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A full ground stop has been ordered at Boston Logan International Airport after a JetBlue aircraft left the runway and goes onto the grass.

The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain has released a statement denying any change in their posture related to tensions in the region with Iran, adding that staffing and operations are unchanged and activities continue as normal.

POTUS: “Part of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill will also further slash the funding for the Green New Scam… It’s the greatest scam in history… saving American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars.”

Chicago’s Democrat Mayor Brandon Johnson compares lawful ICE operations to if the Confederacy won the Civil War.

It might be the best time for it. A lot of people think summer means everything goes out the window. No structure. No routine. Just survive until September. I get it. The kids are home. The schedules are upside down. There’s wet laundry in random places and someone always needs a snack. But here’s the truth no one really talks about: Summer is the perfect time to grow. Not because you have tons of quiet or freedom (ha). But because you don’t. When things feel looser, less predictable, and a little bit out of control… that’s when you get to practice becoming the version of yourself you want to be. You get to say: “I was a more present mother this summer.” “I didn’t lose my mind every bedtime.” “I want to eat healthy and exercise every day.” “I got more patient. I connected more. I showed up better.” Not perfectly. But better. And how does that happen? Not by accident. It happens when you take the time, yes, even during this wild, snack-filled season, to pause and ask: What do I want this summer to feel like? Who do I want to be when I look back on it? You don’t need to overhaul your life. But you can set a few small, meaningful goals that guide you through these weeks with a little more intention. Because this season doesn’t just have to be something you survive. It can be something you’re proud of. Before We Dive In, a VERY Important Disclaimer: Rabos machshavos b’lev ish, va’atzas Hashem hi sakum. We can plan and plan, but at the end of the day, Hashem’s plan is the one that stands. That doesn’t mean we don’t try. Our job is to show up, make the effort, and do our hishtadlus, even while knowing that Hashem sees the full picture and always knows what’s best. With that in mind, let me show you how to set goals in a way that’s calm, doable, and actually fits your life. The Simple Goal-Setting Method That Changes Everything It’s called SMART goals. I use it in my own life. I teach it in my coaching. I walk my students through it all the time. And I’ve seen it work, again and again and again. Here’s what SMART stands for: • Specific – Make your goal crystal clear. Not “be healthier,” but “prep veggies every Sunday.” • Measurable – You need to know if it happened. Not “kinda sorta did it maybe.” • Achievable – Dreamy, yes. Delusional, no. • Relevant – It has to matter to you. Not your neighbor. Not your sister-in-law. • Time-bound – Set a deadline. Otherwise, it’s just a floating wish. Sounds simple. But it’s powerful. Let’s SMART Daf Yomi There are men all over the world, busy, tired, juggling work and life, who sit down and learn one daf a day. Every single day. They just learn the daf. And then the next one. And the next. Guess what? It adds up. That full set of heavy Gemaras on the shelf? That wasn’t learned in one big heroic moment. It was learned one page at a time. This is the brilliance of Rav Meir Shapiro, who started Daf Yomi. He didn’t say, “Let’s finish Shas.” He said, “Let’s do one […]

A British passenger miraculously emerged alive from the wreckage of a catastrophic Air India crash that killed more than 200 people on Thursday. The survivor, identified as 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was seated in 11A aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner when it plummeted into a densely populated residential area in Ahmedabad, India, just moments after takeoff. Staggering away from the debris-littered street, Ramesh was spotted limping amid the carnage before being rushed to a hospital by bystanders. “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran,” he told reporters from his hospital bed. “Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance.” The horror unfolded just after departure from Ahmedabad airport, when the aircraft began descending rapidly and struck a doctors’ hostel in the city of over 5 million residents. “There was a loud noise, and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” Ramesh recalled. Authorities had initially feared there were no survivors. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik later confirmed to the BBC that 204 bodies had been recovered from the scene. There were 242 people on board at the time of the crash, and rescue operations are still ongoing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich held a meeting today with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at the American Embassy in Yerushalayim.

After their discussion, Smotrich took to social media to reflect on the strength of U.S.-Israel ties. “The alliance between Israel and the United States is stronger than any storm,” Smotrich wrote.

In his remarks, he extended his appreciation to President Trump, praising his role on the world stage. Smotrich also made a point of asking Huckabee to personally deliver his gratitude to the president, calling his leadership “a beacon for the free world.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, for your true friendship, your support, and for today’s important meeting,” Smotrich said in his concluding comments.

The meeting between Huckabee and both Smotrich and Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir came shortly after several British Commonwealth nations issued sanctions against the two Israeli officials.

{Matzav.com Israel}

U.S. filings for jobless benefits were unchanged last week, remaining at the higher end of recent ranges as uncertainty over the impact of trade wars lingers. New applications for jobless benefits numbered 248,000 for the week ending June 7, the Labor Department said Thursday. Analysts had forecast 244,000 new applications. A week ago, there were 248,000 jobless claim applications, which was the most since early October and a sign that layoffs could be trending higher. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and have mostly bounced around a historically healthy range between 200,000 and 250,000 since COVID-19 throttled the economy five years ago, wiping out millions of jobs. However, the past three weeks, layoffs have been at the higher end of that range, raising some concern from analysts. “There are early warning signs in the labor market,” said Navy Federal Credit Union’s chief economist, Heather Long. “If layoffs worsen this summer, it will heighten fears of a recession and consumer spending pullback.” In reporting their latest earnings, many companies have either trimmed their sales and profit expectations for 2025 or not issued guidance at all, often citing President Donald Trump’s dizzying rollout of tariff announcements. Though Trump has paused or dialed down many of his tariff threats, concerns remain that a tariff-induced global economic slowdown could sabotage what’s been a robust U.S. labor market. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said the potential for both higher unemployment and inflation are elevated, an unusual combination that complicates the central bank’s dual mandate of controlling prices and keeping unemployment low. Powell said that tariffs have dampened consumer and business sentiment. In early May, the Federal Reserve held its benchmark lending rate at 4.3% for the third straight meeting after cutting it three times at the end of last year. Last week, the Labor Department reported that U.S. employers slowed their hiring in May, but still added a solid 139,000 jobs despite uncertainty over Trump’s trade wars. In a separate report last week, Labor reported that U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in April, but other data suggested that Americans are less optimistic about the labor market. The report showed that the number of Americans quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — fell, while layoffs ticked higher. In another sign the job market has cooled from the hiring boom of 2021-2023, the government reported one job for every unemployed person. As recently as December 2022, there were two vacancies for every jobless American. The government has estimated that the U.S. economy shrank at a 0.2% annual pace in the first quarter of 2025, a slight upgrade from its first estimate. Growth was slowed by a surge in imports as companies in the U.S. tried to bring in foreign goods before Trump’s massive tariffs went into effect. Trump is attempting to reshape the global economy by dramatically increasing import taxes to rejuvenate the U.S. manufacturing sector. The president has also tried to drastically downsize the federal government workforce, but many of those cuts are being challenged in the courts and Congress. On Wednesday, Google confirmed that it had offered buyouts to another swath of its workforce in a fresh round of cost-cutting ahead of a court decision that could order a breakup of its internet empire. […]

Egyptian officials are deporting dozens of pro-terrorist activists, including many Europeans, who arrived in Cairo intending to travel to the Gaza border.

President Trump has secured a $200B Investment from Micron Technology for Memory Chip Manufacturing in the United States.

Democrat Congressman Stephen Lynch suggests President Trump and immigration officers are “Nazis” and he is “proud” to “fight” against them.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Let me begin by stating the obvious: The Adirei HaTorah event this week was stunning. From the kavod haTorah to the emotional energy in the room, it was everything we hope for in a gathering that celebrates the crowns of Klal Yisroel.

But I have to ask a question for a friend — and I’m sure he’d not the only one thinking this:

Are the only singers we can find for a Litvishe yeshiva event Chassidish?

Yes, Naftali Kempeh was there — and it was a welcome breath of authenticity. But he was given one song. One. Why?

Can we take a moment and flip the script?

Would Satmar ever bring in a Litvishe singer for one of their events?

Would Bobov? Skver? Belz? Vizhnitz?

Would any of them feature Litvishe singers and let them run the musical show – in their havarah?

Of course not. And they’d be right.

(By the way: Nothing against Yanky Daskal, Zanvil Weinberger and Hershy Weinberger. They’re great. They should be genbentched. But that’s not the point here.)

Because part of the beauty of these events is that they reflect who we are. The songs, the style, the soul. It’s not just about musical notes. It’s about identity.

Can you imagine a Litvishe guy singing at a Chassidishe event in his havarah?

So why are Chassidishe guys singing at a Litvishe event in their havarah?

It’s bizarre. Sorry.

There are Litvishe singers with beautiful voices, geshmake ruach, and deep neshamah. Naftali Kempeh could have easily carried the evening, not be relegated to an afterthought.

I’ll just give one name. There’s Simcha Jacoby — a yungerman with a gorgeous voice and the heart to match. Why not showcase someone like him? Why is there never room?

There’s no shortage of talent. There’s just a shortage of vision.

Adirei HaTorah is a celebration of the yeshiva world. Let the sound of the yeshiva world fill the room.

Sincerely,
A Proud Member of the Olam HaTorah

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New CCTV video shows the crash of Air India Flight 171, killing at least 246 people

A newly finalized draft of Israel’s conscription law includes strict personal and institutional sanctions for yeshiva students who do not enlist, alongside a mechanism that could lead to the law’s automatic expiration within four years if recruitment targets are not met, Matzav.com has learned.

The proposal, formulated late Wednesday night, sets the draft age for chareidi yeshiva students at 18–26. The government has committed to existing enlistment targets: 4,800 in the first year, 5,700 in the second year, and 50% of the annual draft cohort within five years. The law is officially defined as a temporary measure for six years, but if the state fails to consistently meet annual targets within four years, the law will automatically expire. If benchmarks are met, the law would be extended by one year at a time.

Immediate Personal Sanctions

Starting in the first year of implementation, yeshiva students who do not enlist will face individual penalties, regardless of whether the state meets its draft quotas. These include:

• Travel restrictions for unmarried men (exceptions via a special committee)

• Ineligibility for a driver’s license

• Loss of income tax credit points for employed students under 26

• Ineligibility for subsidized academic studies

After six months, if the annual target is missed, benefits for the second half of the year—such as discounts for daycares and public transportation—will not be granted.

Should the state miss its targets for the first two years, additional sanctions will be imposed:

• Termination of daycare subsidies

• Ineligibility for discounted housing programs

• Cancellation of National Insurance benefits

• Removal of discounts on public transit

• Elimination of subsidies for housing in Israel’s periphery

By the third year, if targets are still not met, first-home purchase tax subsidies and after-school program funding will also be revoked. If goals are missed by year four, the law will automatically expire.

Budget Penalties for Yeshivos

Simultaneously, financial penalties will be imposed on yeshivos. If a yeshiva reaches 95% of the target, no budget cuts will occur. Meeting between 75% and 95% of the quota will result in budget reductions of up to 50%, depending on how far off the mark they are. Institutions that meet less than 75% of their quota will lose all state funding.

Resetting Draft Status

Once the law goes into effect, all yeshiva students between the ages of 18 and 26 will be returned to the national draft registry and will need to reapply for exemption or deferment. Even those currently classified as deserters will receive temporary yeshiva student status for the purpose of the new system.

Oversight Committees and Review Mechanisms

If recruitment goals are missed for three consecutive years, a special public committee will be established to investigate the failures and propose reforms, which may include legislative changes.

Additionally, a professional committee will be formed to evaluate alternative chareidi service tracks. This body will determine whether these tracks meet IDF criteria and may recommend easing certain sanctions in cases where minimal requirements are not met.

Chareidi political leaders expressed cautious optimism. “This is not an easy law for the chareidi public,” one senior official said, “but it’s better than the current situation.” They estimate that within 10 to 14 days, if agreements remain intact, the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will resume deliberations and begin voting on the bill.

{Matzav.com Israel}

After nearly a century of continuous operation on the same grounds, one of Israel’s most iconic bakeries is set to be replaced by a major residential development. The Yerushalayim District Planning and Building Committee has approved a proposal to transform the former Angel Bakery complex in Givat Shaul into a high-rise housing project.

The approved plan envisions the construction of 960 residential units in towers reaching up to 35 stories, built atop five levels of commercial and office space. The project will also include a school, green public areas, and a diverse range of apartment types — with 20% of units designated as smaller residences. Moshe Tzur Architects designed the project, which is being advanced by Kanfei Ruach Building Jerusalem Ltd., and it will be located at the western edge of Givat Shaul’s business zone, directly on the city’s light rail green line.

The 18-dunam (approximately 4.5-acre) parcel served as the home of Angel Bakery since the 1920s. The Angel family sold the property to developers in 2021, and the bakery closed its doors there in 2022, opening the door for redevelopment.

This new venture adds to a broader wave of urban renewal in the district, including the adjacent “City of the World” development on the grounds of a former flour mill. That project features 360 apartments, substantial commercial areas, and civic infrastructure.

The redevelopment aligns with an updated master plan for Givat Shaul, adopted in 2022, which reclassified zones formerly limited to industrial, commercial, and hospitality purposes to allow residential construction.

Elsewhere in Yerushalayim, the committee gave the green light to plans for revamping the historic President Hotel. Built in the 1950s and sitting empty since the late 1980s, the structure will be preserved for public use, while 300 new residential units will be added across four buildings. Two floors of rental housing will also be constructed atop the preserved hotel, with additional space allotted for street-level retail.

In Holon, near Tel Aviv, the committee approved a sweeping renewal plan for Yoseftal Boulevard, one of the city’s main entry points. The 70-dunam (17-acre) initiative includes 1,620 housing units, 160,000 square meters of retail and employment areas, and 100,000 square meters of space for public use, including a government complex. Its proximity to rail and light rail stations positions it as a future transportation hub. A segment of the residential units will be set aside as smaller apartments.

Ramat Hasharon’s Reines neighborhood will also see transformation, with approval granted for a project that replaces 104 outdated apartments with 270 new units housed in mid- and high-rise buildings. Of these, 10% will be categorized as very small units, and 30% as small. The plan incorporates ground-floor retail and a public-use facility.

In southern Israel, a separate initiative will make 2,500 land parcels available to military reservists, though about 1,000 of these are in areas where demand is currently low. Meanwhile, in Bat Yam, a previously stalled development due to insolvency issues has been revived, with authorities approving a 200-unit housing project.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Housing and Construction Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf of United Torah Judaism stepped down from his ministerial role on Thursday, citing continued frustration over the coalition’s failure to uphold commitments regarding the draft law and protections for yeshiva students.

In a resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Goldknopf wrote: “Despite my repeated warnings during Cabinet meetings, coalition leadership forums, and personal discussions, no agreement has been reached on the regulation of Torah students’ status. Therefore, I can no longer remain a member of this government.”

He reminded Netanyahu of prior assurances to pass legislation addressing the issue either before the approval of the 2023 state budget or within a ten-day timeframe—assurances he said were not kept. He also criticized more recent negotiations, saying they fall short of the coalition agreement’s original language.

Goldknopf pointed out that while officials only recently began engaging seriously on the matter, the bill that would allow for dissolving the Knesset failed to pass the previous evening. Reports indicate that the revised arrangements do not correspond to the original terms laid out in the coalition pact.

He announced his intention to return to the Knesset under the provisions of the Knesset Law. This move would mean that MK Eliyahu Broch of Degel HaTorah, who had entered the Knesset under the Norwegian Law, will conclude his service. Additionally, a deputy minister from Shas is expected to step down, making room for MK Moshe Roth of Agudas Yisrael.

Goldknopf also stated that if United Torah Judaism appoints a replacement from among its ranks to the Housing Ministry, Israel Eichler is the likely candidate. In that case, Broch would retain his seat in the Knesset.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A dramatic development late Wednesday night temporarily halted the growing momentum toward dissolving the Knesset. Matzav.com learned that Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabdoka who is currently in the United States on behalf of the Olam HaTorah Fund, instructed that the vote on the proposed dissolution not be brought to the floor this week, giving his instruction via telephone from the U.S.

The directive followed a lengthy phone conversation between MK Moshe Gafni, head of Degel HaTorah, and Rav Hirsch. Gafni reported “significant progress” in discussions between chareidi representatives, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yuli Edelstein.

Following that call, Deputy Minister Uri Maklev and MK Yaakov Asher also spoke with Rav Hirsch to update him on the developing understandings and the apparent willingness to reach a broad agreement. Based on these updates, Rav Hirsch ruled that the push to dissolve the Knesset should be put on hold for now.

Earlier in the evening, as Matzav.com reported, representatives of the chareidi parties met at length with MK Edelstein. According to sources present, the meeting was conducted in a serious, constructive atmosphere, with both sides aiming to avoid a coalition crisis by advancing a mutually acceptable draft law framework.

The sides reviewed key points of contention with hopes of achieving at least partial agreement. Though some political observers expressed skepticism about reaching a final breakthrough before a potential vote, chareidi MKs were seen stepping out intermittently during the meeting to consult with leading rabbanim.

Rav Hirsch’s guidance appears to have created a critical window of opportunity for renewed dialogue, postponing immediate threats of early elections.

Following the meetings, MK Edelstein stated: “I am pleased to announce that after extensive discussions, we reached agreements on the principles that will serve as the foundation for the draft law. As I’ve said from the start — only a real, effective proposal that expands the IDF’s recruitment base will advance from my committee. I have stood firm on that without compromise.”

“This is a historic milestone,” he continued, “and we are on the path to real societal reform and strengthening Israel’s national security. Soon, the committee will begin preparing the bill for its second and third readings. We are making history.”

In a joint statement, Degel HaTorah and Shas confirmed: “Following extended talks between our representatives and MK Yuli Edelstein, understandings have been reached regarding the core principles of the law to preserve the status of yeshiva students.”

“Since a few more days are needed to finalize the language of the bill, and following the guidance of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah and the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, it has been decided to postpone the Knesset dissolution vote until next week. The coming days will be used to complete the draft text.”

“Accordingly, we call on the opposition to delay its proposal to dissolve the Knesset. If it is not delayed — we will vote against dissolution.”

Meanwhile, Agudas Yisroel issued a separate statement suggesting a split within the United Torah Judaism bloc. “As of now, no official draft has been submitted, nor has a written proposal regulating the status of yeshiva students been presented. We therefore continue to follow the clear directives of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and we support the proposal to dissolve the Knesset, should it come to a vote.”

In the Knesset plenum, opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the delay: “Once again, you’ve spat in the faces of IDF soldiers. Once again, you’ve sold out our fighters — for what? Two more weeks? Three?”

He added, “The chareidim had two choices tonight — either lose the draft-dodging law or lose the government. The government helped them choose draft-dodging.”

“The government helped them ignore the reservists. Helped them rig mass exemptions for tens of thousands of healthy young men. It won’t work. When coalitions begin to unravel, they unravel. It’s begun — and you know it’s begun. This is what a dying government looks like.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

During a Wednesday appearance on CNN’s “News Central,” Representative Maxine Waters of California directed sharp criticism at President Donald Trump, asserting that he bears responsibility for the recent unrest in Los Angeles related to immigration enforcement.

Waters stated, “The backup plan is the President of the United States should do what he didn’t do when we were invaded in the Capitol. When they had the insurrection that he led, he should get on the phone and talk to the local police, he should talk to the people that he’s had deployed there. And he has a responsibility in all of this. He started this. There should be no violence. He should not continue to support violence.”

Continuing her remarks, Waters argued that Trump’s actions have fueled the current situation rather than calmed it. “They should not be egged on and, you know, provoked in any way. And that’s what the President of the United States is doing to exert his power and to show that he’s in charge, and to show that he’s going to get the numbers that he promised to get to get people deported. And so, you know him, everybody knows him. And so it is not on just the police in L.A., it’s not just on anybody. You know, leadership should be from the President of the United States, who decided that he was going to send the armed guards in when there was no violence. There were no protesters at that time. Yes, I understand that there was some violence on Sunday night, and the police must be concerned, but they must be in contact with the governor and with the mayor and with the President of the United States, and have a plan collectively about how to handle this situation.”

{Matzav.com}

IDF forces carried out a special targeted operation in the village of Beit Jinn in southern Syria overnight Wednesday, apprehending several Hamas terrorists who tried to advance multiple terrorist acts against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers from within Syria.