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The assailant in last week’s attack on a shul in the northwest of England that left two dead pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, police said Wednesday. The attacker, Jihad Al-Shamie, called emergency dispatchers during his deadly attack on Oct. 2. to express his commitment to the terror group, Counter Terrorism Policing North West said in a statement. Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to force his way into the building. Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said that minutes after Greater Manchester Police were alerted to the attack and as firearms officers were making their way to the scene, Al-Shamie called 999 — the U.K.’s emergency phone number — claiming responsibility for the attack. “He also pledged allegiance to Islamic State,” Potts said. Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in the Yom Kippur attack. Police say Daulby was accidentally shot by an armed officer as he and other congregants barricaded the shul to block Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men remain hospitalized with serious injuries. “This has been a week of deep trauma and mourning for the Jewish community at a time when they should have been observing one of the holiest periods in the calendar of their faith,” Potts said. Police have revealed that Al-Shamie was on bail over an alleged assault on a woman at the time of the attack, but hadn’t been charged. However, police have said he had never been referred to the authorities for exhibiting extremist views. Potts said that “at this stage of our investigation, we are more confident that he was influenced by extreme Islamist ideology. The 999 call forms part of this assessment.” As police work to determine whether or not the attacker acted alone, they have arrested three men and three women in the greater Manchester area on suspicion of the “commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.” A court on Saturday granted police five more days to hold four of the suspects: men ages 30 and 32, and women ages 46 and 61. An 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were released over the weekend with no further action, and two further releases are planned for later Wednesday, police said. Police haven’t identified those arrested or disclosed their links to Al-Shamie. The attack has devastated Britain’s Jewish community and intensified debate about the line between criticism of Israel and antisemitism. Recorded antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have risen sharply since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s ensuing campaign against Hamas in Gaza, according to Community Security Trust, a charity that provides advice and protection for British Jews. (AP)

Today, on the second anniversary of the October 7 massacre, 1,200 chairs—each bearing a photo of a victim murdered that day—were placed at the center of Columbia University’s campus.

United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf came under heavy fire after appearing to draw a parallel between imprisoned bnei yeshiva and the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The controversy erupted following a letter he sent to Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu.

In his letter, Goldknopf praised the progress being made toward a hostage release deal but said he wished “to take the opportunity” to remind Netanyahu of the bnei Torah currently jailed in Israel “during these holy holidays,” imprisoned for what he called “the crime of Torah learning.”

“I request that you act immediately to release them from prison, still during these holidays, so they can celebrate with their family members during Sukkos,” Goldknopf wrote.

The comments come amid an intensifying national debate over the chareidi draft issue.

Goldknopf’s letter immediately provoked sharp backlash from across the political spectrum, with critics condemning the perceived comparison between the jailed bnei yeshiva and the hostages in Gaza.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett blasted the statement, calling it “simply disgraceful.” He denounced what he described as the government’s “dark alliance of [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich-Netanyahu-Goldknopf, which is currently educating hundreds of thousands of children with the same distorted anti-Zionist worldview.”

“Very soon, we will replace this group, this government of failure and decay, and open a new and wonderful chapter for the people of Israel,” Bennett added, referencing his party “Bennett 2026,” which plans to run in the next elections.

Gadi Eisenkot, former IDF chief of staff and head of the Yashar! Party, also condemned Goldknopf’s comments, describing them as “a manifestation of what will no longer happen in a renewed, decent Israel.”

He added that Goldknopf should “disappear from our public life and be replaced by young men and women, servants of this nation, who are committed to it and worthy of it.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) was equally scathing, saying, “Goldknopf and his whole bunch have lost their minds.”

“The hostages are dying, while he [Goldknopf] and his chareidi draft-dodging followers are a group of spoiled privileged people who somehow think they have the right to evade military service, while the IDF fights to protect their lives, cushioned by government budgets,” Lapid charged.

The newly established Reservists Party, founded by reserve soldiers advocating for universal conscription, also issued a strong rebuke.

“Instead of issuing a letter of gratitude to the tens of thousands of reservists who will once again spend the Sukkos holiday guarding the country’s borders, so that you and your draft-dodging friends can celebrate, you ask the prime minister to release the ‘prisoners of the world of Torah’ so they can celebrate at home,” the party said in a statement.

“These are fateful days for the State of Israel, and you and your colleagues are doing everything possible to prevent the enlistment of the chareidim, to avoid easing the burden on reservists, and to strengthen draft dodgers, criminals who break the law,” the statement continued.

{Matzav.com}

Indirect discussions between Israeli and Hamas representatives began Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, as part of renewed efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and secure the release of hostages, according to Egyptian media reports.

The state-affiliated outlet Al-Qahera News, which maintains close ties with Egyptian intelligence, said the negotiations are focused on “preparing ground conditions” for both the release of hostages held in Gaza and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, in line with President Donald Trump’s peace framework to end the ongoing conflict.

According to the report, “Egyptian and Qatari mediators are working with both sides to establish a mechanism” to implement the agreement, coordinating communication between the two parties in hopes of finalizing terms in the coming days.

Trump weighed in on the developments Sunday, issuing a warning to Hamas that “time is of the essence or massive bloodshed will follow.”

“There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East. These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly,” wrote Trump.

“The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST. I will continue to monitor this Centuries old ‘conflict.’ TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OR, MASSIVE BLOODSHED WILL FOLLOW — SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE!” he added.

Over Shabbos, Trump cautioned that Hamas faced “complete obliteration” if it refused to give up power in Gaza, emphasizing that his administration’s patience was running thin as diplomatic activity around his ceasefire proposal accelerated.

Just a day earlier, Trump announced that Hamas had offered a favorable response to his plan, describing Friday as “a big day” and calling the progress “unprecedented” in a video shared on Truth Social.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump unleashed a scathing rebuke of Fox News, accusing the network of favoring Democrats while downplaying his overwhelming popularity among Republican voters.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump criticized both Fox and correspondent Peter Doocy for allowing Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona to promote Democratic healthcare policies without pushback.

“Why is Fox News and Peter Doocy putting on Democrat Senator Mark Kelly to talk about, totally unabated or challenged, Healthcare?” Trump wrote.

“The FAKE SPIN is so bad for Republicans that it is hard to believe that we WIN.”

Trump said that Fox owed its ratings to him and his supporters but has been turning that success into advantage for Democrats. He warned that the situation would become “very unfair” for Republicans once he was no longer leading the fight. “Therefore, we should fix it, NOW!” he added.

The president also accused Fox of deliberately ignoring polling that reflects his immense backing within the Republican Party.

“They refuse to put up Polls that correctly show me at 65% in Popularity, a Republican RECORD,” Trump wrote.

“But if I have a fake bad ‘Poll’ … they put them up immediately, and with gusto.”

Trump blasted the network as “one of the worst pollsters out there” and said that its attempts to be “politically correct” were alienating its core Republican viewers.

His latest comments highlight the ongoing deterioration of his relationship with Fox News — once a key ally — which he now says has aligned itself with establishment figures and Democratic talking points.

“Fox should either get on board, or get off board, NOW, but at this point, it just doesn’t make any difference to me,” Trump wrote.

“They suck up the Ratings because of us, and then spin them in the Democrats’ direction.”

The fiery post quickly gained traction online, earning thousands of shares and tens of thousands of likes within hours.

Trump’s tirade was the latest in a series of blistering attacks he’s aimed at Fox News in recent months.

Back in June, he posted that “MAGA HATES FoxNews” and accused the network of using “crooked” polling methods that consistently misrepresent his standing in elections. He asserted that Fox has “been biased against me for years.”

That same month, Trump went after Fox panelist Jessica Tarlov, saying she “soils ‘The Five’” and calling her presence “a disgrace to television broadcasting.”

Earlier, in April, Trump took direct aim at media mogul Rupert Murdoch, claiming Murdoch “has told me for years that he is going to get rid of his FoxNews, Trump Hating, Fake Pollster … This ‘pollster’ has gotten me, and MAGA, wrong for years.”

Trump has also faulted Fox for amplifying Democratic voices, blasting the network last spring for booking too many guests from the opposing party, declaring that “FoxNews spends so much time interviewing the other side that we must win, DESPITE them.”

{Matzav.com}

In a new public letter, Rav Shlomo Eliyahu Miller, rosh kollel of Kollel Avreichim of Toronto, has issued a clear directive urging parents to vaccinate their children against measles and to act responsibly to prevent further spread of the illness.

The letter emphasizes the halachic and moral obligation to protect health, quoting the Torah injunction of “ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם” — “You shall be very careful with your lives.”

Rav Miller states, “One is obligated to have their children vaccinated to prevent the measles. If one has any symptoms of the measles they should stay at home and not go to Shul or to any public event.”

Rabbi Miller’s statement comes amid rising concern in Jewish communities worldwide following a recent uptick in measles cases in Israel and parts of North America.

The letter concludes with a message: “ורופא כל בשר ירחם על עמו ישראל וירפא כל החולים — May the Healer of all flesh have mercy on His people Yisroel and heal all the sick.”

{Matzav.com}

The relatives of hostages still held in Gaza have appealed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee to recognize President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his efforts to broker an agreement that would secure their release.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum submitted a letter to the committee, describing Trump as a deserving candidate for the prestigious award due to his involvement in advancing the deal that aims to free the remaining 48 captives and bring the war in Gaza to an end.

“At this very moment, President Trump’s comprehensive plan to release all remaining hostages and finally end this terrible war is on the table,” the forum wrote, representing the majority of hostage families in Israel.

“We strongly urge you to award President Trump the Nobel Peace Prize because he has vowed he will not rest and will not stop until every last hostage is back home,” the letter continued.

The forum praised Trump’s leadership in efforts to free captives, noting his role in facilitating the U.S.-brokered cease-fire that led to the release of several hostages earlier this year between January and February.

“From the moment of his inauguration, [Trump] brought us light through our darkest times,” the group said.

“In this past year, no leader or organization has contributed more to peace around the world than President Trump. While many have spoken eloquently about peace, he has achieved it,” the forum emphasized.

Their appeal came just days ahead of Friday’s scheduled announcement of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

Trump has long sought the Nobel honor, and those close to him have said he is eager to finally receive the recognition. His pursuit dates back to his first nomination in 2018.

In July, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu nominated Trump for the award, highlighting the United States’ role in striking Iran’s nuclear facilities during the 12-day war and in mediating the cease-fire that followed.

The White House also pointed to Trump’s record in resolving multiple global disputes, claiming he has “ended seven conflicts so far,” including those between Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thailand and Cambodia, India and Pakistan, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Serbia and Kosovo.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of people are stranded on Mount Everest at around 5,000 meters after heavy snowstorms hit the Tibetan side several days ago. While some tourists have been evacuated, roughly 200 remain trapped, suffering from hypothermia and altitude sickness, as rescue efforts continue.

This morning, the Nir Oz community joined the “Riders for the Hostages” group in a unified convoy from their temporary home in Kiryat Gat to the cemetery at Kibbutz Nir Oz, commemorating two years since October 7th. The convoy carried photos of the nine kibbutz members still held hostage in Gaza.

As the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks nears, Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has unveiled a new digital archive titled “The October 7 Files: Organized Evil.” The initiative seeks to document the Hamas-orchestrated massacre as “the product of years of indoctrination, meticulous planning, and systematic exploitation of civilians.”

The online platform, which cautions viewers about “sensitive material,” declares that its mission is to “reveal the engineered terror behind the massacre.” It does so through an array of Hamas “manuals, orders, and hidden intelligence” that, according to the site, “expose the organized evil that turned October 7 into one of the darkest days in modern history.”

The Gaza conflict began when Hamas launched its coordinated assault on October 7, sending thousands of terrorists across Israel’s borders by land, air, and sea. The rampage left roughly 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage — most of them civilians — amid acts of shocking violence and sexual brutality.

Today, 48 hostages remain captive in Gaza, with at least 20 of them thought to be alive.

An official from the ministry told Israel Hayom that while the global community “accuses us of genocide,” the site demonstrates that it was in fact Hamas “who committed genocide on October 7.”

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry claims that over 67,000 people have been killed since the war began, though its figures make no distinction between terrorists and civilians and have not been independently verified.

Israel has consistently denied allegations of genocide in Gaza, as well as reports of widespread starvation, though it has acknowledged that “there are issues of access to food” in certain regions of the Strip.

Among the newly released materials are Hamas documents and maps identifying “kibbutzim, kindergartens, synagogues, youth centers, and other civilian locations” as primary targets. Attackers were instructed to “kill as many as possible” and to capture civilians as hostages.

A note found on the body of one of the terrorists described Israelis as “a disease immune to medicine” and declared that “the treatment is to slice off heads and to rip out hearts and livers.”

Also included in the trove is a “Fighter’s Guidebook – Jihad Version,” distributed by Hamas, which instructed operatives to “spread fear and chaos among the civilians, tie their hands and blindfold them, use electric shocks on the hostages and execute anyone who presents a threat or distraction.”

The site displays additional evidence such as Arabic-Hebrew phrasebooks used by Hamas fighters, containing phrases like “we will kill the hostages” and “take off your pants.” It even features directions for livestreaming the assault via cellphone.

According to the government’s translation of Hamas’s operational blueprint, the terrorists were ordered to prioritize “children and women” as captives. In one kibbutz operation, the mission’s objective was defined as “inflicting the maximum possible human losses, taking hostages, and establishing positions inside until further orders are issued.”

The publication also highlights Hamas’s “religious dispensations to murder and capture Jews or Israelis,” arguing that the terror group’s crimes were “normalized religiously by radical Islamist clerics, who provided a distorted interpretation of the Muslim religion.”

The ministry explained that such rulings “were issued in addition to historic fatwas written on this subject, effectively legitimizing the murder of Jews wherever they may be.”

One cited source, a 2015 Hamas text titled Fiqh al-Jihad w’al-Amman, “explicitly permits the deliberate killing of enemy women, children, and the elderly if they are considered to be ‘assisting in the fight’ through sedition, encouraging the fighting (tahrid), expressing opinions, or any other form of support.”

A fatwa quoted on the website states: “Zionist society is an armed society (‘musallah’) founded on land theft, desecration of holy places, and blood. Most of their youths — boys and girls — are conscripted. Therefore all occupiers from among the Jews are fighters, with no difference between men, women, the old or the young. They can be killed in battle, or regarded as prisoners of war if captured alive.”

“The October 7 massacre was not a spontaneous eruption of violence but the product of years of preparation, indoctrination, and systematic exploitation of civilians. Hamas combined military training abroad, religious decrees, and operational handbooks with detailed intelligence gathering to plan an unprecedented assault on Israeli communities,” the site states, condemning Hamas’s “use of hospitals, schools, mosques, and even humanitarian institutions as shields.”

“In the aftermath of October 7, Hamas sought to manipulate global perception while continuing to exploit Gaza’s civilians,” the ministry wrote, contrasting the terror group’s actions with those of Israel, which it said has worked alongside “international partners to expand humanitarian corridors, field hospitals, and aid delivery all while grappling with the rising toll of hostages, missing persons, and civilian deaths.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A source told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that Turkey has recently succeeded in establishing contact with two Hamas factions responsible for holding hostages — groups with which there had been no prior communication.

The development follows Israel’s deportation of 137 flotilla activists to Turkey just two days earlier, a move that came amid heightened tensions between the two nations.

Earlier this month, Ankara announced that it had detained an individual accused of working for Mossad and had launched a criminal investigation into Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which took place over Yom Kippur.

The renewed dialogue between Turkey and Hamas coincides with escalating international pressure on the terror group. Just a day earlier, President Donald Trump warned Hamas that it faced “complete obliteration” if it refused to relinquish power in Gaza, a necessary step for the advancement of his ceasefire proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu stated on Sunday that no component of Trump’s peace framework would be carried out until every one of the 48 hostages is safely returned to Israel. Netanyahu’s comments came after Trump acknowledged having personally urged the Israeli leader to accept his 20-point plan.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, a Hamas representative told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya network that the organization had begun gathering the remains of deceased Israeli hostages as part of preparations for implementing the proposal.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Preparations are nearing completion for a massive gathering of bnei yeshivos that will take place immediately after Sukkos at Yerushalayim’s Pais Arena, under the banner “Amudei Olam” (“Pillars of the World”).

The event, organized by Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos, is being held with the blessing of gedolei Yisroel, led by Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and is expected to draw tens of thousands of yeshiva bochurim from across Eretz Yisroel.

The goal of the event is to inspire and fortify the bnei yeshivos during this pivotal time, emphasizing their role as the spiritual pillars upon which the Jewish nation stands.

Senior roshei yeshiva, members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, marbitzei Torah, and community rabbonim will all participate.

The highlight of the gathering will be the arrival and addresses of the gedolim, who will deliver words of chizuk and inspiration about the importance of Torah learning and the unique mission of bnei Torah in today’s generation.

A central feature of the evening will be a joint learning session, in which tens of thousands of participants will simultaneously learn the same sugya, creating an atmosphere of rishcha d’Oraisa and spiritual elevation throughout the arena.

The event will also include a special presentation announcing the winners of the second annual “Talmudo Beyado” program, which honors over seventy-five authors of outstanding Torah chiddushim selected from thousands of submissions reviewed by a panel of roshei yeshiva.

Seating will be arranged by yeshiva, with each institution designated its own section in the arena to ensure orderly participation. Alongside the addresses of the gedolim, the evening will feature a major musical production combining classic batei midrash melodies from past generations with new arrangements. Performing on stage will be singers Mordechai Ben David, Beri Weber, Rav Hillel Paley, and Bentzi Stein, accompanied by a large orchestra conducted by Yehuda Galili and the Malchus and Neshama choirs.

In recent days, a delegation of rabbonim from Ichud Bnei HaYeshivos has been visiting the homes of leading gedolim, members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and roshei yeshiva to receive their blessing and participation.

The decision to hold the event followed consultation with the Vaad Rabonei HaIchud, headed by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Chevron Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dovid Cohen. The gedolim instructed that the gathering be held under the slogan “Vayigbah libo b’darchei Hashem” — to strengthen the resolve of yeshiva students in their sacred mission.

Registration is currently underway through the Ichud’s online portal or via the organization’s phone center. Attendance will be by advance registration only, with tickets including organized transportation from all parts of the country.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A high-ranking Palestinian Arab official revealed to al-Arabiya that Hamas is demanding the release of six of the most dangerous and senior terrorists imprisoned in Israel as part of a potential deal to free the hostages still in its hands.

The official explained that ahead of the upcoming negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the terror group presented a list of names that includes some of the most notorious figures in the Palestinian terror world. Among them are Marwan Barghouti, founder of Fatah’s al-Aqsa Brigades; Ahmad Sa’adat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) who orchestrated the assassination of Israeli Minister Rehavam Ze’evi; Hassan Salameh, a Hamas operative tied to multiple suicide bombings; Ibrahim Hamad, a senior Hamas commander who led an extensive terror network; and Abdullah Bargouti and Abbas a-Said, Hamas leaders from Ramallah and Tulkarm who directed suicide attacks against Israeli civilians.

In addition to those prisoner demands, Hamas is also expected to insist that 400 aid trucks be allowed to enter Gaza daily. The group further seeks to relax restrictions on movement for residents traveling between the southern and northern regions of the Gaza Strip.

Separately, a Palestinian Arab source told Algeria’s al-Khaber newspaper that a letter written by Hassan Salameh from his Israeli prison cell to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had a direct impact on Sinwar’s decision to carry out the October 7 attack.

According to the report, Salameh reached out from prison to his longtime ally, expressing frustration that Hamas’s earlier strategy—using the remains of fallen Israeli soldiers as leverage—had failed to secure the release of imprisoned terrorists. The message reportedly urged Sinwar to pursue a more aggressive course of action to achieve that goal.

{Matzav.com Israel}

As reports surface of progress toward a potential hostage deal and Hamas’s mounting demands as conditions for its approval, Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has pledged that Marwan Barghouti and other high-profile terror leaders will not be included among those released.

According to a report by Moti Kastel on Channel 14, the assurance came during a meeting held in Yerushalayim on Motzoei Shabbos between Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. The meeting lasted over two hours and focused on Israel’s stance ahead of the possible implementation of the emerging hostage agreement.

Sources who were present at the meeting told Channel 14 that Netanyahu made it clear to Ben Gvir that “symbolic terror figures,” particularly Marwan Barghouti, would under no circumstances be part of the exchange — a promise reportedly conveyed explicitly to the minister.

Earlier in the day, reports indicated that Hamas is demanding the release of members of its elite Nukhba unit — the same terrorists who carried out the Simchas Torah massacre on October 7 and were captured either that morning or in the days that followed. According to the report, Hamas is insisting that between 100 and 200 of these operatives, currently held in Israel and not yet brought to trial, be freed as part of the deal.

Israel has made clear its staunch opposition to the release of these perpetrators, responsible for what officials have described as “the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.” The issue is expected to become one of the central points of contention between Israel and Hamas during the final stages of negotiations.

In addition, Hamas is said to be demanding the release of several senior prisoners from the Second Intifada, including Marwan Barghouti — one of the most prominent figures in the Palestinian Fatah movement — who is currently serving five life sentences plus forty additional years in an Israeli prison.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

It’s now less than 24 hours to Yom Tov.

I’m your neighbor.

Baruch Hashem, our sukkah is built. Baruch Hashem, my children — and there are many of them — have new clothes for Yom Tov. Baruch Hashem, I got a new suit and hat for Pesach, so I’m good to go. Baruch Hashem, there are a few small roasts in the fridge waiting for Yom Tov.

Baruch Hashem, my daughter found out last night while shopping that our government benefits card isn’t working. We probably need to recertify or something. That’s not happening before Yom Tov.

Baruch Hashem, I bought several bottles of wine l’kavod Yom Tov. Baruch Hashem, we’ll be buying Arba Minim tomorrow at the shuk — one set for the whole family, including myself because that’s all I can afford.

Baruch Hashem, we’ll somehow figure out how to pay our several-thousand-dollar credit card balance, our mortgage, and tuition.

Nobody has asked me how I’m managing. Nobody has asked if I’m okay. Nobody has offered to help. Not the big organizations, not my Rav, not the neighborhood fund. Because Baruch Hashem, nobody knows that I’m struggling financially.

On the outside, I look the same as always. I still have the same job, and my wife has picked up a few tutoring jobs on the side. But our family has doubled in size. My income hasn’t. And now, I’m drowning.

I don’t know what could be different. I just know that I’m struggling, deeply, quietly, and alone.

Gut Yom Tov.

Embarrassed to Sign My Name

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

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{Matzav.com}

Walking down Avenue J in the day preceding sukkos, seemingly every vacant store is suddenly occupied and the sidewalks teeming with street vendors selling arba minim. From the aspiring bachurim looking to hustle during bein hazemanim to the decades old established esrog centers, everyone has the same goal in mind – hidur mitzvah. Despite the friendly competition, it is beautiful to watch on erev sukkos the achdus as one vendor walks over to another to help him out with some extra lulalivim when one is out. Finally, driving around Midwood in the late hours, the glows of peoples sukkahs emanate as they put the finishing touches ahead of the chag. Photo Credits: PB Photo via Kuvien Images

At almost every street corner and in front of virtually every bank on 13th Avenue, one cannot miss the fact that sukkos is around the corner. While some uninitiated passerby may look on at the bustle in the streets, one can not help but notice the minute details of hachanas mitzvahs chag as one peers down the alleyways and driveways. Photo Credits: PB Photo via Kuvien Images

NEC Director Kevin Hassett: “Right now, we just want a clean Continuing Resolution — and any government worker that loses their job… is going to be because the Democrats are being intransigent.”

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has resigned less than a month after taking office.