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The Trump administration wants to create a critical minerals trading bloc with its allies that will use tariffs to maintain price floors and defend against China’s tactic of flooding the market to undermine any potential competitors. Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the trade war over the past year exposed how dependent most countries […]

In his will, the Chofetz Chaim, with his characteristic humility, composes an emotional summary of his life — an autobiography — and gives thanks to Hashem for the merit of his activities on behalf of the public.

The IDF released drone footage it says shows armed Hamas terrorists using ambulances to transport weapons in Jabalia, northern Gaza. The IDF said routine drone activity near the Gaza ceasefire line revealed systematic use of ambulances to move terrorists and weapons from a hospital to a school.

Israel’s cost-of-living squeeze continues to hit households hard, and a new price comparison shows just how steep the gaps can be between supermarket chains—even for identical items. A recent survey aired on the consumer-affairs program Ossim Seder examined a focused basket of dairy products and uncovered a price difference of more than 25 percent between retailers.

The comparison, presented by journalist Tzvi Tessler, analyzed a standardized basket of basic dairy staples commonly found in Israeli refrigerators. The findings paint a stark picture of competition in the retail market and reveal just how much shoppers can save—or overspend—depending on where they buy.

Among large-format supermarkets typically located in industrial zones and requiring a dedicated trip, the race at the top was exceptionally tight. Osher Ad narrowly edged out rival Rami Levy by just a few shekels, with both chains significantly undercutting the rest of the field. By contrast, other retailers often marketed as “discount” options posted considerably higher prices, with a gap of nearly NIS 100 between the cheapest and most expensive stores in this category.

Dairy Basket Prices at Large Chains:

• Osher Ad – NIS 370.50

• Rami Levy – NIS 372.90

• Netto Savings – NIS 416.60

• Yesh Chesed – NIS 418.40

• Shefa Birkas Hashem – NIS 420.80

• Shuk Ha’ir – NIS 461.90

The picture changes—but not necessarily for the better—when shoppers opt for convenience and buy close to home. The data show that neighborhood shopping often comes at a premium, though there are notable exceptions. Some local groceries manage to stay competitive with the big chains, while others charge significantly more for the same products. At the bottom of the list this week was Maayan 2000, which recorded the highest price for the basket.

Dairy Basket Prices at Neighborhood and Small Stores:

• KT Market (Mishnas Yosef) – NIS 416.20

• Machsaney Hashuk Mehadrin – NIS 430.50

• Netto Savings (Neighborhood) – NIS 439.30

• Yesh Bashchuna – NIS 444.50

• Shira Market – NIS 446.70

• Good Market – NIS 451.50

• Carrefour Market (Mehadrin certifications) – NIS 453.00

• Shefa Birkas Hashem – Near Home – NIS 454.30

• Zol U’Begadol – NIS 456.40

• Maayan 2000 – NIS 464.80

What the Gaps Mean

The data reveal a striking difference of NIS 94.30—about 25.5 percent—between the cheapest basket at Osher Ad (NIS 370.50) and the most expensive at Maayan 2000 (NIS 464.80). In practical terms, a shopper who doesn’t compare prices could pay nearly NIS 100 extra for the exact same dairy items simply by choosing the wrong store. Over the course of a year, that gap can add up to thousands of shekels for an average family.

Another takeaway is that “neighborhood” does not automatically mean overpriced. The fact that KT Market’s basket (NIS 416.20) came in cheaper than some large discount chains demonstrates that reasonable prices are possible without a long drive, provided consumers stay vigilant, compare options, and shop strategically.

{Matzav.com}

Talks between Iran and the United States will be held Friday in Oman, Iranian media reported as tensions between the countries remain high following Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month. The semiofficial ISNA and Tasnim news agencies and the Student News Network reported on Wednesday that the talks would take place in Oman, […]

Israel’s Supreme Court Orders Netanyahu to Explain Why Ben Gvir Has Not Been Fired •⁠ ⁠Israel’s Supreme Court ordered Netanyahu to explain why he has not removed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir from office. •⁠ ⁠The ruling follows a filing by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who said Ben Gvir has systematically abused his powers. […]

VP Vance invites allies to form a critical minerals trading bloc: “For those of you who join, we offer you a necessary foundation for private financing, and secure access to the critical mineral supplies your nation would require in an emergency or some other contingency.”

A senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the central Gaza Strip a short time ago, according to Palestinian media. Reports say Ali Al-Razayneh, the group’s northern Gaza commander, was struck and killed in Deir al-Balah. The IDF has yet to comment on the airstrike.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I watched the Let’s Talk Kashrus episode about party planners, and honestly, I walked away boiling.

My name is Sarah. I’m a party planner. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I’m not here to argue. I’m not here to defend myself or dodge questions. There is always room to improve. Fine. But if we’re finally talking about kashrus, then let’s actually talk about it — not dance around the elephant in the room.

Because here’s the reality everyone seems very comfortable ignoring.

There is a non-Jewish party planner operating openly in Lakewood, and Lakewood is giving it a blind eye. This isn’t a rumor. This isn’t new. This has been going on for years. I personally have raised this issue with people again and again. And again. And again. Nothing.

Let’s be clear about what this means.

She comes on Shabbos.
We don’t know who is putting the food into the warmers.
We don’t know where the knives come from.
We don’t know where the food is ordered from.
We don’t know what standards — if any — are being followed.

And everyone is just… eating.

People like to whisper, “Oh, she’s cheaper.” She’s not. Anyone who actually knows the industry knows that. Put that aside anyway. Even if she were cheaper, is that now the new bar for kashrus?

Why do we always wait for the explosion?

Why do we wait until there’s a massive scandal, headlines screaming, people discovering they’ve been eating non-kosher, and suddenly everyone clutching their pearls saying, “How could this have happened?”

How could it have happened?
Because it was happening in plain sight, and nobody wanted to deal with it.

Before we start lecturing Jewish party planners about certifications and requirements — a conversation I’m not running from — maybe someone should explain why half of Lakewood is perfectly comfortable trusting a non-Jew with kashrus with no transparency, no accountability, and no oversight.

Before you point fingers at us, answer that.

The rest of the party planners know about this. We’re not quiet about it. We’re raising the roof. And still — silence.

Personally? Before I go to a party, I ask who the planner is. I ask about the kashrus. I don’t just walk in and eat. Do other people do that? Or do they assume that if it looks nice and smells good, it must be fine?

That’s not kashrus.

If we’re serious about standards, then let’s be serious across the board — not selectively, not conveniently, and not only when it’s uncomfortable for the people actually trying to do things right.

We don’t need another scandal to wake up.
We need honesty.
And we need courage.

A Very Frustrated Party Planner
Lakewood, NJ

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Federal prosecutors are seeking a sentence of life without parole for the man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump on a Florida golf course in 2024. Ryan Routh was scheduled to appear Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Fort Pierce. Her courtroom erupted into chaos in September when Routh tried to […]

[COMMUNICATED]

Thirty hours old.

That’s how old Chaya’s baby was when they wheeled him into open-heart surgery for the first time.

Thirty hours. Most babies that age are still figuring out how to latch. Her baby was fighting for every breath.

She remembers the weight of him—all six pounds—as they took him from her arms. She remembers the tubes invading his tiny body, machines breathing for him because his own heart couldn’t do the job it was created to do. She remembers medical words she couldn’t pronounce: Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia.

She remembers thinking: This cannot be how his story ends.

Not one, but four surgeries. Four times they opened his chest. Four times they stopped his heart to fix it. Four times she sat in a waiting room, bargaining with Hashem, making promises she didn’t know if she could keep.

That’s the chapter families never plan to write. Kapitel Lev.

The chapter where your entire world shrinks to the size of a heartbeat. Where you learn to read monitors before you learn your baby’s smile. Where “making it through the night” isn’t a figure of speech—it’s a prayer you whisper every single hour.

And in those moments—when you’re more alone than you’ve ever been, surrounded by machines and strangers in a hospital 100 miles from home—Yameitz Libecha walks in and says: You’re not doing this alone.

They’re there in the NICU at 2 AM. They’re fighting with insurance companies for treatments that cost more than most people’s homes. They’re finding the one surgeon in Boston who can do the impossible surgery everyone else said couldn’t be done. They’re delivering hot meals. Arranging Shabbos. Holding your hand. Holding your family together.

They’re the promise Chaya made twenty-two years ago, come to life.

That baby who was thirty hours old when his heart was first opened? He’s 22 now. Thriving. Living. Beating the odds.

Because someone refused to let his story end.

Every tiny heart deserves a fighting chance.

Will you help write the next chapter?

Yameitz Libecha needs your donation to continue helping those families

Click HERE to donate!

In a major legal reversal, the Supreme Court ruled in a majority opinion on Tuesday that the government is not required to hold a competitive selection process for the appointment of the Civil Service Commissioner. The renewed hearing was held before a five-judge panel. Three justices, Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, David Mintz, and Yael Willner, […]

BREAKING: Rahmanullah Lakanwal, Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, DC, pleads not guilty, government signals pursuit of death penalty.

Dozens of Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshivos of Dati Leumi yeshivos convened this week for an emergency discussion in wake of the IDF’s intention to advance a pilot program to integrate women into the front-line combat units of the Armored Corps’s tank crews, Arutz Sheva reported. During the meeting, testimonies were presented by religious soldiers who […]

A fuel-carrying train derailed and exploded earlier today in Russia’s Tambov Oblast.

A central segment of the long-awaited upgrade to Route 60, the main artery linking Gush Etzion with Yerushalayim, has opened to traffic eight months earlier than planned, a move expected to significantly ease chronic congestion along the heavily traveled corridor.

The project, led by Israel’s Ministry of Transport and carried out by the state infrastructure company Moriah, is advancing at an accelerated pace. Additional sections of the road are scheduled to open over the coming weeks, further improving traffic flow and driving safety in the area.

Route 60, which serves as a sensitive and vital gateway into and out of Yerushalayim, is undergoing a comprehensive overhaul as part of the project. The road is being expanded from a single lane in each direction into a divided highway with two lanes each way. The upgrade is designed to accommodate growing traffic volumes, enhance safety standards, and substantially reduce travel times for commuters and residents.

At this stage, the stretch between Husan and the Shayarot Junction has been completed and opened to traffic, featuring two lanes in each direction. Officials say the opening of this segment has already led to noticeable improvements, including smoother traffic flow, reduced bottlenecks, and a higher level of road safety. Remaining segments of the project are expected to be opened gradually over the next two weeks.

Later this year, an interchange at the Shayarot Junction area is slated to open, including new underground passages. This phase is expected to complete the transportation upgrade along the route and allow for continuous, safer, and more convenient travel.

Once the project is fully completed, residents of Gush Etzion and surrounding communities—including Efrat, Kiryat Arba, and nearby localities—are expected to benefit from a modernized and safer roadway, offering a faster and more reliable connection to Yerushalayim and better suited to the region’s growing transportation needs.

{Matzav.com}

Tom Homan: “President Trump and I would like to thank the men and women of ICE, Border Patrol, and other federal agencies on the ground here for your dedication to the oath you swore… I know the tragedies you’ve seen. The President is with you.”

Tom Homan: “During our efforts to identify and implement improvements of how operations are planned, conducted, and managed, we identified a gap in regard to the use of body-worn cameras… that inconsistency was unacceptable, so we moved immediately to prioritize full body cam deployment in this city.”