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In his first televised interview aired Friday, former hostage Ron Krivoi opened up about his time in Hamas captivity and shared chilling details about the abuse suffered by another hostage, Matan Angrest, who remains imprisoned in Gaza, Times of Israel reports.

Krivoi, who holds dual Israeli-Russian citizenship, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and later freed during the November 2023 ceasefire, reportedly as a gesture by Hamas toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“As a person, I’m a quiet man, I live my life. That’s why I didn’t give interviews, I just continued my life as it was before – that’s what I asked for, to return to my life,” Krivoi told Channel 12 news during the interview.

At the time of the attack, Krivoi was working as a sound technician at the Nova festival, where terrorists unleashed a brutal massacre, killing hundreds, committing atrocities, and dragging dozens into captivity in Gaza.

Initially, Krivoi was confined to an apartment in Gaza. When the building was struck by Israeli forces, he managed to slip away and wandered through the war-torn area for several days before he was recaptured.

“When I was alone, no one saw me. Once someone did – it ended badly. The people who caught me beat me up. It wasn’t simple. I went through something there… When they caught me and brought me back, the people who beat me were ordinary Gazans who took out all their frustration on me,” Krivoi recalled.

Krivoi’s aunt was the first to disclose that he had made a daring escape attempt — without being killed — making him the only known hostage to do so before he was recaptured.

Describing the conditions in the tunnels where he was later held, Krivoi said, “These aren’t the tunnels you see in pictures. We were in something really small, deep underground. There wasn’t even a floor – we were on sand, and the mattresses were all moldy. We were inside a very, very small cage. Honestly, about a meter and a half by a meter and a half, and we had to lie down and rest in it – you couldn’t stand. No height, no toilets, no food. We were five people, we ate one small dish with some canned food.”

Krivoi explained that Matan Angrest arrived the day after him and was visibly traumatized. Angrest had been part of a tank crew attacked by terrorists on October 7, with all his fellow soldiers killed in the assault.

“The interrogations he went through happened while still in Israeli territory – that’s where it started. They already connected him to a car battery on the way and tried to revive him. Using car batteries, they electrocuted him,” Krivoi revealed. “They weren’t able to interrogate him. He probably wasn’t even in a condition to speak because he was badly injured. His injuries were very severe.”

Krivoi added that Angrest faced severe abuse throughout his captivity, enduring brutal mistreatment because of his status as a soldier. Earlier this month, Angrest’s mother said her son had been left permanently disabled from his injuries. She quoted testimonies from other released hostages saying that “he is starving and being held in a little cage in the dark. He doesn’t see the daylight. He is exposed to torture and violence and never sees the Red Cross.”

Speaking about his own experience, Krivoi said, “This is something that even if a person tries to imagine – they’ll never be able to truly understand what it’s like down there.”

Krivoi also reflected on the circumstances of his release, saying, “I know that if I didn’t have Russian citizenship, I could still be in that tunnel with Matan to this day. I’m here because of a miracle – it was Putin who brought me home. If not for him, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Hamas has freed several other hostages holding Russian citizenship as goodwill gestures toward Putin, including Elena Trufanova, who, along with her son Sasha Troufanov and his girlfriend Sapir Cohen, recently visited Putin at the Kremlin.

Just days before Troufanov’s release in February, a deputy Russian foreign minister met with a top Hamas leader in Moscow, pressing the terror group to fulfill its “promises” to free both Troufanov and Maxim Herkin, another Israeli hostage from Ukraine’s Donbas region with Russian family ties.

Earlier this month, Hamas issued a propaganda video showing Herkin and fellow hostage Bar Kupershtein — the first public confirmation that they were still alive since being seized from the Nova festival near Re’im.

Herkin, who was 35 years old when abducted, has a three-year-old daughter and was the main provider for his mother and young brother. He had only gone to the Nova festival after receiving a last-minute invitation from friends, and it was his first experience at a rave.

In February, a senior Hamas leader indicated that Herkin would be among the top priorities for release during the second phase of the hostage deal, intended as a favor to the Russian government. However, after the initial stage of the agreement, negotiations fell apart and Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza.

Today, of the 59 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza, 24 have confirmed signs of life, including both Herkin and Kupershtein.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) recently initiated an unusual move of hanging posters of the extensive destruction in the Gaza Strip inside the cells and wings in security prisons, Yisrael Hayom reported. Among other places, a large photo was hung in the Rakafet underground wing, where Nukhba terrorists who participated in the October 7th massacre are held. “This is a conscious step designed to make clear to them the consequences of October 7,” Northern District Commander Shmulik Lavi told Yisrael Hayom. “We aren’t fooling ourselves that it will arouse a sense of responsibility or regret in them, but this picture that reflects what is happening to the enemies of Israel will seep into their minds.” Lavi added that the IPS sees the move as part of a series of measures aimed at undermining the feeling of “heroism” and identification with terror organizations among security prisoners. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Sixteen years after suffering life-threatening wounds during Operation Cast Lead, Aharon Karov has officially returned to the IDF, this time as part of a new effort to establish the Disabled Soldiers Department.

Karov, who became an enduring symbol of perseverance and recovery, spent recent years working with at-risk youth, aiming to inspire them to believe in themselves and their potential.

In the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, Karov helped launch the “Continuing Life” initiative, a military program pairing wounded veterans with soldiers recently injured in combat.

“I understood that rehabilitation does not end in the hospital, but continues throughout life,” Karov shared, reflecting on the lessons he learned from his own recovery journey.

In his latest assignment, Karov will oversee the area of placement and employment for injured IDF soldiers within the new placement division of the Disabled Soldiers Department.

“Our goal is clear: To allow anyone injured who is interested in doing so to put his uniform back on, contribute, and turn his injury into a mission,” Karov emphasized.

With deep emotion, Karov added, “I am proud to once again don a uniform, to be part of a system which chooses to turn pain into action and rehabilitation into hope.”

The IDF warmly welcomed Karov’s decision to join this groundbreaking department, explaining that the new Disabled Soldiers Department and its placement program are designed to create new opportunities for wounded soldiers who want to return to active service.

Karov first gained national attention when he was critically injured as a company commander in the Paratrooper Brigade during the early stages of Operation Cast Lead. His call-up came just a day after he celebrated his wedding.

Less than 72 hours after being called to duty, Karov was gravely wounded when terrorists detonated explosives in a house in Gaza. He was urgently evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikvah, where he underwent six life-saving operations on his head and chest in a span of 12 hours, along with an orthopedic surgery.

Against all odds, Karov made an astonishing recovery, waking up within days and moving out of the Intensive Care Unit shortly thereafter, defying grim expectations.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Tonight, the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) appointed Hussein al-Sheikh, the Secretary-General of Fatah, to serve as deputy to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Al-Sheikh, regarded as a close confidant of Abbas, is set to celebrate his 65th birthday this coming December.

Between 1978 and 1988, al-Sheikh spent a decade imprisoned in Israel.

In December 2022, a Hamas-affiliated news outlet published recordings of al-Sheikh, which captured him expressing frustration toward Abbas and criticizing other figures seen as potential successors to the Palestinian Authority leadership. The full circumstances of the recordings were not fully clarified.

According to the Associated Press, throughout the leaked audio, al-Sheikh repeatedly uses vulgar language when referring to Abbas.

At one point during the over three-minute recording, al-Sheikh accuses Abbas of being complicit in perpetuating instability, stating that Abbas “is a partner in the chaos and has an interest for it to remain.”

In June 2023, al-Sheikh urged Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to speed up the review of cases submitted to the court concerning alleged Israeli offenses against Palestinian Arabs.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Pakistani soldiers fired at Indian posts along the highly militarized frontier in disputed Kashmir for a second consecutive night, the Indian military said Saturday, as tensions flared between the nuclear-armed rivals following a deadly attack on tourists last week. India described the massacre, in which gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, as a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan denies the charge. The assault, near the resort town of Pahalgam in India-controlled Kashmir, was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance. It was the restive region’s worst assault targeting civilians in years. In the days since, tensions have risen dangerously between India and Pakistan, which have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir. The region is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety. The Indian army said Saturday that soldiers from multiple Pakistani army posts overnight opened fire at Indian troops “all across the Line of Control” in Kashmir. “Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms,” the statement said. There were no casualties reported, the statement added. There was no comment from Pakistan, and the incidents could not be independently verified. In the past, each side has accused the other of starting border skirmishes in the Himalayan region. Markets and bazaars were open in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Saturday, and there was no sign of evacuations from villages near the Line of Control. Tit-for-tat measures and a spike in tensions After the tourist attack, India suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty and closed the only functional land border crossing. It revoked visas issued to Pakistanis with effect from Sunday. Pakistan retaliated by canceling visas issued to Indians, closing its airspace to Indian airlines, and suspending trade with its neighbor. Nationals from both sides began heading to their home countries through the Wagah border near Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Friday. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday vowed the government would respond “with full force and might” to Indian attempts to stop or divert the flow of water. He also said Pakistan was open to participating in any “neutral, transparent and credible investigation” into the tourist attack. On Saturday, a Pakistani official from the disaster management agency, Saeed Qureshi, accused India of suddenly releasing large amounts of water into the Jhelum River, raising fears of flooding in parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Authorities told residents living along the riverbank to evacuate, Qureshi said. A spokesman for India’s External Affairs Ministry was not immediately available for comment. New Delhi describes all militancy in Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism, a charge Pakistan rejects. Many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989 for uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. Iran offers to mediate, while Trump declines to engage With tensions high, Iran offered mediation, while U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected them to work out their differences. “Tehran stands ready to use its good offices in Islamabad and New Delhi to forge greater understanding at this difficult time,” Iranian Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday. “India and Pakistan are brotherly neighbors of Iran. Like other neighbors, we consider them our foremost priority,” Araghchi wrote in a social media […]

Sergeant Neta Yitzchok Kahana, a member of the undercover Border Police Southern District unit, was tragically killed during an intense clash with terrorists in southern Gaza on Erev Shabbos, Israeli police announced late tonight.

Authorities confirmed that Kahana’s family has been personally notified of his death. The Israel Police and Border Police emphasized their commitment to offering full support to the grieving family during this difficult time.

“Israel Police bows its head and mourns the fall of the brave fighter who fell while defending the security of the State of Israel and its citizens,” the official police statement declared.

In addition, the IDF reported another devastating loss: “Captain Ido Voloch, 21 years old, from Yerushalayim, an armored corps officer and platoon commander in the 46th Battalion of the 401st Brigade (“Iron Trails”), fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Looking for a structured program that will give you the tools and resources you need to get Smicha? Hilchos Shabbos? Dayanus? Chuppah v’Kiddushin? Join Machon Smicha, the premier halachah institute serving the English-speaking Torah community. Machon Smicha is a unique, online, halacha-learning program that makes learning, getting tested and receiving smicha possible. We offer rigorous and structured learning programs in halachah across a broad spectrum of topics, which enables learners to grow and succeed in their Torah learning, from the novice to the scholar. Be empowered to learn Shulchan Aruch like never before, from the Mishnah and Gemara all the way to contemporary Poskim and Minhagim. Our programs include:  Smicha: Achieve your dream of finally receiving smicha in a program that will empower you to succeed, Shabbos: Learn and master Hilchos Shabbos, from the original sources down to their practical application Chuppah v’Kiddushin: Become proficient in the halachos of weddings and marriage, and become equipped to be a mesader kiddushin. Dayanus: Dive deep into the halachos of beis din, halachic litigation, business, and interpersonal responsibility. Machon Smicha offers each student a complete curriculum, consisting of: Online portal with access to all the program content. Flexible schedule. Shiurim. English Study Guide, containing introductions, overviews, translations, and in-depth summaries of every halachah. Access to forums and teachers for questions, discussions, etc. Rabbi and teachers available to answer questions and aid in the learning. Quizzes, review material, and mock tests. Tests with prominent rabbis. Signed certificate for those who successfully complete the program. Machon Smicha’s next semester begins on April 28th, 2025 To learn more, or to apply, visit onlinemachon.com.

Many hours after the explosion, the blaze in Iran continued to burn.

MORE: At least one Iranian official said that the blast was caused by the improper storage of chemicals in containers at the port. Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, told an Iranian news agency that “the cause of the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” Reuters reported.

WATCH THIS! A massive explosion and fire rocked a port Saturday in southern Iran linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make missile propellant, killing at least 14 people and injuring around 750 others. Helicopters dumped water from the air on the raging fire hours after the initial explosion, which happened at the Shahid Rajaei port just as Iran and the United States met Saturday in Oman for the third round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday named a veteran aide and confidant as his new vice president. It’s a major step by the aging leader to designate a successor. The appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization does not guarantee he will be the next Palestinian president. But it makes him the front-runner among longtime politicians in the dominant Fatah party who hope to succeed the 89-year-old Abbas. The move is unlikely to boost the image among many Palestinians of Fatah as a closed and corrupt movement out of touch with the general public. Abbas hopes to play a major role in postwar Gaza. He has been under pressure from Western and Arab allies to rehabilitate the Palestinian Authority. He has announced a series of reforms in recent months, and last week his Fatah movement approved the new position of PLO vice president. Under last week’s decision, the new vice president, coming from the PLO’s 16-member executive committee, would succeed Abbas in a caretaker capacity if the president dies or becomes incapacitated. That would make him the front-runner to replace Abbas on a permanent basis, though not guarantee it. The PLO’s executive committee would need to approve that appointment, and the body is filled with veteran politicians who see themselves as worthy contenders. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, would have a separate caretaker leader, Rawhi Fattouh, the speaker of the Palestinians’ non-functioning parliament. But within 90 days, it would have to hold elections. If that is not possible, the new PLO president would likely take over the position. Al-Sheikh, 64, is a veteran politician who has held a series of top positions over decades, most recently as the secretary-general of the PLO’s executive committee for the past three years. He spent 11 years in Israeli prisons in his youth and is a veteran of the Palestinian security forces — experiences that could give him credibility with Palestinian security figures and the broader public. Now he finds himself in a strong position to shore up his power. He is Abbas’ closest aide and, most critically, maintains good working relations with Israel and the Palestinians’ Arab allies, including wealthy Gulf countries. As Abbas’ point man with Israel, al-Sheikh is responsible for arranging coveted travel permits for Palestinians, including VIP leaders, giving him an important lever of power over his rivals. The PLO is a rival for Hamas, which won the last national elections in 2006 and is not in the PLO. Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas’ forces in 2007, and reconciliation attempts have repeatedly failed. Abbas is still seen internationally as the leader of the Palestinians. The chain-smoking political veteran has clung to power since his mandate expired in 2009. (AP & YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem) (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

Vandals broke into the Jewish cemetery in Damascus overnight Wednesday and vandalized the kever of Hamekubal HaRav Chaim Vital, Z’tl, one of the talmidim of the Ari, z’tl. The intruders dug a pit near the kever to look for remains. Bachour Simantov, one of the few remaining Jews in Syria, told Kan News that he informed local authorities about the incident and they promised to find those responsible for the incident. The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic Countries issued a statement saying: “We are shocked and saddened by the desecration of the tomb of Rabbi Chaim Vital, z”tl this Thursday in Damascus.” “Jews have lived in Syria for thousands of years and are an integral part of its history. We urgently call on the Syrian government to immediately secure  Jewish holy sites, synagogues, and cemeteries and ensure their safety, security and well-being.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

A Border Police commando and an IDF officer were killed on Friday in intense battles with terrorists in the Shijaiyah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. The Border Police officer was named as Sgt. Neta Yitzchak Kahane, H’yd, 19, a commando in the elite Yamas undercover unit from Moshav Eitan, a religious moshav in south-central Israel. The IDF officer was named as Cpt. Ido Voloch, H’yd, 21, from Jerusalem, a platoon commander in the 401st Armored Brigade’s 46th Battalion. The incident began when Hamas terrorists opened fire on soldiers engaging in efforts to expand the buffer zone along the Gazan border, sparking a fierce gun battle, during which Kahane, H’yd, was killed. The evacuation of the dead and wounded took place under fire, during which Voloch, H’yd, was killed and another soldier was lightly wounded. Commander A., the head of the undercover unit operating in Gaza, told Ynet: “The operation began midweek, with several nights inside Gaza. We eliminated several terrorists during ambushes. Yesterday, a terrorist emerged from a tunnel, fired at the force, and Kahana, who was alert and ready, returned fire along with another fighter. The terrorist managed to fire another burst, fatally hitting Kahana.” He added, “Soon after, heavy fire erupted from across the neighborhood. We called in reinforcements and evacuated Kahana under continuous engagement, providing medical treatment as best we could while continuing to fight until nightfall.” (YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)

A massive explosion and fire rocked a port Saturday in southern Iran linked to a shipment of a chemical ingredient used to make missile propellant, killing eight people and injuring around 750 others. Helicopters dumped water from the air on the raging fire hours after the initial explosion, which happened at the Shahid Rajaei port just as Iran and the United States met Saturday in Oman for the third round of negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. At least one Iranian official said that the blast was caused by the improper storage of chemicals in containers at the port. Hossein Zafari, a spokesperson for Iran’s crisis management organization, told an Iranian news agency that “the causeof the explosion was the chemicals inside the containers,” Reuters reported. “Previously, the Director General of Crisis Management had given warnings to this port during their visits and had pointed out the possibility of danger,” Zafari says. Security firm says port received chemical for missile fuel The port took in a shipment of “sodium perchlorate rocket fuel” in March, the private security firm Ambrey said. The fuel is part of a shipment from China by two vessels to Iran first reported in January by the Financial Times. The fuel was going to be used to replenish Iran’s missile stocks, which had been depleted by its direct attacks on Israel. “The fire was reportedly the result of improper handling of a shipment of solid fuel intended for use in Iranian ballistic missiles,” Ambrey said. Ship-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press put one of the vessels believed to be carrying the chemical in the vicinity in March, as Ambrey said. Iran hasn’t acknowledged taking the shipment. The Iranian mission to the United Nations didn’t respond to a request for comment on Saturday. It’s unclear why Iran wouldn’t have moved the chemicals from the port, particularly after the Beirut port blast in 2020. That explosion, caused by the ignition of hundreds of tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, killed more than 200 people and injured more than 6,000 others. Social media footage of the explosion on Saturday at Shahid Rajaei saw reddish-hued smoke rising from the fire just before the detonation. That suggests a chemical compound being involved in the blast — like in the Beirut explosion. “Get back get back! Tell the gas (truck) to go!” a man in one video shouted just before the blast. “Tell him to go, it’s going to blow up! Oh G-d, this is blowing up! Everybody evacuate! Get back! Get back!” On Saturday night, the state-run IRNA news agency said that the Customs Administration of Iran blamed a “stockpile of hazardous goods and chemical materials stored in the port area” for the blast, without elaborating. An aerial shot released by Iranian media after the blast showed fires burning at multiple locations in the port, with authorities later warning about air pollution from chemicals such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in the air. Schools in Bandar Abbas will be closed Sunday as well. Port a major destination for Iranian cargo Social media videos showed black billowing smoke after the blast. Others showed glass blown out of buildings kilometers, or miles, away from the epicenter of the explosion. State media footage showed the injured crowding into at least one […]

Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) boasted about his party’s success in blocking initiatives aimed at ensuring that only American citizens are allowed to vote in federal elections.

Speaking about President Donald Trump’s March 25 executive order, titled “PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS,” Jeffries commented, “So-and-so signed the so-called executive order. It was a voter suppression Executive Order, trying to do all of the things that the so-called SAVE Act is trying to do, but trying to do it through executive action.”

The executive order affirms, “Under the Constitution, State governments must safeguard American elections in compliance with Federal laws that protect Americans’ voting rights and guard against dilution by illegal voting, discrimination, fraud, and other forms of malfeasance and error,” and further argues that America has “not adequately enforced Federal election requirements that, for example, prohibit States from counting ballots received after Election Day or prohibit non-citizens from registering to vote.”

The directive also outlines that within 30 days, the Election Assistance Commission must adjust its national mail voter registration form to require proof of U.S. citizenship and additional documentation details, while taking care to maintain information security standards.

Despite these efforts, Jeffries made clear that he is opposed to such measures. “He does not have the power to do that. And so all the Democrats, the House Democrats, partnered with the Senate Democrats partnered with the Democratic National Committee, partnered with the Democratic Governors Association, and I even joined the lawsuit. Is it up on screen? I even joined the lawsuit as an individual on your behalf,” Jeffries said, proudly.

He went on to say, “And I like this name Jeffries versus Trump, and so we sued him in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and we believe we will win.”

This week, a federal judge temporarily halted part of Trump’s executive order.

In a 120-page ruling, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote, according to NPR, “Our Constitution entrusts Congress and the States — not the President — with the authority to regulate federal elections,” while noting that Congress is presently deliberating the SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Judge Kollar-Kotelly, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, further emphasized, “[N]o statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress’s deliberative process by executive order.”

The court ruling has stirred concern among conservatives, who see it as another example of judges using their positions to obstruct President Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, which voters supported last November.

Jeffries’ stance, however, comes as little shock, given his previous skepticism regarding any broad public support for the MAGA movement.

“Despite the claims of some of my Republican colleagues who have spent a lot of time over the last two weeks talking about some big, massive mandate, I’m looking for it,” Jeffries said in November following former Vice President Kamala Harris’s significant election loss.

He added, “That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to make adjustments to make sure that we can get beyond fighting House Republicans with a national wave on top of us to withdraw,” before dismissing the idea of a sweeping conservative mandate: “But the question about this notion of some mandate to make massive far-right extreme policy changes — it doesn’t exist.”

“It doesn’t exist,” Jeffries stressed once again.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation Friday into allegations of “race-based discrimination” by New York state officials after President Trump spoke out in support of the Massapequa School District’s use of its “Massapequa Chiefs” nickname, The Post has learned.

Federal officials will examine whether the New York State Board of Regents is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial and national origin discrimination by any institution receiving federal funding, by enforcing its ban on Native American-related school mascots and symbols.

“The US Department of Education will not stand by as the state of New York attempts to rewrite history and deny the town of Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

McMahon continued, “While New York chooses to prioritize erasing Native Americans, their rich history, and their deep connection the state, it is requiring schools to divert time and resources away from what really matters: educating our students.”

She added, “It is not lost on the Department that there are several mascots that refer to indigenous or ethnic groups – the Vikings, Fighting Irish, the Cowboys – and yet New York has specifically singled out Native American heritage. We will investigate this matter fully.”

This probe follows a formal complaint filed by the Native American Guardians Association, an advocacy organization based in North Dakota, with the Department’s Office of Civil Rights. The group claims New York’s policy is illegal under federal law.

The association, which has advocated for professional sports teams and schools retaining Native American names and imagery, argued that New York “is solely targeting Native American groups and images by attempting to eliminate them from athletic contests” and further stated that “[t]he decision to single out Native Americans as a class of people that cannot be represented in public school imagery is per se discriminatory.”

Frank Blackcloud, vice president of the association, said the policy leads to “dwindling expressions or our presence and contributions” to the history of the United States.

New York officials maintain that the rule, enacted in 2023, aims to dismantle harmful stereotypes, and have warned that districts such as Massapequa could lose state funding if they do not comply. The Massapequa school board is currently challenging the mandate in court.

Although a judge ruled against the Massapequa district last month, the federal investigation could ultimately put the state’s own funding at risk if it refuses to reverse course.

President Trump weighed in earlier this week on social media, stating: “I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School. Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population.”

He added: “It has become the School’s identity and, what could be wrong with using the name, ‘Chief’? I don’t see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon! By copy of this TRUTH, I am asking my highly capable Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to fight for the people of Massapequa on this very important issue. LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!”

Kerry Watcher, president of the Massapequa Board of Education, applauded the federal government for stepping in to defend the district.

“We thank the Department of Education and the Trump administration for standing with Massapequa in our effort to preserve the Chiefs name and honor our community’s proud history,” Watcher said.

“We’re especially grateful to the Native American Guardians Association for their support and advocacy. Attempts to erase Native American imagery do not advance learning — they distract from our core mission of providing a high-quality education grounded in respect, history, and community values.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel bid farewell on Thursday to Nechama Grossman, the nation’s oldest Holocaust survivor, who passed away at the remarkable age of 109. Her passing coincided with Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day devoted to memorializing the six million Jews who perished. Grossman’s funeral was held the next day in Arad, the southern city where she had made her home for most of her life.

Born in 1915, Grossman survived the horrors of Europe during the Holocaust and eventually made her way to Israel, settling in Arad and raising a family there. Her resilience became a living testament to the strength of the Jewish people in the aftermath of unimaginable suffering.

Kan reported that Grossman leaves behind a large and growing family: two children, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Earlier this week, just days before her passing, her son Vladimir Schwatz spoke publicly about her enduring legacy.

“My mother is one of the oldest Holocaust survivors in the world,” he shared. “She experienced the worst and she survived. We must all remember her Holocaust story, remember her survival, so that her past never becomes our future.”

On the same day, another survivor’s life came to a close. Eve Kugler, a longtime advocate for Holocaust education, died at the age of 94 in London. Kugler had been planning to join this year’s March of the Living at Auschwitz but was ultimately unable to make the trip.

Kugler had been a familiar presence at March of the Living events over the years, including participating in last year’s gathering. Her lifelong commitment to Holocaust remembrance had touched countless lives.

Born in Germany in 1931, Kugler lived through the traumatic events of Kristallnacht at the age of seven. In 1939, her family fled to France in search of safety. Two years later, she managed to reach the United States aboard a ship, where she and her siblings lived in foster care in New York until they were reunited with their parents after the war’s conclusion in 1946.

After completing her studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Kugler pursued a career in photojournalism. Later, she relocated to London, where she became a well-known figure in Holocaust education, tirelessly speaking to audiences and participating in programs that honored the victims of the Nazi atrocities.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Department of Justice officially notified the Southern District Court of New York that it no longer recognizes the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as enjoying legal immunity, a dramatic shift from Washington’s earlier stance, according to a JNS report.

This announcement marks a pivotal moment in a lawsuit filed last year by families of victims who were murdered or kidnapped during the horrific Hamas onslaught in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The plaintiffs accuse UNRWA of playing a role in the massacre, while Israel has disclosed that at least 18 UNRWA employees allegedly took part in the atrocities.

The suit also asserts that billions of dollars in humanitarian aid directed to Gaza through UNRWA were diverted to Hamas and associated terror groups, funding their attacks instead of helping civilians.

“The complaint in this case alleges atrocious crimes committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, and its factual allegations, taken as true, detail how UNRWA played a significant role in those heinous offenses,” wrote the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in a court filing submitted to Judge Analisa Torres.

The Justice Department openly acknowledged that its interpretation of UNRWA’s legal status had evolved. “Previously, the government expressed the view that certain immunities shielded UNRWA from having to answer those allegations in American courts,” the DOJ wrote. “The government has since re-evaluated that position and now concludes that UNRWA is not immune from this litigation. Nor are the bulk of other defendants.”

In the filing, the government emphasized that although UNRWA was created via a resolution by the UN General Assembly, it does not satisfy the criteria necessary to be considered an actual organ of the United Nations. The Justice Department also cast doubt on whether the General Assembly had legitimate authority under international law to establish such a body.

This revised legal position sharply diverges from the earlier approach taken by the Biden administration, which had shielded UNRWA and the broader United Nations from lawsuits by arguing that they were covered under diplomatic immunity protections.

If the court sides against UNRWA’s claim to immunity, the agency — along with its leadership and possibly even the United Nations itself — could be forced to pay out significant financial compensation to the families of victims.

Responding to the Justice Department’s filing, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres told JNS, “We have seen the letter filed by the U.S. Department of Justice with the court. We will review it carefully.”

“The position of the United Nations is longstanding and clear. UNRWA is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly and, as such, is entitled to immunity from legal process under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations,” the statement continued. UNRWA itself issued an identical response.

For years, critics have accused UNRWA of cooperating with Hamas. Those criticisms reached a fever pitch after Israel disclosed last year that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Israel also produced a dossier showing that UNRWA personnel participated directly in violent acts, including abducting a woman, distributing ammunition, and taking part in the slaughter at Kibbutz Be’eri, where 97 innocent civilians were killed.

In the wake of these disclosures, Guterres appointed a panel led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to investigate the Israeli accusations.

That review group released its findings this past April, reporting the existence of “neutrality-related issues” within UNRWA, but also claiming that Israel had yet to furnish proof that a large portion of UNRWA’s workforce belonged to terrorist networks.

More recently, disturbing allegations surfaced when Emily Damari, a former hostage held by Hamas for 470 days, said she had been imprisoned inside an UNRWA facility.

Damari, who holds citizenship in both Britain and Israel, told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that she was denied proper medical care during her captivity at an UNRWA school.

Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top humanitarian aid official, later pushed back against Damari’s account, insisting he has “not seen a shred of evidence” linking the UN or its employees to the detention of hostages inside Gaza.

{Matzav.com}