt.

The flotilla’s vessels are slated to set sail from ports in Spain, Tunisia, and Italy. While activists acknowledged that clashes with Israeli forces are likely, they maintained that their actions are protected under international law.

The previous flotilla last year consisted of roughly 50 boats and about 500 activists. Israeli authorities detained an estimated 443 people, among them Mandela, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and European Parliament member Rima Hassan.

Earlier that same year, a separate effort known as the Madleen also sought to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and was intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces.

After that interception, the activists were provided with food and water, despite many having recorded videos in advance claiming they were “kidnapped” by the IDF.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry later said that the aid aboard the Madleen amounted to less than a single truckload and would instead be delivered to Gaza through established humanitarian channels.

{Matzav.com}

A Senate committee has opened an inquiry into actions taken by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, raising alarms that his administration’s rollback of key executive orders could weaken protections against antisemitism and jeopardize billions of dollars in federal funding, the NY Post reports.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent a formal letter to Mamdani questioning whether rescinding the orders could undermine enforcement of federal civil rights laws — a move that could place approximately $2.2 billion in federal aid in jeopardy.

“Antisemitism is not an abstract concern in New York City; it is a lived reality for millions of students and residents, and its consequences are very serious,” Cassidy wrote in the letter obtained by The New York Post.

He warned that “Decisions by your administration that weaken established safeguards for Jewish students in New York and are out of alignment with federal executive orders warrant careful scrutiny.”

Cassidy added that “Jewish students deserve clear assurance that their safety and civil rights will not be compromised by your administration’s actions.”

Concerns over the mayor’s approach come amid heightened unease within the city’s Jewish community. A survey conducted in January found that 53% of Jewish voters in New York City said they felt threatened by public statements made by the Democratic socialist mayor and similar comments from his political allies.

After taking office, Mamdani nullified every executive order issued by New York City Mayor Eric Adams following Adams’ federal corruption indictment in September 2024.

Among the rescinded measures was a June 8, 2025, order that “created the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism to identify and develop efforts to eliminate antisemitism and anti-Jewish hate crime,” as well as a Dec. 2 order from that year opposing boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns targeting Israel.

Before becoming mayor, Mamdani had publicly labeled Israel an apartheid state and expressed support for the BDS movement.

In his letter, Cassidy noted that the Adams-era antisemitism order relied on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.

“Contrary to your public assertions that ‘a number of leading Jewish organizations have immense concerns around [the IHRA] definition,’ many governments, international institutions, universities, NGOs, and private organizations widely recognize and encourage use of this definition to identify and address contemporary forms of antisemitism,” Cassidy wrote.

Mamdani, for his part, has argued that the IHRA definition improperly blurs the line between antisemitism and criticism of Israel or Zionism.

“I am someone who has supported and support BDS and nonviolent approaches to address Israeli state violence,” he previously told Bloomberg News.

The Adams executive order addressing BDS had also prohibited mayoral appointees, contracting officials, and agency heads from adopting policies that discriminated against Israel or Israeli nationals.

This week, employees at the New York City Department of Health formed a working group that critics say may have violated that now-rescinded policy by accusing Israel of genocide.

The group, known as the “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group,” met Tuesday afternoon, where a presenter described one of its objectives as responding “to the ongoing genocide in Palestine,” according to a report first published by The New York Post.

Cassidy further underscored that the New York City Department of Education was slated to receive $2.2 billion in federal funding for its operating budget as of June 2025.

“Continued eligibility for this funding is contingent on compliance with federal civil rights laws and applicable executive orders designed to protect students,” he wrote.

The senator asked Mamdani to detail how his administration plans to “combat antisemitism at schools” and “protect Jewish students,” to identify whether it intends to adopt an alternative definition of antisemitism, and to explain what guidance, if any, has been issued to schools on handling related complaints.

Cassidy also pressed the mayor on whether his administration “consulted with the US Department of Education,” “the Department of Justice or any other federal agency regarding the potential funding implications of rescinding the IHRA-related executive order.”

He concluded by demanding clarification of Mamdani’s current position on the BDS movement.

{Matzav.com}

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Thirty days after the tragic death of Yosef Eisental Hy”d, a matzeivah was erected this week at his kever on Har HaMenuchos in Yerushalayim. The inscription, composed by his parents, records the circumstances of his death and reflects the profound impact his passing has had on the Torah community.

According to the inscription, he was struck down “at the height of his blossoming” by a criminal act while on his way home from an atzeres.

The wording engraved on the monument describes Yossi as a devoted yeshiva bochur, deeply immersed in Torah study and especially sensitive to the needs and wellbeing of those around him. It expresses the family’s shattered hopes of seeing him grow old within the walls of the beis medrash and records the spiritual awakening his passing inspired among many, strengthening their commitment to Torah learning, self-improvement, and teshuvah.

פ”נ
בן הישיבה
בננו אחינו ונכדנו האהוב והיקר
עלם חמודות וילד שעשועים
יגע בתורה וטרוד לדעת סודה
נתייחד מאוד בנתינת עיניו וליבו
על טובתם של רעיו ומכריו
בצפייתנו ציפינו לראותו
שתול בבית ד’ עד זקנה ושיבה
ולדאבוננו נקטף מעמנו
בשיא פריחתו ע”י בן עוולה
בעת שובו מעצרת תפילה
למען קיומה של תורה בארצנו הקדושה
הקדוש חיים יוסף
איזנטל הי”ד.
בן יבלחט”א הר”ר שמואל שליט”א
נולד בט’ אלול התשע”א
נלב”ע בח”י טבת התשפ”ו
זכה ופטירתו עוררה
התחזקות עצומה ונוראה
בקרב עם סגולה
לחיזוק שקידת התורה ועמלה
לתקן כל מידה נכונה
ולהיכנס לשערי תשובה
ת. נ. צ. ב. ה.
ויעמוד לגורלך לקץ הימין
חנון הביטה ממרומים
תשפוכת דם הצדיקים ותמצית דמים
תראה בפרגודך והעבר כתמים
קל מלך יושב על כסא רחמים
הקדוש
חיים יוסף איזנטל הי”ד

Here lies
A yeshiva student,
Our beloved and precious son, brother, and grandson,
A charming youth, a child of delight,
Toiling in Torah and striving to understand its hidden depths,
Distinguished in placing his eyes and heart
On the welfare of his friends and companions.

We longingly hoped to see him
Planted in the House of Hashem until old age and longevity,
But to our great sorrow he was taken from us
At the height of his blossoming by a man of evil,
While returning from a prayer assembly
For the sake of the continued existence of Torah in our Holy Land.

The holy one,
Chaim Yosef Eisental, Hy”d,
Son of his father, may he live long,
Harav Shmuel, shlita.

Born on the 9th of Elul, 5771
Passed away on the 18th of Teves, 5786.

Merited that his passing aroused
An immense and awesome strengthening
Among the treasured nation,
To reinforce diligence and toil in Torah,
To refine every proper trait,
And to enter the gates of repentance.

May his soul be bound in the bond of eternal life.
He shall arise to his destined lot at the end of days.

Gracious One, look down from the heavens,
See the spilling of the blood of the righteous and the essence of their blood
Before Your inner chamber, and remove the stain.
Mighty G-d, King Who sits upon the Throne of Mercy.

The holy one,
Chaim Yosef Eisental, Hy”d.

The wedding of a daughter of Mr. Lazer Scheiner is scheduled to take place next week in Morocco, with several events planned over the course of the celebration.

Mr. Scheiner is a noted philanthropist who is the founder of Scheiner’s Shul in Monsey and the head of the Adirei HaTorah initiative that raises millions of dollars to support the kollel budget of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ.

The weeklong schedule of festivities for next week’s wedding will begin on Monday with a siyum and birthday celebration for Mr. Scheiner.

The wedding itself will be held on Tuesday, followed by sheva brachos on Wednesday, which will feature a Moroccan theme. The celebrations will conclude on Thursday with a bon voyage event.

Attire guidelines have been provided for various events throughout the week. Monday’s siyum and birthday celebration will be business casual, while the wedding on Tuesday will be formal, with an evening coat requested. Guests attending the sheva brachos have been encouraged to dress in accordance with the Moroccan theme.

In a message addressed to family and friends, the hosts emphasized that the wedding is intended to be a personal and intimate celebration. Guests have been asked to refrain from sharing any content, photographs, or videos from any of the wedding events and to help ensure that the details of the celebration remain private.

Amichay and Leah are the chosson and kallah. Rachamim and Margolit, and Lazer and Heather, are the respective parents of the chosson and kallah.

A new poll published Thursday evening by Israel’s Channel 14 points to a dramatic shift in the country’s political landscape, with the right-wing bloc reaching an all-time high while center-left parties continue to lose ground.

The survey, conducted by the Filber Institute and aired on Channel 14’s main news broadcast, indicates a clear strengthening of the right and increasing fragmentation among center-left factions.

The poll was based on a representative sample of 644 respondents. According to the findings, Bibi Netanyahu’s Likud party remains by far the largest faction in the Knesset, securing 34 seats. The Joint List emerges as the second-largest party with 13 mandates.

Shas and the party led by Naftali Bennett each receive 11 seats. United Torah Judaism and the Democrats party stand at 9 seats apiece. Yisrael Beytenu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, receives 8 mandates, followed by Otzma Yehudit with 7 seats. The party headed by Gadi Eisenkot wins 6 seats.

Blue and White, Religious Zionism, and Yesh Atid each fall to 4 seats, hovering near the electoral threshold.

According to the poll, the right-wing bloc currently commands a solid and stable majority of 65 Knesset seats, enough to form a broad governing coalition. By contrast, the left-wing bloc stands at just 42 seats, with Arab parties holding an additional 13 mandates.

In a separate question measuring suitability for the role of prime minister, Netanyahu leads decisively with 52 percent support. Bennett trails far behind with 20 percent, followed by Eisenkot at 14 percent.

Yair Lapid and Lieberman each receive 6 percent, while Benny Gantz brings up the rear with just 2 percent support.

Right-wing bloc: 65 seats
Left-wing bloc: 42 seats
Arab parties: 13 seats

{Matzav.com}

A notable engagement was announced this week within the Brisker world, bringing together two prominent branches of the Soloveitchik family.

The chassan is Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, the eldest son of Rav Yankel Soloveitchik, who is himself the eldest son of Brisk rosh yeshiva Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik.

The kallah is the daughter of Rav Yisrael Yaakov Kaplan, son of Rav Nechemia Kaplan, rosh yeshiva of Shaar Hatalmud, who is a son of Rav Boruch and Rebbetzin Vichna Kaplan and a son-in-law of Rav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik zt”l. The engagement was announced on the fifth yahrzeit of Rav Dovid’s petirah.

Rav Nechemia’s wife, Rav Dovid’s daughter, Rebbetzin Hendel a”h, was tragically niftar last year. Just recently, Rav Nechemia became engaged to Mrs. Esther Lerner. 

Observers noted that the Kaplan-Soloveitchik shidduch is particularly striking within Brisk circles, as it formally connects the families of Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik and his uncle, Rav Meshulam Dovid, in a manner more commonly associated with dynastic ties in chassidic courts.

{Matzav.com}

A brief message posted by tech billionaire Elon Musk has set off a wide-ranging online debate about whether vast wealth brings personal fulfillment, drawing sharp reactions across social media.

Musk wrote on X, “Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” adding a sad emoji.

The comment, coming from the world’s wealthiest individual, immediately resonated with users and prompted intense scrutiny.

The post spread rapidly, reaching close to 30 million users within hours and generating a flood of responses that ranged from genuine curiosity to outright ridicule.

Many commenters focused on what they saw as the contradiction at the heart of the statement. “So you’re not happy?” one user asked directly.

Others leaned into sarcasm. “Give me $1 billion first, let me also confirm for myself,” one reply read, while another joked, “You’ve got to be kidding me. $840 billion doesn’t make you happy?”

A particularly dry comment captured the tone of much of the discussion: “I’d genuinely rather be miserable and a billionaire than miserable and not a billionaire.”

At the same time, some users came to Musk’s defense, arguing that immense wealth does not insulate a person from stress, pressure, or emotional difficulty. Critics, however, said the remark felt disconnected from the financial struggles facing much of the world.

As reactions poured in, the conversation expanded beyond Musk himself, revisiting a familiar philosophical question: Does financial success fundamentally improve a person’s inner life, or does it simply magnify problems in a different way?

The context surrounding the post intensified the reaction. Forbes recently reported that Musk had become the first person ever to surpass an estimated net worth of $800 billion, following a major transaction in which SpaceX acquired his artificial intelligence and social media venture, xAI.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

After last year’s painful and unsettling experience with the Lakewood, NJ mesivta farher system, many of us were left shaken. Rules were bent, some were outright broken by those who should no better, and what was meant to be a structured, dignified process too often felt chaotic and unfair.

Parents worried. Rabbeim worried. And perhaps most of all, the bochurim — standing at a pivotal crossroads in their lives — were left anxious and uncertain.

Those concerns were real, and they were justified.

But what deserves recognition, admiration, and deep gratitude is what happened next.

Instead of throwing up our hands in frustration or resigning ourselves to “this is how it always is,” responsible people stepped forward. Thoughtful individuals took action. Quiet planning replaced noise. Cooperation replaced competition. Accountability replaced improvisation.

And this week, we witnessed the results.

In the span of just a couple of days, thousands of bochurim, across more than five dozen mesivtos, went through farhers and were placed with clarity, dignity, and respect. What emerged was not just an efficient system. It was something far greater. It was a true Kiddush Hashem.

The process ran smoothly. The outcomes were thoughtful. The atmosphere was calm. Parents felt reassured. Bochurim felt seen. And the Torah world saw what can happen when achrayus, cooperation, and yiras Shamayim guide the process.

This did not happen by accident.

It happened because eighth-grade rabbeim invested countless hours truly knowing their talmidim and advocating for them with care and integrity. It happened because elementary schools worked responsibly and transparently. It happened because mesivtos acted with discipline and restraint, honoring both the spirit and the letter of the system. It happened because parents trusted the process.

Each group played its part. Each link in the chain mattered.

In a world where cynicism so often feels justified, this week reminded us that our community is capable of extraordinary things when we choose unity over self-interest and order over chaos. It showed our children that systems can be fixed, that fairness is possible, and that doing things the right way is not naïve. It is powerful.

Kudos to all involved. This was not merely a logistical success; it was a moral one. A quiet triumph. A moment of communal pride. And yes, a genuine Kiddush Hashem that deserves to be acknowledged, celebrated, and built upon for years to come.

Sincerely,
A grateful parent and observer

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