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There’s a moment each morning when Shamgar Street transforms. The snarl of buses, streams of coffee-sipping girls, stroller-pushing Mommas and fathers walking sons to cheder. It all flows toward the Yirmiyahu intersection, a thronging wave of beauty in routine schedules. The daily rhythm intensifies, and the city’s heartbeat becomes audible. Feigin Architects saw this convergence when they envisioned Y38. These are the same designers who transformed spaces for the Waldorf Astoria and Jerusalem Estates, who understand that great buildings don’t just occupy locations, they amplify them. An architectural marvel, this 40-residence boutique building captures the essence of this intersection — the marriage of Yerushalayim’s spiritual gravity with its forward momentum. Construction crews are now turning this vision into foundation. Excavation is in full swing! Each apartment is being crafted with floor-to-ceiling windows that will bring Yerushalayim’s iconic blue skies indoors, while expansive balconies are set to become your family’s favorite setting for impromptu hosted bbqs and quiet morning moments alike. Y38 is more than a sought-after, central address and this building goes beyond modern architecture and finer details. It’s in the amenities that make coming home to Y38, a retreat to your private resort.  Luxury, five-star hotel-grade facilities include everything you need to work, unwind and go about your day in comfort and privacy. Your building’s gym becomes your morning sanctuary. The spa transforms stressful days into restoration. A residents’ shul creates instant community, while the business lounge offers professional space just an elevator ride from your kitchen table. And with glamorous private mikvas available you no longer will wait in crowded — or neglected looking — facilities again. As you know, the neighborhood has evolved into a place where English-speaking families build lives, bridge modernity and home comforts with the authentic spirituality they come for. Celebrating Sukkos in Jerusalem? Come witness the transformation in real time. Walk a few feet past the corners of Yirmiyahu/Shamgar. Picture the building rising upon this gaping hole. Imagine spending yom tov at the Rebbe or summer vacation with the local grandkids with Y38 as your beautiful home base.  Hear more details about why Y38 is more than address! >>> https://api.jewishadgroup.com/YUBvLz  

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist assemblyman leading the New York City mayoral race, attended Kol Nidrei at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, wearing a white kippah and seated prominently between Rep. Jerry Nadler and State Comptroller Brad Lander. The event, hosted by Lab/Shul — a self-described “artist-driven, everybody-friendly, God-optional, pop-up, experimental community for sacred Jewish gatherings” — saw Mamdani receive a standing ovation from attendees. Nadler, the outgoing dean of the Congressional Jewish Caucus and a longtime figure in New York Democratic politics, has publicly endorsed Mamdani’s campaign. Nadler’s own synagogue, B’nai Jeshurun, circulated an email to congregants last week clarifying that Mamdani would not be attending services there, calling Yom Kippur “a holy day of deep spiritual significance, of introspection and prayer — not a time for political campaigning.” Mamdani’s appearance has reignited criticism from major Jewish organizations, who have accused the candidate of antisemitic rhetoric and hostility toward Israel. The assemblyman, a vocal supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, has said he would order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York City. He has also refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” declining to acknowledge its violent implications against Jews. David May, senior analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, responded to Mamdani’s appearance, posting a photo from the event on X and quoting the introduction to Kol Nidrei: “We allow praying with sinners.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas sharply criticized New York’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, branding him both a “jihadist” and a “Marxist,” while claiming that the New York Stock Exchange has become overly “woke.”

Mamdani, who currently serves in the New York State Assembly, emerged victorious in the Democratic primary this past June, defeating Andrew Cuomo. The former governor is now mounting an independent bid in the general election. Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams — beset by numerous controversies, including a bribery indictment that was later dropped — officially withdrew from the race last week.

During an appearance on Kudlow on Fox Business, host Larry Kudlow pointed out that the Securities and Exchange Commission had just granted approval for a new Texas-based stock exchange. “Texas wins SEC approval for a new stock exchange that will challenge the New York Stock Exchange up here in the blue state of New York,” Kudlow said. “And here’s another one for you. You may have seen it in the paper. JPMorgan, the great banking operation, has now more employees in Texas than it does in New York. And of course, we’re about to elect a socialist mayor.”

Cruz responded bluntly. “Look, what’s happening is, New York is run by crazy people,” he said, before referring to Mamdani — who could become New York’s first Muslim mayor — as “a jihadist.”

“Mamdani, if he’s elected, is a Marxist. And you are going to see people who believe in free enterprise, people who believe in property rights, people who don’t want a jihadist radical who wants to defund the police fleeing New York City and coming, many coming to Texas,” Cruz said. “Look, I think the Texas Wall Street or colloquially known as ‘Y’all Street,’ which can I think is pretty funny, I think that’s gonna be a powerhouse that if you wanna go and not have a woke stock exchange trying to impose political ideology on you but, instead, simply have an avenue to raise capital, Texas is gonna be the place to do it.”

{Matzav.com}

By Avi Abelow

Trump’s Gaza deal is now official — and let’s be clear: this is a terrible deal.

Yes, I understand why some people are calling it “the best deal Israel can get right now,” and why Prime Minister Netanyahu felt pressured to agree.

But do not be fooled: this so-called diplomatic breakthrough, brokered by President Trump and agreed to by Qatar and several Arab regimes, is a ticking time bomb for Israel, America, and the free world.

Even if this is another layer of “4D chess”, like the psychological games Trump and Netanyahu played before the Iran strike, this deal still fundamentally empowers our enemies, rewards terror, and legitimizes the very ideologies that brought about the October 7th massacre.

Let’s not sugarcoat reality.

Even if Hamas rejects the terms, the mere fact that many of its terms are even on the table projects weakness. It elevates Islamic jihad terrorist actors as legitimate players. It sends the message that with enough bloodshed and enough hostages, evil wins a seat at the table. This is a diplomatic abomination.

The Trump Administration’s Blind Spot

Let’s face a painful truth: even the Trump administration, strong on Israel in many ways, made a critical strategic mistake by whitewashing the role of Qatar, and failing to confront the global threat of Islamic Jihad ideology.

Qatar isn’t just a Gulf state. Qatar is Hamas. Hamas is Qatar. It is the ATM of terror, the patron of Hamas, and the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, the ideological factory of modern jihadism. That Qatar, complicit in the October 7th massacre, is being treated as a potential partner for Israel is nothing short of grotesque.

And Trump demanding that Netanyahu apologize to Qatar, without Qatar apologizing for its direct role in the Oct. 7th massacre and mass rape of Jews, is a moral stain and a strategic blunder. It may go down as one of the most dangerous concessions of his administration, because it reinforces a false narrative: that we can negotiate with jihadists, and come out safe.

A Deal That Legitimizes the Next Round of Terror

This agreement ignores the core causes of the conflict: the 1,400+ year theological, political, and cultural indoctrination that teaches generations of Arab Muslims that Israel must be destroyed. That indoctrination doesn’t go away with a ceasefire or a Trump “deal”. It is reinforced by it.

UN-funded schools, from Gaza to Samaria to Jerusalem, continue to churn out young minds soaked in genocidal hatred, funded by Western governments. This deal does nothing to confront that machinery of terror.

It simply repackages the problem in more palatable language.

Giving “regional Arab states” a foothold in Gaza may sound like progress. But when those states, like Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, are themselves tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, it’s a bait-and-switch. We’re not replacing jihadists who want Israel destroyed. We’re rotating them.

And the idea that the Palestinian Authority, steeped in corruption, terror-support, and the same genocidal education system, could be a “partner,” if changes are implemented, is a dangerous fantasy. One that even Netanyahu knows is false. Even if that is just a bond to throw Saudi Arabia, it is a mistake that keeps the genocidal dream of destroying Israel alive.

The Only Path Forward: Hamas Surrender and Jewish Return to Gaza

Let’s be blunt: the only deal worth discussing is one in which Hamas surrenders unconditionally, all hostages are released, and Trump’s Gaza emigration plan is implemented. Anything else is theatre, deadly theatre, that kicks the can down the road, again.

We are not in a diplomatic crisis. We are in a moral war, a war the West, and Trump administration continue to remain oblivious on how to beat it.

And that war has only one outcome: the total defeat of jihadism by the West, with the Israel restoring Jewish sovereignty over Gaza, together with the removal of all those in our countries with the genocidal ideology that seeks to destroy us. Not just throughout Israel including Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, but from America, Britain, France, Germany, Canada etc.

Without their actual physical removal, the Western nations are doomed to self-destruct and fall to Sharia law.

So Why Did Netanyahu Agree? Strategic Realities

As bad as the deal is, I understand Netanyahu’s reasoning. He’s playing chess while surrounded by vultures. And as flawed as he is, he remains the only realistic Prime Minister of Israel capable of holding the line. Any of his political rivals on the center-left would have fully capitulated and left Israel in a horrible position. That’s not praise, it’s just cold fact.

Let’s unpack his strategic calculations:

1. The Deal Meets Israel’s Core Stated War Demands — In Theory

• Return of all hostages
• A demilitarized Gaza
• No Hamas in control
• No PA involvement
• No Palestinian state

If these were enforced, the deal aligns with Israeli red lines. But enforcement is a massive “if,” especially when the same bad actors are still in the game.

2. Neutralizing Domestic Political Threats

The hostage issue was weaponized from the beginning, not to save lives, but to topple the Netanyahu government. By making a deal, with global support, to save all the remaining hostages in Gaza, Netanyahu has neutralized the destructive protest movement in the name of the “hostages”. He has stabilized internal politics and rebuilds short-term unity to move Israel forward.

3. Hamas Is Boxed In, For Now

Trump succeeded in getting buyin from the Arab world, that, for the moment, is putting pressure on Hamas.

If Hamas accepts the deal, they’re eliminated. If they reject it, they’re isolated. Either way, Netanyahu forces a lose-lose on Hamas, temporarily.

As Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey are not our friends. Their ideology is the same. Today Hamas is isolated. Tomorrow, or years down the road, the terror will just be rebranded.

4. Buying Time Before a Larger War

With war on the horizon against the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah again in Lebanon, Netanyahu and Trump both want the Gaza front dialed down. That makes sense tactically. But buying time without solving the root problem only guarantees a continuation of the war later.

The Long-Term Problem: The War of Civilizations

This isn’t a border conflict. This is a civilizational clash.

Islamic jihad is not new. It is a 1,400-year-old war of conquest, and Hamas, the PA, Hezbollah, and even Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Itan, Syria etc. are all soldiers in that war.

The West refuses to name it. Worse, it funds it.

No ceasefire, no agreement, no “Gaza under Arab control” solution will solve a war rooted in the idea that Jews don’t deserve to live, not in Tel Aviv, not in Hebron, not in Gaza.

The Silver Lining? Netanyahu’s Historic Shift in Rhetoric

At his UN speech, Netanyahu crushed the Oslo paradigm in words, which is historic for him. He made the following things clear:

• 90% of Arabs in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza supported the October 7th massacre.
• The PA is indistinguishable from Hamas.
• There will be no Palestinian state.

This is new language for Netanyahu, and it’s huge, even though many of us wish he had spoken like this since he first took office in 1996. For the first time, Netanyahu is leading a diplomatic line to destroy the Oslo paradigm publicly.

If this deal is a stepping stone in that direction, it’s good, but we are still in dangerous territory.

But it definitely signals the start of a deeper strategic pivot.

Bottom Line: A Horrible Deal, But a positive Strategic Shift

This deal fails to address the core evil we face.

It appeases jihadists and reinforces the cycle of temporary calm followed by bloodshed.
It ignores the religious and ideological root of the conflict.

But perhaps, just perhaps, it also marks the beginning of the end of illusions.

If so, it’s our job to keep pushing, unapologetically, for the only solution that will bring real peace:

Gaza must be made Jewish again, with full Israeli sovereignty. And not just Gaza. Judea. Samaria. And all lands that they attack us from that we liberate, including our tribal lands of Dan, Naftali and Menashe, today known as Southern Lebanon and Southern Syria. Only land conquest and removal of all those who support killing us non-infidels is the way to beat back the Islamic jihad.

The enemies of Israel, and the freedom loving world, must be defeated, not bargained with.

And the Islamic jihad must be confronted head-on, not whitewashed.

Stay strong. Strengthen your faith in Hashem, these are Geulah times. Do not be discouraged by developments, be encouraged. The hour of truth is coming, and we must meet it with courage, clarity, and uncompromising strength and emunah.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Avi Abelow heads PulseofIsrael.com/IsraelUnwired.com. This opinion piece first appeared at Israel National News.

{Matzav.com}

Greta Thunberg, the 22-year-old Swedish climate activist, has alleged that she endured inhumane conditions inside an Israeli detention center following her arrest aboard an aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. Thunberg claimed her holding cell was infested with bedbugs and that she was subjected to mistreatment during her confinement.

According to an email from Sweden’s Foreign Ministry — sent to Thunberg’s parents and later shared with The Guardian — Swedish officials met with Thunberg while she was being held in Israel.

In their correspondence, diplomats reported that Thunberg complained of exhaustion and dehydration, saying she had not been provided with enough food or water.

“She also stated that she had developed rashes, which she suspects were caused by bedbugs,” the email said. “She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.”

Thunberg further told Swedish representatives that she was compelled to pose for photographs while holding flags and asked whether those images had been distributed publicly.

It remains unclear which flags Thunberg was forced to hold during the alleged incident.

Israeli authorities intercepted Thunberg’s vessel on Thursday, one of more than 40 ships that took part in the so-called Global Sumud Flotilla. Several passengers were detained in connection with the coordinated attempt to breach Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza.

Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu dismissed the flotilla as part of a “de-legitimization campaign against Israel.”

Defense Minister Yisroel Katz described the flotilla as “a Hamas terrorist operation.”

Thunberg had previously been involved in another Gaza-bound flotilla in August, which was similarly halted by Israeli forces before it reached its destination. That interception triggered demonstrations in cities across the globe.

In the aftermath, Colombia expelled Israel’s diplomatic staff and announced the termination of its free trade agreement with the country. Turkish officials in Istanbul are reportedly investigating the August detentions.

Turkish activist Ersin Çelik, who also took part in the flotilla, told the state-run Anadolu News agency that “they dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others.”

Journalist Lorenzo D’Agostino described the scene differently, saying Thunberg was “wrapped in the Israeli flag” after her capture “and paraded like a trophy.”

A total of nine Swedish nationals, including Thunberg, were detained for participating in the flotilla.

“The Swedish embassy in Tel Aviv remains in contact with Israeli authorities to stress the importance of swift processing and the possibility of returning home to Sweden,” the Foreign Ministry’s email to her parents stated.

“Based on discussions with detained individuals, the importance of addressing individual medical needs was also emphasized.”

“Moreover, the embassy stressed that food and clean water must be provided immediately, and that all detainees must be given access to Israeli legal counsel, if desired.”

{Matzav.com}

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas expressed approval on Saturday of President Donald Trump’s declaration halting Israeli military operations and initiating talks on his proposed plan to end the conflict.

In a statement highlighting Hamas’ “positive” reaction and commending the group’s declared readiness to release all hostages, Abbas lauded Trump’s “tremendous” efforts to bring the Gaza war to an end and promote lasting peace. He also voiced gratitude to Arab and Muslim nations that have supported mediation efforts.

Abbas stated that the “State of Palestine” is ready to cooperate constructively with President Trump and the international community to realize a “just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy.”

He outlined the Palestinian Authority’s main objectives as achieving a permanent ceasefire, obtaining the release of all hostages and Palestinian prisoners, facilitating the prompt flow of humanitarian aid through the United Nations, preventing the expulsion of Palestinians or Israeli annexation of territory, and beginning the reconstruction of Gaza.

Reaffirming his government’s claim of jurisdiction over Gaza, Abbas stressed that “sovereignty over the Gaza Strip belongs to the State of Palestine, and that the connection between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip must be managed through Palestinian laws and governmental institutions, a Palestinian administrative committee, and a unified security force under one law and order, with Arab and international support.”

He further urged world powers to pressure Israel to stop all “unilateral actions” that he said breach international law, citing settlement expansion, “settler violence,” assaults on holy sites, and Israel’s withholding of PA tax revenues used to cover debts and pay compensation to victims of terror.

“The sovereign Palestinian state is the natural partner for regional stability alongside the State of Israel,” Abbas said. “The time has come for a lasting peace that ensures security and justice for all peoples of the region.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scrambled to save his political career in the chaotic days following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault, as fears spread within his own party that Likud lawmakers were preparing to replace him, according to a new report in Haaretz. Citing multiple sources inside the Prime Minister’s Office, the report describes Netanyahu’s urgent internal campaign to secure his position — one that included quickly assembling a wartime unity government and personally lobbying ministers not to resign. “The fear was that the government was about to be replaced in short order — maybe a week,” one official told Haaretz. “They would pick a new prime minister to manage the war. That process didn’t happen only because they couldn’t agree on Netanyahu’s replacement — and because [Benny] Gantz wasn’t on board.” In the hours after Hamas gunmen breached Israel’s southern border, Netanyahu’s political allies reportedly began to panic. Some Likud figures privately discussed a “constructive vote of no confidence” — a parliamentary maneuver to oust the government and immediately approve a new one in its place. A senior opposition source told Haaretz that even some within Likud were ready to move on. “The MKs we spoke to thought it was over,” the source said. “But it wasn’t. That effort just blew up. They got half a year of quiet, and everything got normalized.” Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a Netanyahu confidant, reached out to both National Unity leader Benny Gantz and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid early on October 7 — without informing Netanyahu — to invite them into an emergency unity government. Gantz immediately accepted. Once Netanyahu learned of the outreach that afternoon, he moved quickly to formalize the arrangement. The unity government was established on October 11. The deal bought Netanyahu what aides described as “breathing room.” Behind closed doors, Netanyahu worked to shore up loyalty inside his cabinet. He held small, sometimes one-on-one meetings with ministers to dissuade them from quitting — giving the impression they were integral to military decision-making even when their influence was limited. “He would call them to the room, show them a map of the Middle East on the wall, and say, ‘Look, our forces are here and here, the terrorists are there,’” one attendee recalled. “Then at the end — ‘How can you talk about resigning now and toppling the government?’” Those efforts succeeded. Netanyahu held his coalition together long enough to stabilize the government and project an image of control as Israel entered a prolonged war. The emergency government lasted until June 2024, when Gantz resigned — accusing Netanyahu of political paralysis and mishandling of the war. But by then, the prime minister had regained his footing. Within weeks, Netanyahu sought to deepen divisions between opposition parties and frame calls for his removal as unpatriotic during wartime. Opposition leaders, wary of being seen as undermining national unity, largely refrained from public confrontation. “On the one hand, soldiers were being killed, and we couldn’t create more division,” said a Yesh Atid source. “On the other hand, every day that these people are in power is bloodshed in vain.” A Likud insider described the opposition’s restraint as a political gift. “They didn’t miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” the source said. “If the roles were reversed, Bibi would have torn them apart.” Though […]

Harvard Law School placed a visiting professor on administrative leave after police say he fired a pellet rifle steps from a Boston-area synagogue as people arrived for the start of Yom Kippur. Carlos Portugal Gouvea, 43, was arrested Wednesday night after two shots rang out near Temple Beth Zion on Beacon Street. He later told authorities he had been “hunting rats,” according to a police account cited by local outlets. Investigators said there is no indication the synagogue itself was targeted, but the gunfire triggered a heavy police response as security guards and people scrambled at the scene. Gouvea was charged in Brookline District Court with illegally discharging a pellet gun, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and malicious destruction of property after officers found a shattered car window with a pellet lodged inside, according to the police report. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday, was released on personal recognizance, and is due back in court in early November. Harvard Law School spokesperson Jeff Neal said Gouvea “has been placed on administrative leave as the school seeks to learn more about this matter.” The law school has not announced additional disciplinary action. Two private security guards stationed at Temple Beth Zion told police they heard “two loud shots” and saw a man holding a pellet rifle. When they approached, the man set the gun down, a brief struggle ensued, and he fled into a nearby residence before reemerging and being taken into custody, according to the police narrative. Harvard has been a flashpoint in the national fight over campus antisemitism, facing political and legal pressure from Washington over whether it adequately protects Jewish and Israeli students. The university has sued to challenge federal funding freezes it says are punitive and politically motivated, even as both sides inch toward a potential settlement. Gouvea is a Harvard Law alumnus who earned his doctorate in 2008. He also serves as an associate professor at the University of São Paulo Law School and leads a Brazilian policy institute focused on social and environmental issues. Neither he nor an attorney listed in court records responded to requests for comment from local media. Brookline police said additional details would be released as the investigation progresses. Gouvea’s next court appearance is scheduled for November. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Bashar al-Assad, the deposed Syrian ruler living in exile, was reportedly hospitalized in Russia after being poisoned, according to a human rights monitoring group.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed that al-Assad, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was rushed to an intensive care unit on September 20 in critical condition. After receiving treatment, he was discharged nine days later, the group said in its report released Thursday.

According to the watchdog, al-Assad fell ill while residing in a secure villa located near Moscow, where Russian authorities are said to maintain a heavy security presence around his residence.

Although his movements are reportedly limited, al-Assad has continued to receive numerous visitors at the villa, the report noted.

“Whether the poisoning was a result of confusion or more, no one knows,” reads the report. “When Bashar al-Assad was admitted to the hospital, he was admitted in an emergency room and in critical condition in intensive care in a private hospital in or near the Moscow suburbs.”

“Only the party that carried out the operation knows whether it was to kill Bashar al-Assad or to embarrass the Russian government,” the report adds.

Citing anonymous sources, the watchdog said that Russian officials were not involved in the incident, suggesting instead that “it may have been intended to implicate the Russian government,” and to portray “that President Putin is incapable of protecting him.”

Moscow has not issued any official response regarding the claims.

Al-Assad was overthrown last December after the Islamist militant faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham captured Damascus and forced his regime from power.

As rebel forces closed in, al-Assad reportedly told his generals that reinforcements from Russia were on their way.

Less than a day later, he fled the Syrian capital with his wife and three children aboard a flight bound for Moscow.

{Matzav.com}

Maj. Gen. (res.) David Zini is set to formally take over as head of the Shin Bet today (Sunday), following the Supreme Court’s decision to reject petitions seeking a temporary freeze of his appointment late last week.

Due to the backlash that surrounded the selection process, no public ceremony will be held either at the agency’s headquarters or in the Prime Minister’s Office to mark the transition.

At the outset, Zini will collaborate closely with Deputy Shin Bet chief S., who has been serving as acting director since Ronen Bar’s departure, to ensure a smooth and professional transfer of responsibilities.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu released a statement on Sunday morning expressing support for the incoming security chief. “I congratulate the incoming Shin Bet chief, Maj. Gen. (res.) David Zini, and wish him success in the enormous task that lies ahead of him. Special thanks to S., the outgoing Deputy Shin Bet chief, for his dedicated service that has contributed greatly to maintaining the security of Israeli citizens.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

WATCH:

In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Reinman describes the early origins of Greek culture, its eventual arrival at atheism and the development of Greece as a powerful imperial force.

WATCH:

Who were the Greeks? The Greeks call themselves Hellenes after a mythological figure named Hellen from who they believe they are descended. The Romans called all of them Greeks after the Graikos, a small tribe who lived in southern Italy, and that name stuck with them. According to Jewish tradition, they are called Yevanim, descendants of Yavan, one of Noach’s grandsons. The Ionians, one of the major Greek tribes, still carry that name, Yavan being expressed as Ion in the vowel-rich Greek language.

The Greeks were late to join the civilized societies of the Imperial Quadrant. After they emigrated from Mesopotamia in very deep antiquity, they established settlements on the numerous Cycladic islands of the Aegean Sea, on the Greek mainland and along the western coast of Asia Minor on the fringes of the Hittite Empire. The settlements grew into independent city-states governed by minor kings. The city-states sometimes fought each other and sometimes joined forces against common enemies …

The seminal event of Greek civilization and culture was the Trojan War, which loomed large in the Greek collective memory. For a long time, modern scholars believed there was no place called Troy, that there had never been a Trojan War. Archaeologists in the nineteenth century, however, discovered the incinerated ruins of the city of Troy dating back to about 1200 b.c.e. Apparently, there had been a city called Troy, and apparently, there had been a war that devastated it. But without contemporaneous written records, the memory was preserved only by oral repetition, and as it was told and retold over the centuries, it acquired many layers of myth.

In about 800 b.c.e., at about the time Shlomo was ascending the throne of the Kingdom of Israel, a Greek teller of folk tales named Homer appeared on the stage of history. The Greeks had recently adapted the Phoenician alphabet to their own language, and Homer used it to write an epic poem describing the conquest and destruction of Troy. The book was called The Iliad, and it turned out to be one of the most influential books in history.

According to the Homeric story, a Trojan prince named Paris carried off Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. In outrage, a group of minor Greek kings, headed by Agamemnon, King of Mycenae and brother of Menelaus, organized an expedition to rescue Helen and take vengeance upon the Trojans.

The climactic events described in The Iliad are set in the tenth and final year of the siege of Troy. The cast of characters is almost equally divided between members of the human race and members of the god race; some characters are offspring of cohabitation between humans and gods, further blurring the line of demarcation between the human race and the god race. All these characters maneuver and fight against each other on and off the battlefields, and the result is a sweeping tale of bravery, prowess, courage, cowardice, loyalty, passion, treachery, adultery, pride, greed, honor and disgrace.

Homer’s story was a work of genius, a literary masterpiece remarkable for its style, poetic forms, imagination, characterization and close examination of the human experience in the realm of the gods. It was such a rich mother lode of literary material that it formed the basis for much of future Greek and Roman literature. Most notably, Aeschylus and Euripides drew on it for their tragedians in later periods, and Virgil, the leading Roman dramatist, wrote a sequel in Latin called The Aenid …

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

{Matzav.com}

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1605-Chikuy-Part-05-Simcha.mp3

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

 

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Stories4Life-Shiur-488-My-Problem-Brisker-Rav.mp3

Associates of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir indicated today that he plans to vote against the proposed hostage agreement, arguing that the deal’s inclusion of convicted terrorists makes it unacceptable.

“From the outset, we’ve said that leaving anyone behind is unacceptable, and partial deals are a disaster,” the sources said.

According to those close to him, Ben Gvir maintains that the only effective way to bring the hostages home is by ramping up military operations and completely halting humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Although the latest proposal reportedly calls for the release of all remaining hostages, the minister remains firmly opposed because of what he views as excessive compromises.

The sources also noted that Ben Gvir has no intention of quitting the coalition at this stage. His primary condition, they stressed, is the total elimination of Hamas. If the group is permitted to survive in any political, military, or civilian form, they said, Ben Gvir would be unable to stay in the government.

“Ben Gvir is expected to tell the Prime Minister during their meeting: If Hamas continues to exist, in any form, that’s a red line. We will not remain in the government,” his associates said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem today blasted the American-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza, calling it “full of dangers” and accusing Israel of using diplomacy to secure the objectives it failed to achieve through warfare.

Addressing mourners at a memorial for two senior Hezbollah members slain in last year’s conflict with Israel, Qassem—quoted by AFP—asserted that the plan advanced by U.S. President Donald Trump was merely a façade for Israeli ambitions.

“In fact, this plan is a plan full of dangers,” Qassem claimed. “It is Israel’s project, which it seeks to achieve through politics after failing to achieve it through military action, aggression, genocide and famine.”

Qassem noted that while Hamas had expressed openness to the proposal a day earlier, the ultimate decision belonged to the various Palestinian factions. “Ultimately, the Palestinian resistance, Hamas, and all the factions are the ones discussing and deciding what they see fit,” he said, stressing that he would not “interfere in the discussion of the details.”

The Hezbollah figure also cautioned against what he labeled the “Greater Israel project,” which he said envisions Israeli sovereignty extending beyond its recognized borders to encompass Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and parts of neighboring states. “We must confront the Greater Israel project,” he declared. “The project will reach him sooner or later, according to Israel’s planning.”

Qassem’s remarks came amid mounting domestic pressure for Hezbollah to lay down its arms. Lebanon’s government recently instructed the army to draft a comprehensive plan to disarm the group by the end of 2025.

Following that decision, the Lebanese cabinet informally endorsed a military proposal for Hezbollah’s disarmament, though no official vote was taken and no firm timetable established.

Qassem denounced the government’s effort, reiterating that Hezbollah has no intention of relinquishing its weapons and will continue to resist any attempt to force its disarmament.

{Matzav.com}

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Cairo today to lead high-level discussions aimed at implementing the first phase of President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan — beginning with what officials described as “the immediate release of all hostages.”

“Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Egypt later today to finalize the technical details of the hostage release and discuss the lasting peace deal,” a White House official confirmed.

President Trump praised Israel for pausing its military campaign to allow the negotiations to move forward. “I appreciate that Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in order to give the Hostage release and Peace Deal a chance to be completed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off. I will not tolerate delay, which many think will happen, or any outcome where Gaza poses a threat again. Let’s get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!”

According to Axios, the Cairo summit marks the formal launch of Trump’s 21-point Gaza peace initiative, which both Israel and Hamas have cautiously welcomed. Trump gave the terror group until Sunday at 6 p.m. to accept the plan, warning that if it refused, “all HELL” would break loose.

Israeli officials told Channel 12 News that of the 48 hostages still held in Gaza, about 20 are believed to be alive and could be released “within a few days.” The plan envisions a simultaneous exchange involving Palestinian prisoners, alongside a gradual IDF withdrawal under a temporary ceasefire.

Witkoff, who has served as Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, previously helped negotiate the release of all surviving American hostages. He will be joined by Jared Kushner, who played a central role in brokering the Abraham Accords in 2020, normalizing Israel’s relations with several Arab nations.

“In light of the Hamas response [to the Trump peace plan], Israel is making preparations for the immediate implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan which is the immediate release of all of the hostages,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said in a statement.

“We will continue to fully cooperate with the president and his team in order to end the war in accordance with the principles that Israel laid out and which are in line with President Trump’s vision.”

Trump reaffirmed his optimism on Friday, declaring that he believed Hamas was “ready for a lasting PEACE.” He added in a video statement, “This is a big day. We’ll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down and concrete. Very importantly, I look forward to having the hostages come home to their parents.”

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina expressed doubts that Hamas would honor the terms of the plan. “No disarmament, keeping Gaza under Palestinian control, and tying hostage release to negotiations, along with other problems,” Graham wrote on X. “This is, in essence, a rejection by Hamas of President Trump’s ‘take it or leave it’ proposal.”

From Doha, Mousa Abu Marzouk, who heads Hamas’s foreign-relations office, told Al Jazeera that the Trump plan’s requirement for the release of all Israeli captives within 72 hours was “theoretical and unrealistic under current circumstances.”

Among those still held are the bodies of two slain Americans, Itay Chen, 19, and Omer Neutra, 21.

Omer’s father, Ronen Neutra, said Friday that his family remained hopeful. “We’re hopeful that this is the beginning of the end, that Hamas gave a serious answer, that the threats of President Trump have echoed and they understand they have to give the hostages back and they’re not going to start fooling around with ‘We can’t do this, we can’t do that’ later on,” he said.

“But in general that’s the direction we hoped things would go, and we’re just going to sit and wait and hope for them to lay out the agreement together with Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar. And hopefully we can see our son back with the other 47 hostages,” he added.

Hamas stated that it would free the captives once “field conditions are met,” meaning after Israel halts deeper incursions into Gaza City. However, the group stopped short of agreeing to disarm or relinquish authority in Gaza to an international peacekeeping body headed by Tony Blair, the former British prime minister.

The proposed framework includes the deployment of an Arab-led stabilization force to maintain order as Israeli troops withdraw from the enclave.

According to Army Radio, Netanyahu has ordered the IDF to reduce its activity in Gaza City “to a minimum” and to restrict operations to defensive measures only.

Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera that while Hamas had accepted the general outline of Egypt’s proposal, further talks were needed to define the details. “All details related to the peacekeeping force need understandings and clarification,” he said, adding that Hamas had agreed “in principle” to transfer administrative control of Gaza to an independent body backed by broad Palestinian support.

“The priority is to stop the war and massacres,” he said, while stressing that the group “would not accept threats or dictates.”

{Matzav.com}

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic frontrunner in New York’s mayoral race, called for the immediate release of the activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla who were detained by Israeli forces while attempting to bring humanitarian supplies to Gaza.

“This week, the Global Sumud Flotilla tried to deliver life-saving aid to Gaza. Instead, 461 people — including New Yorkers — have been detained by the Israeli military,” Mamdani wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

He further condemned Israel’s handling of the humanitarian situation, saying that the “intentional starvation of Palestinians must halt.”

If elected in the upcoming November 4 election, Mamdani would make history as New York City’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor.

The Global Sumud Flotilla had set sail with the stated mission of breaking the Israeli blockade of Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to residents of the besieged enclave.

On the night of October 1, as the flotilla neared Gaza’s coastal waters, the Israeli military intercepted and boarded multiple vessels, detaining hundreds of activists and confiscating their ships. Activist organizers and human rights groups have called the operation an unlawful act of aggression against a civilian humanitarian mission.

{Matzav.com}

The days of seeing ads only on your phone or TV may be over — they’re now coming to your refrigerator. Samsung confirmed it will begin displaying advertisements and promotional content on the screens of its Family Hub smart fridges in the United States.

“Samsung is committed to innovation and enhancing every day value for our home appliance customers,” a company spokesperson told Fortune. “As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen that value, we are conducting a pilot program to offer promotions and curated advertisements on certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerator models in the U.S. market.”

The Family Hub refrigerator, which starts at $1,799, features a built-in touchscreen display designed for entertainment, meal planning, and smart home management. Under the new pilot program, advertisements will appear on certain models’ display panels when the refrigerator is idle.

According to Samsung, users will be able to dismiss individual ads, preventing them from reappearing for the remainder of a campaign. The company added that no ads will be shown when the display is set to Art Mode or photo albums.

The move reflects a broader trend of advertising encroaching into daily life. While Americans were exposed to roughly 500 ads per day in the 1970s, by 2023 that number had skyrocketed to over 5,000. More than 90% of those ads come from automated, AI-driven marketing systems designed to target specific users — systems that have raised growing privacy concerns, especially with smart home devices capable of gathering data from inside households.

Samsung emphasized that in this initial test phase, the Family Hub refrigerators will not collect any data related to user engagement with the ads. The company said the main goal of the pilot was to “gather consumer feedback” on new software features, rather than monetize user activity.

Still, the strategy marks another step in Samsung’s long history of experimenting with aggressive marketing placements. In 2015, the company faced backlash after reports emerged that its smart TVs were inserting advertisements into locally stored videos, including content streamed from third-party services such as Plex and Foxtel. Some users also complained of pop-up banners for “Yahoo Business Interactivity” while watching streaming platforms. Samsung said at the time that those ads were intended to be optional but did not respond to Fortune’s latest inquiries about its current ad practices.

Over the past year, Samsung has accelerated its “screens everywhere” initiative — expanding digital displays and AI-powered interfaces across its home appliance lineup, including washing machines and dryers.

Jeong Seung Moon, executive vice president and head of research and development for Samsung’s Digital Appliances Business, told The Verge earlier this year that the purpose behind integrating more displays was to streamline household efficiency.

“First, carrying out household tasks often involves the use of multiple appliances located in different areas of the home,” Moon said. “Managing these different tasks across multiple devices can waste time, but the screen resolves these issues by acting as a central control hub that seamlessly connects the home’s appliances. For users, this means they get to control their home environment from wherever they are, saving time and effort.”

At that time, Moon stated that Samsung’s smart displays did not include advertising and that there were “no plans regarding the inclusion of advertisements on AI Home screens.”

“Any future policies will be guided first and foremost by what best serves our customers’ needs,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

Zohran Mamdani, the Muslin socialist state assemblyman who is the frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race, donned a white yarmulka and sat between Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and state comptroller Brad Lander during Kol Nidrei services on Yom Kippur.

The services, held at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, were run by Lab/Shul, which self-identifies as an “artist-driven, everybody-friendly, God-optional, pop-up, experimental community for sacred Jewish gatherings.”

Mamdani, who had no speaking role, reportedly received a standing ovation.

Nadler, the dean of the Congressional Jewish Caucus who recently said he doesn’t intend to seek re-election, has backed Mamdani’s campaign. The congressman’s non-denominational congregation, B’nai Jeshurun, emailed congregants last week stating that Mamdani would not attend services there, after a New York Times article suggested that he would.

“Yom Kippur is a holy day of deep spiritual significance, of introspection and prayer,” the congregation wrote. “Not a time for political campaigning.”

Major Jewish groups oppose Mamdani, who has said that he would have Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu arrested if the premier were to visit New York City, and who declined to say that the essence behind the phrase “globalize the intifada” incites violence against Jews.

David May, research manager and senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, responded on social media to a picture of Mamdani at the service and wrote, quoting from the Hebrew prologue to Kol Nidrei, “we allow praying with sinners.” JNS

{Matzav.com}