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In a deeply moving event held at the President’s Residence in Yerushalayim, the final letters were written in a Sefer Torah dedicated l’ilui nishmas Sergeant Segev Schwartz Hy”d — a courageous young soldier who gave his life al kiddush Hashem to save dozens of his fellow soldiers during the horrific October 7th attack. The initiative was spearheaded by the Ayelet HaShachar organization, under the leadership of Rabbi Shlomo Ra’anan, who remarked: “The heroic mesirus nefesh of Sergeant Segev Schwartz, and the decision to commemorate his memory through a Sefer Torah, reflect the deep bond between ahavas haTorah and dedication to Klal Yisrael.” Present were Segev’s parents and family members, who joined President Yitzchak Herzog in the emotional writing of the final letters. The President recalled his visit during the shivah and again expressed his hakaras hatov to the family for their son’s extraordinary bravery. “Your son saved many lives,” the President said. “This Torah, written in his memory, is a lasting testimony to who he was.” On that dreadful Shabbos morning, Sergeant Schwartz, a soldier in the Nachal Brigade’s 50th Battalion, was stationed at the Sufa outpost near the Gaza border. As waves of terrorists infiltrated the area, Segev and his fellow soldiers rushed to defend their position. On his way to the dining hall, where they planned to regroup, Segev spotted a grenade — and without hesitation, threw himself on it, sacrificing his life to protect his brothers-in-arms. Among those who participated in the writing of the Torah were prominent Rabbanim, including the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchak Yosef shlit”a, who received the family in his office and wrote a letter in the Sefer Torah. Rav Yosef praised Segev’s mesirus nefesh and offered words of nechamah: “Not only did your son give his life al kiddush Hashem, he also merited to save many others. Such a zechus places him among the lofty neshamos who sit before the Kisei HaKavod.” The Stropkover Rebbe also requested to meet with Segev’s mother after hearing about his act of heroism. She shared that, “although we’ve done many things to remember Segev, this Sefer Torah feels like the true crown of it all.” Deeply moved, the Rebbe later told the father, “Your son gave his life for Hashem and Klal Yisrael. Please give me a brachah — there is no greater zechus than this.” Later that evening, the family visited the home of the renowned mekubal, the Yinuka, who, despite feeling weak, insisted on writing a letter in the Torah and spending time with the Schwartz family. After hearing the story, he, too, asked for a brachah from the father — a powerful gesture of kavod for one who had raised a son of such caliber. The family also met with Rav Dovid Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Rabbi Marc Schneier of the Hampton Synagogue in New York. After hearing the moving details of Segev’s final moments, the rabbanim were presented with a bottle of wine from a line dedicated to Segev’s memory. Though Segev Schwartz Hy”d was tragically taken in his youth, his legacy lives on — not only in the hearts of his family and comrades, but now through the letters of a Torah scroll that will continue to teach and inspire. In a world so desperately in need of emunah […]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff issued a forceful rebuttal to a report by Politico, which claimed that the Trump administration is evaluating whether to remove sanctions on Russia. The pair blasted the article as completely fabricated.

“This is false,” Rubio and Witkoff said in a joint statement. “Neither of us have had any conversations about lifting sanctions on Russia as part of a peace deal with Ukraine. This is just totally fictitious and irresponsible reporting from Politico, a fifth-rate publication. If they have an ounce of journalistic integrity they will fully retract this piece of fiction.”

According to Politico, unnamed sources suggested that Witkoff had been the central figure advocating for the removal of sanctions, specifically regarding Russia’s Nord Stream 2 energy project and other sanctioned assets. The report attributed this claim to “five people familiar with the discussions.”

The article alleged that Witkoff instructed his staff to compile a comprehensive list of U.S. sanctions against Russian energy interests. The piece asserted:
“White House special envoy Steve Witkoff has been the main proponent of lifting sanctions, people familiar with the talks told POLITICO. Witkoff, who has said he has developed a friendship with Putin in his role as Trump’s envoy to Moscow, has directed his team to draw up a list of all of the energy sanctions that the United States has placed on Russia as part of the effort, two people familiar with the matter said.”

Nord Stream 2, the pipeline system built to transport natural gas beneath the Baltic Sea to Germany, partially survived a major explosion in 2022, which damaged one of its two lines and its companion Nord Stream 1. The cause of the blast, which stopped gas flows, is still being investigated, though some reports suggest involvement by Ukrainian individuals.

The Politico piece also asserted that Witkoff floated the concept of easing sanctions, though the idea has not gained significant support within the administration. Rubio was portrayed as a key figure resisting such a move:

“A second person said that while Witkoff has raised the idea of lifting energy-related sanctions, the idea so far has not found much traction in the White House and that Rubio has tried to derail it. ‘This is not a cake in the oven being baked, though the ingredients are being assembled,’ this person said.”

This article emerged amid reminders of the Trump administration’s earlier moves to counter Russia’s energy ambitions. In 2019, BBC News reported that Trump signed legislation penalizing any firm aiding the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

By contrast, Breitbart News highlighted that in May 2021, Joe Biden defended a decision to lift sanctions, thereby permitting work on Nord Stream 2 to resume.

However, in February 2022, the Biden administration reversed course and reinstated sanctions targeting the project, coinciding with Germany’s suspension of the pipeline’s certification, as Axios reported.

{Matzav.com}

Over the last 16 years, a new approach and method of limud Hashas has been nurtured and developed in Eretz Yisroel at Reshet Kollelei Shas Yiden. This phenomenon has captured the imagination and electrified lomdei Hatorah throughout the world, and has earned the avid support of Gedolim across the Torah spectrum.  Shas Yiden in UK & USA Shas Yiden not only grew from 6 avreichim metzuyonim to 126 avreichim geonim in five kollelim across Eretz Yisroel but, in response to repeated requests from abroad, a Shas Yiden kollel was first established in the UK, in Stamford Hill, London. The Shas Yiden reputation soared in this location and their first Annual Siyum Hashas with Gedolei Torah in attendance reflected the grandeur of those in Yerushalayim. This foray into Chutz La’aretz has been followed by a long-awaited opening of a Shas Yiden kollel in Flatbush, NY. The Eretz Yisroeldike bren of learning the entire Shas has already had a significant local impact and is a source of inspiration to the local Flatbush kollelim. The incredible devotion to limud gantz Shas and its completion within a year by each avreich at Shas Yiden has encouraged many others to try and emulate this broader study of Shas. This elevated level of Torah study at Shas Yiden and the ability of the avreichim geonim to face public oral farheren by world recognized Gedolei Torah, together with monthly tests on 225 blatt, is nothing short of remarkable. Shas Yiden has truly raised the bar in the study of Shas. Our unique system of learning, the tight demanding regimen and the motivation emanating from Eretz Yisroel has truly placed Shas Yiden in a Torah league of its own.  In the Words of Maranan Hageonim Sar Hatorah, רשכבה”ג Maran Hagadol Harav Chaim Kanievsky, זצ”ל – Nasi, Shas YidenI tested them, I know them throughout Shas – a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar partnership  Rosh Hayeshiva, רשכבה”ג Maran Hagadol Harav Gershon Edelstein, זצ”לShas Yiden has raised the bar of Torah learning in both depth and clarity, and its unique method of ameilus in Torah The Sanzer Rebbe, שליט”אA first in 2000 years of Jewish history – never before a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim know kol Hashas kulo, Rashi and Tosfos b’al peh Over 1.6 Million Blatt at Shas YidenThis Year Alone! With each of the 122 avreichim geonim at Shas Yiden required to complete a minimum of 13,555 blatt per year, you are helping support some 1,654,000 blatt!  At the most recent farheren, the reaction of the Gedolei Torah conducting the testing to the prowess of the Shas Yiden was simply one of amazement at the breadth and detailed knowledge and all-encompassing mastery of Shas – remarking: “They know it like others know Ashrei Yoshvei!” The joy of the avreichim geonim and their clear love of Torah electrifies each farher. (To see the different farheren in action, please click on our website: www.shasyiden.com.) It is no wonder that the overall reaction to the Shas Yiden Network is that in its 15 years it has certainly revolutionized and raised the bar in the learning and mastery of Shas.  Caring for the Avreichim Families Despite the difficulties of these last few years, Covid etc., Shas Yiden has made sure to keep our commitment to each of […]

High-resolution satellite imagery of some of Israel’s most sensitive locations—including the Dimona Nuclear Research Center, military installations, and areas in Gaza showing IDF movements—is now widely accessible via Google Maps and Apple Maps. Posts circulating on X and other platforms reveal that these images have a resolution as sharp as 0.4 meters, far surpassing what was previously made available to the public.

This shift in image quality marks a significant development in the realm of open-source intelligence. With crystal-clear satellite views now readily available, actors ranging from adversarial governments to private analysts—and even casual users—can obtain detailed visuals of strategic Israeli sites. This change reflects both advancements in imaging technologies and evolving international regulations governing satellite data.

Back in 1997, the U.S. passed the Kyl-Bingaman Amendment, a law specifically designed to limit the commercial distribution of high-resolution satellite photos of Israel. The amendment, a product of Israel’s lobbying efforts in Washington, effectively curbed American companies from selling or publishing such images without federal approval, at a time when the U.S. dominated commercial satellite imaging.

That dynamic shifted significantly by 2017. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that satellite imagery produced outside the United States had surpassed what American companies were offering in terms of resolution. As a result, mapping platforms gained access to foreign-sourced images that weren’t bound by Kyl-Bingaman restrictions, allowing for sharper and more detailed depictions of Israeli territory.

Oxford researchers Andrea Zerbini and Michael Fradley highlighted in a 2018 study that images of Israel exceeding the 2-meter threshold had already been circulating for years. Firms like Airbus and South Korea’s Kompsat were offering images at 0.4-meter resolution. This led U.S. authorities in 2021 to formally approve the commercial sale and online publication of images with that same level of clarity.

Since then, it has become relatively easy to view detailed satellite photos of highly sensitive Israeli locations, including Dimona and other key military sites that aren’t shielded underground. Some of these images even show aircraft in mid-mission and ground units moving through Gaza and southern Lebanon.

There is little the Israeli government can do to control this growing exposure. American companies are free to publish these images as long as they adhere to the original parameters of the Kyl-Bingaman Amendment, and global access to high-resolution imagery is now a commercial standard across industries ranging from urban planning and agriculture to mining and academic research. The scale of exposure was illustrated dramatically in 2021 when international outlets published satellite evidence of new construction at Dimona—a revelation that would have been unimaginable under past restrictions.

As this trend continues, the key concern is how Israel plans to respond. So far, the silence from both the Defense Ministry and the IDF spokesperson suggests a policy of deliberate non-engagement. But with sensitive information already out in the open and no signs of the trend reversing, it’s becoming increasingly clear that ignoring the issue may no longer be a viable path forward.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Israel Air Force’s Super Hercules, carried out its first operational airdrop during yesterday’s fires.

Five suspected Tren de Aragua gang members arrested in Fresno County, California.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats have upended Canada’s election and improved the fortunes of the Liberal Party, which could win a fourth consecutive term in power next week. The Liberals and the country’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, looked headed for a crushing defeat in Monday’s election until the American president started attacking Canada’s economy and even threatening its sovereignty, including suggesting it should become the 51st state. Trump’s dumping on Canada has infuriated its people and stoked a surge in Canadian nationalism that has helped the Liberals flip the election narrative. “Trump has immersed himself into our lives and has defined the ballot question,” former Quebec Premier Jean Charest said. “What Trump has done is shed light on who we are,” he said. Even separatists in French-speaking Quebec “are very much aligned with other Canadians in defending the country and responding very firmly to the fact that we’re not going to be the 51st state,” Charest said. The opposition Conservative Party’s leader, Pierre Poilievre, hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose popularity declined toward the end of his decade in power as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. But Trump attacked, Trudeau resigned and Carney, a two-time central banker, became the Liberal Party’s leader and prime minister. ”We were looking at a scenario where the Conservatives were going to rake in a huge majority,” said Charest, a Conservative. “Here we are months later in another world.” Trump’s trade war and attacks have led Canadians to cancel trips to the U.S. and refuse to buy American goods. And it might have contributed to record early voting, with 7.3 million Canadians casting ballots before election day. Carney said the 80-year period when the U.S. embraced the mantle of global economic leadership and forged alliances rooted in trust and respect is over. “The key question in this election is who is the best to respond that. Who will stand up to President Trump?” he said. Poilievre, a career politician and firebrand populist, has campaigned with Trump-like bravado, even taking a page from the “America First” president by adopting the slogan “Canada First.” But his similarities in style to Trump might cost him. In a mid-January poll by Nanos, Liberals trailed the Conservative Party by 47% to 20%. In the latest Nanos poll that ended April 23, the Liberals led by 4 percentage points. The January poll had a margin of error of 3.1 points while the latest poll had a 2.7-point margin. Until a few months ago, Poilievre was seen as a shoo-in to become the next prime minister and shepherd the Conservatives back into power for the first time in a decade. Ian Brodie, a former chief of staff to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said it’s frustrating that this year’s Conservative campaign plan had to change so drastically. “At least 40% of the electorate is just petrified about the continued existence of the country,” Brodie said. “… In a sense, it is a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of forces that works against everything Pierre been doing since he got himself into politics.” Brodie said a Conservative win will be tough and that the party’s situation might not improve anytime soon, noting support for a small progressive party, the New […]

Moment of silence at the Kosel today in remembrance of the holocaust.

Israeli soldiers from around the country stand in silence on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Last night, about 20 Breslov chassidim entered the Palestinian village of Kifl Hareth in Samaria without IDF permission to daven at the kever of Yehoshua-Ben-Nun, sparking a verbal confrontation with Palestinian residents that escalated into stone-throwing, damaging three Palestinian vehicles and a nearby building’s window, before the chassidim left independently amid heightened security tensions prior to the arrival of IDF forces.

President and First Lady Isaac Herzog stand with former Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi at the gates of Auschwitz.

Rashida Tlaib had proposed officially designating Israel as an adversary of the U.S., alongside China, North Korea and Iran. It failed 3-410.

Joseph Kling, a resident of Ocean Township (Waretown), was arrested and charged with Aggravated Arson and Arson on Wednesday, just a day after flames erupted in the protected wilderness area near Jones and Bryant Roads

President Trump calls Harvard anti-semitic and a threat to democracy.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa told a US congressman that he is interested in normalizing relations with Israel, Bloomberg New reported. Al-Sharaa conveyed the remarks to Republican Congressman Cory Mills, while setting conditions for the move, which were not detailed in the report. Mills and Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) traveled to Syria on Friday on an unofficial visit arranged by the US-based nonprofit Syrian-American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity.

Additional footage of Ben Gvir at Yale University exiting the building just to smile and flash a V-sign as angry protesters scream and throw water bottles at him.

President Trump issued a sharp rebuke to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday in response to Russia’s deadliest assault on Ukraine in nearly a year. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called on Putin to bring an end to the violence.

“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,” Trump wrote. “Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”

This unusually pointed message from Trump followed an intense overnight bombardment by Russia targeting Kyiv, which left at least nine dead and over 70 others injured. The attack, involving a mix of missiles and drones, marked the most lethal strike on Ukraine’s capital since the previous July. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the assault as “one of the most outrageous.”

Alongside his comments about the Russian onslaught, Trump also appeared to criticize the Biden administration, suggesting that not enough is being done to finalize a peace settlement that could end the prolonged war. Trump reiterated concerns over Ukraine’s willingness to engage in a final agreement, despite Zelensky having already signed onto a Trump-backed cease-fire proposal weeks earlier. Trump also asserted—without presenting evidence—that Russia was prepared to negotiate peace.

Zelensky, however, contradicted Trump’s assessment. In a post on X, he emphasized that Ukraine had upheld its side of the ceasefire arrangement, while accusing Russia of ignoring the terms and continuing its aggression.
“It has been 44 days since Ukraine agreed to a full ceasefire and a halt to strikes. This was a proposal from the United States,” Zelensky stated. “And it has been 44 days of Russia continuing to kill our people and evading tough pressure and accountability for its actions.”

Details of the so-called “final offer” from Trump’s administration reveal significant concessions to both sides. Under the plan, Russia would receive several major diplomatic and economic benefits. Among them is official US recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, a stark reversal of long-standing American policy that refuses to validate territorial seizures. In addition, the US would offer “de facto” acknowledgment of Russia’s control over the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—while still technically maintaining they are Ukrainian land. The plan also includes a promise from the US not to support Ukraine’s bid to join NATO, the lifting of certain sanctions against Russia, and the prospect of increased US-Russia cooperation in energy and industrial sectors.

In exchange, Ukraine would receive guarantees of military protection from European forces following the cease-fire, although the US would not play a direct role in this defense pact. The deal also includes the return of a limited section of the Kharkiv region currently under Russian control. Ukraine would gain navigation rights along the Dnieper River, a key waterway near active conflict zones. The proposal also mentions help with reconstruction efforts after the war, though it remains unclear which parties would finance that rebuilding.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services reported on Thursday morning that their forces have gained control of the massive fire that has been raging since Wednesday morning in the forest areas near Beit Shemesh, in the Jerusalem hills. Over a hundred firefighting teams, aided by aircraft, are still working to extinguish five remaining fires. However, all residents of three yishuvim near Beit Shemesh who were evacuated on Wednesday have been allowed to return to their homes and the roads in the area were reopened to traffic.

WATCH: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced a hostile reception during a visit to Yale University on Wednesday, when anti-Israel protesters threw water bottles and chanted slogans In response to the provocation, Ben-Gvir was seen making a V-sign toward the crowd, while one of his aides waved an Israeli flag defiantly before retreating indoors.