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An unexpected vort with deep Chassidic roots highlighted a visit this week by talmidim of Yeshivas Kedushas Mordechai of Nadvorna to the home of Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dov Landau.

The bochurim visited Rav Landau to seek clarification on several complex halachic issues involving the laws of borer on Shabbos, topics they had found particularly challenging during their studies in yeshiva.

For more than an hour, the talmidim engaged in an in-depth discussion with the Rosh Yeshiva, carefully analyzing the practical applications and underlying principles of the relevant halachos.

The most memorable moment, however, came at the conclusion of the visit. After the halachic discussion had ended, Rav Landau turned to one of the roshei mesivta who had accompanied the talmidim  and inquired about his family lineage.

When the rebbi explained that he was a descendant of the founder of the Baal Shem Tov, Rav Landau immediately sought more details, asking, “Through which descendant of the Baal Shem Tov are you related? Through a son or a daughter?”

The rebbe replied that his lineage traces back through the Baal Shem Tov’s renowned daughter, Rebbetzin Adel a”h, and from her son, Rav Baruch of Mezhibuzh zt”l.

Upon hearing the response, Rav Landau surprised everyone present by sharing a well-known, centuries-old Chassidic vort. Smiling, he remarked, “The Chassidic world used to say that ‘Bava Kamma‘ is an acronym for ‘Baruch Ben Adel Kadosh Mi’rechem Imo‘—’Baruch, son of Adel, holy from his mother’s womb.'”

{Matzav.com}

Amid growing concern over the arrest of yeshiva bochurim and the possibility that they could be transferred to the military police, Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, has taken the unusual step of giving his personal cellphone number to his talmidim, instructing them to contact him immediately if they are detained by police.

Rav Sorotzkin told talmidim in the yeshiva gedolah that if they are ever stopped or arrested by police under circumstances that could lead to their being handed over to the military authorities, they should call him directly so he can become personally involved.

The new policy was recently put to the test when one of the bochurim was detained in a chareidi city following a traffic violation. During the incident, the student contacted Rav Sorotzkin to inform him that he was being held by police.

Upon receiving the call, Rav Sorotzkin personally contacted the Tzeva Shachor emergency response network, identified himself, and requested that bochurim immediately come to the scene out of concern that the talmid could be transferred to the military police.

Within minutes, the situation was resolved. The talmid was issued a traffic citation and released by police without being handed over to the military authorities.

Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Ber, has issued a strongly worded halachic letter rejecting the idea of a sweeping heter permitting chillul Shabbos to improve soldiers’ morale during wartime, stressing that such weighty questions must be decided only by the leading gedolei Torah and foremost poskim.

The letter was addressed to the rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Shvus Yisroel, Rav Yehoshua Ben Meir, and focuses on whether Shabbos may be violated for the purpose of strengthening morale among troops during combat.

At the outset of the letter, Rav Ber explains that he generally refrains from issuing psakim on military-related halachic matters because, in his view, “the Military Rabbinate, which is on the ground and is closely familiar with the operational reality, is the appropriate body to show the way in such cases.”

Nevertheless, Rav Ber writes that this situation is different because it involves “a general halachic provision that comprehensively permits Shabbos desecration to boost morale, and it could be used as a precedent for other cases,” making it necessary for him to publicly clarify the halachah.

Expressing his support for Rav Ben Meir’s position, the Chief Rabbi writes that “The aforementioned exemption poses a significant halachic and factual challenge and is not based on halachic sources and on an accurate examination of reality. Therefore, there is no place to allow Shabbos desecration to boost morale.”

He further cautioned that expanding such heteirim could “open the door to broadening the scope of permissible Shabbos desecration beyond the limits established by the sages and the leading halachic authorities throughout the generations.”

Drawing upon his own experience in military service, Rav Ber acknowledged that time away from duty undoubtedly helps soldiers recover physically and emotionally. However, he maintained that improved morale alone does not rise to the level of pikuach nefesh necessary to justify chillul Shabbos. He also warned that seeing observant soldiers traveling home on Shabbos could undermine the public’s appreciation for the kedusha of the day.

The Chief Rabbi also stressed that before issuing a broad and unprecedented psak with significant public ramifications, “it would have been appropriate to first submit it for the consideration and ruling of the foremost Torah scholars and leading halachic authorities, and only afterward publish it as a general directive.” He added that any future rulings of this magnitude should first be presented to senior gedolei Torah for their decision before being released publicly.

At the same time, Rav Kalman Ber emphasized that his comments should not be interpreted as criticism of the IDF’s unit rabbanim, battalion rabbanim, or the leadership of the Military Rabbinate’s Halacha Department. He explained that their responsibility is to apply existing halachic rulings within the realities of military operations, while establishing broad halachic policy “is entrusted solely to the foremost Torah scholars and leading halachic arbiters, whose rulings are authoritative.”

Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich revealed Thursday that President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, told him shortly after his appointment that he would not allow Hamas-controlled Gaza to remain a threat to Israeli communities, recounting an emotional conversation that took place immediately after Witkoff visited Gaza and viewed footage of the October 7 massacre.

Speaking at MK Ohad Tal’s “Conference of Decision,” Smotrich shared details of the conversation, which he said occurred after Witkoff was appointed as President Trump’s envoy to Israel and just one day after the envoy toured Gaza and watched the graphic footage documenting the atrocities committed during the October 7 Hamas attack.

According to Smotrich, Witkoff was deeply shaken by what he had witnessed.

“When Witkoff was appointed, I met with him together with Ron Dermer,” Smotrich said. “The day before, he had been in Gaza, where they showed him the October 7 atrocity footage. He was still under the terrible impression of that video, and he told me, ‘Betzalel, I will not let two million Nazis live next to your children along the border.’”

Smotrich also addressed Israel’s ongoing military campaign in both Gaza and Lebanon, arguing that territorial losses are the only language Israel’s enemies understand.

“There is only one thing that hurts the enemy—land,” he declared. “Anyone who attacks us will lose territory forever. We need to establish a security zone in Lebanon that will remain in place for years.”

{Matzav.com}

Andy Burnham, widely viewed as the leading contender to succeed Keir Starmer as Britain’s next prime minister, signaled Thursday that he would adopt a significantly tougher stance toward Israel, apologizing for Labour’s initial response to the war in Gaza and pledging greater pressure on the Jewish state if he takes office.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Burnham acknowledged that Labour’s early reaction to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza was inadequate and expressed regret over the party’s handling of the conflict.

“I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza, my party didn’t get it right, and I am sorry about that,” he said. “The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better.”

Burnham said a government led by him would pursue additional measures aimed at increasing pressure on Israel, including weighing further sanctions against Israeli individuals and organizations and considering a ban on trade involving products from what he called illegal settlements.

“We’ve got to do more to put pressure on the Israeli government,” Burnham said. Although he acknowledged that Britain has already taken “some important steps,” he argued, “the UK was too slow to call for a ceasefire in the war launched following the Hamas-led October 7th Massacre. And we must now do more to strengthen our approach.”

While sharply criticizing Israel’s military campaign, Burnham stopped short of labeling it a genocide, saying that such a determination should be made through the legal process rather than by elected officials.

“I have been absolutely appalled by what I’ve seen and read about the destruction of Gaza,” he said. “There’s increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed. There must be accountability for the depth of the suffering the people of Gaza have experienced. Ultimately, however, it must be for the international courts to determine, rather than politicians.”

The interview also touched on concerns raised by Britain’s Jewish community. Burnham reiterated his opposition to antisemitism while again condemning Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

“There is no contradiction between a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism and holding the Netanyahu government to account,” he said. “I will always take a fair and balanced approach and stand up for what is right.”

Burnham further criticized what he described as escalating violence by Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem, as well as continued residential construction in those areas. He said his government would examine additional steps, including “looking at further sanctions” and “looking at measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements.”

He also described conditions in Gaza as “a scar on our collective conscience,” pointing to ongoing civilian casualties, restrictions on humanitarian aid, and Israel’s continued military operations in the territory.

New intelligence gathered by Israel and shared with the United States indicates that Iran may be intensifying its efforts to target President Donald Trump, according to an exclusive report published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal. If the information is confirmed, it would represent a significant escalation in the already volatile standoff between Washington and Tehran.

Sources familiar with the intelligence told the newspaper that Israeli officials recently provided US authorities with updated information outlining what they believe is an active Iranian assassination plot directed at Trump.

Iran has openly vowed revenge against Trump ever since the US military strike during his first term that killed Qassem Soleimani, the powerful commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.

Asked about the report, the Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to provide additional details. Iran’s mission to the United Nations also did not immediately issue a response.

The White House referred The Wall Street Journal to comments Trump made earlier this week rather than offering any new statement on the reported intelligence.

Trump addressed the threats directly while speaking with reporters in Ankara, Turkey, warning that he believes he remains a top target of the Iranian regime.

“They want to take out the US leader – me,” he said. “I’m on every list. I saw this morning, I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn’t last very long.”

Iranian hostility toward Trump has continued to be displayed publicly. During the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, crowds repeatedly chanted for Trump’s death while waving a large banner bearing the message, “We Will Kill Trump.”

{Matzav.com}

Naftali Bennett has been in the United States since the end of last week, departing in the midst of a difficult stretch for his political campaign while declining to reveal details about the purpose of his visit, according to a report by journalist Michael Shemesh.

Bennett, who heads the Beyachad party, reportedly traveled to the U.S. to attend a professional conference while also taking a family vacation. However, despite public interest surrounding the trip, he has refused to provide any information about the conference or his itinerary.

According to the report, Bennett traveled without members of his office or his campaign staff.

People close to Bennett offered only a brief statement, saying, “At these moments Bennett is working on the great repair of the State of Israel.”

The trip comes as Bennett’s political standing has weakened in recent polling. Recent surveys indicate that he has lost his position as the leading figure in the anti-government bloc to Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot, who has now overtaken him in the race to lead the bloc.

{Matzav.com}

The man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk confessed to the killing on three separate occasions—through a handwritten letter, text messages, and an in-person admission to his partner, according to testimony and evidence presented Thursday during a preliminary hearing.

The explosive evidence came through a prerecorded deposition from Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s roommate, who testified that Robinson returned to their Utah apartment the day after the Sept. 10 shooting, expressed remorse, and admitted responsibility for the murder.

The testimony, along with Robinson’s alleged written and electronic communications, offered prosecutors their clearest account yet of how the accused gunman described carrying out the fatal shooting at Utah Valley University. Court proceedings also revealed that Robinson allegedly made crude jokes related to the killing.

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, urged the court to release Twiggs’ full interview with prosecutors, arguing that making the evidence public would help put to rest the conspiracy theories that have circulated about the Turning Point USA founder’s assassination.

The courtroom became emotional as prosecutors read aloud text messages Robinson allegedly sent to Twiggs. Erika Kirk broke down in tears while listening to the messages.

Among the communications presented in court was one in which Robinson, now 23, allegedly referenced his grandfather’s old .30-06 hunting rifle, writing that it “does just fine.”

Twiggs, who has not been charged with any crime, testified under a limited immunity agreement granted by both the US Attorney’s Office and the Utah County Attorney’s Office. Appearing in a coat and tie, Twiggs casually chewed gum throughout much of the recorded deposition until investigators instructed him to spit it out.

According to testimony, Twiggs and Robinson lived together in St. George, Utah, about three hours from Utah Valley University.

Twiggs said the first alleged confession came immediately after Kirk was shot and killed before a crowd of thousands attending a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

According to Twiggs, Robinson had apparently scheduled a text message in advance that arrived shortly after the shooting, instructing him, “Drop what you are doing, look under my keyboard.”

Confused, Twiggs replied, “what????????????” before adding, “you’re joking right????”

Robinson allegedly answered, “…..I TRIED TO DELETE THAT.”

Twiggs testified that beneath the keyboard he found a letter addressed to “Luna” in which Robinson allegedly wrote, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

Prosecutors said Robinson later continued discussing the shooting through text messages, including his efforts to recover the bolt-action Mauser rifle he allegedly abandoned while fleeing the scene.

One message allegedly read, “Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest, I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.”

Twiggs responded, “You werent the one who did it right????”

According to prosecutors, Robinson answered with a direct admission: “I am, I’m sorry.”

Twiggs testified that the third confession came when Robinson returned to the apartment on Sept. 11, one day after the shooting.

When asked by prosecutor McBride, “Did he talk about what he had done?”

Twiggs responded, “Didn’t go into detail… I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before, and he said it was… started crying a little bit, and said he wishes he hadn’t done it.”

Twiggs added, “…Eventually he said he would talk to his parents or turn himself over.”

“I personally had never heard him talk about Charlie Kirk before specifically,” Twiggs testified.

Twiggs also recalled that approximately a month before Kirk’s death, Robinson asked whether they owned a Dremel engraving tool.

“I don’t remember exactly when, but he had said he was planning to go hunting with his family and he asked me… if we had like a Dremel, because he said he wanted to engrave messages on bullets,” Twiggs testified.

Brian Davis of the Utah State Bureau of Investigation told the court that Twiggs’ testimony was consistent with statements he gave investigators during an interview conducted on Sept. 12, 2025.

Davis said investigators reviewed text messages, Discord conversations, and a handwritten note that prosecutors allege were authored by Robinson.

Kirk was fatally shot in the neck during the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.

Defense attorneys argued that the court should prevent the media from publishing the deposition video and text messages, contending that widespread dissemination could prejudice prospective jurors and infringe upon Robinson’s right to a fair trial.

Prosecutors, joined by Erika Kirk, urged the judge to release the evidence in full.

“The Kirk family has waited 10 months for this hearing… They have a right to see and feel what’s going on in this courtroom,” attorney Jeffrey Neiman told the court.

“To be here and not to see the evidence — what’s the point of being here?”

Members of the Kirk family have said they hope the public release of the evidence will finally dispel conspiracy theories promoted by commentator Candace Owens and others regarding the circumstances surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death.

Earlier in the week, prosecutors introduced surveillance footage that they say tracks Robinson’s movements across the Utah Valley University campus on the day of the shooting.

They also presented FBI forensic evidence that they claim connects Robinson through DNA recovered from a towel allegedly used to conceal the rifle.

Witnesses further testified that DNA believed to belong to both Robinson and Twiggs was discovered on a screwdriver allegedly left at the location where Robinson positioned himself before firing the fatal shot.

Robinson, who is now 23 years old, has not yet entered a plea. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset House Committee on Thursday approved the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study for its second and third readings after coalition lawmakers agreed to remove its most controversial provision, transforming the legislation into what legal officials described as a largely declarative measure.

The decision followed negotiations between Likud and the chareidi parties aimed at producing a compromise that would preserve coalition unity. The revised bill passed the committee by a vote of six in favor and four opposed.

The committee, chaired by MK Ofir Katz, accepted Katz’s own amendment eliminating Section 2 of the proposal. The deleted provision had declared that the purpose of the law was to recognize Torah study as a fundamental value “to create a balance against other fundamental values in the State of Israel.”

During the discussion, Katz said that after talks with the chareidi coalition partners and other members of the coalition, it was decided to retain only the opening section of the bill, which recognizes Torah study as a foundational value and part of the heritage of the Jewish people in the State of Israel. He added that some opposition lawmakers had indicated they might have supported the legislation had the second clause been removed. Katz also emphasized that “no soldier will be harmed” by the bill’s passage.

Katz further announced that on Sunday the committee will advance separate legislation intended, he said, to address the needs of soldiers and those serving in the military. He pledged that only after that bill moves forward will the Knesset hold its final votes on both the revision and the Basic Law: Torah Study.

Opposition lawmakers continued to criticize the proposal despite the changes. MK Naor Shiri argued that even without the deleted section, Torah study remains the only value explicitly enshrined in a Basic Law, while other national values, including military service, have not been granted similar constitutional standing.

Government legal officials, however, indicated that the revised bill carries little practical legal effect. Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky said that removing the disputed clause leaves existing judicial balances intact, making the legislation primarily declarative. Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik expressed a similar view, stating that once the controversial language was removed, the law could no longer be interpreted as a basis for disadvantaging soldiers or altering the allocation of government funding or other resources, leaving it as a statement recognizing the importance of Torah study.

Despite agreeing to the compromise, some chareidi lawmakers voiced disappointment over the changes. MK Yinon Azoulay said that removing Section 2 was not consistent with his party’s position but that it agreed to the coalition’s request. United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf likewise opposed deleting the provision, maintaining that it should have remained part of the legislation.

The compromise reached between Likud and the chareidi parties is expected to ease resistance to the bill within the governing coalition while preserving formal recognition of Torah study as a foundational national value, but without the provision that critics argued could have carried practical implications for military service policy and government funding.

Israel “did not ask anyone for permission to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,” Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said on Thursday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed Yerushalayim would withdraw from the country.

“It is our right and our duty to protect the residents of the Galilee and the citizens of Israel from the threats posed by the jihadist Hezbollah terrorist organization, which seeks to destroy the State of Israel,” Katz said in a Hebrew-language statement.

The defense minister noted that the Iranian proxy had launched two unprovoked terrorist campaigns against the Jewish state—the first a day after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, and again following the start of “Operation Roaring Lion” against the Islamic Republic of Iran on Feb. 28.

After Hezbollah’s renewed attacks on March 2, Yerushalayim launched a broad aerial campaign against terror targets in Lebanon and expanded military operations aimed at preventing cross-border attacks on Israeli communities.

The Israel Defense Forces “responded with force and, over the past two and a half years, has destroyed most of Hezbollah’s capabilities and leadership, foremost among them the arch-terrorist Hassan Nasrallah, one of the architects of the plan to destroy Israel,” Katz said on Thursday.

The IDF “established a strong security zone in Lebanon, stretching from the Mediterranean coast in the west to the Beaufort Ridge and the foothills of Mount Hermon in the east,” he continued. “The area has been cleared of residents and terror infrastructure, both above and below ground, in order to protect the residents of the Galilee from the threat of cross-border raids, anti-tank missile fire and other direct threats.

As he and Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu “have made clear, we will continue to remain in the security zone in Lebanon and operate from it as long as necessary until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threat to the residents of northern Israel is removed,” Katz vowed.

Trump, speaking to reporters alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at a press conference in Ankara on Wednesday, said he had discussed an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon with Netanyahu.

“I talked to Bibi [Netanyahu] about that. I think they’re going to. I think they want to. I don’t think it’s a question,” the U.S. president said. “We have a deal with Israel and Lebanon, and yeah, they’ll leave.”

The June 26 framework of understandings between Yerushalayim and Beirut conditions an Israeli redeployment on Hezbollah being removed from Southern Lebanon. JNS

{Matzav.com}

After a week of elaborate funeral ceremonies across Iran and Iraq, former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was buried Thursday in the holy city of Mashhad, bringing to a close days of state-organized mourning as the Islamic Republic continues to grapple with internal turmoil and ongoing U.S. military strikes.

Thousands of mourners packed the streets of Mashhad on Thursday morning, waving Iranian flags, carrying portraits of Khamenei, and displaying banners bearing revolutionary slogans as the funeral procession made its way through the northeastern city, home to Iran’s holiest Shiite shrine.

Khamenei’s burial marked the conclusion of a weeklong series of funeral processions that carried his body through multiple cities in Iran and Iraq. Throughout the ceremonies, senior clerics and leaders of the Islamic Republic urged supporters to participate in large numbers in an effort to project the regime’s strength, reinforce its revolutionary ideology, and demonstrate continued popular support.

Despite surviving months of war involving both the United States and Israel, Iran continues to face serious domestic challenges, and Khamenei’s 37-year rule remains deeply divisive within the country.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei—who was named Iran’s new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts one week after his father’s death—remain unknown to the Iranian public.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the war began on February 28. Although written statements have been issued in his name, no photographs, videos, or audio recordings have been released.

He was reportedly seriously wounded in the same strike that killed his father and several other family members, suffering severe facial injuries as well as major wounds to his limbs.

Senior sources in Tehran told Reuters that Mojtaba is continuing to recover from those injuries but has not yet regained sufficient strength to appear in public. According to the report, Iranian security officials are also limiting his public exposure out of concern over possible American assassination attempts.

As mourners gathered in Mashhad awaiting the arrival of Khamenei’s funeral procession, some in the crowd chanted slogans calling for revenge against President Donald Trump.

Prior to Thursday’s burial, memorial ceremonies for Khamenei and four members of his family who were killed alongside him had already been held in Tehran, Qom—the center of Shiite religious authority in Iran—and the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala.

At each stop along the funeral route, massive crowds filled the streets, chanting Shiite religious slogans alongside revolutionary and anti-American chants in honor of the longtime Iranian leader.

{Matzav.com}

The Skverer community is abuzz today after New York State Police allegedly stopped the Skverer Rebbe’s motorcade on Route 17 as he was returning home from the airport following a trip to Malibu, California.

According to sources withing the community, troopers pulled over the Rebbe’s entourage while it was traveling along Route 17 and issued a total of 14 traffic tickets to members of the motorcade.

The incident delayed the procession before it was allowed to continue toward New Square.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump reportedly flew home from Turkey aboard the older Air Force One after the Secret Service recommended the change as tensions with Iran escalated, despite officials insisting there was no specific threat targeting the president.

The recommendation was made while Trump was attending the NATO summit in Turkey after fighting between the United States and Iran flared up again, according to an initial report by The New York Times.

Although authorities stressed there was no credible intelligence indicating an imminent danger to Trump, the Secret Service advised that he return on the long-serving presidential aircraft as an added precaution.

The decision underscored the extraordinary security precautions taken whenever the president travels during periods of heightened geopolitical instability.

Rather than remaining on the recently acquired Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, Trump left Turkey aboard one of the veteran Boeing VC-25A aircraft that has transported American presidents for decades. He later reunited with the upgraded 747-8 at RAF Mildenhall in England before continuing the journey back to Washington, according to The New York Times and ABC News.

Additional security measures accompanied the flight. Those on board the older aircraft were instructed to keep the window shades closed during takeoff, and publicly available flight-tracking information showed the plane’s transponder remained off until after it had passed over the Black Sea—a tactic frequently used to reduce visibility during presidential travel through potentially dangerous regions.

Trump rejected the suggestion that the switch was driven by security concerns. Instead, he said the newer aircraft flew separately so American military personnel stationed in England could tour what he called the “magnificent” plane.

Even so, the president openly discussed the risks posed by Iran.

“I’m No. 1 on the kill list for Iran,” Trump told reporters, later adding that passengers were “probably on a dangerous flight” because of the threats posed by Tehran.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the Qatari-donated aircraft, saying it is “a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff.”

Cheung also noted that because “many enemies of America have their sights” on Trump, the administration uses “every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats.”

Nevertheless, Trump’s use of the older Air Force One has intensified questions about whether the retrofitted Qatari aircraft possesses all of the defensive capabilities found on the longstanding presidential fleet. The Air Force spent roughly a year upgrading the jet at a cost estimated to be nearly $400 million.

According to The New York Times, both current and former defense officials have expressed concern that the accelerated retrofit schedule may not have allowed enough time to install every classified protection system carried by the VC-25A fleet, including sophisticated missile defense technology and shielding against electromagnetic pulse attacks.

The Air Force has countered that the aircraft satisfies all required standards for security, communications, and safety. Officials also acknowledged that certain highly advanced modifications intended for the next-generation Air Force One fleet were deliberately omitted because the aircraft is serving only as an interim “bridge” platform.

Administration officials emphasized that the Secret Service’s recommendation was simply a precaution reflecting the elevated international security environment and was not prompted by any known or specific threat directed at the president.

{Matzav.com}

Jewish Wikipedia editors said they felt “traumatized” and emotionally exhausted after editing topics related to Jews and Israel, according to a recent study in the journal Convergence by University of Haifa researcher Shlomit Lir.

Lir conducted video interviews with 19 veteran Jewish editors between February and August 2025. Most remain active on the platform, though several have stopped editing.

There was a “great sense of fear” among the editors to even talk about the subject, Lir told JNS. Some participants kept their cameras off during Zoom interviews, and one used a pseudonym.

“Editing on Wikipedia is a great part of their identity, and the fear of being banned is great,” she said. “Some of the conversations were very alarming.”

Wikipedia editors are unpaid volunteers, and anyone can contribute to the online encyclopedia.

The editors interviewed live in the United States, Europe and Israel and have between two and 24 years of editing experience. All have contributed to articles about Israel, and some identify politically with the Left, according to Lir.

Several said their experience on Wikipedia was largely positive until they began editing articles related to Israel after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

One editor cited the lead section of Wikipedia’s article on the Gaza war, saying it emphasizes devastation in Gaza, with only a brief mention that “there was an axis of resistance led by Iran and its proxies.”

Another said that after Oct. 7, “all kinds of entries related to Palestinian terror and such things were deleted.”

Other participants said efforts to correct anti-Jewish, inaccurate or “libelous” content, even in articles unrelated to Israel, were often quickly reversed by editors they described as “condescending” and “exclusionary.”

One editor said anti-Israel contributors “have more time and they are more numerous,” adding that they “know all the relevant books, so arguing with them is very difficult.”

Several participants also accused anti-Israel editors of engaging in “data attacks,” using Wikipedia’s dispute-resolution process to seek sanctions against them.

“They will contest your edit, and then they will make false reports against you,” one said. “They will go through, like, months, if not years, of your past edits, and it’s almost like being knocked—like someone’s threatening your front door, and then all of a sudden they send somebody around to the back door.”

One participant said they felt “traumatized” but believed reporting harassment would accomplish little, Lir told JNS.

“As long as you didn’t touch the sensitive topics, then things were OK,” she said. “Once you started editing Israel-related or conflict-related articles, then the problem began.”

‘Physical feeling of not being safe’

According to the study, one editor has received threatening messages warning, in effect, that others would ensure the person could no longer edit Wikipedia. “We’ll get to you,” one of the messages stated, according to the study. “You won’t be editing here much longer. We’ll make sure of it.”

The editor realized that “if someone is really interested in me, they can find me very easily.” While he has continued editing, the realization made him “stop and think,” the study stated.

“There’s an actual physical feeling of not being safe,” Lir told JNS.

Another editor quit editing after feeling “shocked and deeply hurt” as well as a “sense of personal risk and betrayal” over anti-Israel content. Lir also noted a doctoral researcher interviewed for the study who suffered a heart attack after stressful editing experiences on Wikipedia.

The latter can’t go back on the site because “she was so upset by it,” she told JNS.

Lir said some “extremely biased editors have been banned” by Wikipedia, but argued that more needs to be done to safeguard neutrality.

“Wikipedia is a place of knowledge,” Lir told JNS. “It cannot be a place of manipulation, and if the manipulation occurs, then there’s a need to examine how it happens, why it’s not diversified, what can be done.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared Thursday that Israel remains on constant alert for threats from Iran and Lebanon, warning that any attack on the Jewish state will be met with “overwhelming force.” Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the 192nd Israeli Air Force Pilots Course, Zamir praised the Air Force’s wartime achievements, reflected on the lessons of October 7, and outlined an ambitious expansion of Israel’s aerial capabilities.

Opening his address, Zamir said that Israel’s most celebrated military operations are united by a common spirit of boldness, innovation, and courage.

“a clear line of initiative, creativity, professionalism, and heroic courage connects the chapters of exemplary operations of the IDF and the Air Force over the years.”

He pointed to landmark missions including the Entebbe hostage rescue, the Second Lebanon War, and Operations Rising Lion and Roaring Lion, describing them as proof of Israel’s technological superiority and the Air Force’s ability to adapt to evolving threats.

“are a demonstration of Israel’s unique offensive and defensive technological might, a testament to the Israel Air Force’s unique ability to reinvent itself against every threat, to turn the impossible into a sophisticated operational plan, and to execute it with remarkable precision at the moment of truth.”

Zamir emphasized that the military’s successes were made possible through close coordination among every branch of the armed forces.

“Everyone works together for a joint goal.”

Reflecting on the scope of recent combat operations, he said Israel’s Air Force has carried out an extraordinary range of missions across multiple fronts.

“It is difficult to describe in words the multi-arena missions conducted by IAF pilots in the skies of the Middle East in the past two and a half years. We struck every arena.”

Detailing those accomplishments, Zamir said Israel achieved overwhelming control of the skies, allowing the Air Force to operate wherever necessary while carrying out devastating strikes against Iran’s military leadership and strategic assets.

“We achieved air superiority that allowed us to fly over any area to our choosing. In a surprise attack, we eliminated the leaders of the ayatollah regime, the nuclear officials, the weapons industry, the surface-to-air missile batteries, and the surface-to-surface launchers. We turned the third perimeter into a first perimeter and caused the enemy in Gaza, Beirut, Sanaa, and Tehran to feel the same sense of persecution.”

He also credited the Air Force’s defensive operations with helping Israel continue fighting while preventing major threats from fully materializing.

“At the same time, the IAF also led the aerial defense effort with unprecedented success rates that allowed us to continue to fight. We distanced the existential threats a short time before they became tangible.”

Zamir highlighted the close military partnership between Israel and the United States, describing the cooperation as historic.

“in a unique collaboration between the IDF and the US Military, our ally, the biggest superpower in the world, we flew wing-to-wing… a historic joint combat procedure which led to unprecedented capabilities that proved the IAF’s purpose: to be Israel’s strategic and multi-arena wing.”

Addressing the newly commissioned pilots, Zamir urged them to carry forward the legacy established by those who came before them.

“Dear graduates, today you inherit this proud legacy-to dare, to innovate, to surprise, and to achieve victory.”

At the same time, he stressed that the military has not forgotten the devastating failures surrounding Hamas’ October 7 massacre and has undertaken an exhaustive effort to learn from those mistakes.

“We never forget our point of departure. The failure of October 7 will forever be remembered as a national disaster and a systemic failure. We looked directly at the root causes of the shortcomings throughout the IDF, and we did the same within the Air Force. Without compromise, and with the required humility, we worked to uncover the truth, internalize the lessons, and implement them. As a result, we remain constantly prepared and alert in accordance with the evolving security assessment.”

Warning that the threat environment remains volatile, Zamir revealed that the Air Force continues to maintain a high level of readiness.

“in recent weeks, hundreds of Air Force aircraft have been on immediate takeoff alert,” adding, “Even at this moment, we are closely monitoring developments in Iran and Lebanon and are prepared for immediate action. Against anyone who attempts to harm us, we will respond with overwhelming force.”

He also noted a major transformation in cooperation between the Air Force and Israel’s ground forces during the current conflict.

“A major change that has taken place within the Air Force over the past two and a half years is the deep partnership with the ground forces. Fighter jets and attack helicopters carried out thousands of strikes during the ground campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, providing closer support than ever before to maneuvering forces. ‘Sa’ar’ helicopters transported troops to the front lines and evacuated wounded soldiers directly from the battlefield.”

Zamir paused to honor those who lost their lives or were wounded during the war, paying tribute to their sacrifice and the resilience of their families.

“‘Even a fist was once an open hand and fingers,’ wrote the poet Yehuda Amichai, and we remember that well. We remember the fallen, our finest sons and daughters, who gave their lives in fierce battles. We embrace the bereaved families and stand alongside those wounded in body and spirit, who bear the scars of war. Their memory and heroism are the compass that obligates us to continue, to fight, and to prevail.”

Looking ahead, Zamir said the Israeli Air Force is undergoing one of the most significant expansions in its history, with new aircraft, additional squadrons, and enhanced capabilities already being added to strengthen Israel’s long-term military advantage.

“Graduates of Pilots Course 192, our Air Force is in the midst of a dramatic force-building process, a broad expansion that is being accelerated even under fire. New squadrons are being established, we are acquiring new transport and attack helicopters, and our aerial refueling and intelligence capabilities are being enhanced to ensure Israel’s absolute air superiority for generations to come. These aircraft and these capabilities are now waiting for you. I have complete confidence in the skills you have acquired to join the ranks of our aircrews and take to the skies at any hour in defense of the homeland.”

As he concluded, Zamir reminded military leaders and the graduating pilots that leadership begins with honoring one’s word, quoting this week’s Torah portion.

“‘He shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds from his mouth.’ There is a connection between a military leader and the words that come from his mouth. Words create obligation, and the command to us is clear: Speak with genuine and pure intent, say little, do much. Let our actions speak for themselves.”

He closed by encouraging the new pilots to carry out their mission with courage, humility, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the people of Israel.

“New air warriors, fly with determination, fight with courage, and always remember the justice of our cause, the depth of your responsibility, and the people on the ground for whom you serve as a shield of protection. Soar high, ‘knights of the skies, brave and noble,’ and always return home safely. Today we salute you with pride and great expectations for what lies ahead.”

{Matzav.com}

More than a year after an anti-Israel arsonist attacked the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg, Pa., while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were there on April 13, 2025, a resident of suburban Philadelphia was arrested for threatening the state’s Jewish chief executive and using antisemitic slurs in doing so.
Richard John Franklin, 65, of Delaware County in the Philadelphia area, was arrested Wednesday and charged with making threats in a state representative’s district office.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Franklin had gone to Leanne Krueger’s office on a tax issue on July 7 and while talking to one of her aides, used an “antisemitic ethnic slur” against Shapiro while threatening to set the governor’s mansion on fire.

“It is our duty to uphold the sanctity of the law and to protect the commonwealth,” Sgt. Logan Brouse, communications director of the state police, told JNS, responding on behalf of the governor’s office.

The state police “takes threats against the lives of public officials seriously. That’s why the department has formed a dedicated unit to address the growing amount of ideologically motivated violence against elected officials,” Brouse told JNS. “PSP will continue to ensure the safety of public officials in Pennsylvania.”

When members of the state police’s political violence threat unit went to Franklin’s house on Wednesday, the accused “provided multiple, inconsistent accounts of what occurred at the district office,” including admitting “to using the ethnic slur,” per an incident report from the police.

Franklin claimed that his statements “about the governor’s mansion were sympathetic and positive in nature, because the governor and his family survived the previous arson,” per the incident report.

He was taken into custody without incident, police said.

Franklin was charged with making terror threats, ethnic intimidation, political threats, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Marcia Bronstein, regional director for the American Jewish Committee, praised the state police for its actions.

“Words matter, especially when antisemitism has reached record levels in this nation,” she stated. “The Jewish community doesn’t have the luxury of assessing whether someone is making idle threats, especially when Gov. Shapiro and his family were forced from their residence last year when someone tried to burn it down.”

“We thank the state police for their swift and thorough investigation of this incident,” she said.

The person in the earlier arson case, Cody A. Ballmer, 38, said he was upset about Shapiro’s position in the Israel-Hamas war. The governor and his family had held a Passover seder hours before the attack.

Ballmer pleaded guilty and was sentenced, in October, to between 25 and 50 years in prison.

The attack against Shapiro was one of three violent antisemitic incidents in 2025, and was cited by the Anti-Defamation League in its annual audit.

The others were the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C., and firebombs thrown at peaceful demonstrators in Boulder, Colo., who were supporting hostages held in Gaza. The firebomber killed one of the demonstrators. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Yerushalayim was ranked as the world’s seventh-best city in the World’s Best Awards 2026 list in a survey published this week by the highly esteemed U.S. travel magazine Travel + Leisure.

Israel’s capital also topped the rankings as the best city in the Middle East and North Africa.

Running for 31 consecutive years, this year’s survey registered more than 661,000 votes by roughly 207,000 readers, across more than 10,088 total properties that include cities, hotels, cruise lines and more, according to the magazine.

San Miguel de Allende in Mexico topped the list at number one, followed by Kyoto (Japan), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Hoi An (Vietnam), Oaxaca (Mexico) and Bangkok (Thailand).

With a possible end to hostilities in the Mideast region, Israel’s tourism industry is looking to rehabilitate from the effects of almost three years of war. JNS

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Thursday, amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and the potential collapse of talks on a nuclear deal.

Netanyahu’s office said that the call was part of “continuous contact” between the two and that “continued coordination between the countries in various sectors was established.”

Trump updated Netanyahu “on American moves in the Gulf,” according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.

Netanyahu’s office stated that he talked with Trump about anti-Israel comments that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, president of Turkey, made recently and about the “need for security zones along Israel’s borders.”

Trump met recently with Erdoğan in Ankara, and the White House released photos of the two shaking hands and smiling. In one photo, Erdoğan takes Trump’s arm.

Hakan Fidan, foreign minister of Turkey, told the Turkish CNN affiliate on July 2 that the Jewish state has “become a burden that humanity can no longer bear” and that Israel is representative of “humanity’s common problems.”

Erdoğan previously expressed similar sentiments but has remained a strong ally of Trump’s. The U.S. president said this week that he is considering asking Congress to approve selling F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.

That announcement has drawn concern from Netanyahu and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. JNS has reported that experts are divided on whether Turkey is a “NATO member in name only” or a closer ally than ever.

Trump and Netanyahu could meet in Washington next week reportedly, although Washington and Tehran trading strikes might change those plans. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Michael Sam Teekaye Jr., 22, who admitted to trying to join the Islamic State and planning to attack Jews and Zionists in the United States, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by supervised release for life.

The resident of Hanover, Md., had faced 20 years.

He admitted that he had “multiple” conversations with an undercover officer in March and April 2023, during which he said he wanted to go to Africa and become a mujahid, a “fighter,” for ISIS, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Teekaye told the officer that his “plan B” was to attack Jews and Israel supporters in the United States and “said that he researched buildings close to him that support Israel and thought about how to ‘gun down key members or anyone involved,’” the Justice Department said.

“Mr. Teekaye sought to support a foreign terrorist organization that has committed unspeakable acts of violence and took real-world steps to carry out a terrorist attack in Maryland,” stated Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland.

“Today’s sentence underscores that those who seek to aid terrorist organizations will be identified, prosecuted and held fully accountable,” Hayes said. JNS

{Matzav.com}