The latest interview given by MK Boaz Bismuth, head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, set off a firestorm across the political landscape, especially within circles closely following the ongoing debate over the giyus issue. His remarks to Mishpacha magazine, released Thursday morning, immediately triggered sharp backlash and heated discussion.
In the interview, Bismuth pushed back strongly against the idea that the state could force yeshivah bochurim into military service. “You can’t force people to enlist in the army. What, are you going to put them in jail? Such nonsense,” Bismuth told Mishpacha in the Thursday morning interview. He emphasized that his stance stems from genuine regard for the chareidi tzibbur, saying, “I am someone who loves and respects the haredim. I will not allow us to reach such extremes.”
His comments drew immediate condemnation from the activist organization Mothers at the Front, which demanded his dismissal within hours of the interview’s release. Their statement, issued publicly, insisted, “Perhaps he should internalize that you absolutely can force people to enlist in the army – it’s called the Security Service Law, and draft dodgers go to jail under that law.” They accused Bismuth of being unfit to speak on behalf of soldiers or their families, declaring, “Bismuth, now that you’ve revealed your true opinions, you cannot represent us or the soldiers. Either retract your statements – or resign.”
The uproar unfolded in parallel to growing governmental scrutiny over the latest draft bill. On Wednesday night—just hours before the interview dropped—the Deputy Director of the Budget Department sent a pointed letter to the committee’s legal adviser. The letter argued that the bill’s current formulation falls short of its stated purpose, raising serious doubts about its effectiveness. The official warned, “There is a significant concern that the outline might appear to as a mechanism which includes effective sanctions, but in practice, does the opposite, and instead weakens the system of incentives.”
{Matzav.com}Gov. Kathy Hochul and top MTA officials continue to praise congestion pricing as a major win for New York City, insisting that the tolls are reshaping Manhattan’s core for the better. Yet nearly a year into the program, analysts and everyday motorists are pushing back, saying the celebration is premature—and deeply disconnected from reality.
Many drivers insist that nothing has improved except the size of their bills. After months of paying the tolls, they say traffic still crawls through Midtown and downtown, leaving them wondering why they’re shelling out more money for the same miserable commute.
Adding fuel to the frustration, MTA leaders have declared publicly that “polling” shows motorists are increasingly embracing the new fees—even as the agency hears constant complaints that congestion pricing has made little difference on clogged streets.
In September, Hochul delivered one of the program’s most glowing endorsements, proclaiming, “This program has been nothing short of transformational, making streets safer, reducing gridlock across the region, and unlocking generational upgrades to mass transit, benefitting millions.” She added another line that infuriated many commuters: “Congestion pricing is working, it is legal, and the cameras are staying on.”
But workers on the road every day paint a far darker picture. Taxi driver Mohammad Haque summed up what many of his colleagues say: “It hasn’t changed anything, especially south of 60th.” He didn’t hold back, adding, “From what we’ve seen, the traffic is even worse. In my opinion, they’re just taking the money and not helping the city at all. Traffic is still there and we’re losing time – and the MTA, they’re just taking the money.”
The MTA projected that the $9 daily fee would bring in $500 million during its first year. That milestone has already been passed. At the same time, the agency claims traffic has fallen 11% inside the tolling area.
But several independent analysts argue the MTA is exaggerating the results. Port Authority counts at the Hudson River crossings—which feed directly into the congestion zone—show drops of less than 5% in the spring, calling the MTA’s numbers into question.
Some experts say the discrepancies stem from how the MTA has chosen to measure its success. Nicole Gelinas of the Manhattan Institute criticized the agency’s approach, calling it a “crude way of doing it, and it hurts confidence in the program.” She pointed out that “the cameras were set up ages before congestion pricing started,” arguing that the MTA should have collected fresh pre-toll data rather than relying on projections of what traffic would have been.
Others noted that the agency pulled key baseline numbers from just a single day in October. CUNY engineering professor Alison Conway said the one-day snapshot leaves “room for a lot of uncertainty in how representative that day is.” She added that she assumed the day was “carefully selected by [the New York MTA Council] to avoid any atypical conditions,” but still called the method “basic, but reasonable.” Even so, she warned that unusual weather or construction “might make that adjustment factor unusually high or low, leading to an over- or under-estimate of a true baseline value.”
The Port Authority’s own year-over-year data shows mixed trends: declines of 6.7% at the tunnels in January and 10% in February, with smaller drops in March and April. But overall New York–New Jersey crossing activity dipped by only 0.4%, and traffic actually increased at the George Washington Bridge as motorists dodged the congestion zone entirely.
Meanwhile, the MTA has reported declines of 8%, 12%, 13%, and 12% in vehicles entering the toll zone from January through April—dramatically steeper than the tunnel data alone shows, leaving major questions about what exactly is being counted and how the numbers align.
Responding to criticism, the MTA said it adjusted its October sample using data from its own bridges and tunnels, the NYC Department of Transportation, and the Port Authority.
MTA CEO Janno Lieber, speaking at NYU Law School this week, insisted that the program has boosted public satisfaction, saying unspecified surveys show motorists feel good about the changes. Lieber also touted broader gains: fewer vehicles citywide and improvements in both pedestrian experience and air quality. “You know, who loves congestion pricing? The drivers are now, in polling recently, are letting us know they love it because they’re saving so much time,” he said. “The people who drive to work in Manhattan who spend 50 bucks to park actually do value their time. I’m not shocked.”
Pressed to identify the surveys he referenced, the agency first pointed to a September poll of 800 New Yorkers—not only drivers—in which 59% expressed support. A more driver-specific poll cited by the MTA showed three-quarters of motorists reported quicker commutes, but that survey was completed in early February, when the initiative was only a month old.
Back on the ground, drivers insist those rosy portrayals don’t reflect the daily grind. “I don’t notice any difference,” Haque said. “Look at the traffic here – from morning until 8 p.m. every day, every single day. They took lanes away for buses, lanes for bikes – what’s congestion pricing doing?”
He added, “Someone should ask them what they’re doing with all this money. New York should do something about traffic, but not this. This is not good for us. This is not good for the city.”
Staten Island electrician Deacon Howard echoed the frustration, saying that the program, which charges most drivers $9 and charges more for trucks, “isn’t relieving traffic because people still have to drive.” He figures he’s paying about $2,000 more this year, only to sit in the same standstill. “It’s the same traffic, just more fees. I don’t see no difference. Four years ago it took me an hour and a few minutes to get to work,” he said. “Now it takes me an hour and five minutes to work. So where’s the difference?”
Construction foreman Rad Perez of Chinatown voiced similar complaints, flatly stating the new charges “hasn’t alleviated anything.” He said, “As contractors, we have to charge our clients to drive below 60th, so someone’s paying it and we’re still driving.” From his vantage point, “all that money is going nowhere I can see,” and congestion pricing simply added “more taxes, more fees, taxes on top of fees and fees on top of taxes.”
Some taxi drivers noted that when the tolling system first went live, traffic briefly lightened, but that relief evaporated fast. “In the beginning with the congestion it was good because there were less cars in the city. So the traffic was not that bad. But right now, it’s really bad,” said driver Eric Oppong. “People don’t care. They still come to the city and there’s traffic everywhere. Sometimes it takes an hour to go 1.5 miles. Us taxi drivers hate the commute, I mean, I thought the congestion thing was gonna help, but it really didn’t.”
{Matzav.com}
A stirring moment unfolded in Tiveriah on Wednesday as Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein, rov of the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood in Bnei Brak and leading posek, attended the bris of his great-grandson, held in the home city of his son-in-law, the renowned tzaddik of Tiveriah, Rav Dov Kook.
The baby boy, named Eliyahu, is the grandson of Rav Shmuel Kook, son of Rav Dov Kook and a grandson of Rav Zilberstein.
Upon Rav Zilberstein’s arrival, Rav Dov Kook welcomed his revered father-in-law with great honor, singing “Yamim al y’mei melech tosif” as he escorted him into the simcha.
Following the bris, Rav Zilberstein delivered warm and powerful praise for his son-in-law and the group of followers surrounding him in Tiveriah. He spoke openly about their spiritual stature and their role in the unfolding destiny of Klal Yisroel.
“Eliyahu HaNavi will come from Tiveriah,” Rav Zilberstein said. “This is preparation for the arrival of Eliyahu HaNavi. My son-in-law and the entire holy community around him—this is the preparation for the coming of Mashiach, and we are moving closer to it.”
He added further praise, noting: “Fortunate is the person who sits and toils in Torah, and baruch Hashem my son-in-law is a great example of that.”
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has instructed his coalition to accelerate passage of the draft law, setting off a rapid-fire legislative push with late-night hearings and tight scheduling. According to officials familiar with the process, Netanyahu has decided to move “all the way” and push the legislation forward as fast as possible, demanding minimal delays and intensified committee work.
In recent days, the Prime Minister’s Office has conveyed that Netanyahu wants the bill to advance at the quickest pace attainable, signaling that the coalition must shift into high gear as the political pressure surrounding the draft law continues to grow.
Following Netanyahu’s directive, a high-level meeting took place on Wednesday, bringing together Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth, Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik, committee legal adviser Miri Frenkel, Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, and Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz. During the meeting, Bismuth asked Afik directly to define the absolute minimum time required for full passage of the draft law.
Afik responded that it is indeed possible to set a binding timetable that still allows for substantive and thorough deliberations. She also agreed to Bismuth’s request to schedule additional sessions at night, after the Knesset plenum adjourns. With a clearly defined timetable, she said, the committee can work efficiently without compromising the depth of debate.
Shortly after the meeting, MK Bismuth announced that the committee will hold three major discussions on the draft law next week: two sessions on Sunday and another on Tuesday night, immediately following the close of the plenary. Those close to him say this is only the first step in a broader, intensive effort to push the legislation toward completion.
The rapid escalation signals that the coalition is preparing for a decisive moment. Netanyahu aims to demonstrate concrete progress both to his chareidi partners—who expect clear movement on the draft arrangement for bnei yeshiva—and to the opposition, which has been watching the process closely.
Across the political system, all eyes are now on the accelerated legislative sprint. The pace of the marathon may ultimately determine not only the fate of the draft law but also the stability of the government in the critical weeks ahead.
{Matzav.com}
A wave of speculation surrounding comments attributed to Rav Ben Tzion Mutzapi prompted the prominent Sefardi posek to issue a strong clarification. The rav firmly rejected claims that he had sharply attacked Shas leadership over the ongoing controversy surrounding the draft law and the status of yeshiva students.
Reports circulating online suggested that the rav had used harsh language toward Shas figures amid the political storm. Rav Mutzapi, however, insisted that the allegations were completely fabricated. He emphasized that his remarks were directed only at the pain he feels when shluchai derabbanan fail to adequately protect bnei Torah and that he never mentioned names nor hinted at any individuals.
In the written clarification released to the public, Rav Mutzapi opened with a firm statement: “The clarification: I hereby make known publicly, before all, regarding the rumors being spread in my name by people of ill intent, as if in my protest over the draft law regarding yeshiva students I mentioned names of askanim from the chareidi sector, or described them using terms taken from the lexicon of marketplace peddlers.”
He then stated unequivocally, “Every one in its entirety is founded on a vile falsehood.” Rav Mutzapi continued: “I only expressed my pain regarding the shluchai derabbanan, without mentioning any names or allusions. Their role is to safeguard bnei haTorah so they do not suffer harm; and to our sorrow, they are being harmed—nothing more.”
The rav concluded his letter with the words, “And love truth and peace. Ben Tzion Mutzapi.”
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
I want to say something that I never say out loud because it feels pathetic, embarrassing, and small, but it’s the truth clawing at me from the inside.
I feel like a nobody.
Not in a poetic way, not in a “we’re all humble servants” way. I mean in the literal, suffocating sense of being just a regular guy—too regular—who wakes up, grinds through the day, tries to support a family, and barely manages to keep his head above water. I look around and see a world where everyone seems to have a thing. A talent. A platform. A following. A fire. And me? I’m just a guy trying to keep the bills from eating me alive while pretending that everything is fine.
I’m not a gvir. I’m not one of those people who can just write a check and command respect. I’m not a speaker who gets applause. I’m not a singer who brings crowds to tears. I’m not a rebbe (not even a rebbi!), not a mashpia, not an influencer, not a “WhatsApp king” with armies of followers hanging on every forwarded quote. I’m not a mover. I’m not a shaker. I’m not a name people whisper with admiration in the hallway. I’m not even a story.
I’m the guy standing quietly in the back at every simcha, smiling politely, praying no one asks me what I do, what I’ve accomplished, how life is going. I’m the guy who tries to convince himself that being a good, normal, working man should be enough, even though deep inside it feels like it isn’t. Because in today’s world, it feels like being “just a regular person” is the same as not existing at all.
Everyone is something. And I… I’m not.
I’m the guy who goes to work, comes home exhausted, and tries to pretend that he’s not drowning. I’m the guy who says “Baruch Hashem, all good,” while knowing full well that the numbers don’t add up and the pressure is suffocating. I’m the guy who watches other people shine while trying to convince himself that he’s lucky just to be standing in the same room.
I show up, but no one remembers that I was there. I’m in the crowd, but never on the stage. I’m always the listener, never the one being heard.
And maybe it shouldn’t bother me. Maybe it shouldn’t tear me apart the way it does. But it does. Because I’m human. Because I’m tired. Because I feel like no matter how hard I try, I’m always falling short. I work and work and work, and still feel like I’m barely holding my family together with fraying threads. There’s no glory in it. No spotlight. No appreciation. Just endless pressure and the quiet fear that maybe I’m not doing enough, not being enough, not becoming enough.
People talk about purpose. Mission. Impact. Destiny. I hear those words and I feel a stabbing ache, because what if my entire identity is just… survival?
I don’t want kavod. I don’t want awards. I just want to feel like I matter in our frum world. Like who I am is enough. Like being a simple, honest, hard-working father should count for something. But right now, it feels like I’m standing at the bottom of a mountain watching everyone else climb while I’m stuck holding a backpack full of bricks.
And the worst part? No one sees it. No one even knows. Because the world sees titles, influence, charisma, money, not the quiet guy fighting with everything he has just to stay afloat.
I feel invisible. Replaceable. Forgettable.
A nobody.
And I’m tired of feeling this way.
M. N.
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{matzav.com}
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