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President Trump welcomes Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to the White House.

Volunteers from the Israel Police’s rescue Unit worked to rescue a 36-year-old hiker who was injured in a car accident deep in the Judean Desert.

President Trump says that he will be meeting later today with Jeffrey Goldberg, the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic who was inadvertently added to a Signal group-chat early last month by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Kamala Harris just sent out an email saying the Democrats’ funds are drying up… And she blames it on Elon Musk.

The number of voters who believe the United States in on the right track has jumped by 11% since January.

WATCH: Stunning video showcases the triumphant launch of China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, the nation’s 15th crewed space mission.

Major U.S. airlines are reducing their flight schedules and revising or withdrawing their profit outlooks for the year due to less domestic travel demand as sentiment about the national and global economies sours. American Airlines pulled its financial guidance for 2025 on Thursday, joining rivals Southwest and Delta in declaring the economic outlook too uncertain to provide full-year forecasts. All three airlines cited weakening sales among economy class leisure travelers. “We came off a strong fourth quarter, saw decent business in January, and really domestic leisure travel fell off considerably as we went into the February time frame,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told CNBC. Consumer reluctance to book vacations would correspond with a new poll that showed many people fear the U.S. is being steered into a recession and that President Donald Trump’s broad and haphazardly enforced tariffs will cause prices to rise. Some economic indicators point to expectations of a slowdown. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed in March, and U.S. consumer sentiment plunged in April, the fourth consecutive month of declines. However, fears of a downturn have not translated into layoffs. Trump announced sweeping tariffs on April 2 that triggered panic in financial markets and generated recession fears, leading consumers and businesses to start pulling back on spending, which includes travel. The president put a partial 90-day hold on the import taxes but increased his already steep tariffs against China. Beijing increased its import tax on American goods to 125% in retaliation. On Thursday China denied Trump’s assertion that the two sides were involved in active negotiations to end or mitigate their trade war. American Airlines said it would give an update on its full-year guidance “as the economic outlook becomes clearer.” Airline executives said sales among business travelers and for premium seats on long-haul international flights remained solid. Southwest Airlines reported late Wednesday that it would trim its flight schedule for the second half of the year due to lower demand. The company also said it could not reaffirm its 2025 and 2026 outlooks for earnings before interest and taxes, given “current macroeconomic uncertainty.” United Airlines last week gave two different financial forecasts for how it may perform this year, one if there’s a recession and one if not. The airline said it planned to reduce its scheduled domestic flights by 4% starting in July in response to lower-than-expected demand for economy fare tickets. “We think there is a reasonable chance things can weaken from here,” United CEO Scott Kirby said. Delta Air Lines, the nation’s most profitable carrier, predicted as recently as January that the company was on track for the best financial year in its history. Earlier this month, the airline scratched its performance expectations for 2025 and said it was putting a planned flight schedule expansion on hold. “With broad economic uncertainty around global trade, growth has largely stalled,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said at the time. “In this slower-growth environment, we are protecting margins and cash flow by focusing on what we can control. This includes reducing planned capacity growth in the second half of the year.” The parent companies of Frontier Airlines and Alaska Airlines also pulled their 2025 guidance. (AP)

HAPPENING NOW: Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office swarms warehouse amid reports of an active shooter.

[Full explosive leaked WhatsApp details below.] In a revelation that will send shockwaves throughout the chareidi world, it has come to light that senior members of the Conservative movement have been secretly orchestrating a campaign to sway public opinion and even influence daas Torah within the heart of the chareidi community, using deception, subterfuge, and substantial financial incentives.

According to leaked WhatsApp conversations and internal correspondence obtained in a follow-up investigation by Kikar HaShabbat, Conservative officials, including high-ranking figures in the movement’s global apparatus, plotted to funnel money into targeted ad campaigns, publish street posters and pashkevilim, and even offer payment in exchange for rabbinic signatures and endorsements.

The goal?

To undermine the Eretz HaKodesh slate and influence outcomes in the World Zionist Organization elections, all while pretending to be “insiders” in the chareidi world.

The deceit has been layered and carefully crafted. Conservative officials used code names, false identities, and messaging designed to appear authentically chareidi, all to gain credibility and push their anti-Eretz HaKodesh messaging into the streets of Bnei Brak, Yerushalayim, and the United States. The newly uncovered materials reveal a calculated effort to mask their involvement at every step, with instructions to campaigners to “never reveal the client” and to fabricate identities, such as falsely claiming to be “former talmidim of Rav Landau seeking to protect his honor.”

The Secret WhatsApp Group of Senior Conservative Officials

The attempts by the Conservative movement to meddle in the chareidi public are now fully exposed. In a continuation of Kikar HaShabbat’s earlier investigation that sparked widespread outrage in Israel and abroad, the news outlet has now revealed the full WhatsApp exchanges behind the campaign led by a senior representative of the Conservative movement and his assistant. They sought to run a major campaign within the chareidi world, both in Israel and globally, involving themselves in every detail, while continuously hiding their involvement and covering their tracks.

After Kikar HaShabbat published its investigation into the campaign run by the Conservative movement to sway public opinion in the chareidi street, dozens of shocked responses poured in, some even sharing new information about the movement’s activities. The revelations included that the Conservative operatives spared no effort in trying to harm the Eretz HaKodesh party and tarnish its name amongst the chareidi public.

As was reported, the Merkaz Olami organization of the Conservative movement funded the entire campaign of posters plastered throughout chareidi neighborhoods attacking Eretz HaKodesh and the World Zionist Organization. The organization and its representatives declined to comment—but did not deny the report.

Now, Kikar HaShabbat has revealed another chapter: explosive WhatsApp exchanges within a group chat involving Yizhar Hess, a senior Conservative figure who serves as Deputy Chair of the World Zionist Organization, and his chief of staff, Eyal Ostrinsky, a former Labor party member known as the mastermind behind many progressive campaigns in Zionist institutions. In the chats, they coordinate every part of the campaign, while carefully hiding their role.

At the same time, Hess tweets publicly about his supposed partnership with members of Eretz HaKodesh and praises them, while behind the scenes he directs a targeted smear campaign, planting posters and pashkevilim against them in their own neighborhoods.

“When you get a personal flyer in front of your home, and the neighbors see it, it’s more effective,” he says.

In the WhatsApp exchanges, the deep involvement of Hess and Ostrinsky in the negative campaign against Eretz HaKodesh is clearly visible, utilizing street ads, pashkevilim, social media posts, and even ad placement in American chareidi publications under disguised funding sources.

From the messages, it’s clear that not only did the money come directly from the Conservative movement, but Hess and Ostrinsky were personally involved in writing the ads, formulating the messages against Eretz HaKodesh and the World Zionist Organization, and choosing locations, specifically near the homes of Eretz HaKodesh leaders, for maximum personal and communal pressure.

WHATSAPP CONVERSATION EXCERPTS

Selected Messages from the Leaked Conversations:

Campaigner: I’ve moved on to the Litvishe rabbanim scene in the U.S.

Ostrinsky: Excellent.

Campaigner: Rav Kotler and a few others. It’s being checked. I’ll have answers tomorrow.

Ostrinsky: They should see what Rav Landau wrote.

Campaigner: In the U.S., do you want them to back Rav Landau’s statement or issue an independent one with the same message?

Ostrinsky: If they join Rav Landau, wouldn’t that be more powerful?

Campaigner: Yes. But if we do separate letters, we can get two newspaper ads. More exposure.

A few days later, the campaigner presented a potential list of rabbanim in Israel willing to sign against Eretz HaKodesh. He shared a price sheet and engaged in a cost-benefit analysis with Conservative representatives, calculating each name’s influence and worth. The conversation also referenced other partners working behind the scenes through additional, unexposed channels.

Campaigner:

• Rav Shimon Galei
• Rav Mordechai Gross
• Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein
• Rav Mordechai Bunim Zilberberg
• Rav Koledetzky
• Rav Dovid Cohen
• Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel
• Rav Aviezer Piltz
• Rav Yigal Rosen

Total: 35,000 NIS

Campaigner: Litvishe rabbanim, second tier in Israel.

Around 4,000 per name.

Ostrinsky: I’m checking the names.

Ostrinsky: Koledetzky — is he the son-in-law of Rav Chaim Kanievsky?

Campaigner: Yes. This is a tentative list. No guarantee they’ll all agree.

Ostrinsky: Rav Mordechai Gross is interesting. He heads the bais din in Paris.

Ostrinsky: Maybe he’s more relevant to France?

Campaigner: He leans toward the Yerushalmi Faction. Might work with him. Not sure of his stance on Eretz HaKodesh.

Hess: I don’t recognize many of these names.

Hess: This is a crazy price, isn’t it?

Campaigner: Because it’s a lot of rabbanim. But we don’t need all of them.

Hess: Still, maybe the volume is worth it?

Campaigner: I’ll ask how much he wants for the ones we actually need. But yes, the price is wild. Your call.

Hess: Try to negotiate.

Hess: What do you think?

Campaigner: If we drop Rav Zilberstein and go with Galei, Koledetzky, Cohen, and Gross — he’ll do it for 20. Based on difficulty.

Campaigner: Koledetzky is also Rav Kanievsky’s son-in-law.

Hess: Is Zilberstein important?

Campaigner: Sorry, Zilberstein is his brother-in-law, and Koldetzky is the son-in-law.

Campaigner: I asked about price again. Apparently, the “cake” is too big — too many people need a slice. He claims he can’t go lower.

Hess: Maybe pay per signature to motivate? If he comes back with 3–4 unimpactful names, what’s the point?

Campaigner: Exactly. One signature — 5K.

Hess: Who are the most important names?

Campaigner: Galei is like the Ashkenazi “baba” — huge in America. Gross, you said, is big in France.

Hess: You’ve got the green light. Good luck.

Ostrinsky: Also Dovid Cohen.

Ostrinsky: Finkel is a Moetzes member too. Try him.

Campaigner: What’s the budget? 25? 20?

Ostrinsky: You’re not getting more than 4–5 names, right?

Ostrinsky: So yeah.

Campaigner: Who are the top four you want him to try?

Ostrinsky: The ones you listed. Just swap Gross for Dovid Cohen.

A few days later, the topic resurfaced, now with a push to have rabbanim sign Rav Dov Landau’s letter. Yizhar Hess remained actively involved, constantly checking in.

Campaigner: He wants the original letter, but Rav Landau’s house isn’t giving it to me. Trying to get it.

The next day:

Hess: What’s happening with the letters?

Campaigner: We got to Rav Landau’s driver. He’s willing to help and reach out to other rabbanim — if we tell him who’s really behind this. We’re stalling. Let’s see if it works.

The day after:

Hess: Any update on the letters?

Campaigner: I just messaged him — waiting for a reply.

Later it became clear that the original letter wouldn’t be released, making it harder to get additional rabbanim to sign onto the version printed publicly. Hess kept pressing.

Campaigner: Rav Landau’s house doesn’t want to release the original letter. Big problem. That’s what the intermediary says.

Hess: But does anyone actually doubt its authenticity?

The campaigner shared a voice message from someone close to Rav Galei, saying they showed him the published letter from Yated Ne’eman and he refused to address it under such circumstances.

Campaigner: Listen when you have a chance.

Hess: I listened.

Later, the campaigner posted a link to a video shared on Dvir Amar’s X account, showing Rav Dov Landau opposing voting for Eretz HaKodesh and the World Zionist Organization.

Campaigner: [link]

Campaigner: Wow. Who’s behind this?

Hess: No idea. Interesting.

A new tactic emerged: targeting rabbanim from the Syrian (Halabi) community in the U.S. with a letter against participating in the World Zionist Organization elections. Hess’s response hinted at others working behind the scenes for him.

Campaigner: Someone told me that the Syrian community in the U.S. votes for Eretz HaKodesh. I’m checking how big it is. Maybe we can try a Sephardi rabbanim letter? Easier than Ashkenazim. Worth exploring?

Hess: It’s being handled.

Hess: No.

*******************************

Campaigner:
“Should we start posting flyers near Gafni and Litov?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Eyal?”

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Do we have a cost estimate for that?”

Campaigner:
“Yes.”
(Attaches pricing breakdown)

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Both of those look reasonable to me.”

Campaigner:
“Tuesday coming up, or Thursday night next week?
When do we start?”

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Next Thursday, in my opinion.”

Campaigner:

(Thumbs up)

At this stage, Hess and Ostrinsky await the final wording of the ad for approval, emphasizing the need to conceal their identity. They begin a long discussion about personal attacks on Shmuel Litov and his aide, Eliyahu Gafni, son of MK Moshe Gafni.

Campaigner:
“Initial draft of the flyer text.”
(File attached)
“Before proofreading, etc.
Your thoughts?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Great text.”
“Waiting.”
“And obviously, don’t reveal who the client is.”
“Let’s just say we’re former talmidim of Rav Landau who want to protect his kavod.”

Campaigner:
“Of course :)”

Yizhar Hess:
“What about Litov?
Gafni and his son?”

Campaigner:
“I wasn’t sure.
Do we do all three together?
Whatever you want.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Not sure.
Eyal, what do you think?”

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Together.”

Campaigner:
“Great.
On it.”

Yizhar Hess:
“And all this right before Shabbos.”

Campaigner:
“Most likely Thursday night.
At night.
Thursday night.”

Yizhar Hess:
“So they’ll take them down Friday morning, no?”

Campaigner:
“No.
In my previous campaigns, they weren’t removed.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Cool.”
“This is for all four—Pindrus, Litov, Gafni Sr., and Gafni Jr.?”

Campaigner:
“Yes, I added them.”

They discuss ad pricing based on quotes from Bnei Brak and Yerushalayim. Hess asks whether the prices include getting popular chareidi Twitter influencers to post photos of the ads.

Campaigner:
“Tweets are separate, but it’s cheap.”

Yizhar Hess:
“How much approximately?”

Campaigner:
“No more than 1,000 shekels.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Ok.”
“Say, wouldn’t it be better to do 4 separate flyers? One for each person?”
“Doesn’t it make the message stronger when it’s personal?”

Campaigner:
“Definitely possible,
But it increases costs.
Want me to check price?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Yes. Check.”
“When you get a personal flyer in front of your house and neighbors, it’s more effective.”

They continue discussing the wording and how to make the ad appear authentically chareidi.

Campaigner:
“Should we include their photos in the flyer?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Not sure. What’s standard? What looks most authentic to this community? What’s the norm today?”
“What would supporters of Rav Landau likely do?”

Campaigner:
“Without.
We’ll do without.”
“Do you want two different texts? Or use the same one and just tweak it for each target?”

Yizhar Hess:
“I think two different texts is better.”

Campaigner:
“Okay.
On it.”

Yizhar Hess:
“And the one for Litov—make that one the strongest.”

Campaigner:
“LOL, got it.”

Yizhar Hess:
“And Gafni—focus on the son.”

Campaigner:
“Not both together?”

Yizhar Hess:
“No, no—both Gafnis together.”

Campaigner:
(Sends two different versions of the flyers)
“These are two separate drafts.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Go for it!”

Campaigner:
“Any comments or suggestions?”

Yizhar Hess:
“I’m not worthy.
Just make sure it’s written in authentic chareidi style.”
(Files attached)

Campaigner:
“Can you approve both of these for me quickly?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Approved.”

Campaigner:
(Thumbs up)

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Looks excellent.”

After the flyers are posted in the streets, the group awaits complementary posts from chareidi Twitter influencers who will post photos of the signs targeting members of Eretz HaKodesh. In the meantime, Ostrinsky briefs the team on the salary details of Eretz HaKodesh personnel in KKL.

Campaigner:
“What exactly is Eliyahu Gafni’s role?”

Yizhar Hess:
“He’s the personal assistant to the Vice Chairman of KKL, Shmuel Litov.
21,000 shekels + car.”

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“He doesn’t have a car.
It’s just a salary of 21,000 shekels.”

Campaigner:
“Okay, not critical.”

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Still, a very respectable salary, but best not to get the details wrong.”

After the Israeli campaign, the team begins planning for another round, this time targeting chareidi areas in the United States with anti-Eretz HaKodesh and anti-WZO messaging.

Yizhar Hess:
“[Name redacted.] What about placing ads in Yated Ne’eman and Mishpacha in the U.S.?”

Campaigner:
“The office requested price quotes. I’ll check what happened with that.”

A few days later…

Campaigner:
“There’s a guy putting up posters in Boro Park.
Is that useful for us? Do they have voters there?
Same style of posters as in Eretz Yisroel.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Wonderful.”

Campaigner:
“What other neighborhoods/cities should we target in the New York area?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Lakewood.”
“Five Towns.”

Campaigner:
“Okay.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Rockaway.
Though Boro Park is more Chassidish than Litvish.
They don’t vote?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Less so.
Eretz HaKodesh is stronger with Litvaks, if I understand correctly.”

Campaigner:
“Okay.”

(Ad file and U.S. pricing quote attached)

Campaigner:
“There will be one more small expense for graphics and an English copywriter, I believe.”

Yizhar Hess:
“And who can write the appropriate ad?
We need someone who speaks American Litvishe chareidi language.”

Campaigner:
“I’ve got someone.
Not a problem.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Meaning someone who can write English in American Litvishe chareidi dialect.”

Campaigner:
“You want the same text as the one from Israel, just rewritten in English? Or a brand new one, like I write it in Hebrew and someone translates it?”

Yizhar Hess:
“No, no. We need something completely different.
It has to speak their language. This isn’t just translation. It’s cultural adaptation.”

A few days later, they push forward with the U.S. campaign. The Conservative operatives are eager to launch, but adamant that their identity remains hidden.

Campaigner:
“Okay, I have an all-in-one price quote for the U.S.:
Ads in all the agreed neighborhoods.
Including an English-language copywriter familiar with the nuances.
Ad in Yated in English.
Ad in Mishpacha in English.
Ad in Ami Magazine (strongest reach there).
48,000 shekels.
Includes graphics, everything.
Assuming all three media outlets accept.
If one of them refuses, subtract $2,500.”

Yizhar Hess:
“[Name redacted.] The ad must be very simple, with Rav Landau’s letter front and center. In Hebrew and English. That’s it. No commentary.
Maybe just a headline: ‘It is forbidden to vote in the World Zionist Congress elections.’”

Yizhar Hess:
“Also, check what the legal situation is in the U.S.. Make sure that the agency you’re using won’t be forced to disclose your identity.”

Campaigner:
“It’s through the ad agency.
No one knows who’s behind it.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Which ad agency? The Israeli one?”

Campaigner:
“Yes.”

Yizhar Hess:
“I’m a little concerned. Double-check with them. What happens if they’re legally required to reveal the client’s identity?”

Campaigner:
“Checking.”

Yizhar Hess:
“There are some states where you can’t place ads without disclosing the sponsor.
Maybe it’s not like that there.”

Yizhar Hess:
“But we have to make sure.”

Campaigner:
“The ad agency is the one officially ordering it.”

In the continuation of the conversation, Hess gives specific guidance for the message to be included in the U.S. ads: a ban on participating in the Zionist elections. He insists the wording be clear and authentic.

Campaigner:
“What messages should go in the ad?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Just Rav Landau’s letter in Hebrew, and a simple title explaining the serious prohibition of participating in the Zionist elections.”

Campaigner:
“Okay, will take care of it.”

Yizhar Hess:
“But it needs to be written by a healthy, mainstream American chareidi. A typical Israeli ad agency will fail at making it sound authentic.”

Campaigner:
“They employ a professional English copywriter.”

Yizhar Hess:
“But that’s not enough. It’s not just English.
Even in England and Australia they speak English. It has to be someone who specializes in American chareidi language. Otherwise, we’ll fall flat.”

Throughout all the correspondence, it’s clear how obsessed the Conservative operatives are with not being exposed. They repeatedly emphasize that all publications must use chareidi-style language and design to avoid raising suspicion.

After the posters and related tweets featuring their photos appear in the streets of Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak, Hess himself retweets the photos, along with a message describing Eliyahu Gafni as “pleasant and kind.” This sparks a group debate about whether Hess’s tweet might reveal their involvement.

Campaigner:
“Yizhar, I don’t think this tweet is a good idea.
Not because of the content,
but because it might cause people to connect the dots between you and the posters.
It’ll raise suspicion, and people might stop tweeting in the future, etc.”

Yizhar Hess:
“If I don’t respond, it’ll look even weirder. That’ll raise suspicion.”

Campaigner:
“Don’t agree.
Pindrus’s people will jump on this.”

Eyal Ostrinsky:
“Yizhar, better listen to him.”

In another section of the chat, Hess reacts to a draft text:

Campaigner:
“Thoughts on the text?”

Yizhar Hess:
“Does it sound like something a ben Torah would write?”

Campaigner:
“I think so.
I’ll ask.”

Campaigner:
J “Love it.
Excellent. If it sounds like that, then it should reach the ears of the bnei Torah.”

Yizhar Hess:
“Now I know they say Tayreh, not Toyrah.”

{Matzav.com}

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and didn’t hold back when asked whether she’d go head-to-head with President Donald Trump in an intelligence contest. When asked about the possibility of a public IQ face-off, she didn’t hesitate.

“He also called you low IQ, I’m sure you’re aware of that,” Kimmel said. “Would you be willing to take an IQ test, publicly, head-to-head against the President of the United States?”

“Absolutely,” Crockett interjected. “Absolutely. Absolutely.”

The back-and-forth stems from comments Trump made during a March radio interview with host Vince Coglianese. Responding to Crockett’s jab at Texas Governor Greg Abbott — in which she mocked him as “Governor Hot Wheels” — Trump had harsh words for the Congresswoman.

“It’s a lie, and she lies,” Trump said. “But, she’s a low life, and she’s a very low IQ person, and a low life. I don’t imagine the Democrats are going to have a person like that running their party. If they do they’ll never win an election again.”

Crockett later tried to clarify her statement, suggesting her nickname referred to the various forms of transportation Abbott has utilized in relocating illegal immigrants out of the state — including planes, buses, and trains — rather than his disability.

During her segment on the show, Kimmel also asked Crockett whether she’s ever met Trump in person. He joked about Trump’s likely awareness of her and implied that she might be on his mind more than she realizes.

“You’ve not met Donald Trump, right?” Kimmel questioned.

“No,” Crockett answered. “No.”

“I feel like he likes you,” Kimmel added.

“No,” Crockett added.

“I do. Because — I think, see, I don’t think he would ever admit it. But, I think when someone’s aggressive and funny, they hit his radar, and he did speak about you once,” Kimmel said.

To support his point, Kimmel played a clip from Trump’s remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner. In the video, Trump took a swipe at Crockett’s rising profile among Democrats.

“How about this new one they have? Their new star, Crockett?” Trump said in the video. “How about her? Are they serious about that? That’s their new star? If that’s their new star, they’re in serious trouble.”

{Matzav.com}

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.