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}
Florida lawmakers have advanced a proposal to rename Palm Beach International Airport in honor of President Donald Trump, with the state Senate voting Thursday to approve the measure. The 25-11 vote followed earlier passage in the Florida House of Representatives, where lawmakers backed the bill by an 81-30 margin.
Support for the change came primarily from Republican legislators, while Democratic members voiced opposition to rebranding the airport.
“It’s misguided and unfair that the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature ignored the voices of Palm Beach County by pushing forward a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport without giving County residents a real opportunity for input,” said Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents West Palm Beach.
The legislation now moves to Gov. Ron DeSantis for consideration. The Republican governor has not publicly indicated whether he intends to sign the bill into law. His office did not immediately respond to inquiries seeking comment.
The White House also declined to comment on the measure. Representatives for Palm Beach County and the Trump Organization likewise did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment.
The airport renaming effort comes after Florida officials last year approved a separate plan to donate a parcel of downtown Miami property for the construction of Trump’s presidential library.
Trump relocated his primary residence to Florida in 2019. After living for years in a penthouse at Trump Tower in New York, he established his main home at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.
A growing shortage of basic milk products is being felt across Israel, with residents in numerous cities reporting empty dairy shelves and stores restricting purchases to a single carton per customer. What initially appeared to be isolated supply issues has developed into a wider disruption, leaving many consumers struggling to find milk in recent days.
Shoppers have shared images from supermarkets and neighborhood convenience stores showing barren refrigerators and posted notices limiting quantities. Some families say they have been forced to travel from store to store to secure milk, while others report cutting back on usage because of the scarcity.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he has been inundated with complaints about the problem. He stated that over the past several weeks, he has received dozens of reports each day from frustrated citizens. According to Smotrich, the root of the shortage lies in the centralized framework governing Israel’s dairy industry, which he described as “the distorted way in which the dairy market is managed in Israel.”
Smotrich reiterated his commitment to advancing a comprehensive dairy reform plan designed to introduce greater competition into the sector. He contended that resistance to the reform amounts to protecting entrenched monopolies at the public’s expense.
Posting a photograph from a grocery store in his community of Kedumim that displayed a notice limiting milk purchases per customer, Smotrich characterized the situation as unacceptable for a modern nation. Referring to the image, he wrote, “Now at our grocery store in Kedumim,” and added, “In recent weeks, I have received dozens of such complaints daily. This is an unacceptable reality in an advanced country like Israel, and it stems directly from the distorted way in which the dairy sector operates.”
He concluded by vowing to press ahead with changes to the system. “I am determined to fix this and, with G-d’s help, pass the dairy reform. Anyone who opposes it works for the monopolies and acts against the citizens of Israel, and I do not intend to give in to them. There could be plenty of milk here, it could be cheap here,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
