A sharp public and political backlash has followed an interim ruling by Israel’s High Court of Justice regarding prayer arrangements at the Kosel. The court determined that a previous cabinet decision regulating the southern prayer area remains in force and instructed state authorities to move quickly to advance the necessary permits and construction work to establish the site as a permanent mixed-gender prayer plaza.
The decision was issued by Justices Yitzchak Amit, Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, and Justice Daphne Barak-Erez. It centers on removing bureaucratic obstacles that have delayed implementation of the approved framework. According to the ruling, if renewed authorization from the Israel Antiquities Authority is required, it must be granted within 14 days, after which applications for building permits are to be submitted.
The court also ruled that if no planning decision is reached within 45 days, the delay will be considered a rejection, triggering an appeals process within an additional 14 days. The state and the Yerushalayim Municipality were ordered to update the court within 90 days on the progress made.
At present, the southern section of the Kosel includes the Ezras Yisrael platform, a temporary structure made of wood and metal that does not directly adjoin the ancient stones. The petitions before the court sought to implement a previously approved plan to convert the area into a permanent stone-paved plaza, upgrade access routes and infrastructure, and expand the space closer to the Wall itself.
The proposed plaza is expected to span approximately 900 square meters, about 70 percent of the size of the men’s section. It would allow mixed-gender prayer without a separation barrier and would be managed by representatives of the Reform and Conservative movements, with annual government funding.
Following the ruling, calls intensified to advance the so-called Kosel Law, introduced by MK Avi Maoz, which aims to anchor in legislation the authority over management of Jewish holy sites and define the limits of judicial intervention in such matters.
The Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rav Dovid Yosef and Rav Kalman Ber, strongly criticized the court’s decision. In a joint statement, they said the ruling represented an inappropriate intervention at the holiest site for the Jewish people and warned that it could lead to division at a place that symbolizes unity.
Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri also condemned the ruling and announced that his party would move to promote immediate legislation. He declared that the court has no authority to alter the nature of prayer at the Kosel and insisted that management of the site must remain solely under the Chief Rabbinate. He pledged that no Reform prayer plaza would be established at the Kosel and said Shas would urgently advance legislation to safeguard the site’s sanctity in line with longstanding tradition.
MK Meir Porush accused the judiciary of attempting to undermine the Jewish character of the state and called for reforms to the legal system. He argued that if the system is not corrected, references to Israel as a Jewish state should be removed from the Declaration of Independence.
Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler described the ruling as predictable and charged that the court consistently acts against religious tradition. He asserted that the majority of the Jewish public supports maintaining the current status quo at the Kosel and expressed confidence that the site’s sanctity would be preserved.
Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich also denounced the decision, saying the court had once again exceeded its authority and harmed the sanctity of the Kosel. He stated that there is one people, one Kosel, and one form of prayer as practiced for generations according to Jewish law and the rulings of the Chief Rabbinate, and vowed to move quickly to pass legislation protecting the site.
Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Minister, and Minister for Religious Services Yariv Levin said the ruling crossed a red line and called it illegitimate. He argued that it contradicts the foundational values of the State of Israel and urged the government and Knesset to act without delay. He expressed support for legislation stipulating that management of the Kosel be entrusted exclusively to the Chief Rabbinate or an authority it approves.
Knesset Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman described the ruling as further evidence of what he called the judiciary’s loss of direction. He predicted that the decision would ultimately be overturned and cited previous High Court rulings that were later reversed through legislation, saying this one would be changed even more quickly.
Amid the public outcry, the judiciary issued a clarification defending the ruling. In a statement, it explained that the decision enforces the government’s position in accordance with a directive from the Prime Minister issued in June 2017. The statement added that the government’s position in the hearing was that a building permit for the southern plaza should be advanced and that this stance was supported by an affidavit from the Cabinet Secretary.
According to the legislative proposal being advanced by Shas, the Kosel would be managed strictly in accordance with religious law and established custom. The bill outlines prohibitions against Shabbos and Yom Tov desecration, ceremonies not in line with local practice, mixed-gender prayer, inappropriate dress, and various religious activities in the women’s section that diverge from tradition. Violations could carry penalties of up to six months in prison or a fine of 10,000 shekels.
Political officials estimate that the dispute surrounding the Kosel is likely to intensify in the coming days, as efforts to fast-track legislation collide with the High Court’s ruling, which has triggered widespread public controversy.
{Matzav.com}
The USS Gerald R. Ford sailed into the Mediterranean Sea on Friday morning, fueling mounting speculation that the United States could be preparing for possible military action against Iran.
Maritime tracking data showed the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier transiting the Strait of Gibraltar earlier in the day. Despite its entry into the Mediterranean, the warship remains several days away from reaching a position from which it could conduct operations targeting the Islamic Republic.
The Ford is expected to link up with the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, reinforcing the American naval presence in the region. The movement comes after President Trump indicated Thursday that he may decide within the next 10 days whether to authorize a strike on Iran.
{Matzav.com}On Motzaei Shabbos Mishpatim, the Beren dining room of Beis Medrash Govoha was transformed into an elegant setting befitting a beautiful simcha — the annual Talmudo B’Yado Melave Malka. At the center of the room stood seforim shranks displaying the newly printed kuntreisim, the very reason for the celebration.
The evening honored the accomplishments of the talmidim who were mesayem the rigorous three-year program with the publication of their kuntreisim. The mesaymim were joined by their families — wives, parents, in-laws, and grandparents — to mark this milestone. The crowd of over 400 participants also included the Roshei Yeshiva of BMG, Roshei Chaburah, editors, and other chashuve guests who came to share in the simcha.
Rabbi Yitzchok Wagner, Director of Talmudo B’Yado, opened the evening by explaining the nature of the simcha. He related that several years ago, a yungerman in BMG who had been married for some time and had not yet been zoche to children went to Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l seeking a bracha. Knowing that Rav Chaim would often advise such individuals to write a sefer, this yungerman, who had completed Talmudo B’Yado, arrived with his published Talmudo B’Yado kuntres in hand.
When Rav Chaim suggested that he write, the yungerman quietly placed his kuntres on the shtender. Rav Chaim warmly bentched him, but as he turned to leave and reached to retrieve his work, Rav Chaim stopped him firmly: “This stays with me.” In that moment, Rav Chaim affirmed the profound value of written Chiddushei Torah — not only from renowned talmidei chachamim, but from every sincere ben Torah. Talmudo B’Yado seeks to instill that same appreciation, teaching participants to recognize that their Torah, carefully developed and committed to writing, truly matters. How great, then, was the simcha this evening with the publication of 63 new kuntreisim, representing the amal and yegiah baTorah of these chashuve yungerleit.
Rabbi Wagner then introduced the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Malkiel Kotler, who has guided Talmudo B’Yado since its founding 18 years ago. The Rosh Yeshiva spoke about the immense benefits of writing in developing one’s learning and truly making it part of oneself. He shared about a certain Talmid Chacham who, in his later years, struggled with his former ability to learn. Yet when presented with Torah he had written decades earlier, he was able to recognize it and learn it anew. What he had written had become part of him — something his mind could still access. This, the Rosh Yeshiva explained, is what every talmid who works to write his chiddushei Torah can achieve.
A noticeable buzz passed through the crowd as the next speaker was introduced: the new Mashgiach of BMG, HaRav Reuven Hechster. The Mashgiach discussed how the Chofetz Chaim mentions many times that one must find a practical way to fulfill the chiyuv of Tzipisa L’Yeshua — bringing the Geulah closer. He quoted Rav Shlomo Kluger, who writes in the hakdamah to his sefer Tuv Taam V’Daas that every measure of Torah that is written and published brings the Geulah nearer. Just as the Gemara teaches that Moshiach will come only after a certain number of neshamos enter the world, so too there is a measure of Torah that must be publicized to pave the way for his arrival. Through the efforts of Talmudo B’Yado and the talmidim who are learning to write and publish their Torah, there is a tangible kiyum of the inyan of bringing Moshiach closer.
The final speaker was a Rosh Chaburah in BMG and for Talmudo B’Yado, R’ Ohad Ben-Moshe. Rabbi Ben-Moshe developed the idea that a yungerman who toils in a sugya is creating his own world within that Torah, as Chazal teach that it becomes his Torah. The completion of that process occurs when the yungerman commits his Torah to writing; at that point, he achieves a complete kinyan in the material. Of course, this is only possible with the encouragement and support of the yungerman’s wife and family, who often sacrifice precious time to enable him to invest the necessary effort to reach these lofty levels. Thus, the evening was truly a celebration for all involved, as these new kuntreisim — tangible expressions of hard work — were published.
The night concluded with spirited dancing befitting a true siyum and simcha shel mitzvah. Participants expressed how deeply moved they were by the special atmosphere and energy that filled the room. As one attendee put it, “this is a simcha at which everyone present is a baal simcha!” Rabbi Wagner closed by wishing all participants continued growth, going meichayil el chayil, and noted that the Amudei Ohr Publication Center, also operated by Talmudo B’Yado, stands ready to assist them in continuing to write and publish their chiddushei Torah.
Now entering its 19th year, Talmudo B’Yado has seen over 2,500 talmidim already mesayem the program. Enrollment takes place twice annually, at the beginning of the summer and winter zmanim. For more information, contact Rabbi Wagner at 732-367-1060 ext. 4266.
{Matzav.com}
Senior Israeli defense officials have informed their American counterparts that Iran is dramatically accelerating its missile production, raising concerns that the Islamic Republic could amass 5,000 ballistic missiles by the end of 2027. According to updated assessments, Iran is currently producing roughly 100 missiles per month — a pace that may continue to increase.
The warning comes as the United States remains engaged in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. However, Israeli officials are emphasizing what they describe as a more immediate and tangible threat: Tehran’s rapidly expanding ballistic arsenal. Military correspondent Yossi Yehoshua reported in Ynet that during recent high-level security discussions, Israeli defense leaders presented updated intelligence outlining the scale and speed of Iran’s missile buildup.
Iran’s strategy, according to the assessment, is based on overwhelming volume. While Israel fields advanced air defense systems such as the Arrow, David’s Sling, and Iron Dome, Iranian planners are believed to be banking on the fact that even the most sophisticated systems have limits. Sustained, large-scale barrages are intended to saturate Israel’s defensive shield and inflict significant damage on civilian areas and strategic sites.
Israeli intelligence and air force officials reportedly view these figures not as theoretical projections but as operational planning realities. Sources indicate that the situation could have been even more severe. Without a series of covert disruption and deterrence efforts carried out under Operation “Am KeLavi,” Iran’s stockpile might have reached as many as 8,000 missiles by the end of the decade. Those efforts are said to have slowed the expansion, though not halted it entirely.
Israeli officials are careful not to appear as though they are pushing Washington toward a broader conflict, but they have intensified engagement with the Pentagon in an effort to refocus attention on the missile threat. The Israeli message, according to sources familiar with the discussions, is that the danger is not limited to Israel. Iranian ballistic missiles also pose a direct threat to American bases in the Middle East, regional allies, and overall U.S. freedom of action in the region.
Within Israel’s defense establishment, the central question is whether the acceleration of Iran’s missile production can be curbed before the projected numbers become a strategic reality. For Israeli planners, the concern is no longer abstract. The threat consists of advanced missiles equipped with explosives and guidance systems, and the effort to counter it has become a race against time aimed at preventing a lasting shift in the regional balance of power.
{Matzav.com}
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Trump does not have the authority to rely on emergency powers to enact wide-ranging tariffs on goods imported into the United States.
By a 6-3 margin, the justices determined that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) — the statute cited by Trump to implement sweeping tariffs, including a 10% baseline levy and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports tied to its role in the flow of fentanyl into the US — does not grant the president the power to impose such duties.
Chief Justice John Roberts authored the court’s majority opinion. He was joined by conservative justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, along with liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.
{Matzav.com}Four habitual transit offenders were taken into custody by NYPD officers over a 24-hour period this week, only to quickly return to the streets because of New York’s bail reform laws, the NY Post reports.
Officers in Manhattan identified and arrested the suspects in separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday after recognizing them as individuals wanted in connection with multiple theft cases. By Wednesday, three of the four were already back out, while the fourth remained hospitalized awaiting arraignment and is also expected to be released without bail.
Under current state law, judges are prohibited from imposing bail for most non-violent offenses, a policy critics argue allows repeat offenders to cycle in and out of custody.
“Most of these cases get [declined] by the DAs, or they’re released from court to go find another victim,” one frustrated cop told The NY Post. “There’s a ‘permission structure’ that’s created.”
Among those arrested was Joseph Zimmerman, 56, who has been arrested 47 times in the past. He was taken into custody Monday and charged in connection with two recent pickpocketing incidents, according to sources.
Prosecutors allege that Zimmerman stole a wallet from a man’s bag on Friday, taking a debit card and $300 in cash. He is also accused of stealing $100 and a card from another person on Feb. 2 and later using the card to make unauthorized purchases at a nearby Foot Locker.
Ronielle Howell, 34, who resides in a Brooklyn homeless shelter, was arrested Wednesday and charged with stealing a cellphone from a subway rider in Manhattan on Feb. 7.
According to sources, Howell allegedly trailed the victim into the subway system before grabbing the phone and fleeing.
Luis Maldonado, 49, who has 12 prior arrests, was apprehended Tuesday at the subway station at St. Nicholas Avenue and 184th Street after officers on patrol recognized him. Maldonado, who was already on probation, was sought in connection with the alleged theft of a cellphone from a sleeping subway passenger on Jan. 16.
In a separate incident, Danny Rijos, 50, described by authorities as a repeat offender with at least 36 prior arrests, was arrested in the Bronx shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday. He was charged with grand larceny and drug possession tied to an alleged Feb. 8 incident at White Plains Road and East 241st Street, sources said.
Rijos remains hospitalized, delaying his arraignment, and investigators are reviewing several additional cases across multiple boroughs that may be linked to him.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has made reducing subway crime a priority, responding to persistent complaints from commuters. Still, efforts to curb repeat offenses have faced obstacles.
The NY Post reported in September that 63 repeat transit offenders — responsible for more than 5,000 arrests combined — had been charged with various crimes, yet only five were still behind bars at the time.
In March, police arrested five of the most frequent transit offenders, who together had accumulated nearly 600 arrests, as part of Tisch’s quality-of-life initiative. Three of them were jailed temporarily.
Department statistics indicate that subway crime across the five boroughs declined 7% over the past two years. However, incidents have increased 11% so far this year compared to the same period last year.
Through Sunday, police recorded 293 transit-related crimes in 2026, up from 264 during the corresponding period in 2025.
{Matzav.com}
A public protest campaign is taking shape in Yerushalayim after a newly distributed call to action urged residents to oppose large-scale Purim events planned along Rechov Yaffo. Organizers claim the municipality intends to host mass, mixed public celebrations that they say would undermine the character of nearby chareidi neighborhoods and compromise the sanctity of the city on the Yom Tov.
The announcement, circulated in Yerushalayim on Friday morning, frames the issue as a spiritual struggle over how Purim will be marked in the capital. According to the organizers, the city and its mayor are preparing open-air festivities featuring expanded bar activity and public stages along Yaffo, close to established religious communities.
Residents of adjacent neighborhoods say tensions have been building for years, describing past Purim scenes in which revelers passed through chareidi areas in states of heavy intoxication, with what they characterize as little sensitivity to local customs or to the Yom Tov’s significance.
This year’s plans, they argue, go further. They allege that large stages will be erected, public entertainment events will be held in the open, and bars will be permitted to extend their operations into the street — all within walking distance of some of the city’s most insular frum enclaves.
Of particular concern to activists is the reported routing of pedestrian access to and from the main event areas. According to the protest organizers, entry and exit points are expected to direct crowds through the narrow streets of nearby chareidi neighborhoods. They warn that thousands of attendees who are not part of the local religious community are likely to pass through residential areas throughout the day and night.
“Silence is not an option!” organizers declared in their statement. “How can we stand by and watch holiness swallowed up? We will not allow Yerushalayim, and especially the areas surrounding the chareidi neighborhoods, to be turned into centers of impurity.”
Community sources told Matzav that emergency meetings of rabbanim and local activists are expected in the coming days to determine a course of action. Those involved describe the situation as potentially unprecedented and say they intend to send a clear message that, in their view, Yerushalayim should not be transformed into a nonstop entertainment hub at the expense of the Yom Tov‘s sanctity and neighborhood tranquility.
“Yerushalayim is not hefker,” campaign representatives concluded. “There is a limit to every stunt, and certainly on a holy day like Purim.”
{Matzav.com}
The Gerrer kehillah has announced sweeping new measures aimed at curbing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within its community, joining other groups in Israel and abroad that have spoken out against the rapidly expanding technology. Under the banner “Shabbos Taharenu,” this coming Shabbos, Parshas Terumah, will be dedicated to raising awareness about the perceived spiritual and social dangers of AI. Drashos and public messages in Gerer shuls are expected to focus on confronting what leaders describe as the harmful influence of emerging technologies.
According to information obtained by Matzav.com, the Gerer community is launching a broad educational and regulatory initiative. Central to the effort is a letter from the kehillah’s Committee on Technology Affairs, outlining new rules that sharply limit interaction with AI systems.
The committee’s rabbonim, who say they have studied the issue extensively, formulated guidelines distinguishing between essential professional use and what they call “free dialogue” with AI systems. The latter—defined as conversational engagement with AI in a way that resembles speaking with another person—is described in the letter as a serious spiritual and social threat.
In the letter, dated for Shabbos Taharenu, Parshas Terumah 5786, the committee characterizes modern technological innovation as a powerful contemporary challenge. It states that members of the community have generally complied with previous rabbinic regulations, limiting technology use and relying only on filtered systems when necessary for livelihood.
However, the letter warns that the inclination toward misuse of technology constantly renews itself, citing the rabbinic teaching that “a person’s evil inclination renews itself daily.” The committee describes artificial intelligence as a “new structure” that has entered many professions within just a few years, producing content quickly and efficiently—even for individuals without prior expertise.
At the same time, the letter refers to AI as a “bad companion” or “golem,” warning that users can converse or correspond with it on virtually any subject. It claims that many around the world have adopted AI as a readily available and convenient companion, leading to what it calls shallow and addictive interactions. Beyond that, the letter cautions against exposure to harmful information that could be accessed through such systems.
The committee warns that the perceived danger extends to smartphones—including, it notes, even devices with religious certification—as well as to computers, including those with content filters.
As a result, the new regulations completely prohibit what is termed “Artificial Intelligence – without control,” defined as open-ended question-and-answer interaction that simulates conversation with a human being, whether through speech or writing. Limited use for professional purposes may be permitted when conducted “with control,” meaning the creation of specific outputs—such as images or other products—without any ongoing dialogue component.
The letter further states that the committee has developed methods enabling certain professional uses of AI while technically preventing free conversational interaction. The goal, it explains, is to allow necessary work-related functions without enabling open dialogue that could lead to deeper engagement or dependency.
The authors conclude by emphasizing the broader need to distance oneself from new technological developments in general, and from artificial intelligence in particular. They express hope for divine assistance in navigating what they describe as the challenges of the current era and in avoiding spiritual harm.
An attached appendix, signed by leading Gerer rabbonim, reportedly details the practical guidelines and new safeguards intended to protect households from the influence of advancing technology.
{Matzav.com}
