Toronto Police announced Thursday that b&#8217;chasdei Hashem, Esther, the 14-year-old Jewish girl who had been missing for 11 days, has been located and is safe.



Officers from the Toronto Police Service confirmed her recovery and said more details would be provided at a Command Post in Earl Bales Park at 3 p.m.



The news brought an outpouring of gratitude from the Toronto Jewish community and beyond, which had been gripped with worry since Esther — who may also answer to Esti or Sylvia — disappeared on May 16 from the Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road area.



Esther&#8217;s father released an audio message after she was discovered. &#8220;I want to thank everybody who has been instrumental in finding my daughter, for all the support that every single person has given us during this difficult time,&#8221; he said. &#8221; I am extremely emotional and ecstatic to have the information that my daughter has been found. My wife and I appreciate you all.&#8221;



In the days following her disappearance, thousands of volunteers mobilized to distribute missing persons posters and assist in the search. The effort was marked by an unsettling development when posters were repeatedly torn down, prompting outrage from the family and supporters. &#8220;When a family is desperately trying to find their child, this kind of behavior should concern every person in our city,&#8221; said family spokesperson Maureen Leshem. &#8220;Helping bring a missing child home safely should never be political or controversial.&#8221;



A group of multi-faith Toronto residents had posted a $25,000 reward for information leading to Esther&#8217;s return, reflecting the broad community solidarity that the case inspired.



Earlier this week, Esther&#8217;s mother, Shira, had addressed her daughter directly at a press briefing, urging her to come home. &#8220;Esti, my love, if you are watching this, please come home. We love you so very much. We miss you terribly. Your family, here, across the country, and around the world, are searching and praying for you every minute,&#8221; she said.

FOUND: Toronto Teen Esther Found Safe After 11-Day Search

Representatives of both Satmar kehillos and of two Satmar rabbanim gathered in Monsey on Thursday for a historic goral to determine the distribution of prized yerushah items belonging to the Divrei Yoel and other Satmar Rebbes, including the Kedushas Yom Tov zy&#8217;a and the Berach Moshe zy&#8217;a.



The proceedings, held at the home of R&#8217; Lipa Friedman and attended by sons and gabbaim of the Admorim Harav Aharon Teitelbaum shlita and Harav Zalman Leib shlita, as well as the Zenta Rav shlita and Harav Sholom Eliezer Teitelbaum shlita, Rav of the 15th Avenue Satmar shul, were organized into four packages, with each party drawing lots for their respective share of the items. 



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="480" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 480;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/127229.mp4"></video></figure>



The goral for the first package, belonging to Harav Aharon was conducted by R&#8217; Moshe Friedman, the former gabbai of the Berach Moshe, who also received the package on Harav Aharon&#8217;s behalf.



The goral for the second package, belonging to Harav Zalman Leib was conducted by R&#8217; Eliezer Kestenbaum, a prominent philanthropist and close confidant of the Berach Moshe, who received the package on Harav Zalman Leib&#8217;s behalf.



The goral for the third package, belonging to the Zenta Rav, was conducted by R&#8217; Meir Hirsch, a Rosh Kehillah of Rav Aharon&#8217;s kehillah, who received the package on behalf of the Zenta Rav.



The goral for the fourth package, belonging to Rav Shalom Eliezer was conducted by R&#8217; Chaim Shlomo Fischer, the gabbai of Harav Aharon, who received the package on behalf of the 15th Avenue kehillah.



Among the most significant results: the Sefer Torah that the Divrei Yoel himself brought in — a deeply emotional item for the kehillah — fell to Harav Zalman Leib. The letter of the Divrei Chaim to the Kedushas Yom Tov also went to Harav Zalman Leib, as did the Rashi tefillin of the Berach Moshe and the Sefer Torah of the Rebbe zt&#8221;l. The Megillah was received by Rav Shalom Eliezer Teitelbaum&#8217;s kehillah on 15th Avenue, and the Menorah of the Kedushas Yom Tov went to the Zenta Rav.



Harav Aharon&#8217;s package included an extensive collection of historic items: a ksav of the Yismach Moshe with a kamea; the shtreimel of the Berach Moshe and his chair from 550 Bedford Avenue; a k&#8217;sav rabbonus of the Berach Moshe from 5740; a Shas from 5711 belonging to the Divrei Yoel; a Sefer Toras Chaim from the Yismach Moshe and Yetev Lev valued at $75,000; golden becher of the Divrei Yoel zt&#8221;l from 5714; golden bechers of the Berach Moshe; a Rabbeinu Tam of the Kedushas Yom Tov; the shtreimel of the Berach Moshe; a silver walking stick of the Berach Moshe; a set of Shas from 5704 of the Berach Moshe; and the historic tefillin of the Kedushas Yom Tov.



According to the organizers of the goral, the packages of Rav Aharon and Rav Zalman Leib both are worth an estimated $2.7 million each.

Satmar Yerushah Goral in Monsey Brings Together Both Kehilos

The IDF announced Sunday that Israeli forces captured the Beaufort ridge in southern Lebanon, returning to the strategic high ground for the first time since Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000.



The ridge overlooks Metula, the Galilee Panhandle and key northern communities. For the IDF, the operation is meant to deny Hezbollah the terrain it used to observe Israeli towns, direct anti-tank fire and operate rocket and drone infrastructure.



Israel first captured Beaufort during the First Lebanon War in 1982. The site later became one of the symbols of Israel’s 18-year security zone in southern Lebanon. In May 2000, the IDF demolished its Beaufort outpost and withdrew to the international border, while UN Resolution 1701 was later meant to keep Hezbollah away from the area south of the Litani.



Now, 26 years later, Israel says those arrangements failed to remove the threat. The current operation, led by Division 36, included Golani, Givati, the 7th Armored Brigade, the Fire Brigade and the Multidimensional Unit. Engineering forces built crossings over the Litani to move major forces north of the river.



Defense Minister Israel Katz said the move carried both military and symbolic weight. “Twenty-six years after the withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon, the Israeli flag is once again flying over the peaks overlooking the communities of the Galilee,” Katz said. He added that Israeli forces “will remain there as part of the security zone in Lebanon.”



Brig. Gen. Yiftach Norkin, commander of Division 36, said the operation was meant to destroy Hezbollah’s positions on the ridge “so that direct fire cannot be carried out toward the northern communities and the Galilee Panhandle.” The capture of Beaufort signals that Israel is no longer relying solely on border defenses and diplomatic arrangements to contain Hezbollah. Instead, it is moving to seize and hold the terrain from which the group threatens northern Israel.

Israel Captures Beaufort For First Time Since 2000 In Major Lebanon Push

President Donald Trump has privately raised doubts about whether Vice President JD Vance can succeed him as the leader of the Republican Party, according to a New York Times report published today as Republicans increasingly look toward 2028.



Trump has reportedly asked advisers and allies whether Vance has what it takes to “go all the way,” and has sometimes answered that question himself by saying he is not sure. The report said Trump has criticized Vance over his political experience, vacation time, personal style and initial opposition to military action against Iran.



According to the report, Trump repeatedly brought up Vance’s Iran position, including in front of the vice president himself. “I&#8217;m more of a man of peace than you, but I had to do it,” Trump reportedly told him. Trump also reportedly questioned Vance’s decision to lead talks in Pakistan, which did not produce the results the White House had hoped for.



Despite the criticism, the relationship between the two remains strong. Trump continues to include Vance in major decisions, gives him a public role in advancing the Republican agenda and recently praised him for his work on fighting corruption. White House officials, including chief of staff Susie Wiles, have reportedly urged Vance to reduce his online fights with critics.



The report also points to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a major rival in the post-Trump succession fight. Trump has reportedly asked guests, “JD or Marco?” and recently floated the idea of a Vance-Rubio “dream team,” while stopping short of endorsing either man.



Vance remains one of the clearest heirs to Trump’s movement, but Rubio’s rise has made the 2028 question more complicated. Recent polling showed Rubio nearly tied with Vance among Republican voters, making Trump’s private doubts politically significant.

Trump Privately Questioning Whether Vance Can Succeed Him

It&#8217;s with great sadness Belaaz reports the petirah of Rebbetzin Miriam Twersky A”h, the almana of the Rachmastrivka Rebbe of Boro Park, Harav Chai Yitzchok Twersky Zt”l.



Born in Romania in 1934 (5694), Rebbetzin Miriam was the daughter of the Skverer Rebbe, Harav Yaakov Yosef Twersky zt”l, and Rebbetzin Treina a”h, daughter of the Ostila Rebbe, Harav Pinchas zt”l.



In her youth she married the Rachmistrivka Rebbe zt”l, son of the previous Rachmastrivka Rebbe, Harav Yochanan Twersky zt”l.



Their wedding took place on 20 Adar 1954 (5714) in Manhattan and was honored by the presence of the greatest Admorim of the generation, including the Satmar Rebbe, the Vayoel Moshe zt”l, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the Imrei Chaim zt”l, and many other Gedolei Yisroel.



For nearly seven decades she stood faithfully at her husband’s side through every stage of their life; in Williamsburg, the Skvera community, and later in Boro Park, supporting his heilige avodah with strength, wisdom, and quiet devotion.



The Rebbetzin&#8217;s Kevura is set to be beside her husband in Monsey.



Levaya details to follow.



Bsuros Tovos.

Petirah of Rebbetzin Miriam Twersky a”h, 92, Almana of the Rachmastrivka Rebbe Zt”l

Authorities are investigating multiple unusual incidents in Brooklyn after more than a dozen people were spotted climbing into and out of sewer manholes, police said Friday.



According to investigators, at least seven individuals were seen entering a manhole near McDonald Avenue and Colin Place in Gravesend at approximately 11 p.m. Thursday. The group remained underground for several hours before resurfacing around 2 a.m. Friday.



“Authorities conducted a thorough investigation following reports of unauthorized individuals inside the sewer system on McDonald Avenue,” read a social media post from the 62nd Precinct. “The NYPD and other agencies have completed their sweep, confirming the area is safe and free of hazards.”



In a separate incident roughly eight miles away, officials said another group of eight people descended into the sewer system near Heyward Street and Bedford Avenue at about 1 a.m. Friday.



Police said those individuals emerged from the manholes shortly before 4 a.m. and then left the area in a vehicle.



The NYPD&#8217;s K-9 unit, the FDNY, and the city’s Department of Environmental Protection responded to the scenes and conducted inspections.



A spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Protection said both sewer locations were examined and determined to be structurally safe, while stressing that members of the public should never enter the sewer system.



“Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces. For these reasons, members of the public should never enter a pipe, drain, catch basin, manhole, or outfall,” the spokesperson said in a statement.



City Council Member Susan Zhuang praised emergency responders for their handling of the situation and warned about the dangers associated with entering underground infrastructure.



“What happened in Gravesend and Bedford Avenue this week was dangerous, illegal, and cannot be dismissed. Our sewers contain deadly gases, unstable surfaces, and serious flooding risks, they are not a place anyone should ever enter,” Zhuang said in a statement.



“To anyone tempted to explore these spaces: it is not worth your life. If you see someone entering a manhole, call 911 immediately.”



Investigators are continuing to examine both incidents and are working to determine whether the two groups were connected.

Police Probe Groups Seen Entering and Exiting Sewers Through Brooklyn Manholes

Italian authorities have canceled a Kanye West concert that had been scheduled for July in the northern city of Reggio Emilia after members of the local Jewish community voiced concerns over the rapper’s record of antisemitic statements, officials announced Saturday.



Officials also called off a planned concert by rapper Travis Scott at the same venue. Salvatore Angieri, the local prefect, ordered the cancellations citing public safety and security concerns, including the possibility of demonstrations and unrest.



West has seen multiple performances across Europe scrapped this summer following years of antisemitic comments, including praise for Adolf Hitler and the dissemination of content featuring Nazi imagery.



Scott has continued to face questions about concert safety following the 2021 crowd crush at Houston’s Astroworld festival, which left 10 people dead and hundreds injured.



Scott was scheduled to perform at the “Pulse of Gaia Festival” on July 17 at the 103,000-seat RCF Arena, while Ye was set to take the stage the following day.



Angieri said the move followed appeals from consumer advocacy group CODACONS as well as the Jewish community of Modena and Reggio Emilia, which had specifically expressed concerns regarding Ye’s appearance.



Authorities said the back-to-back scheduling of the two events and the large number of attendees expected within a 24-hour period contributed to the decision. Officials also referenced the cancellation of other Ye concerts elsewhere in Europe and the “concrete risk” of protests.



In April, Britain barred Ye from entering the country, determining that his presence would not serve the public good. Later that month, he postponed a concert in Marseille after reports indicated the French government had attempted to prevent the event from taking place. Planned performances in Poland and Switzerland were also canceled.



Ye, who has apologized for previous remarks and said they stemmed from untreated bipolar disorder, has continued performing in countries willing to host him and is scheduled to hold a concert in Istanbul on Saturday. Last November, he met with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto.



He is also expected to perform in the Netherlands next month after Dutch officials said there was no legal basis to deny him entry.

Italy Cancels Kanye West Concert Amid Jewish Community Security Concerns

The Leviev Foundation unveiled a major new educational program, pledging $50 million over the next five years to provide scholarships and educational grants for Jewish children from immigrant and underserved communities, the Jerusalem Post reported Monday.



Speaking at the Opening Gala of the media outlet&#8217;s New York Conference, Chagit Leviev Sofiev, daughter of billionair philantropist Lev Leviev stressed the importance of ensuring access to Jewish education, declaring that “Jewish identity should never be a luxury.” She recounted a conversation with a young public-school student who told her, “Don’t worry, no one in my school knows I am Jewish.”



The remark left a deep impression on her, she said, because Jewish children should feel proud of who they are and never feel compelled to conceal their identity.



The foundation, which focuses on strengthening Jewish identity through education, has already helped tens of thousands of Jewish children receive a Jewish education. Its work includes financial aid, mentorship opportunities, and partnerships with communities to support future generations.



“The importance of Jewish education was deeply rooted in my family”, she continued, describing how her great-grandfather, Zevulun Leviev, was sent to Siberia for teaching young “Jewish children how to read the aleph bet.” She also recalled that her grandfather, Avner, endangered himself to maintain Jewish traditions while secretly serving as the region’s only mohel. Her father often shared a lesson from her grandfather, who would tell him he was focusing on the “wrong diamonds,” because “the real diamonds are waiting for you, Jewish children need your help.”



That philosophy later inspired Lev Leviev to establish more than 150 Jewish schools and institutions across the former Soviet Union and other locations. He also went on to found the first free Jewish school in Queens.



Reflecting on raising her own children in the United States, Leviev Sofiev said she came to appreciate the same lesson her father had learned years earlier. “While raising my own children in America, I began to understand something my father had recognized decades earlier…they all understood something that we cannot forget,” she stated. “Jewish continuity survives only when each generation is willing to protect it.”



According to the foundation, the new initiative is intended to ensure that Jewish families are not forced to choose between financial pressures and providing their children with a Jewish education.



“My great-grandfather helped preserve Jewish learning, my grandfather reminded us who the real diamonds are, my father helped rebuild Jewish education, and now it is our responsibility to continue that work,” she said. “Because the greatest diamonds we will ever invest in are not the ones in jewelry, but the children of the future.”

Leviev Foundation Launches $50 Million Effort To Expand Jewish Education

A well-known Muslim interfaith advocate is set to head what organizers describe as the first Muslim delegation to take part in New York City’s annual Israel Day Parade on Fifth Parade on Sunday, despite facing threats and backlash for her outspoken support of Israel and the Jewish community, according to the New York Post.



Anila Ali, a Pakistan-born civil rights activist and founder of the American Muslim &amp; Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council, said she plans to march with dozens of fellow Muslim supporters, including an imam and several children.



“We are a little worried after somebody’s been calling and saying to wear a bulletproof vest,” Ali told the New York Post. “But we’re fighting to take back our country, and it’s a fight that every American should join.”



Ali’s participation comes amid criticism directed at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for choosing not to attend the parade, making him the first sitting mayor to miss the event since 1964.



Ali said her presence at the parade is intended to send a clear message as antisemitism continues to rise.



“I want to show I’m a proud Muslim,” she told the New York Post. “I try not to think about the threat, but about what we’re doing – standing with Israel’s right to exist.”



A longtime supporter of Muslim-Jewish engagement, Ali has previously led Muslim delegations to Israel and said she has frequently come under attack from opponents of her outreach efforts.



“I’m now speaking at the height of antisemitism in America for my Jewish brothers and sisters,” she said.



Ali also took aim at Mamdani over his decision not to participate in the parade and after appearing at a recent End Jew Hatred demonstration outside Gracie Mansion. “Saying ‘I’m a Muslim’ does not give you, Mr. Mamdani, the right to make Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe,” she said at a recent rally, according to the Post.



She further argued that the mayor has created an atmosphere in which critics are reluctant to speak out.



“He’s using the politics of intimidation,” Ali said. “They want this mayor out, but they fear that the moment they say something, they will be intimidated and harassed.”



Mamdani has maintained that skipping the parade should not be viewed as a slight against the Jewish community and has pledged full security assistance for the event. Nevertheless, his decision drew criticism from Jewish leaders and pro-Israel organizations, which noted that every New York City mayor for more than 60 years has attended the parade.



Mark Treyger, chief executive of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, which organizes the event, praised the involvement of Muslim and other interfaith participants.

Muslim Activist To Lead Historic Pro-Israel Delegation In NYC Parade Despite Death Threats

The Trump administration is preparing for the possible collapse of Cuba’s communist government as early as this summer, while war-gaming military response plans in case the island descends into chaos, Axios reported Thursday, citing U.S. officials.



Trump has not authorized an invasion and prefers a peaceful transition, according to the report. But his administration is escalating sanctions and other pressure tools against Havana in what one senior official described as “accelerationism.” The official told Axios: “But we don’t want to kill off the regime just yet. There’s a method to this. It’s in stages.”



U.S. Southern Command held a multiagency tabletop exercise last month to prepare for possible military action in Cuba, Axios reported. One official said “everything is on the table, but no invasion is planned or imminent,” adding that Washington was preparing for unrest if power shortages, food spoilage and summer heat trigger mass protests.



The pressure campaign has already moved into public view. Trump signed a May 1 executive order targeting companies doing business with GAESA, Cuba’s military-controlled business empire. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later announced sanctions against the group, while the Justice Department unsealed a federal murder indictment against Raúl Castro over the 1996 Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.



Cuba has accused Washington of trying to justify intervention. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said Rubio was manipulating public opinion to support military aggression, while U.S. officials say the campaign is aimed at isolating the regime and directing assistance to Cubans through churches and charities instead of Havana.

Trump Prepares For Possible Cuba Collapse As Sanctions Pressure Intensifies

The UJA-Federation of New York announced it is purchasing 20,000 bags of Bamba in response to an anti-Israel boycott approved this week at the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn.



The progressive Brooklyn co-op voted Tuesday to boycott Israeli products following a lengthy internal dispute among its roughly 17,000 members.



Many Jewish members viewed the boycott effort as discriminatory, and the debate surrounding the vote drew involvement from elected officials, rabbis, and major Jewish organizations ahead of the decision.



Supporters of the boycott campaign claimed the move was intended to “stop genocide.”



The boycott affects only a limited number of Israeli products sold at the co-op, including Bamba, the popular peanut-flavored Israeli snack.



“In response to the divisive and hate-driven boycott of Israeli products at the Park Slope Food Coop, UJA is buying those very products, starting with a purchase of 20,000 bags of Bamba,” the federation said.



UJA told The Times of Israel that the snacks are being purchased directly from Osem, the Israeli manufacturer specifically targeted by boycott activists.



The organization said the Bamba will be distributed during Sunday’s annual Israel parade in New York City.



“We’re all better with Bamba,” the federation said.

UJA Buys 20,000 Bags Of Bamba After Brooklyn Food Co-Op Votes To Boycott Israeli Products

According to a Thursday report from the Home Front Command, 683 Israelis were wounded during the conflict. Of those injured, 22 were listed in serious condition, 46 moderately wounded, and 615 lightly hurt. The death toll stood at 24 by the time the ceasefire began.



The military’s figures differ sharply from broader hospitalization data, which showed that more than 7,500 Israelis were treated in hospitals during the war, suggesting the Home Front Command only included injuries meeting specific criteria.



The Home Front Command further reported that 6,473 homes across Israel sustained severe damage during the war with Iran, leaving residents displaced.



The figure reflects only the most serious cases of destruction. By the time the ceasefire took effect on April 7, more than 28,000 compensation claims for property damage had already been submitted to the government, including claims involving vehicles and additional property losses.



At the height of the fighting, the Home Front Command mobilized roughly 45 battalions totaling about 25,000 troops, including reservists. That represented approximately 84% of the command’s full emergency mobilization capability.



Under routine circumstances, the Home Front Command generally operates with only around 10 battalions.



Two weeks into the war, after officials concluded they had gained greater control over the scale of damage on the home front, the military reduced the deployment to approximately 17 battalions.



The Home Front Command said rescue and engineering personnel responded to about 1,200 locations struck in Iranian attacks. Many of the sites reportedly suffered lighter damage caused by missile fragments or cluster munition debris.



In addition, the IDF said rescue and engineering teams were dispatched to around 100 sites damaged in Hezbollah attacks.



During the most intense phase of the war, the Home Front Command operated 40 rescue battalions, four Yaarah battalions, and two specialized battalions designated to address potential weapons of mass destruction scenarios.



The military also revealed there were 25 major destruction zones throughout the conflict, a significantly larger number than previously disclosed publicly by IDF officials.



According to the Home Front Command, there were at least 23 separate incidents in which rescue personnel directly saved lives by pulling civilians from danger or administering emergency medical treatment at attack scenes.



The IDF further announced the creation of a new permanent senior on-call position within the Home Front Command at the rank of colonel.

Iran War Death Toll, Damage Reported

Governor Kathy Hochul on Sunday signed legislation establishing buffer zones around religious institutions and Jewish community spaces, prohibiting harassment of individuals entering or exiting such sites — making New York the latest state to enact such protections in the wake of a national surge in antisemitic incidents.



The signing took place at the Met Council&#8217;s annual legislative breakfast in New York City, where Hochul addressed a room packed with influential Jewish community figures and elected officials before affixing her signature to the measure. The crowd erupted in applause throughout her remarks, and the governor received a standing ovation.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="720" style="aspect-ratio: 1280 / 720;" width="1280" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131150.mp4"></video></figure>



Hochul was flanked by prominent officials as she signed the bill, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Attorney General Letitia James, whose presence underscored the broad support the measure has drawn across state and city government.



&#8220;You have no right to harass someone walking into a synagogue with their family to carry on a tradition that has been there for centuries and centuries, and have to put up with people screaming vile epithets,&#8221; Hochul said before the signing.



&#8220;That is wildly un-American, and it&#8217;s definitely not how we do it in New York — and that will be not just condemned but prohibited.&#8221;



The governor said the legislation would make it a criminal offense to harass individuals heading into a &#8220;religious organization, institution, place of worship, school, or community gathering place.&#8221;



Hochul drew on personal testimony in her remarks, citing what she described as repeated images from the aftermath of October 7 that she said she will &#8220;never get out of my head, ever, ever, ever,&#8221; and expressing frustration at what she characterized as an ongoing pattern of antisemitic incidents across the state.



&#8220;I&#8217;ve had enough of having to put out social media posts condemning the latest symbol of hate being etched on a wall at a synagogue or a yeshiva,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve had enough with people being harassed on the streets and in our subways. I&#8217;ve had enough with people not being able to go to their place of worship freely as a place of gathering and comfort.&#8221;



Hochul also acknowledged community leaders and officials in attendance, including Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Attorney General Letitia James, and state legislators she credited with championing the bill.



Assemblyman Kalman Yeger (D-Brooklyn), one of the State legislation&#8217;s advocates, credited Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie with shepherding the bill to the finish line &#8211; and said that without Heastie, the measure would not have reached the governor&#8217;s desk in the form it did.



Yeger told Belaaz that the bill draft was narrower than sponsors had sought. Efforts to include community centers were blocked; the governor did not support that expansion, and the Senate resisted as well.



&#8220;It is only as strong as it is because Speaker Carl Heastie made it that way,&#8221; Yeger said. &#8220;The governor didn&#8217;t support our efforts to expand it to what it was, which was to include JCCs and other buildings of Jewish community interest, and the Senate opposed it at the beginning. But when we tried to squeeze those things in, the Senate didn&#8217;t actually let us get those pieces in. Carl Heastie wouldn&#8217;t leave the table until those things happened. That&#8217;s a push over the edge. 100 percent.&#8221;



The event, held each spring to celebrate the organization&#8217;s work fighting poverty among New York&#8217;s most vulnerable, has long served as a gathering place for Jewish community leaders and their allies in government.



But as elected official after elected official took the podium — many of them not Jewish — and spent the bulk of their remarks not on hunger relief or housing, but on antisemitism, the weight of the moment was unmistakable. The warmth in the room was real, the camaraderie genuine.



And yet the fact that so many officials felt compelled to address hatred at length at a poverty-fighting breakfast said something about just how much the community has had to carry.



The governor said she has grown weary of responding to incidents rather than preventing them. &#8220;I&#8217;ve had enough of having to put out social media posts condemning the latest symbol of hate being etched on a wall at a synagogue or a yeshiva,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve had enough with people not being able to go to their place of worship freely as a place of gathering and comfort. This is how we say enough is enough.&#8221;



The state legislation runs in parallel with a City Council buffer zone bill championed by Speaker Menin — the first Jewish speaker in the council&#8217;s history — who described the measure as among the first acts of her speakership. 



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131810-1.mp4"></video></figure>



Menin told the crowd she had made combating antisemitism a defining priority from the moment she took the gavel, passing a five-point plan that included the buffer zone bill. &#8220;It should not be controversial that congregants have the right to freely enter and exit their house of worship without intimidation, harassment, or injury,&#8221; she said. 



&#8220;It should not be controversial for students to enter and exit their school without intimidation, harassment, or injury.&#8221; Menin also highlighted a $`1.25 million allocation to the Museum of Jewish Heritage to expand a program bringing every eighth-grade public school student to the museum&#8217;s permanent Holocaust exhibition — a response, she said, to studies showing that 34 percent of young New Yorkers believe the Holocaust was a myth or was exaggerated. 



&#8220;As a daughter of a Holocaust survivor, this is shameful. It&#8217;s unconscionable. It&#8217;s unacceptable,&#8221; said Menin, whose mother is from Hungary. &#8220;And I can assure you we are reversing that.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131808.mp4"></video></figure>



Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the country, spoke on a deeply personal note, recounting how his family was massacred in Ukraine in 1941 when the Nazis invaded. &#8220;When the Nazis told my great grandmother, &#8216;You&#8217;re coming with us,&#8217; she refused, and they machine-gunned every last one of them down — babies, the elderly, and everyone in between,&#8221; he said. Schumer connected that history to the present moment. &#8220;Far too many have forgotten. We see that as the consequence — rising antisemitism,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I worry about the future my grandchildren are going to inherit.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131809-1.mp4"></video></figure>



NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who received a standing ovation of her own upon entering, struck a tone of personal resolve. &#8220;I was raised to believe deeply in Am Yisrael Chai, and that is how I am raising my kids,&#8221; said Tisch, who is Jewish. &#8220;I know how meaningful it is for so many of you to have a Jewish police commissioner. It is a responsibility I feel deeply in my mind, in my bones, and in my heart. I worry so that you shouldn&#8217;t have to.&#8221; She announced what she described as the most robust security plan the NYPD has ever assembled for any parade, with thousands of officers deployed for the Israel Day Parade later that morning.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131832.mp4"></video></figure>



NY Attorney General Letitia James was characteristically direct. &#8220;At a time when we are witnessing a rise in antisemitism, it is not just the responsibility of the Jewish community to respond — it requires all of us,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Any individual who engages in hate against the Jewish community or any other community will have to deal with Tish James — and she&#8217;s from Brooklyn.&#8221; The line drew laughter and applause. &#8220;Antisemitism will not be tolerated in the state of New York as long as I am the Attorney General,&#8221; she added.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131815-1.mp4"></video></figure>



Congressman Dan Goldman announced he would introduce the Jewish American Security Act in the House the following week — a bipartisan bill he said would increase and streamline nonprofit security grants, expand eligible expenses to include security personnel, and require social media companies to report to Congress on how their platforms are amplifying or suppressing hate speech.



&#8220;We have to stop the Jew tax,&#8221; Goldman said, referring to the outsized security burden Jewish institutions absorb. &#8220;The rise of antisemitism is scary. Swastikas are now routinely painted on Jewish homes and institutions. It cannot be normalized.&#8221;



Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens highlighted her effort, together with Congressman Adriano Espaillat, to create a new federal grant specifically for security personnel at yeshivas and day schools.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="278" style="aspect-ratio: 414 / 278;" width="414" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131824.mp4"></video></figure>



Congressman Mike Lawler, who chairs the House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee and represents the congressional district with the largest Jewish population in the country, said the fight must cross party lines without exception. &#8220;It is imperative to call out antisemitism on the right and on the left,&#8221; Lawler said. &#8220;Anti-Zionism is antisemitism. It is rooted in Jew hatred, and I, for one, will not stand for it.&#8221;



Lawler noted that Met Council serves not only Jewish families but African American, Latino, Asian American, and Muslim families in need, and pledged his office&#8217;s continued partnership.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131793.mp4"></video></figure>



Comptroller Mark Levine praised Met Council CEO David Greenfield, who MC&#8217;d the event. &#8220;He could be running a Fortune 500 company; he has instead given his life over to addressing poverty in New York&#8221; — and pushed back against narratives used to disparage the community.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/131811.mp4"></video></figure>

Hochul Signs Buffer Zone Bill At Met Council Breakfast

New details published by the Wall Street Journal reveal that the United Arab Emirates conducted dozens of airstrikes inside Iran during the opening days of the US-Israel conflict with Tehran, as well as after a ceasefire was declared in April.



While earlier reports suggested the UAE had participated in military operations against Iran, the new report indicates Abu Dhabi’s involvement was significantly broader than previously known.



According to sources cited by the Journal, Israel and the United States supplied intelligence support for the strikes. Targets reportedly included Qush and Abu Musa islands in the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, the oil refinery on Lavan Island, and the petrochemical facilities in Asaluyeh.



Israel also carried out strikes in Asaluyeh, according to the report. The attacks reportedly led the US to urge Israel to halt operations targeting Iranian energy infrastructure and drew criticism internationally.



The strikes on Iran’s energy sector were reportedly carried out in response to earlier Iranian attacks targeting facilities in the UAE.

UAE Reportedly Carried Out Major Air Campaign Against Iran During War

U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire and launch nuclear talks, but President Donald Trump has not yet given final approval, Axios reported Thursday, citing two U.S. officials and a regional source involved in the mediation.



The reported deal would mark the most significant diplomatic breakthrough since the U.S.-Iran war began, but it would not be a final nuclear agreement. One U.S. official told Axios that Trump was briefed on the terms but wanted more time before signing off. “The president relayed to the mediators that he wants a couple of days to think about it,” the official said.



According to Axios, the MOU would require unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, including no tolls and no harassment of vessels. Iran would also be required to remove all mines from the strait within 30 days, while the U.S. naval blockade would be lifted in proportion to the return of commercial shipping.



The agreement would include an Iranian commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon, while leaving the hardest issues for the 60-day negotiating window. Those talks would focus first on how to dispose of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and how to address Iranian enrichment, alongside discussions on sanctions relief, frozen Iranian funds and a mechanism for humanitarian goods.



“This is an agreement to get everybody to the table. We will work out the details in the negotiations,” one U.S. official told Axios. The report comes after several previous moments when Trump advisers believed a deal was close, only for talks to stall.



The diplomatic push is unfolding alongside continued military tension in the Strait of Hormuz, where the U.S. and Iran traded fresh strikes in recent days. Israel has said any final deal must remove the Iranian nuclear threat, including dismantling enrichment facilities and removing enriched nuclear material from Iranian territory.

Axios: U.S. And Iran Reach 60-Day Deal, But Trump Holds Off Approval

A new survey has found that a record 57% of Israeli respondents identify themselves as Jewish before identifying as Israeli — up sharply from 34% in the previous year&#8217;s equivalent survey and the highest figure recorded in the ten years that the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry has conducted its annual Diaspora Index.



The 2026 Diaspora Index — Public Attitudes Toward the Relationship Between Israel and World Jewry found that 87% of Israelis say they are proud to be Jewish and that Jewish identity is important to them, a figure that has risen over the past two years.



On the question of Diaspora Jewry, 94% of Israeli respondents said they expect Jews around the world to stand with Israel during wartime. The survey also found growing concern among Israelis about intermarriage and assimilation as threats to the future of the Jewish people.



The report characterizes the trend as a process of &#8220;identity consolidation&#8221; — a deepening of Jewish national identity alongside a growing sense of shared peoplehood, accompanied, however, by a parallel belief that the State&#8217;s primary obligations run to its own citizens rather than to Diaspora communities. The survey noted a decline in the degree of responsibility Israelis feel the government should bear toward Jews abroad.



President Yitzchak Herzog, presenting the report, said the findings underscore &#8220;the importance of strengthening and maintaining the deep connection among the Jewish people across the world.&#8221;

Survey: Sharp Increase in Israelis Identifying as Jewish First, Israeli Second

For the first time since Israel withdrew from Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem in October 2000, Mispalelim on Sunday held an afternoon Mincha at the site. Attendees described the event as a historic milestone in efforts to expand Jewish access to one of the most sensitive and sought-after locations in Judea and Samaria.



For years, visits to Kever Yosef have been limited to infrequent and tightly coordinated military operations conducted in the middle of the night, with Jews typically allowed only a couple hours at the site before being escorted out. Just weeks ago, Jews held the first Shacharis prayer there since 2000, itself a major expansion of access in decades. Sunday’s Mincha represented the next step in that process, bringing organized Tefilah to the site during normal afternoon hours for the first time in 26 years.



The entry was coordinated with the IDF and approved by senior military and political officials. Advocates have also pushed for the return of the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva, which left the compound when Israel withdrew during the Second Intifada.



Supporters view the latest expansion as part of a gradual effort to reverse restrictions that have been in place since 2000. Defense Minister Israel Katz approved expanded daytime access to the site late last year, paving the way for the recent changes.



Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan welcomed the move, saying: “This is a significant step toward the historic correction and the full return of Israeli sovereignty to the holy compound of Kever Yosef. Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria and in our holy places is not only a legal or security matter — it is recognition of historical justice and our right to the land.”



MK Tzvi Sukkot, chairman of the Knesset Subcommittee for Judea and Samaria, called the Tefilah part of a broader effort to reverse Israel’s withdrawal from the site during the Second Intifada. “This is an important and meaningful step in the process of correction, after which more steps will come until we reach the goal — a full Jewish return to Kever Yosef,” he said. Sukkot described the 2000 withdrawal as “the injustice of abandoning the Kever” and said restoring a sustained Jewish presence there is both “a moral and security correction of the first order.”

First Mincha Held At Kever Yosef Since 2000

A new government-commissioned report has found that Jews in Norway are increasingly concealing their Jewish identity and withdrawing from public life due to growing antisemitism and a heightened sense of social isolation.



The study, prepared by the Center for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Minorities for Norway’s Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, is part of the country’s 2025–2030 Action Plan against Antisemitism.



Researchers reported that many Jews feel less comfortable openly expressing their identity, particularly during transitions between schools and different educational settings.



Jewish children were identified as especially vulnerable. Parents described cases of exclusion and social isolation in classrooms and on playgrounds and voiced concerns about their children&#8217;s sense of security and belonging.



The report warned that continued concealment of Jewish identity could further reduce the visibility of Norway’s small Jewish community, which numbers roughly 1,500 people.



“It is serious that Jews in Norway experience insecurity and isolation. I am particularly concerned that Jewish schoolchildren are so exposed,” said Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Bjørnar Skjæran. “We all have a responsibility to counter antisemitism. This is a societal responsibility, and this report shows that we must both continue and strengthen our efforts against antisemitism.”

Jews In Norway Increasingly Hiding Identity Amid Rising Antisemitism, Government Report Finds

The IDF struck Hezbollah operatives who attempted to sabotage Lebanon&#8217;s Qaraoun Dam — the country&#8217;s largest — in the Litani River&#8217;s Qaraoun Lake, the military announced Thursday.



&#8220;Several Hezbollah operatives were observed earlier this week attempting to harm the activity of the Qaraoun Dam, which is considered national and strategic infrastructure of the Lebanese state, and they were attacked from the air,&#8221; said Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, the IDF&#8217;s Arabic-language spokeswoman.



Waweya addressed Lebanese civilians directly, warning that Hezbollah — which has &#8220;led to the ruin and destruction of your country&#8221; — attempted to damage infrastructure whose targeting &#8220;would cause severe damage to the economy of Lebanon and the state itself.&#8221; She pledged that the IDF &#8220;will not allow any attempt to harm the dam, and will act with great force against these attempts.&#8221;



The announcement came as the IDF separately confirmed that it has been conducting raids in recent days beyond its declared &#8220;forward defense line,&#8221; the boundary demarcating Israel&#8217;s security zone in southern Lebanon.



A military official said the expanded operations aim to push Hezbollah farther from the border and better protect the security zone, in response to the terror group&#8217;s increased use of first-person view (FPV) drones in attacks on IDF troops in southern Lebanon and in northern Israel.



In a video statement, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said troops are carrying out ground operations &#8220;in places where I, as a battalion commander, was unable to reach, and they are doing so with great success.&#8221;



The IDF also announced that 2,500 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed in Lebanon since hostilities escalated amid the war with Iran — 800 of them since a porous ceasefire took effect on April 16. Since the outbreak of the multi-front war, around 8,000 Hezbollah terrorists have been killed by Israel, according to the military.



Among those killed in the past two weeks, the IDF said, were several senior Hezbollah field commanders. The announcement followed intelligence confirming the deaths of &#8220;the most senior field commanders of Hezbollah,&#8221; the military stated.



They include the commander of Hezbollah&#8217;s forces in the Khiam area; an assistant to the deputy commander of the Badr regional division; the intelligence officer for the Beaufort Castle area; the chief of engineering in the Yohmor area and his deputy; the commander of Hezbollah&#8217;s forces in Jibchit; and the chief of engineering in the Jouaiya area.

IDF Strikes Hezbollah Operatives Targeting Lebanon’s Largest Dam; 2,500 Killed Since Escalation

Israeli legal officials are moving toward a new financial front in the Charedi draft dispute: municipal property tax discounts. Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon today defended the possible revocation of property tax discounts (arnona) for Charedi men who have not reported for military service.



In a letter responding to Interior Ministry Director-General Israel Uzan, Limon said revoking the discounts had been identified by the Israeli Supreme Court and professional officials as an effective tool against mass non-compliance with the draft. “An arnona discount is not a vested right,” Limon wrote, while military service is “a legal obligation, a vital security need,” and failure to serve “severely harms equality.”



The move comes one day after the Attorney General’s office advanced another major sanction: blocking tax-deductible donation benefits for Yeshivot where eligible draft-age students who have not regularized their military status continue to learn. The Tax Authority is expected to publish a public notice on the policy by June 7, ahead of a July 13 Supreme Court hearing.



The issue goes to the heart of Israel’s long-running dispute over Charedi military service an arrangement now under growing legal pressure especially in recent days.&nbsp;



Shas chairman Aryeh Deri accused the attorney general of pushing Charedim “to the edge,” saying the sanctions campaign was driving a growing rift between parts of the Charedi community and the state.

Government Eyes Property Tax Discounts As Next Front In Charedi Draft Dispute

A federal judge on Friday temporarily stopped President Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion “weaponization” fund, which was created to compensate people who claim they were targeted unfairly by the government.



US District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, ordered the administration to stop “taking any further action” to establish or distribute money from the fund until additional court proceedings take place.



Brinkema, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, issued the ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by Capitol riot prosecutor Andrew Floyd, who argued the program violates the law.



The Justice Department announced the fund last week after Trump agreed to withdraw a lawsuit against the IRS tied to the leak of his tax returns.



Charles Littlejohn, a contractor who admitted in 2023 to leaking 15 years of Trump’s tax returns to The New York Times for a 2020 investigative series, is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Illinois.



Although Trump himself cannot receive money from the program, many of his political supporters may qualify. Among the early applicants are individuals involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach aimed at disrupting certification of the 2020 election.



If the fund ultimately moves forward, payments would be reviewed by a five-member board. Four members would be selected by the attorney general, while a fifth would be chosen with congressional involvement.



Administration officials have said the program would technically be open to anyone claiming political mistreatment, including Democrats.



According to reports, the oversight panel may be named the “President Donald J. Trump Truth and Justice Commission.”

Federal Judge Halts Trump’s $1.776 Billion ‘Weaponization’ Compensation Fund

A Hezbollah missile struck the city center of Kiryat Shmona overnight Friday, causing significant damage to businesses and shops in the area. B&#8217;chasdei Hashem, no deaths or injuries were reported. The IDF said Iron Dome successfully intercepted all other projectiles fired during the barrage.



Kiryat Shmona Deputy Mayor Ze’evik Zweigi described a night of repeated sirens beginning at 1:30 a.m., with a direct hit striking a shopping center at approximately 3:30 a.m. “A major disaster was avoided last night,” he said. “Normally, this is a crowded place, and I don’t want to think what would have happened on a regular day.”



Zweigi leveled sharp criticism at the government, saying residents have not experienced a single day of true ceasefire. “Neither the government nor the Home Front Command takes responsibility for the situation and treats us as if we are in a ceasefire zone,” he said. “Kiryat Shmona has no government.” He threatened to publicly withdraw his membership from Likud within a month if the situation does not improve, saying dozens of others would follow.



Separately, on Shabbos afternoon, Hezbollah fired its first barrage targeting Nahariya in nearly a month, with missiles striking the water off the city’s beach as residents ran for shelter. Video footage distributed by Army Radio showed explosions in the ocean as beachgoers fled. The IDF said several projectiles were intercepted or fell in open areas. Hezbollah also targeted Karmiel in what the IDF said was the farthest attack since a ceasefire went into effect approximately one month ago.



The IDF said it is preparing for the possibility of intensified Hezbollah fire toward the North following the progress of IDF operations in Lebanon. The army said there is no change to Home Front Command guidelines but urged the public to remain vigilant and adhere to current regulations.



Metula Council head David Azoulay also condemned the government’s response. “This was yet another night of neglect, sirens, running to shelters, and an impossible reality for all residents along the confrontation line, and the Israeli government simply doesn’t care,” he said, calling on northern municipal leaders to mount a unified pressure campaign.

Hezbollah Missile Hits Kiryat Shmona City Center; Rockets Strike Off Nahariya Beach

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, State Attorney General Letitia James, several left-wing Jewish organizations, and a congressional candidate criticized Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for taking part in New York City’s annual Israel parade.



The annual Israel Day on Fifth parade drew more than 50,000 participants to Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue on Sunday, serving as a public demonstration of support for the pro-Israel Jewish community, which many attendees say has faced growing hostility in recent years.



Smotrich joined an Israeli delegation headed by Knesset Speaker Amir Ochana. Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu of the Otzma Yehudit party also attended the event.



“Bezalel Smotrich is a far-right extremist whose hateful and divisive rhetoric is fundamentally at odds with the values we hold dear in New York,” Hochul said in a statement. “Yesterday’s parade was a celebration of Jewish pride, community, and unity. I strongly condemn his participation.”



Smotrich and Eliyahu have both faced criticism in the past for controversial remarks. In 2021, Smotrich said that Israel’s founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, should have “finished the job” by expelling all Arabs when the state was established. Eliyahu previously suggested that dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza could have been considered among Israel’s options during the war against Hamas terrorists.



Despite her criticism of Smotrich, Hochul has consistently expressed support for Israel and New York’s Jewish community. She addressed attendees before the parade began and led the march alongside other state and city officials.



James, who also spoke in support of the Jewish community during the event, said, “I unequivocally condemn Bezalel Smotrich’s hateful rhetoric.”



Smotrich’s participation also became a point of contention in the race for New York’s 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.



Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is challenging incumbent Representative Dan Goldman for the seat. Both candidates are Jewish, identify as Zionists, and have voiced criticism of the Israeli government, though Lander has positioned himself further to Goldman’s left on Israel-related issues.



The two candidates share similar views on a range of other topics, including immigration policy and opposition to President Donald Trump’s administration.



“We’re both proud Jewish New Yorkers. But there are sharp and clear differences between us on Israel/Palestine,” Lander said in a statement. “For example, Dan Goldman marched alongside war criminal Bezalel Smotrich yesterday, who called it ‘just and moral’ to starve Gaza. I did not.” Lander recently prayed in Arabic at a Queens mosque in which an Imam called for the death of all &#8220;kuffar,&#8221; or non-Muslims.



No Israeli officials have been convicted of war crimes.



Several left-wing Jewish organizations also objected to Smotrich’s participation, including New York Jewish Agenda and Jews for Economic and Racial Justice, which is allied with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.



Mamdani said in a statement that Smotrich’s “presence in our city is an affront to everything New York stands for.”



Ahead of the parade, organizers from the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) said they did not know which representatives from the Israeli government would be attending and that those decisions were made by Israel’s consulate in New York. The consulate did not immediately respond to requests for comment.



Smotrich was also absent from official Knesset statements and promotional videos regarding the delegation’s participation in the parade.



JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger addressed the controversy on Monday, saying, “While some individuals who attended were neither invited by JCRC-NY nor known to us in advance, participation in the parade is not an endorsement of any political figure or ideology.”



The Israeli delegation marched as a separate contingent, and there was no indication that New York elected officials walked alongside the two ministers or were aware they would be participating during the event.

New York Leaders Condemn Smotrich’s Appearance At Israel Parade

The IDF has authorized publication of the name of Sergeant Rotem Yanai Hy&#8221;d, a 20-year-old service conditions NCO in the Givati Brigade from Givat Ada, who was killed by a Hezbollah explosive drone strike in northern Israel.



Yanai was struck while running to a shelter during the attack in a military zone near Shomera on the Lebanon border. 



Two Hezbollah drones exploded in the incident after sirens sounded, but the IDF failed to intercept it. 



In the same attack, one reservist soldier was seriously wounded and another was moderately wounded. Both were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment and their families have been notified.

One Killed, Two Wounded by Hezbollah Explosive Drone Near Lebanon Border

Shas leader R&#8217; Aryeh Deri sent a letter Monday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz demanding a preliminary reading vote on the proposed Basic Law on Torah Study this Wednesday, warning that continued coalition support hinges on the legislation moving forward.



In the letter, dispatched following a lengthy faction meeting, Shas declared that passage of the law — which would entrench Torah study as a constitutional value — is a precondition for the party&#8217;s support of government-sponsored legislation. Members warned that if a majority for the bill cannot be secured, Shas MKs would not only withhold their votes from coalition measures but would actively work to defeat other coalition bills brought to the plenum.



The faction opened its letter with sharp criticism of the attorney general, describing what it called an &#8220;unprecedented and ruthless persecution&#8221; of Torah learners. &#8220;Our distinguished sons, toilers of Torah and the shevet Levi of our generation, have become targets of persecution and humiliation,&#8221; the letter stated.



Shas argued that the only way to protect yeshivah funding and tax benefits from legal challenge is by erecting what it called a &#8220;constitutional protective wall.&#8221; The party said the law would equate the legal status of Torah learners with that of those serving in the military, thereby neutralizing discrimination claims in the courts. The legislation is also intended to circumvent High Court rulings and attorney general directives by anchoring Torah study as a foundational constitutional value.



The letter reminded the Prime Minister that advancing the bill was included in coalition agreements signed with Likud, and characterized the vote as &#8220;a value-based, moral, and national statement.&#8221;



Shas closed the letter with a quote from a past Netanyahu Knesset address: &#8220;The Torah world protected us throughout the years of exile. Torah study and the preservation of our heritage are what defended the Jewish people — without them, the Jewish people would not have survived.&#8221;



UTJ chairman MK R&#8217; Yitzchak Goldknopf welcomed Shas&#8217;s move while pointedly noting it had taken too long. &#8220;We welcome Arye Deri&#8217;s belated awakening — though it comes three years late,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Prime Minister Netanyahu must understand that commitments must be honored, not endlessly delayed with excuses, while the Torah world bears the cost.&#8221;

Shas Issues Ultimatum to Netanyahu Over Basic Law on Limud Hatorah

A new yeshiva has been established in the Jewish village of Anatevka, near Kyiv, Ukraine, and is set to open its doors at the beginning of the month of Elul. Its founder, Rabbi Shmuel Azman, stated: “We have created all the necessary conditions to enable students to dedicate themselves fully to learning and to their personal and spiritual growth.”



At a ceremony held over the weekend, the “Tomchei Temimim &#8211; Beit Binyamin” Yeshiva was officially inaugurated in the Jewish village of Anatevka on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. Rabbis, supporters, and guests from several countries attended the event to mark the completion of one of the most significant Jewish educational projects established in Ukraine in recent years.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-3.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27643" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-3.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-3-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-3-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Anatevka, where the new yeshiva has been built, was founded in 2015 by Ukraine’s Rabbi, Rabbi Moshe Azman, to provide a home for Jewish families who were forced to leave their communities due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Named after the famous Jewish shtetl from Fiddler on the Roof, the village has developed into a vibrant Jewish community featuring residential housing, educational institutions, and synagogues.



The new yeshiva was constructed at a cost of more than €8 million, funded by a philanthropist who chose to remain anonymous. It is scheduled to welcome its first students at the beginning of the upcoming month of Elul, with the admissions process for the inaugural class currently in its final stages.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-3.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27638" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-3.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-3-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-3-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



According to the yeshiva’s founder, Rabbi Shmuel Azman, the campus was designed to provide a modern, high-quality educational environment that integrates outstanding residential, academic, and recreational facilities. “We have created all the necessary conditions to enable students to devote themselves to Torah study and to their personal and spiritual development,” he said, “within an environment that supports their growth around the clock.”



The campus features a central study hall (Beit Midrash), a library, dining facilities, student dormitories, a mikveh, sports facilities, and open spaces dedicated to learning and educational activities. In addition, a large-scale bunker was constructed on-site to address the complex security realities in Ukraine.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="506" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-2.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27639" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-2.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-2-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-2-768x432.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



One of the most remarkable aspects of the project is that construction began just days after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Despite numerous challenges, work continued uninterrupted until the completion of the new campus.



Among those attending the inauguration ceremony were Rabbi Moshe Azman, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Axelrod, Chief Rabbi of Moldova, along with dozens of rabbis and public figures from Israel and across Europe who traveled specifically for the occasion.



The yeshiva’s leadership notes that the institution is intended for students seeking to immerse themselves in full-time Torah and Chassidic studies. Its mission is to provide an outstanding educational environment alongside a strong sense of community and Jewish values. According to its administrators, the opening of the yeshiva represents another important milestone in the renewal and strengthening of Jewish life in Ukraine, even during one of the most challenging periods in the country’s history.



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27646" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27646" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27642" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-4.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27642" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-4.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-4-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.06-AM-4-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27641" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27641" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27640" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27640" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-1.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-31-at-8.54.07-AM-1-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>
</figure>

In the Midst of War: Yeshiva Opens in Ukraine Following an Investment of Over €8 Million

Two teenage girls were injured Sunday evening when a terrorist carried out a ramming attack at the Gush Etzion Junction between Yerushalayim and Chevron. A 17-year-old girl was seriously wounded, while a 15-year-old girl suffered moderate injuries. A third person was treated for shock.



Emergency crews transported all of the victims to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim. Medical officials said the 17-year-old was rushed into surgery shortly after arriving at the hospital.



The terrorist was neutralized by a soldier from the Nachshon Battalion of the Kfir Brigade. Initial reports identified the attacker as a resident of the Chevron area.



Magen David Adom paramedic Moshe Benita and senior medic Chaim Sharabi described the scene: “When we arrived at the scene of the attack, we observed significant commotion and a vehicle near a bus stop. Lying next to the vehicle was a 17-year-old girl who was fully conscious and suffering from severe injuries to her lower limbs. We provided initial medical treatment at the scene, including stopping the bleeding, and evacuated her by intensive care ambulance to the hospital in serious condition.



“Additional MDA teams provided medical treatment to another injured girl, 15, who was in mild condition and suffering from facial injuries.&#8221;

Terrorist Ramming Attack At Gush Etzion Junction Leaves Two Teen Girls Wounded

The IDF announced that Staff Sergeant Michael Tyukin Hy’d, 21, of Ashkelon, was killed during operations in southern Lebanon.



Tyukin served in the Givati Reconnaissance Battalion (846th), part of the Givati Brigade. He fell while engaged in combat in southern Lebanon.



The same incident in which Tyukin was killed also left four other IDF soldiers lightly wounded.

IDF Soldier Michael Tyukin Hy’d Killed In Southern Lebanon Combat

The IDF cleared for publication on Monday night that Captain Doctor Ori Yosef Silvester Hy’d, 30, of Tel Aviv, was killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon.



Silvester Hy’d served as a physician in the Shaked Battalion (424) of the Givati Brigade. He was killed during an operational incident in southern Lebanon.



In the same incident, two IDF officers and one soldier sustained serious wounds. Another soldier was moderately injured, while two additional officers and one soldier suffered light injuries.



All of the wounded were evacuated to hospitals for medical treatment. The IDF said their families have been informed of their conditions.

IDF Doctor Ori Yosef Silvester Hy’d Killed In Southern Lebanon Battle

Within hours of President Donald Trump announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah Monday evening, a Hezbollah rocket struck near Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, triggering sirens in the northern border town of Metula. 



The IDF confirmed the attack and said no injuries were caused, baruch Hashem. A separate siren in the Western Galilee, initially attributed to a suspected Hezbollah drone, was later declared a false alarm.



Lebanese media also reported multiple Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon following Trump&#8217;s announcement. The IDF had not commented on those reports as of late Monday.



Trump had not specified when the ceasefire was to take effect.

Rockets, Strikes Follow Trump Ceasefire Announcement

Untitled design (48)

Liebers ad

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has released video footage that it says proves no Palestinian civilians were harmed during aid distribution early this morning in southern Gaza, despite Hamas officials claiming 31 people were killed.



In a statement, GHF, which is supported by both Israel and the United States—l, said, “As noted in our daily report earlier, aid was distributed without incident. Reports of injuries and fatalities are completely false and fabricated.” The organization also shared approximately 15 minutes of footage recorded after dawn at the site.



tmthe Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claimed, without evidence, the deaths occurred when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd near the aid distribution area.



The IDF stated earlier that they were not aware of any casualties caused by their troops within the aid distribution area, and said the matter was under further investigation.

Screenshot-2025-05-26-at-3

MORE FROM BELAAZ

GHF Refutes Report of Shooting at Aid Site

Help Me Build Credit and <a href="https://cardright.com/" type="link" id="https://cardright.com/">CardRight</a> have merged, the two companies announced this week, following a viral teaser campaign that had the frum community speculating for some time.



Marketing agency OffBrand orchestrated the buildup, releasing teasers over a full week before a video announcement confirmed the merger.



The two prominent names in the credit card space are joining forces. Help Me Build Credit, a leading online resource for credit card guidance, and <a href="https://cardright.com/" type="link" id="https://cardright.com/">CardRight</a>, a smart card-management app, have announced a merger that brings both platforms under one roof at <a href="https://cardright.com/" type="link" id="https://cardright.com/">Cardright.com</a>.



Help Me Build Credit built its reputation as a go-to destination for credit card offers, advice, and resources to help consumers navigate an often confusing landscape.



<a href="https://cardright.com/" type="link" id="https://cardright.com/">CardRight</a>, meanwhile, offered users an app-based solution for managing their existing cards; tracking upcoming payments, flagging expiring benefits, and recommending which card to use for maximum cashback rewards.



The combined platform now offers both in a single destination: expert content and card offers for users at every stage of their credit journey, alongside the smart card-management tools <a href="https://cardright.com/" type="link" id="https://cardright.com/">CardRight</a> users have come to rely on.

Help Me Build Credit and CardRight Join Forces

Two Israeli soldiers were haunted by the same nightmare: their friends had been killed beside them by Hamas, and they no longer wanted to go on living.



They ended up on a Caribbean island, at a Chabad house run by a rabbi who had been quietly treating traumatized Israeli soldiers for months. By the time they left, something had shifted. They had found a reason to continue. “Because of the retreat they have here, they found the strength to carry on,” Rabbi Dudi Caplin, the Chabad shliach in Cozumel, said of the two soldiers in a discussion with Belaaz. “We have plenty, plenty of stories — people who got back to themselves, who could breathe again, who had really lost it and couldn’t sleep at night.”



Now Rabbi Caplin’s program is facing a different kind of battle. Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news network, published a report targeting the Cozumel Chabad house, accusing it of hosting soldiers it described as participants in “genocide” who come to the island to “heal their post-traumatic stress.” The piece spotlighted the retreat’s activities — meditation, therapy, diving, sailing and soccer — and questioned whether Mexico should be a sanctuary for IDF veterans.



Rabbi Caplin says the framing is a deliberate distortion of a mental health program. “Al Jazeera found out and wrote an attack against us,” he said. “It’s a big, big issue — but we continue with our project for those soldiers who need our help.”



Since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, the Cozumel Chabad house has become an unlikely refuge for Israeli soldiers struggling to reintegrate into civilian life. Rabbi Caplin says he has directly treated more than 50 soldiers suffering from PTSD, incluring many who are Torah observant, and that several thousand Israelis have passed through his doors since the attack.



Some arrive unable to sleep. Others cannot face their own families. “They didn’t want to go back to their wives and kids,” Rabbi Caplin said of several soldiers he worked with. “They went back, but their mind — it was very hard, going from Gaza back to the family, because they have a lot of post-trauma.”



The breakthrough, he said, often comes through community. When soldiers hear others sharing similar experiences, the isolation begins to lift. “When they understood that others also have it, and it’s a war that nobody wanted but was a must — something that needed to happen to protect the land of Israel — they decided to continue life with their family and to work on it and take care of themselves.”



Al Jazeera’s report does not allege any specific wrongdoing by Rabbi Caplin or the Cozumel Chabad house. Instead, it frames the existence of the program itself as newsworthy — even scandalous. The segment notes that while some IDF soldiers face prosecution abroad for alleged war crimes, others are spending days on a “paradisiacal Caribbean island.” It describes participants as members of elite IDF units and invites viewers to weigh in with their opinion.



For Rabbi Caplin, the Al Jazeera framing represents a straightforward attempt to weaponize the suffering of young soldiers for political ends. “They attacked Chabad Cozumel,” he said. “But the diversity in Cozumel is beautiful — the people here are very nice and accepting of tourists, accepting of everyone. And we continue, even with the lies and the attack from Al Jazeera.”



The post-October 7 expansion into formal PTSD programming reflects a broader reality: the Israeli mental health system has been stretched to its limits by the ongoing war, and many veterans have sought treatment abroad or through informal community networks. Rabbi Caplin said he has no plans to scale back the program despite the publicity. “We continue with our project,” he said. He paused, then added: “Those soldiers need this help.”

A Chabad Rabbi Helped Traumatized Israeli Soldiers. Al Jazeera Called It a Scandal.

A man was struck by two vehicles in London&#8217;s Golders Green neighborhood on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred outside the Javidnaman memorial wall on Golders Green Road following clashes between supporters and opponents of Iran’s Islamic Republic. 



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="1080" style="aspect-ratio: 1080 / 1080;" width="1080" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Untitled-design-2026-05-27T164222.422.mp4"></video></figure>



 The pro Iran drivers reportedly fled the scene. One person was injured and was treated at the scene by Hatzola volunteers and taken to hospital. Shomrim is assisting Metropolitan Police at the scene. Police have asked the public to avoid the area while emergency services remain on site. Authorities say they do not believe there is an ongoing threat.

Man Injured in Golders Green Hit-and-Run Following Clashes Between Iran Regime Supporters and Opponents

Shas, the Sephardi party in Israel’s Knesset, has officially launched its election campaign today for the upcoming national elections — The poster reads: &#8216;The People Are Against the Persecution of Torah Learners&#8217;.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-27-at-11.18.23-AM-1-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27462" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-27-at-11.18.23-AM-1-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-27-at-11.18.23-AM-1-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-27-at-11.18.23-AM-1.jpeg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The first campaign ad released by Shas</figcaption></figure>



The official scheduled date remains Tuesday, October 27, 2026, unless the Knesset dissolves itself earlier.

Shas Begins Election Drive: “The People Oppose Persecution of Torah Learners”

The IDF struck a meeting between two senior Hamas military officials in northern Gaza on Wednesday, according to the military.



The targeted officials were, according to reports, Ezz al-Din Baikh, commander of Hamas&#8217;s Northern Gaza Brigade, and Imad Aslim, deputy commander of Gaza City and commander of the Zaytoun neighborhood.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="848" style="aspect-ratio: 480 / 848;" width="480" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125445.mp4"></video></figure>



The IDF did not immediately confirm the outcome of the strike. The military said the operation was carried out based on actionable intelligence pinpointing the location of the meeting.



The strike comes as the IDF has sustained an intensified campaign against Hamas&#8217; military command structure in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the IDF confirmed killing Hamas military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad in a precise strike on Gaza City. Mohammed Odeh, who reportedly assumed command of Hamas&#8217;s military wing following al-Haddad&#8217;s death, was then killed in a subsequent strike on northern Gaza on Tuesday following months of intelligence monitoring and operational tracking.



One of the names the IDF has been tracking as part of Hamas&#8217;s effort to rebuild its command structure is Muhand Rajab, believed to have been recently promoted to command the &#8220;Gaza Brigade.&#8221;

IDF Strikes Meeting Of 2 Senior Hamas Commanders In Northern Gaza

According to a report by Hebrew Charedi news site&nbsp;B’Chadrei Charedim, Charedi property owners in London claim they stopped receiving rental payments after a Jewish-owned property management operation allegedly collapsed and one of the people involved left for Dubai.



The report by Yanki Farber said the landlords had handed their properties to a company operating under a “guaranteed rent” model common in Britain. Under the arrangement, the company leased apartments from owners, rented them to tenants through local authority and social housing programs, and promised landlords fixed monthly payments regardless of occupancy.



According to the report, payments were initially transferred normally before delays reportedly began and eventually stopped entirely. Some landlords now claim they are losing tens of thousands of pounds while tenants continue living in the properties. The report also cited allegations that money connected to the operation may have been invested in Dubai real estate projects, though no evidence was publicly presented.



One London real estate agent said similar rental structures can appear stable for years before collapsing. “In more than 15 years in rentals, I have seen almost everything,” the agent said. “Guaranteed rent companies usually work nicely for a few years, and then the problems begin.”

London Charedi Landlords Claim Property Manager Vanished To Dubai After Rent Payments Stopped

A Wednesday report claimed President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza has yet to receive any official funding and remains bogged down by legal uncertainty and stalled reconstruction efforts months after its launch.



According to the Financial Times, the World Bank-managed fund created for the board remains empty despite international pledges totaling billions of dollars. Trump had promised an additional $10 billion in American support, while member nations pledged roughly $7 billion for Gaza relief and rebuilding efforts.



“Zero dollars have been deposited,” one source familiar with the matter told the Financial Times.



Instead of using the World Bank fund endorsed by the United Nations, the board has reportedly been operating through a private JPMorgan account receiving direct donations. Unlike the World Bank mechanism, the account reportedly lacks independent transparency requirements.



A Board of Peace official said “a number of options were established to receive funding,” adding that “at this point, contributors have opted to use other options.”



The official also said the organization would report financial details to its executive board — made up of Trump administration officials and advisers — “at a time deemed appropriate.”



According to the report, Morocco contributed approximately $20 million to help finance the office of Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s representative for postwar Gaza, along with salaries for a Palestinian technocratic committee intended to govern Gaza.



The United Arab Emirates reportedly allocated $100 million to help train a new Gaza police force, though the program has not started and the funds remain frozen.



Meanwhile, the State Department is reportedly seeking to redirect roughly $1.2 billion in aid toward projects tied to the board’s agenda, though none of the money has been distributed. A congressional aide told the Financial Times that no funds are currently under the board’s control.



The State Department is also seeking to provide another $50 million directly to the board for operational costs, though officials reportedly told Congress the funds would not be released until proper financial safeguards are established.



Lawmakers have increasingly questioned the board’s legal standing and whether it qualifies as an international organization eligible for US funding.



Democratic Senator Brian Schatz said Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the board as functioning similarly to a UN agency involved in Gaza reconstruction efforts.



Trump, however, described it differently, calling it “sort of a king’s court,” according to Schatz, who added: “So I just don’t know which one it is. It is not obvious to me at all.”



Additional legal concerns reportedly center on the board’s future authority inside Gaza. A UN Security Council resolution described the organization as a temporary administration until the Palestinian Authority returns to control of the territory.



“What happens when this expires?” one individual involved in postwar planning asked the Financial Times.



Companies considering reconstruction work in Gaza have also expressed concern over unresolved legal and security issues.



“Who is responsible for Gaza? What law is applicable in Gaza?” one potential contractor said.



The board has reportedly begun accepting bids for reconstruction and security projects, though no contracts have yet been awarded.



“A lot of it is because we’re not operating in Gaza yet” because Hamas has not disarmed, a spokesperson said.



The spokesperson added that there is currently no functioning authority inside Gaza capable of handling the flow of goods and services envisioned under the reconstruction plan.



“We’re not, like, hoarding money in a bank account and then awarding contracts for things that can’t be delivered,” the spokesperson said.



Trump unveiled the Board of Peace in January following a US-brokered ceasefire meant to end the war between Israel and Hamas. The plan called for Hamas disarmament, an Israeli withdrawal, and large-scale rebuilding in Gaza.



According to the report, none of those core objectives have yet been achieved.



A recent joint assessment by the European Union, United Nations, and World Bank estimated Gaza reconstruction costs could exceed $70 billion over the next decade.



Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman involved in negotiations with Hamas on behalf of the Trump administration, said the Palestinian committee created under the plan has not begun operating because it lacks resources.



“They know that if they go to Gaza, people are going to flood to them to ask for assistance, and they have no tools, no means,” Bahbah said. “It’s really dismal.”

Report: Trump’s Gaza Reconstruction Board Has no Funding Amid Legal Chaos

A stun grenade was thrown Tuesday night on Hatsivoni Street in Ashdod, alarming residents in the largely Charedi neighborhood.



Locals reported hearing a loud blast and called emergency services to the scene.



Magen David Adom teams who arrived determined that the object was a stun grenade thrown in the area. No injuries were reported, and nobody required medical treatment or evacuation.



Police launched an investigation into the incident and are examining whether it may be tied to a financial dispute.



According to investigators, no determination of a motive has been established, but law enforcement is considering possible retaliation against a local businessman.



No arrests had been announced as of Wednesday.



The incident shocked many local residents, who said violent events of this kind are rare in the neighborhood.



“It happened here, inside our neighborhood,” one resident said. “And it is frightening.”



The investigation remains ongoing.

Stun Grenade Thrown At Charedi Neighborhood In Ashdod

The White House on Wednesday forcefully denied claims published by Iranian state television regarding a supposed draft Memorandum of Understanding between Washington and Tehran.



After Iranian media released what it claimed was a draft framework for a developing US-Iran agreement, the White House dismissed the report as entirely fabricated.



“This report from Iranian controlled media is not true and the MOU they ‘released’ is a complete fabrication. Nobody should believe what Iranian state media is putting out. FACTS MATTER,” the White House wrote on X.



According to the Iranian report, the alleged proposal called for the United States to withdraw military forces from areas near Iran and ease restrictions on Iranian ports. In exchange, Tehran would restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to prewar levels within one month.



The reported draft also claimed Iran would continue overseeing ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a provision that would mark a significant strategic gain for Tehran if true.

White House Rejects Iranian Report On Alleged US-Iran Draft Agreement

Hundreds of Jewish New Yorkers, Muslim activists, Christians and other allies protested Tuesday night outside Gracie Mansion, accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of failing to protect the city’s Jewish community and fueling extremist politics.



The rally, organized by EndJewHatred with support from Jewish, Christian, Muslim and interfaith groups, took place under heavy police presence across from the mayor’s official residence. Protesters waved American and Israeli flags, chanted “USA” and “Zohran Mamdani’s got to go,” and carried signs reading “Remove Mamdani” and “Antizionism gets Jews killed.”



Brooke Goldstein, founder of EndJewHatred, told the crowd, “Jewish rights are civil rights&#8230; we have to stop pretending this is the new normal&#8230; These are Islamist racist woke mobs.” Influencer Zach Sage Fox also addressed the rally, saying, “Our ancestors risked everything so that we could make sure that America was truly a land of religious freedom that Jews could thrive in, and New York City was built by Jews, Mr. Mamdani.”



Muslim activist Anila Ali, president of the American Muslim &amp; Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council, said Mamdani’s politics were alienating moderate Muslims and damaging relations between Muslims and Jews. “With Mamdani in office, we feel our religion is now hijacked once again and is being used by these Islamists,” she told Fox News ahead of the protest.



Ali said Muslims, Jews and Christians were standing together against extremist Islamist politics being presented as mainstream Islam. “They start with the Jewish people, that’s not where they’re going to end,” she warned.



The Muslim participation drew backlash from New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif, who wrote on X, “May Allah condemn you to Jahannam.” New York State Assemblyman Kalman Yeger responded, “Pretty harsh reaction to people speaking in America.”

Jews And Muslims Rally Against Mamdani Over Extremism And Jewish Safety

Mayor Zohran Mamdani intensified his clash with New York City landlords this week by proposing that apartment buildings deemed severely neglected could be taken from private owners and handed over to nonprofits, community land trusts, or tenant groups — a move critics blasted as a dangerous expansion of government power over private property.



Speaking as part of a broader housing enforcement initiative, Mamdani said the city would aggressively target “the worst landlords in New York City” through lawsuits and, in some cases, ownership transfers for buildings suffering from chronic disrepair.



“For buildings that have suffered chronic neglect, we will work to transfer ownership to responsible stewards,” the mayor said. “Stewards that include community land trusts, nonprofits, or even the tenants themselves.”



The proposal immediately ignited fierce backlash in a city already struggling with soaring rents, deteriorating housing conditions, and growing frustration over affordability. Landlord groups and real estate organizations warned the plan could devastate confidence in New York’s housing market while dramatically expanding government control over private property.



Critics say the proposal raises fundamental concerns about property rights and government overreach, particularly as the administration considers taking privately owned buildings and redistributing them to politically favored entities. The seizure of private property has historically been associated with communist and socialist regimes that expanded state control over housing and industry.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="1076" style="aspect-ratio: 1920 / 1076;" width="1920" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/123390.mp4"></video></figure>



Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose political career has centered heavily on tenant activism, has repeatedly argued that housing should be treated less as private property and more as a public resource. His administration claims some landlords have effectively abandoned tenants by allowing conditions such as mold, broken heat, vermin infestations, and unsafe living environments to persist.



The plan is part of what City Hall allies call the “Safer Homes Act,” which would sharply increase penalties for landlords accused of repeated housing violations while creating legal mechanisms for court-supervised ownership transfers.



Opponents say the proposal marks a dramatic escalation beyond traditional regulation.



“This is no longer just regulation,” one property owner group said following the announcement. “This is the government threatening to take private property and redistribute it.”



The debate comes as New York’s own public housing system continues facing enormous problems.



The New York City Housing Authority, which houses more than 500,000 residents, remains plagued by decades of deferred maintenance, widespread mold, heating failures, elevator outages, and other deteriorating conditions documented in repeated audits and oversight reports.



NYCHA’s capital repair backlog is estimated at roughly $78 billion, highlighting the immense financial burden involved in maintaining aging affordable housing across the city.



Although officials say some emergency response times have improved, major repairs often remain delayed for weeks or months. Previous audits found certain skilled-trade repairs taking more than two months on average, while tens of thousands of unresolved work orders piled up across developments.



The costs continue to grow. New York City alone projected more than $1.27 billion in NYCHA capital commitments for fiscal year 2026, in addition to federal aid and operating subsidies.



Critics of Mamdani’s proposal argue those failures demonstrate the risks of expanding publicly controlled housing systems even further.



“If the city cannot keep up with repairs in buildings it already oversees,” said one housing industry representative, “many New Yorkers are going to question whether transferring more housing into quasi-public control is realistic.”



Economists and real estate analysts also warn that aggressive seizure policies could discourage investment in rent-stabilized housing, particularly among smaller property owners already struggling with rising insurance costs, maintenance expenses, and mounting regulations.



Others question whether nonprofit operators or tenant groups have the financial resources and management expertise needed to successfully maintain large apartment buildings over time.



Even some housing advocates acknowledge that taking over distressed buildings is only the beginning, as financing repairs, maintaining infrastructure, and ensuring competent management remain massive long-term challenges.

Mamdani Proposal To Seize Neglected Buildings Sparks Outrage Across New York

The IDF killed Mohammed Odeh in a strike in Gaza on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced in a joint statement. Odeh had recently been appointed commander of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, less than two weeks before his elimination.



Israeli officials said Odeh headed Hamas’s military intelligence division during the October 7 massacre, when Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel, murdering roughly 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 hostages. According to Israel, he played a key role in planning the assault by collecting intelligence on IDF positions near Gaza and identifying weaknesses in Israeli defenses.



Odeh reportedly took over leadership of the Qassam Brigades about a week ago after the IDF eliminated his predecessor, Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, in northern Gaza on May 15. Saudi outlet Asharq Al-Awsat first reported his appointment on May 18.



Al-Haddad was considered one of the last senior Hamas commanders directly involved in planning the October 7 attack. He was killed alongside his wife and daughter. Before him, Mohammed Sinwar — the brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar — was eliminated by the IDF in May 2025.



In their statement, the Prime Minister’s Office and Defense Ministry said Odeh “was responsible for the murder, abduction, and wounding of many Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.” The statement also commended the IDF and Shin Bet for their “continued effort to eliminate our enemies.”



Netanyahu and Katz pledged to continue targeting all those involved in the October 7 atrocities, declaring: “We will continue to pursue all those who took part in the October 7 massacre. Sooner or later, Israel will reach all of them.”



According to reports, Odeh survived several previous Israeli assassination attempts during the war. He joined the Qassam Brigades in 2000 during the Second Intifada and later held multiple operational positions, including commander of Hamas’s northern Gaza brigade between 2017 and 2019.



His killing marks another major blow to Hamas’s leadership as Israel continues dismantling the terror group’s command structure. Senior Hamas figures previously eliminated include Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, and both Sinwar brothers.

Israel Eliminates Newly Appointed Hamas Military Commander

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in favor of President Donald Trump’s administration in a legal battle over whether federal immigration judges can publicly discuss immigration-related matters. The case centers on a government policy limiting what judges may say in public settings.



The justices did not decide whether the speech restrictions themselves are constitutional. Instead, the ruling leaves open the possibility that the judges’ association can continue challenging the policy in lower courts. The policy was originally introduced in 2017 during Trump’s first presidency.



The Trump administration brought the case to the Supreme Court after the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond questioned whether recent dismissals of agency leaders overseeing federal worker complaints had compromised the agencies’ independence from the White House — independence Congress had intended them to maintain.



According to the appeals court, if those agencies were no longer functioning independently, immigration judges might deserve the opportunity to pursue their claims directly in court rather than through internal agency procedures, as the administration argued they should.



In an opinion unattributed to any particular Justice, the Supreme Court overturned the 4th Circuit’s ruling and sent the matter back for additional review. The justices said the lower court improperly relied on an argument that the National Association of Immigration Judges itself had not raised, violating the legal principle known as “party presentation.”



Alex Abdo, an attorney with the Knight First Amendment Institute representing the judges’ association, criticized the decision after it was issued.



&#8220;Forcing public employees to wade through cumbersome and potentially futile administrative proceedings before challenging prior restraints allows unconstitutional censorship to persist,&#8221; Abdo said. &#8220;Now more than ever, we need the insights of the nation&#8217;s immigration judges and other public employees to understand the work of our government,&#8221; Abdo added.



At the center of the case is a policy requiring immigration judges to obtain advance approval before making any remarks considered “official.” Court documents state that these appearances include events where judges are invited because of their government roles, are expected to address agency policies or programs, discuss topics tied directly to their duties, or otherwise represent the agency publicly.



The judges’ association filed suit in 2020 seeking to block the policy, arguing that it violates the First Amendment protections against government restrictions on free speech. The policy was created by the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the federal agency overseeing immigration courts and employing roughly 750 immigration judges nationwide. Although the policy was reassessed during President Joe Biden’s administration, it remained in place and continues under Trump’s current administration.



A federal judge in Virginia dismissed the lawsuit in 2023, ruling that the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 required the dispute to proceed through federal administrative agencies that normally handle complaints from government employees rather than through the courts.



Under that law, complaints from federal workers are first reviewed by the Office of Special Counsel, which determines whether cases should move forward before the Merit Systems Protection Board for formal adjudication. Last year, however, the 4th Circuit concluded that Trump’s removal of agency leaders raised significant concerns about whether immigration judges could receive impartial hearings through those channels. The court instructed the lower judge to investigate the issue further, prompting the administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court.



Trump has dismissed multiple leaders of independent federal agencies despite statutory protections designed to prevent presidents from firing those officials without cause. In a separate dispute, the Supreme Court is expected to decide before the end of June whether such protections unlawfully restrict presidential authority.



Since Trump returned to office, the Supreme Court has issued several emergency immigration rulings favorable to his administration. These include decisions allowing the deportation of migrants to third countries and permitting the revocation of temporary legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants.



The court is also expected to rule by the end of June on the legality of Trump’s order limiting birthright citizenship in the United States, as well as the administration’s effort to remove temporary protections for more than 350,000 Haitians and roughly 6,100 Syrians currently living in the country.

Supreme Court Backs Trump Administration in Immigration Judges’ Free Speech Dispute

Jewish members of the Park Slope Food Coop, a Brooklyn grocery cooperative with some 15,000 members, say they have faced threats, physical intimidation, and antisemitic harassment from pro-boycott activists in the weeks leading up to a vote Tuesday night on whether to ban Israeli products from the store&#8217;s shelves.



The vote, originally scheduled to take place in person at The Picnic House in Prospect Park, was moved to Zoom after members raised &#8220;explicit concerns about their safety,&#8221; according to internal emails obtained by The New York Post. Coop coordinators Ann Herpel and Matt Hoagland acknowledged in a message to members that even with newly hired security personnel on site, &#8220;we cannot guarantee their security.&#8221; The coop has also instituted a check-in station for parts of the building.



&#8220;People were nervous to go physically,&#8221; coop member Ramon Maislen told The Post. &#8220;They are fairly violent,&#8221; he alleged of the anti-Israel faction within the membership.



A separate internal email from coop management stated that disagreements over the vote had &#8220;escalated into verbal confrontations and, in some cases, physical altercations&#8221; between members, and that the coop had received threats requiring coordination with the NYPD.



One Jewish member affiliated with the anti-boycott group Coop 4 Unity described witnessing a pro-boycott member physically menace someone distributing flyers opposing the policy change.



&#8220;A member walked up to another guy who was flyering and got really physically aggressive,&#8221; she said. &#8220;He backed up to him closely and started yelling about genocide and apartheid.&#8221; Coop staffers eventually intervened.



&#8220;The whole time I was out there flyering, my heart was racing,&#8221; the 37-year-old mother of two said. &#8220;I&#8217;m a mom of two. I could think of 1 million other things I could be doing.&#8221;



At a meeting last month, one coop member sparked outrage when he declared &#8220;Jewish supremacism is a problem in this country&#8221; and compared Jews to Nazis.



A formal complaint reviewed by The Post described a longtime member experiencing severe anxiety after receiving emails from boycott organizers referring to &#8220;Zionists.&#8221; She wrote: &#8220;I lost sleep. I had diarrhea. My stomach was in knots for the two weeks between the April 14 email and the April 29 meeting.&#8221; She arrived at a prior meeting hours early out of fear she would be prevented from entering, and described the atmosphere as &#8220;intimidating,&#8221; saying pro-Palestinian activists had &#8220;flooded&#8221; the venue wearing keffiyehs and watermelon imagery, causing other members to stay away entirely.



Maislen filed a formal complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights in 2024, alleging that he and other Jewish members were harassed for opposing the boycott campaign. Outside the coop on Monday, pro-Palestinian activists chanted about genocide, apartheid, and Zionism while the newly hired security guards stood nearby. Many shoppers told The Post they were disgusted by the protesters.



Despite the intensity of the conflict, the practical scope of the proposed boycott is narrow. The coop currently carries only a handful of Israeli products: matzo sold seasonally for Pesach, Bamba snack chips, some hummus, an herb, and two Ecolove hair care products — five items in all, or eight if certain produce and tahini brands are included depending on the version of the proposal.



But opponents say the stakes go far beyond the products themselves. Noah Potter, 54, a lawyer and coop member since 2012, said a yes vote would be &#8220;a scalp hanging from the belt&#8221; of the BDS movement.



&#8220;It&#8217;s about putting the coop&#8217;s brand on the BDS ideology,&#8221; Potter said. &#8220;When BDS comes into an organization, the modus operandi is to polarize and expel, purge and cause the organization to adopt a statement that is highly reductionist, and inflammatory, and assigns blame to the extent of incarnating evil.&#8221;



Boycott organizers have framed their campaign around accusations of genocide, apartheid, and violations of international law — accusations Israel and its supporters vigorously dispute. Among the movement&#8217;s stated demands was the &#8220;right of return&#8221; for all descendants of Palestinians displaced in the 1948 War of Independence, a position that, if implemented, would effectively end Israel&#8217;s existence as a Jewish-majority state.



The anti-Israel campaign at the coop has been ongoing since 2012, but intensified sharply following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.



New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin publicly opposed the measure ahead of the vote. &#8220;This proposed boycott serves to further divide New Yorkers,&#8221; she told The Times of Israel. &#8220;I hope the Coop rejects BDS and instead remains focused on the mission that has guided it for more than 50 years.&#8221;



An informal survey estimated that nearly 1,000 current members would leave the coop if the boycott passes — a prospect that concerns Maislen and other opponents beyond the principle of the matter.



&#8220;My concern is that if coop members leave in disgust, it actually kind of harms us in a way, because if we have to have another vote, there&#8217;s just fewer people that are on our side,&#8221; Maislen said.

Jewish Members of Park Slope Food Coop Report Threats, Intimidation Ahead of BDS Vote

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that negotiations with Iran over a ceasefire extension and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will require several more days, as new American strikes in southern Iran complicated the fragile diplomatic picture.



Speaking to reporters before departing India, Rubio said talks are ongoing but complex. &#8220;There is a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So, it&#8217;ll take a few days.&#8221;



Rubio emphasized that President Donald Trump is unwilling to accept an unsatisfactory agreement, and said the central sticking point at this stage is the status of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which a significant portion of the world&#8217;s oil supply passes. Iran had sought to charge tolls for ships transiting the strait — a condition the US flatly rejected.



&#8220;The straits need to be open, unimpeded, without tolls,&#8221; Rubio said.



The remarks came despite the US having launched new strikes against Iranian targets in the south, an action that raised questions about the durability of the ceasefire framework already in place.



In a separate development with implications for the Iran portfolio and broader Middle East diplomacy, Rubio has promoted his longtime aide Michael Needham to the post of assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser, according to a source familiar with the matter. The appointment was first reported by Axios.



Needham, who currently serves as State Department counselor, previously served as Rubio&#8217;s chief of staff in the US Senate and as chief executive of Heritage Action for America, a conservative grassroots advocacy organization. In his new role, Needham will serve alongside Rubio, who holds the dual position of secretary of state and acting national security adviser — an arrangement that has given the State Department unusual influence over the administration&#8217;s foreign policy apparatus.



Though Needham has largely kept a lower public profile, he has been a central figure in several key diplomatic initiatives, including negotiations around potential US involvement in Greenland and, notably, the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades, which culminated in a ceasefire agreement earlier this year.

Rubio: Iran Talks Will Take ‘A Few More Days’; Top Aide Promoted to NSC

President Donald Trump will convene his full Cabinet at Camp David on Wednesday as negotiations with Iran enter a critical phase, Fox News reported today.



All Cabinet members are expected to attend, including outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. The rare Camp David gathering comes as the administration weighs its next steps in talks aimed at securing a broader agreement with Iran.



The discussions are focused on a fragile regional framework that could include Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to keep the ceasefire from collapsing.



The meeting comes after U.S. military action tied to Iranian threats near Hormuz yesterday, which they framed as a defensive strike. American officials said the strikes did not mark the end of the ceasefire, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Hormuz must remain open “one way or the other.”



The timing is being watched closely in Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also will meet tomorrow with his Cabinet as concern grows over the shape of a possible U.S.-Iran framework. There is no confirmation that the two meetings are coordinated, but the parallel timing adds to the sense that major decisions may be nearing.

Trump To Convene Rare Camp David Cabinet Meeting As Iran Talks Intensify

A request by a Charedi family in Argentina to make Aliyah because they could not find proper support for their child with disabilities has led to an unusual Israeli outreach mission. Israeli nonprofit Alei Siach sent a delegation of five Charedi women specializing in disability care and inclusion to Argentina to help train local institutions and support families in the community.



The delegation departed this week for Buenos Aires, where it is working with schools, educators, rabbis, welfare officials and Jewish community leaders in cooperation with AMIA, Argentina’s central Jewish organization. The mission aims to help Charedi institutions build long-term local frameworks for children and adults with disabilities rather than forcing families to seek solutions abroad.



The workshops focus on independent living, employment, social integration, autonomy and practical community support systems. Delegation leader Gita Mundari, Alei Siach’s director of development and housing systems, said the effort is about creating lasting inclusion inside the community itself.



“We are not talking only about care, but about creating a reality of independence, dignity and real integration into the community,” Mundari said.



The delegation also includes Israeli journalist Josh Aronson, who is on the autism spectrum and described the trip as “a mission of hope.” Argentina’s Chief Rabbi Eliahu Hamra called the project “extremely important” and said the goal is to allow people with disabilities “to live in a safe and calm environment, under a professional framework.”

Israeli Charedi Delegation Heads To Argentina After Family Couldn’t Find Disability Support

It is with sadness that we report the petirah of Harav Shmuel Yosef Fishbain zt&#8221;l, an esteemed Rav who served the White Lake community and surrounding region for more than 55 years, leading his kehillah with unwavering mesiras nefesh and total devotion to authentic Torah life and hashkafah until the end of his life.



Harav Fishbain was born in Chicago in 1927. His father, Reb Nochum Dov Fishbain zt&#8221;l, had founded the only yeshivah in Chicago at the time, and his early passing left the family to carry on without him. It was Rav Fishbain&#8217;s mother, Miriam Devorah a&#8221;h, who stepped into that void with extraordinary mesiras nefesh, sending her son and his brother to learn in Yeshiva Torah Vodaas in New York at a time when such a step was nearly unheard of in American cities.



The Fishbain home in Chicago was itself a center of hachnosas orchim, and the family merited hosting some of the greatest Torah figures of the generation, who passed through America during those formative years of American Yiddishkeit. As a child, Rav Fishbain was thus zoche to encounter such giants as Harav Elchonon Wasserman zt&#8221;l Hy&#8221;d, the Rayatz of Lubavitch zt&#8221;l, the Lomzher Rosh Yeshivah, and numerous other gedolim and tzaddikim.



Those encounters left an impression that endured for a lifetime; Rav Fishbain would return to those memories again and again throughout his life, carrying within him a living bond to a world of Torah greatness that had largely vanished.



Even as a young boy, Rav Fishbain&#8217;s commitment to Yiddishkeit ran deep. As a child in Chicago, he once staged a protest against stores that were open on Shabbos — and was arrested for it, with his mother having to collect him from the authorities. It was a portent of the mesiras nefesh that would define his life.



Rav Fishbain learned in Torah Vodaas and Telz, and later became closely associated with Harav Yisroel Zev Gustman zt&#8221;l at Yeshivas Netzach Yisroel, where he also served as a maggid shiur.



Over the course of his life he maintained close relationships with the Rebbes of Bobov, Satmar, Tzelem, and Skver, and counted among his personal connections such luminaries as Harav Avrohom Pam zt&#8221;l, Harav Moshe Feinstein zt&#8221;l, Harav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt&#8221;l, Harav Avigdor Miller zt&#8221;l, and Harav Eliezer Silver zt&#8221;l, among many other gedolim and tzaddikim.



Among his family connections, Harav Yitzchok Feigelstock zt&#8221;l, the longtime Rosh Yeshivah of Mesivta of Long Beach and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, was his brother-in-law. A sister&#8217;s son leads Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway.



Before assuming the rabbonus of White Lake, Rav Fishbain served kehillos in other parts of the Catskills, including Ellenville and Hurleyville. His path to White Lake came about in a remarkable way: when the rov of White Lake was niftar at a young age, Rav Fishbain came to be maspid him. The hesped made such a profound impression on those present that they offered him the position on the spot. He accepted, and in the early 1970s began what would become more than five decades of devoted service to that community.



What he inherited was largely a seasonal shul; what he built was a year-round kehillah with a daily minyan. That transformation did not come without resistance. There was real tension in the early years between those who embraced his uncompromising standard of Torah observance and those who did not.



Rav Fishbain was also a mekareiv many neshamos over the decades, drawing Jews of all backgrounds closer to Torah. Among those he influenced was a talmid who came to him as a teenage boy from a non-observant home, and whom Rav Fishbain personally escorted to the airport when he left to learn in Eretz Yisrael.



There is also a well-known story from the morning of September 11, 2001. Rav Fishbain had an appointment high up in the Twin Towers with a prominent baal tzedakah. He arrived with his gabbai, but they were unable to find parking. Rav Fishbain called ahead and suggested they move the meeting to a nearby coffee shop instead. The two men came down, and the meeting took place safely on the ground. The towers fell shortly after.



Harav Fishbain is survived by his Rebbetzin and many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who carry on his legacy of Torah and Yiddishkeit. 



A levaya took place at Lakewood Chapel Monday night. Another Levaya will be held Tuesday at Bais Yisroel, 92 Main Street in Monsey at 10:30 AM.



Kevurah will be at Monsey Chevra Kadisha Cemetery, located on Brick Church Road in Monsey, immediately to the left after the wall of the Viznitz Bais HaChaim.



Yehi zichro boruch.

BDE: Petirah of Harav Shmuel Yosef Fishbain zt”l, Rav White Lake for Over 55 Years

A man dressed in traditional Muslim clothing was caught on video vandalizing a kosher bagel shop in Queens early Friday morning, the first day of Shavuos, in what police are investigating as a possible hate crime.



The incident took place around 1 a.m. at Bagels &amp; Company, an Israeli-owned business in Jamaica Estates. Surveillance footage shared by the Bukharian Jewish community showed the suspect hurling potted plants, chairs, and tables at the storefront for nearly five minutes before fleeing.



Authorities said no injuries were reported, and the suspect remains unidentified.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="1424" style="aspect-ratio: 918 / 1424;" width="918" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/122093.mp4"></video></figure>



“This targeted attack on a Jewish business is part of a disturbing pattern of unchecked harassment against the Queens Jewish community despite rallies and public statements,” said Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers.



“Mayor Mamdani must immediately deploy more NYPD resources to protect our synagogues, schools, and businesses. These intimidation tactics need to end now,” Spern said. “Jewish New Yorkers deserve safety in our city.”



An 18-year-old Jewish student from the area said the incident reflected growing fear among local Jews.



“Honestly I was just confused but not surprised,” she told the NY Post. “It was just like, here we go, another day basically, but also like why?”



“It looked like a really angry man throwing tables, screaming — just like bugging out I guess,” she added. “There’s just been a lot more terrorism against Jews, a lot more antisemitism. And, no, I don’t feel safe here walking by myself.”



According to NYPD statistics, antisemitic incidents jumped 182% in January compared to the same month a year earlier and made up the majority of hate crimes reported citywide.



Police said hate crimes overall declined in April, including a 30.2% drop in antisemitic incidents compared to April 2025, though Jewish New Yorkers still accounted for most hate crime victims during the first months of the year.



The full extent of the damage to the bagel shop was not immediately known.

Muslim-Garbed Vandal Trashes Queens Kosher Bagel Shop In Antisemitic Attack

Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue has cut off donations to a Texas congressional candidate after she called for converting an immigration detention facility into a prison for American Zionists — a demand that, given that the vast majority of American Jews identify as Zionists, amounts to a call to imprison most of the American Jewish community.



Maureen Galindo, running in a Democratic primary runoff for Texas&#8217;s 35th congressional district covering parts of San Antonio and surrounding counties, wrote on Instagram that if elected she would introduce legislation declaring Zionism to be antisemitic, and would convert the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center into &#8220;a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking.&#8221;



As of Sunday, Galindo&#8217;s ActBlue donation page displayed a notice that it was &#8220;not accepting donations,&#8221; and her campaign shifted to an alternative platform. Galindo attributed the cutoff to &#8220;lies and defamation.&#8221;



Galindo has attempted to defend herself against charges of antisemitism by recycling one of the oldest tricks in the Arab anti-Israel propaganda playbook: the claim that Zionist Jews are not real Jews. In her telling, &#8220;Zionists&#8221; are European colonizers with no authentic connection to the Jewish people, while the true Semites — and therefore the true victims of antisemitism — are Arabs and others indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. It follows, by this twisted logic, that Zionism is itself antisemitic, and that targeting Zionists cannot be antisemitic by definition.



The word &#8220;antisemitism&#8221; was coined in 19th-century Germany as a clinical-sounding euphemism for Jew-hatred, and has referred exclusively to hatred of Jews in every context it has ever been used. Galindo&#8217;s redefinition is not a good-faith linguistic observation — it is a rhetorical device designed to launder open hatred of Jews as something other than what it plainly is.



In a statement issued after the controversy erupted, Galindo insisted she had not used the words &#8220;internment camps&#8221; and that the media had distorted her remarks. She clarified that she wished to imprison &#8220;billionaire Zionists who have profited off genocidal prison state materials and trafficking,&#8221; and added that she also wants a &#8220;department and TV channel&#8221; dedicated to exposing child abusers, whom she would send for violent sterilization at the same facility. &#8220;Prosecution has nothing to do with religion,&#8221; she wrote — before adding that the abusers &#8220;will probably be most of the Zionists.&#8221;



Galindo has also claimed that Zionists seek to conquer the United States using Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security, asserting that ICE was trained by the IDF and that DHS is based in Israel. She has further alleged that her Democratic primary opponent, Bexar County Sheriff&#8217;s Deputy Johnny Garcia, is controlled by &#8220;billionaire Zionists&#8221; engaged in human trafficking in southern Texas, and called for him to be tried for treason.



The reaction from Democratic leadership was swift. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene called Galindo&#8217;s comments &#8220;extremely dangerous&#8221; and &#8220;vile,&#8221; stating they had &#8220;no place in Democratic politics.&#8221; Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Jared Moskowitz issued a joint statement saying that if Galindo were elected, they would &#8220;force a vote to expel her every day she is here,&#8221; adding: &#8220;Maureen&#8217;s insane, antisemitic views — including putting Americans in concentration camps — have no place in our party or country.&#8221;



Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the remarks &#8220;bigoted garbage and antisemitism.&#8221; Adding a further dimension to the controversy, Democrats have alleged that Galindo&#8217;s campaign is being propped up by Republican interests. A political action committee called Lead Left PAC, founded less than a month ago and declining to disclose its donors, has spent more than $900,000 promoting Galindo — making it the largest single spender in the primary runoff.



Links to the Republican fundraising platform WinRed were reportedly removed from the PAC&#8217;s website metadata after the connection was reported. House Speaker Mike Johnson denied any knowledge of the effort, saying he had not known Galindo existed before her comments surfaced.



Galindo finished first in the March primary; she faces Garcia in the runoff election on Tuesday.

ActBlue Platform Boots Texas Candidate Who Called for Imprisoning Jews

Israel condemned Ukraine on Monday after President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the state reburial of Ukrainian nationalist leader Andriy Melnyk in Kyiv, honoring a figure whose movement collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II.



“We regret the decision to hold an official state reburial ceremony for OUN leader Andriy Melnyk, who collaborated with the Nazis,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said. “There is no place for ignoring historical truth and the memory of the victims murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.”



Melnyk and his wife, Sofia, were reburied at Ukraine’s National Military Memorial Cemetery after their remains were transferred from Luxembourg. The ceremony was attended by Zelensky and senior Ukrainian officials as part of a broader Ukrainian effort to return the remains of nationalist figures buried abroad.



Zelensky described the ceremony as symbolic for modern Ukraine and praised what he called “Ukrainian heroes” from past and present generations. He said Melnyk had returned “to a Ukraine that will not falter.”



Melnyk led a faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, known as the OUN, which fought Soviet and Polish control over Ukrainian territory. Parts of the movement also cooperated with Nazi Germany during the war, and the OUN remains deeply controversial because of its connection to violence against Jews and Poles during the Holocaust era.



Yad Vashem also issued a sharp condemnation following the ceremony, warning that honoring Melnyk undermines Holocaust remembrance.



“Honoring the leader of a movement that supported and collaborated with Nazi Germany during the persecution and murder of millions of Jews undermines the moral integrity essential to Holocaust remembrance,” Yad Vashem said. “Yad Vashem is deeply troubled by such national commemorations, which come at the expense of historical truth and the memory of Holocaust victims.”



The ceremony reopened a long-running dispute between Israel and Ukraine over Kyiv’s honoring of wartime nationalist figures linked to Nazi collaboration and antisemitism. Ukraine has not yet publicly responded to the latest Israeli criticism.

Israel Condemns Zelensky Tribute To Ukrainian Nationalist Linked To Nazis

A Monday statement issued by the son of the Amshinover Rebbe, shlita, clarified that his father&#8217;s remarks regarding Har HaBayis, which circulated widely on social media in recent days, were taken entirely out of context and do not constitute any halachic ruling permitting ascent to Har HaBayis.



The public statement, highly unusual for the chassidus based in Bayit Vegan, was issued by the Rebbe&#8217;s son, Harav Moshe Milikovsky.



According to Rav Milikovsky, the remarks originated in an internal halachic discussion held at the Rebbe&#8217;s home approximately a year ago, which was subsequently published in the chassidus&#8217; bulletin, Yirah V&#8217;Simchah, intended for an audience familiar with the Rebbe&#8217;s style of halachic discourse. The material was then disseminated dishonestly, he said, as though the Rebbe had issued a practical or ideological permit to ascend Har HaBayis — &#8220;something that never entered his mind.&#8221;



Rav Milikovsky stated unequivocally: &#8220;The Rebbe did not, chas v&#8217;shalom, permit ascending Har HaBayis in contradiction to the position of all the poskim.&#8221; He added that the discussion was discussing hypotheticals and that the Rebbe in fact took a critical stance toward Har HaBayis activism. When the conversation turned to the waving of the Shtei HaLechem on Har HaBayis, reportedly performed there on Shavuos last week, the Rebbe raised a series of practical halachic objections: that the loaves must be baked inside the Mikdash, that removing them after the waving may render them pasul, and that questions of yuchsin, the location of the Mizbei&#8217;ach all remain unresolved. When his son asked whether the matter was comparable to the Korban Pesach, the Rebbe distinguished between the two, noting that the Korban Pesach is an individual obligation while the Shtei HaLechem is a karbon tzibur — and that in any case, the Korban Pesach itself requires a Mizbeiach. &#8216;Are they carrying a Mizbeiach with them too?&#8217; the Rebbe added with a smile, referring to the activists &#8211; thirteen of whom were arrested following the waving ceremony &#8211; who had entered Har HaBayis.&#8221;



&#8220;The Rebbe&#8217;s position is the position of all the poskim,&#8221; Harav Milikovsky wrote, &#8220;that in our times ascending Har HaBayis is not permissible in practice, as it could easily lead to a violation punishable by kares, chas v&#8217;shalom.&#8221;



The Amshinov chassidus, known for its reserved and inward character, rarely issues public statements of any kind, making the clarification itself noteworthy.

Amshinov Clarifies: Rebbe Does Not Allow Visiting Har HaBayis

The IDF announced Monday that it killed a senior Hamas operative tied to the terror group’s weapons manufacturing network during an airstrike in central Gaza on Sunday.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="610" style="aspect-ratio: 1080 / 610;" width="1080" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/121579.mp4"></video></figure>



According to the military, Mohammad Abu Mallouh was a leading member of Hamas’s weapons production headquarters and played a central role in providing technical expertise for the terrorists.



The IDF said Abu Mallouh continued producing weapons even during the ceasefire period, posing a danger to both Israeli civilians and troops operating in Gaza.



The military added that precautions were taken to reduce civilian casualties, including the use of precision-guided munitions and aerial monitoring.

IDF Eliminates Senior Hamas Weapons Expert In Gaza Strike

President Donald Trump said Monday that any agreement with Iran to end the war would require Muslim countries joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing ties with Israel.



Writing on Truth Social, Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding nicely,” but warned that without a deal it would mean “Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before.”



Trump said he told leaders of Muslim and Arab countries that after US efforts to “pull this very complex puzzle together,” it “should be mandatory” for countries involved to join the Abraham Accords.



He named Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan as countries he wants included. Egypt and Jordan already have longstanding peace agreements with Israel, while Turkey has maintained fluctuating ties with the Jewish state for decades.



Trump added that the process “should start with the immediate signing by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and everybody else should follow suit.” He warned that countries refusing to sign should not take part in any Iran agreement because “it shows bad intention.”



According to Axios, several Arab and Muslim leaders reportedly responded to Trump’s proposal with silence. “There was silence on the line and Trump joked and asked if they are still there,” a US official said.



Trump also claimed that “numerous” leaders said they “would be honored” to eventually see Iran itself join the accords if a deal is reached.



Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have repeatedly stated they will not normalize relations with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state. Qatar also has no formal ties with Israel, despite serving as a mediator during the Gaza war.



Trump called the Abraham Accords an “unparalleled World Coalition” that could make the Middle East “United, Powerful, and Economically Strong.” He said he instructed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to begin efforts to expand the agreements immediately.



The push comes as Israeli officials reportedly express concern over the emerging Iran deal, warning it may not address Tehran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles, or support for regional terrorist proxies.

Trump Insists Muslim Nations Join Abraham Accords As Part Of Iran Deal

Australia’s top domestic intelligence official told a Royal Commission on Monday that antisemitism was allowed to spread unchecked across the country after October 7, helping create an atmosphere that fueled violence against Jewish Australians before the deadly Bondi Chanukah massacre.



The testimony came during public hearings into the December 2025 terror attack on a Chanukah celebration in Bondi Beach that killed 15 people. Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), said antisemitic incidents sharply escalated after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War.



“Some of those violent aspects and those behaviors, including antisemitism that, in our view, were left unchecked, were therefore normalized and gave more permission for violence,” Burgess told the inquiry.



The commission also heard that the Jewish Community Security Group warned New South Wales Police before the “Chanukah by the Sea” event that the Jewish community faced a high terrorism risk and requested a permanent police presence. Police instead used a mobile patrol model.



Burgess said the rise in antisemitic incidents contributed to ASIO raising Australia’s national terrorism threat level to “probable” in August 2025. He said antisemitism evolved from threats and intimidation into attacks targeting Jewish schools, synagogues, businesses, and homes. “Jewish Australians were on the receiving end,” he said.



Burgess also testified that ASIO believes the IRGC helped direct attacks on a kosher restaurant in Sydney and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, allegations that led Australia to expel Iran’s ambassador last year. Tehran denied the accusations at the time.



“They use their network of proxies and agents to do their bidding, and that is to bring harm to Jewish people wherever they are in the world,” Burgess said.

Australian Spy Chief Says Antisemitism Was “Normalized” Before Bondi Beach Massacre

A suspect accused of carrying out a months-long spree of antisemitic and racist graffiti at San José State University was arrested Wednesday, university officials and campus police announced.



Since the fall of 2025, threatening graffiti targeting Jewish students has repeatedly appeared across the campus. University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson said the incidents caused “real harm” to students.



“The acts have targeted individuals and communities we proudly welcome to SJSU, and I hope you all join me in condemning hate and violence while standing in solidarity with our community,” Teniente-Matson said Thursday.



The incidents began in October, when racist and discriminatory messages were discovered in student housing and on dormitory bulletin boards, according to a university webpage tracking the attacks.



The following month, antisemitic, anti-Asian and anti-Muslim graffiti, along with threats of violence, were found inside a bathroom at MacQuarrie Hall, prompting an investigation and increased police patrols.



Senator Bill Cassidy later stated that the graffiti included swastikas and threats of mass shootings.



On March 4, new threats appeared in the same building’s bathroom, warning of a terrorist attack planned for March 11.



“SJSU, Sorry, But for Allah 3/11 Will Be 9/11,” one message read alongside “Kill All Jews,” according to Cassidy. Other graffiti referenced killing Jews and praised Al Qaeda terrorist Osama bin Laden.



In response, campus police expanded security measures and coordinated with additional law enforcement agencies.



Further antisemitic threats were discovered on March 24, April 3 and April 8, with more messages later appearing at the Student Union and Art Building threatening an attack on May 4.



Authorities said the suspect was arrested Wednesday following a joint investigation involving multiple agencies, including the FBI.



The suspect has been banned from campus and faces multiple charges, including felony vandalism, felony criminal threats, and possible hate crime enhancements.

Suspect Arrested After Months Of Antisemitic Graffiti And Terror Threats At San José State U

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party and former IDF Chief of Staff, held a quiet meeting last week with MK R&#8217; Moshe Gafni, chairman of Degel HaTorah, Channel 12 reported Sunday evening.



The meeting took place shortly after Hagaon Harav Dov Landau, shlita, announced that Degel HaTorah would be breaking from the right-wing bloc and working toward dissolving the Knesset.



According to the report, the atmosphere at the meeting was described as positive. The encounter was seen as unusual given the current political climate, and comes against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations over draft legislation affecting yeshivah students.



The conscription question has produced sharply divergent proposals among opposition figures. Eisenkot’s framework would exempt 30% of yeshivah students from service requirements, with no sanctions applied to that cohort. By contrast, Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman have pushed a harder line, insisting on a universal service principle under which those who do not serve would receive no government funding.



Bennett and Lieberman have attacked Eisenkot in recent days for what they characterize as an overly lenient approach. Eisenkot, for his part, has made clear he views the draft issue as a matter on which he will not yield, even if it means another election cycle. Speaking at the Corporations Association conference last week, he said: “There are serious disagreements between me and the chareidim. The distorted reality that has emerged cannot be accepted.”



Eisenkot’s circle neither confirmed nor denied that the meeting took place, saying only that “he operates in many ways to bring forward elections and topple the government.” Gafni’s office stated that they “do not comment on meetings Gafni holds with various figures.”



The reported meeting is not the first sign of contact between Eisenkot and the chareidi parties. Approximately two weeks ago, reports emerged that chareidi representatives had conveyed messages to Eisenkot urging him not to rush into alignment with Bennett and Yair Lapid. They were said to view his conscription framework as more workable and amenable to compromise than the Bennett-Lieberman position.



Shortly after those reports surfaced, Eisenkot was spotted touring the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, and did not rule out the possibility of sitting in a government alongside the chareidi parties. Whether Sunday’s report of a Gafni-Eisenkot meeting signals the early outlines of a post-election political arrangement remains unclear. With elections widely expected in the coming months, the various opposition factions are jockeying for position, and conversations that would have seemed unlikely not long ago are now being reported openly.

Report: Eisenkot Met Secretly With Gafni After Degel Broke From Right Bloc

Officials battling a dangerous chemical leak in Orange County said Sunday they may have found a breakthrough after crews discovered what could be a pressure-relieving crack in the tank at the center of the crisis.



Orange County Fire Authority Interim Chief TJ McGovern said the finding still needs to be confirmed, but noted it could significantly change the response strategy. “With this new information, it could change our trajectory and our strategy to this event,” he said. “Last night was a successful operation for this emerging incident.”



The emergency entered its fourth day Sunday as a leaking tank holding roughly 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate continued to threaten surrounding communities at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove. Nearly 50,000 residents remain under evacuation orders.



California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday and requested an Emergency Declaration from President Donald Trump, which would activate FEMA assistance and unlock federal resources.



“California doesn&#8217;t wait for disaster to unfold, we act early to protect lives and communities,” Newsom said. “Working together with our local and federal partners, we&#8217;re strengthening our ability to respond quickly and effectively in Garden Grove and across the surrounding communities and ensuring that first responders have the resources they need to keep people safe.”



Fire officials warned earlier in the crisis that the tank could either rupture and spill thousands of gallons of hazardous chemicals or enter a “thermal runaway” reaction that could trigger a catastrophic explosion affecting nearby fuel and chemical tanks.



“There are literally two options left remaining: One, the tank fails and spills a total of about [6,000] to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot and that area,” OCFA Division Chief Craig Covey said Friday. “Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up, affecting the tanks that are around it that have fuel or chemicals in them as well.”



Officials now believe a possible third option may exist after signs emerged that pressure inside the tank could be releasing naturally. State Sen. Tom Umberg called the development encouraging, saying, “That may avoid the two concerns that we all had. One was an explosion, the other was a leak of liquid material vaporizing into a toxic fume, a toxic plume.”



Covey stressed that officials are determined to avoid disaster. “Letting this thing just fail and blow up is unacceptable to us,” he said. “Our goal is to find something and not allow that to happen.”



Authorities have brought in outside experts from across the country while investigators examine what caused the failure. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced a formal investigation Saturday and urged employees and whistleblowers connected to GKN Aerospace to come forward.



“I am indicating to employees who work at GKN: If you want to come forward and you want to be interviewed and you want to tell us what you know, now is the time,” Spitzer said. “When we launch an investigation, and we get to the bottom of what happened and why the system failed, if you haven&#8217;t come forward, you&#8217;re not gonna be treated the same as if you come forward early and you tell us what you know.”



Spitzer described the situation as “irresponsible” and “horrific,” while evacuated residents have already filed a class-action lawsuit against GKN Aerospace over the disruption and possible health risks.



The company said Sunday it is “working round the clock to mitigate the risk of a leak.”



“We are acutely aware of the uncertainty this incident is causing and sincerely apologise for the ongoing disruption to the local community,” the statement reads. “Our priority remains the safe resolution of this incident, so that residents can return to their homes as quickly as possible.”



Health experts warned methyl methacrylate is a highly flammable chemical capable of triggering a runaway reaction. USC chemistry professor Elias Picazo explained: “In an uncontrolled environment with a leak, you can potentially have a lot in the atmosphere, and any flash or spark or even temperature can cause what is known as a runaway reaction.”



He added, “Heat initiates the reaction, but the reaction releases heat, and so you get what we call &#8216;runaway,&#8217; where it&#8217;s uncontrolled. It can lead to, yes, fires, explosions, where pressure really builds up very quickly.”



Despite fears of a catastrophic blast, environmental monitoring has so far detected no dangerous gas releases outside the evacuation zone. Officials continue conducting air monitoring around the clock while drones track the tank’s temperature.

50,000 Evacuated As Toxic California Chemical Leak Threatens Massive Explosion

A 25-year-old Hendon man has been charged with racially and religiously aggravated assault after two Jewish men were attacked outside a local shul on Shavuos night, police announced Sunday.



Daniel Nikzamir, of Sunningfields Road, NW4, faces two counts of racially or religiously aggravated assault by beating, one count of assault by beating, and charges of racially aggravated criminal damage. The incident occurred at approximately 9 p.m. on May 21 on Sunningfields Road, where dozens of Yidden had gathered for the Yom Tov outside the shul.



 Two victims sustained minor injuries.



Nikzamir was detained by members of the public before Metropolitan Police officers arrived at the scene within ten minutes. He appeared at Willesden Magistrate’s Court on May 23, pleaded not guilty, and was released on bail pending a hearing at Harrow Crown Court on June 22.



One shul member told the Daily Mail that a victim was “punched in the face, breaking his glasses.”



Detective Superintendent Will Lexton-Jones of the Metropolitan Police’s North West Basic Command Unit said: “Incidents of this nature rightly cause concern in the community. We continue to offer support to local residents, particularly to the two men who were victims of this alleged attack.”



The charges are the latest development in a troubling pattern of antisemitic violence across north London. The attack follows stabbings of two Jewish men in nearby Golders Green last month and the beating of an Israeli man overheard speaking Hebrew, also in Golders Green.



Police said that since the end of March, more than 90 hate crime arrests have been made across London, over 70 of them for antisemitic offenses. A Community Protection Team of 100 officers has been established, integrating neighborhood policing, specialist protection, and counter-terrorism capabilities to enhance security for Jewish communities.

Man Charged After Two Jews Attacked Outside Hendon Shul on Shavuos

Turkey’s main opposition party accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his allies of carrying out a “judicial coup” after riot police stormed CHP headquarters in Ankara on Sunday following a three-day standoff inside the building.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="270" style="aspect-ratio: 478 / 270;" width="478" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ssstwitter.com_1779639896142.mp4"></video></figure>



The crisis began after a Turkish appeals court annulled the CHP’s 2023 leadership election, removed party leader Ozgur Ozel and reinstated former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who lost to Erdogan in Turkey’s 2023 presidential election, and a much weaker opponent to Erdogan than Ozel.



Ozel refused to recognize the ruling and remained inside party headquarters with supporters. Turkish media reported police later entered the building using tear gas, shields and plastic bullets while forcing their way floor by floor through the headquarters.



“This is a judicial coup,” Ozel said during the standoff, accusing Erdogan’s government of trying to remove the opposition through the courts after failing to defeat it politically.



The CHP, founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, is Turkey’s main secular opposition party and is currently led by Ozgur Ozel. The party emerged as Erdogan’s strongest political challenge after major victories in the 2024 municipal elections.



After police entered the building, Ozel and supporters marched toward the Turkish parliament in Ankara. “CHP is in the streets from now on,” he declared, raising the question going forward of whether Erdogan’s opponents can still freely organize and compete for power in Turkey.

Turkish Police Storm Opposition Headquarters After Court Removes CHP Leader

Shas MK Ya’akov Margi announced that he will not seek reelection in the next national vote and plans to leave the Knesset when the current term concludes, according to Hebrew media reports citing a statement from the longtime lawmaker. The move ends Margi’s 23-year tenure in parliament and makes him the second Shas representative within a week to declare he is stepping down.



In a statement, the Charedi lawmaker said he had recently informed party chairman Aryeh Deri that he did not want to appear on Shas’s next Knesset list, although Deri requested that he postpone making the move public.



The announcement follows last week’s resignation of fellow Shas MK and former minister Moshe Arbel, who also said he would leave the Knesset.



Like Arbel, Margi did not provide an explanation for his decision. However, he stressed that he remains committed to the broader Shas movement, describing Shas as “my home,” and said he would continue serving in any position assigned by the party leadership.



Margi first entered the Knesset in 2003 and went on to serve in several senior government roles, including Minister of Religious Affairs and later Welfare Minister. He remained in the latter post until Shas withdrew from the coalition government last summer in protest over the government’s failure to pass legislation granting yeshiva students exemptions from military service.

Shas Veteran Ya’akov Margi Announces Exit From Knesset After 23 Years

Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported overnight new details of the emerging U.S.–Iran framework that would center on a 60-day memorandum aimed at keeping the ceasefire in place and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Under the reported terms, Iran would allow ships to pass freely through the strait, while Washington would issue sanctions waivers allowing Tehran to sell oil. Additionally, American forces would remain in the region as negotiations continued over Iran’s nuclear program.



The Axios report lined up with a parallel report by the Qatar-backed Arabic outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, which cited a Pakistani Foreign Ministry source saying Islamabad’s proposal also includes a 60-day ceasefire extension and the reopening of Hormuz. According to the report, the proposal would also remove the blockade on Iranian ports and include discussions on easing restrictions on frozen Iranian funds. Al-Araby Al-Jadeed also reported that Lebanon would also be included in the framework, with Washington and Tehran supporting dialogue between Lebanon and Israel. The practical meaning of that clause remains unclear, and there has been no confirmed report that the U.S. agreed to restrict Israeli military action in Lebanon.



The sharpest contradiction emerged over Iran’s uranium stockpile. The New York Times reported that Iran had agreed in principle to give up its highly enriched uranium as part of the expected arrangement, while leaving the mechanism for later nuclear negotiations.



However, Reuters later reported that a senior Iranian source denied Tehran had agreed to give up the stockpile and said the nuclear issue was not part of the preliminary agreement with Washington. Iran’s Tasnim news agency also reported that one or two clauses remain disputed, saying Tehran told the Pakistani mediator the memorandum cannot be completed if the U.S. continues placing “obstacles.”



Fox News reported another unresolved condition: an American demand for U.S. forces to remain near Iran for 30 days under the framework. Iranian officials have reportedly objected to that term, leaving the emerging arrangement still short of a finalized agreement.

Iran Denies Giving Up Uranium As New U.S. Framework Details Emerge

A hotel employee in Cambria, California, was fired after verbally confronting an Israeli couple, telling them “Free Palestine” and accusing them of being “baby killers.”



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="358" style="aspect-ratio: 938 / 358;" width="938" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/7923929c-b23c-49c3-9ce7-ab4877a03c2f-1_all_14527.mp4"></video></figure>



Footage of the incident spread rapidly across social media after being posted online.



The video shows the Israeli couple arriving at the hotel to check into rooms they had reserved when the front desk worker began berating them while recording the interaction himself. He later uploaded the footage to social media, writing that he had “never looked the devil in the eye” the way he did that night and claiming there were “child murderers” staying at the hotel.



During the confrontation, the Israeli woman told the employee that he was expected to remain professional and provide equal treatment to all guests. She was later heard telling her husband in Hebrew, “I&#8217;m afraid he will break into our room and do something to us.”



A young child could also be heard in the background repeatedly calling out, “Mommy, mommy.”



According to reports circulating online, the family ultimately decided not to stay at the hotel and found accommodations elsewhere.



Pro-Israel activist Hen Mazzig reacted to the incident by noting that the employee’s dismissal did not end the controversy.



“The employee was fired. This is where the story usually ends. It does not end here. He launched a GoFundMe called &#8216;Support Ryan’s Stand for Justice.&#8217; Almost $8,000 raised in roughly a day. In his own words, he was let go for &#8216;speaking up on the genocide.&#8217;”



“That is one version of events. The other version is on camera. This is what 2026 looks like for Jews,” he concluded.

California Hotel Worker Fired After Calling Israeli Guests ‘Baby Killers’ In Viral Confrontation

President Donald Trump announced Saturday evening that a peace agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran had been &#8220;largely negotiated&#8221; — stopping well short of declaring a completed deal and offering no specifics about its terms, even as a chorus of Republican voices warned that the emerging framework would squander the gains of the military campaign against Tehran.



In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had convened an Oval Office call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, followed by a separate conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. He said the discussions centered on a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to peace and cited the opening of the Strait of Hormuz as one element, but provided no further details.



&#8220;An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization,&#8221; Trump wrote, adding that &#8220;final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly.&#8221;



What those details are — or whether the parties can actually agree on them — remains unclear.



The announcement landed just hours after Trump himself cast serious doubt on whether any agreement was within reach. In an interview with Axios earlier Saturday, he put the odds of reaching a &#8220;good&#8221; deal at &#8220;a solid 50/50,&#8221; with the alternative being, in his words, to &#8220;blow them to kingdom come.&#8221; He said he would meet with chief negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Vice President JD Vance, to review Iran&#8217;s latest offer before making a decision he expected to reach by Sunday.



The afternoon was marked by frantic regional diplomacy. Pakistan&#8217;s Field Marshal Asim Munir, who had been mediating between Washington and Tehran, departed Iran on Saturday after meeting with senior officials there. Islamabad described the talks as showing &#8220;encouraging progress toward a final understanding&#8221; but acknowledged that no deal had been finalized.



Iran&#8217;s foreign ministry spokesperson said from Tehran that the two sides were in the &#8220;final stage&#8221; of discussions on an MOU framework that would address the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of a U.S. blockade, and frozen Iranian assets — followed by a 30-to-60-day period of more detailed negotiations. Iran separately said that nuclear issues were not part of the current negotiations at all — a direct collision with the terms Trump and his secretary of state have publicly insisted upon.



Trump&#8217;s apparent pivot toward a deal triggered sharp pushback from prominent members of his own party.



Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said he was &#8220;deeply concerned&#8221; about what he was hearing, warning that if the military campaign — which he credited with &#8220;destroying all of their missiles and drones and sinking their entire navy&#8221; — resulted in an Iran &#8220;still run by Islamists who chant &#8216;death to America,&#8217; now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium and develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.&#8221; Cruz noted that he was still waiting on details, but added that former Obama-era Iran negotiator Rob Malley&#8217;s reported praise of the deal was &#8220;not encouraging.&#8221;



Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned that a deal struck on the premise that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian threats would represent &#8220;a major shift of the balance of power in the region&#8221; and would over time become &#8220;a nightmare for Israel.&#8221; His post was amplified by the Senate Republicans&#8217; official account and by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee.



Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was more blunt, warning that &#8220;the rumored 60-day ceasefire — with the belief that Iran will ever engage in good faith — would be a disaster.&#8221; He added: &#8220;Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught.&#8221; On Friday, Wicker had blamed unnamed Trump advisers for pushing the president toward &#8220;a deal that would not be worth the paper it is written on,&#8221; warning that &#8220;further pursuit of an agreement with Iran&#8217;s Islamist regime risks a perception of weakness.&#8221;



Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who served under Trump in his first term, went further, likening the reported terms to the Obama administration&#8217;s 2015 nuclear deal and calling them &#8220;straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook.&#8221; He said the emerging framework was &#8220;not remotely America First.&#8221;



Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday there had been &#8220;some progress&#8221; in talks and hinted that news could come later in the day. But he reiterated that Iran must surrender its enriched uranium stockpile, can &#8220;never&#8221; possess a nuclear weapon, and that the Strait must be reopened &#8220;without tolls&#8221; — positions that remain far from Iran&#8217;s stated terms and that any preliminary MOU would likely defer rather than resolve.



The Republican dissent over the deal comes amid broader congressional turbulence over the Iran war. The Senate this week advanced a war powers resolution that would end the conflict absent congressional authorization, in a 50-47 vote that reflected a small but growing bloc of Republicans willing to challenge the president. A similar House vote, which observers said had the votes to pass, was abruptly canceled by Republican leadership and pushed off until after the Memorial Day recess.

Trump Claims Iran Deal ‘Largely Negotiated’ Amid Republican Pushback Over Terms

Hundreds of avreichim from the Teshuvos V’Hanhagos Kollel Network, founded by HaGaon Harav Moshe Sternbuch shlit”a, gathered in Yerushalayim on Erev Shavuos for the network’s annual central asifa &#8211; an event that this year carried the added simcha of remarkable growth. In the past year alone, the network opened two new branches, in Rama Daled of Beit Shemesh and in Modi’in Illit, while the Har Nof branch welcomed thirty new kollel yungerleit, with eighteen additional avreichim joining across other locations.



The network now spans six branches throughout Eretz Yisrael.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="480" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 480;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124913.mp4"></video></figure>



Distinguished guests on the dais included HaGaon HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, and Chassidish mashpi’im Hagaon HaRav Nachman Biderman shlit”a and HaGaon HaRav Yehudah Deutsch shlit”a.



Rav Sorotzkin addressed the assembled avreichim with deep feeling, emphasizing that “Toraso umnaso” is not merely a rallying cry but a precisely defined halachic principle rooted in Torah law. “Ashrei chelkechem,” he called out, “that your Torah is your craft, and that you merit sitting under the guidance of the Posek HaDor, who lights our way in this orphaned generation.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="475" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124959.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27447" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124959.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124959-300x158.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124959-768x405.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Rav Biderman described the privilege of the assembled avreichim in words of dveikus: “You are the pillars of the world. It is in the merit of your Torah and your toil that the entire world stands.” He and Rav Deutsch both invoked the moving image of Matan Torah, declaring that in 5786, Klal Yisrael still merits receiving the Torah from the “Moshe Rabbeinu of the generation.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124958.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27446" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124958.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124958-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124958-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



In his keynote address, Rav Sternbuch spoke of the essence of Shavuos simcha &#8211; and issued a sharp rejoinder to those who pity the ben Torah’s way of life. “The secular Jews pity us,” he said. “But the truth is the complete opposite. We are joyful, we are fortunate, we have a direct connection to our Creator and we merit true eternal life.”



He recalled formative memories from pre-war London, where he witnessed&nbsp; HaGaon HaRav Elchanan Wasserman Hy”d dancing on Shavuos with extraordinary energy for over an hour without pause &#8211; a sight, he said, that left an indelible impression for life.



Rav Shternbuch also addressed the difficult decrees facing the Torah world in Eretz Yisrael. “The secular Jews know full well, deep in their hearts, that we are the fortunate ones &#8211; and that is precisely why they burn with jealousy,” he said, urging avreichim to maintain their distance from influences that could compromise their kedushah.



He concluded with warm words of praise for his son, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Ozer Sternbuch shlit”a, who dedicates himself to building and sustaining the kollelim, bentching him with continued siyata diShmaya.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124960.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27448" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124960.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124960-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124960-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Following the address, the hundreds of avreichim broke into spirited singing and niggunim of kabbalas haTorah. As they exited the hall, each kollel yungerman received a personal envelope and a generously assembled basket of quality dairy products, sponsored by Tnuva, for Yom Tov &#8211; a surprise arranged at the personal direction of Rav Shternbuch, reflecting his abiding concern for the welfare of his bnei Torah and their families.



With spirits elevated with the joy of Torah, the avreichim departed to greet Chag HaShavuos, continuing their role as the true bulwark of Klal Yisrael.



Photos and video by Shuki Lerer.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124957-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27444" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124957-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124957-200x300.jpg 200w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124957-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/124957.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27467" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125487.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27467" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125487.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125487-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125487-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27466" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125486.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27466" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125486.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125486-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125486-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27465" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125485.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27465" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125485.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125485-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125485-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27468" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125484.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27468" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125484.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125484-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125484-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="452" data-id="27464" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125483.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27464" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125483.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125483-300x151.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125483-768x386.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27469" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125482.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27469" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125482.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125482-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125482-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" data-id="27470" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125481.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27470" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125481.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125481-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/125481-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>
</figure>

Erev Shavuos Asifa Draws Hundreds From Teshuvos V’Hanhagos Network

A gunman identified by law enforcement as Nasire Best opened fire outside a White House security checkpoint Saturday evening before being fatally shot by Secret Service agents in a barrage of return fire.



Best, 21, allegedly approached the checkpoint around 6:10 p.m. after pacing erratically along 17th Street Northwest near the White House, sources told The New York Post. Authorities said he fired several rounds from a revolver before federal officers quickly neutralized him.



At least one civilian was reportedly struck and seriously wounded during the exchange of gunfire, according to sources familiar with the incident.



Investigators have not officially established a motive, though sources described Best as a mentally disturbed individual who had repeatedly lingered around White House security posts in the past. Authorities said he had also violated a court order barring him from the area. Court documents from a previous arrest indicate that Best believed himself to be the Christian diety.



“FBI is on the scene and supporting Secret Service responding to shots fired near White House grounds – we will update the public as we’re able,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X.



The sudden eruption of gunfire sent members of the White House press corps scrambling for cover, including journalists broadcasting live from the North Lawn.



“I was in the middle of taping on my iPhone for a social video from the White House North Lawn when we heard the shots,” said Selina Wang, a senior ABC White House correspondent.



“It sounded like dozens of gunshots. We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now.”



Secret Service agents immediately locked down the White House complex and directed reporters to gather on the North Lawn before rushing into the briefing room. The lockdown lasted roughly 30 minutes before authorities declared the area secure. The shooting occurred less than two hours after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he was in the Oval Office working on a peace agreement involving Iran.



According to records, Best had previously been involuntarily committed on June 26, 2025, after obstructing traffic near 15th Street and E Street NW. He was later arrested again on July 10, 2025, on an unlawful entry charge.



During that earlier encounter, authorities said Best bypassed a restricted White House pedestrian checkpoint by entering through an exit turnstile and made bizarre remarks after being detained by police and Secret Service personnel.



Although investigators have not determined whether the shooting was politically motivated, lawmakers from both parties swiftly condemned the violence, which comes amid a growing series of security threats surrounding President Trump.



House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the response by federal agents, saying he was grateful for the “brave Secret Service agents who took quick, decisive action to protect President Trump, and our prayers are with victims of tonight’s senseless shooting for a speedy recovery.”



Rep. Cory Mills echoed those remarks, saying that “there is no place in America for political violence, and every leader should be condemning it unequivocally.”



Rep. Betty Column also denounced the attack and urged Americans to “unite behind a common belief that our differences should be resolved at the ballot box.”



Saturday’s shooting is the latest in a string of violent incidents tied to the political climate in the United States.



The gunfire came roughly one month after another armed attacker opened fire near the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner while President Trump was attending. It also follows the July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump during a campaign rally, when a gunman grazed the president’s ear with a bullet.

Attempted White House Shooter Identified as Nasire Best

Ahead of Friday&#8217;s presidential visit to Rockland County, askanim have secured a dedicated viewing location at Viola Road corner College Road, with significant accommodations tailored specifically for frum Jews.



The announcement, circulated Thursday afternoon erev Yom Tov, confirmed that local officials met with community representatives and agreed to establish a separate area where the President will be visible to the crowd. The location will be reserved exclusively for the heimishe community. A special hotline was established to inform community members of updates. The number is 845-738-2222.



Attendees at the designated area will not be required to pass through metal detectors or present identification. The site will also be physically separated from the general public, and arrangements are being made to ensure the area is maintained in accordance with tznius standards.



Officials will distribute American flags at the entrance for those who wish to have one.

Monsey Askanim Secure Dedicated Area for Presidential Visit: No Metal Detectors, No ID Required

Israeli authorities have issued a series of emergency directives to communities and yeshivos amid mounting fears that the war with Iran could soon resume, Belaaz has learned.



Institutions which who do not have access to safe rooms have been directed to evacuate. 



In a major development, a yeshiva in Carmiel, a town in northern Israel, was instructed to close its doors Thursday and send all students home due to not having a bomb shelter.



The order underscores the gravity of assessments being made by security officials, who appear to believe that a renewed outbreak of hostilities is likely.



Additionally, hospitals in the region have reportedly received notifications ordering them to prepare their underground facilities for emergency use. The activation of subterranean hospital wings is typically reserved for imminent conflict scenarios, and the order signals that military and medical planners are taking the threat of renewed hostilities with the utmost seriousness.

EXCLUSIVE: Israeli Authorities Order Evacuations, School Closure as Iran War Renewal Feared

President Donald Trump is scheduled to appear at a campaign event Friday alongside Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) at the Eugene Levy Fieldhouse at Rockland Community College in Suffern &#8211; on the first day of Shavuos.



Lawler&#8217;s office confirmed to Belaaz that there will be a frum presence at the event, which is open to the public. A number of those offered VIP seating declined due to Yom Tov complications, as attendees will need to go through metal detectors and other security screening procedures. A source indicated to Belaaz that Rabbi Shmuel Gancz of Suffern, who was invited to speak, reportedly stated that if he were permitted to read the Aseres Hadibros, he would participate, but when this request was rejected he declined to attend.



The event will begin at 3PM on Friday.



The White House framed the visit as an opportunity for the President to tout his economic agenda, highlighting what it described as the largest middle-class tax cuts in history, including an expansion of the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000.



But the timing of the visit &#8211; falling on Yom Tov Shavuos &#8211; has drawn notice in the heavily Jewish county, where frum residents will be celebrating the Yom Tov and will be unable to attend.



Images shared with Belaaz on Thursday show Jewish Rockland residents displaying welcome signs for the president.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/266826-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27278" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/266826-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/266826-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/266826.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="974" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/267105.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27281" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/267105.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/267105-277x300.jpg 277w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/267105-768x831.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Lawler&#8217;s district, New York&#8217;s 17th Congressional District, which encompasses Rockland and Putnam counties along with parts of Westchester and Dutchess, is considered one of the nation&#8217;s key House battleground seats and the only New York congressional district currently rated a toss-up. Control of the narrowly divided U.S. House could hinge on races like Lawler&#8217;s in November.







The scheduling has raised eyebrows in the local frum community. Rockland County&#8217;s Orthodox Jewish population &#8211; concentrated in Monsey, Spring Valley, New Square, and surrounding areas &#8211; represents a major bloc of the district&#8217;s electorate, one that Lawler has cultivated carefully throughout his tenure in Congress. A slew of Trump administration officials have visited Lawler&#8217;s district to hold events with him in recent weeks as the second-term Republican gears up for his re-election campaign.



Some observers have noted the apparent incongruity of a presidential visit designed in part to shore up Jewish community support being scheduled on a day when virtually the entire observant Jewish community is unavailable. Whether the date was an oversight or reflects a calculation that Lawler&#8217;s Jewish support is sufficiently secure regardless, is a matter of speculation among community members.

Some Jewish Community Figures Decline Invitations to Shavuos Trump Campaign Event for Rep. Lawler

Israel established a special task force after the October 7 massacre to track down and kill or capture every Hamas terrorist involved in the attack, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Wednesday. The unit, known as “NILI,” targets everyone from senior Hamas commanders to terrorists who physically crossed into Israel during the massacre.



The task force’s name is an acronym for “Netzach Yisrael Lo Yeshaker” — “The Glory of Israel does not deceive.” According to the report, Israeli officials said the name reflects a message that no victim of the October 7 attack would be forgotten.



NILI compiled a list containing “thousands of names” connected to the massacre. Israeli officials use facial recognition from Hamas social media footage, cellphone tracking data, and interrogations of Gazan detainees to identify suspects. Current and former officials told the WSJ that once two separate pieces of evidence confirm participation in the attack, the individual is marked for elimination without trial.



The report described operations targeting both low-level participants and senior Hamas leaders. One example cited was a terrorist who drove a tractor through the Gaza border fence on October 7 and was later killed in an Israeli airstrike while walking through an urban street. The report also referenced the recent killing of Hamas military leader Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, whom IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir described as “one of the chief perpetrators of the October 7 massacre.”



Former Israeli intelligence official Michael Milstein told the WSJ that “revenge is an important part of the discourse” in the Middle East, arguing that Israel must demonstrate the price of attacks like October 7. The report added that NILI has also reportedly taken part in assassinations of Hamas figures in Lebanon and Iran.

Report: Israel Created Special  Unit To Hunt October 7 Terrorists

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved sweeping legislation designed to tackle rising housing costs, expand homeownership opportunities, and boost the nation’s housing supply. The measure now heads back to the Senate for further consideration.



The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act cleared the House in a 396-13 bipartisan vote, with all opposition coming from Republican lawmakers.



The Senate had already passed an earlier version of the legislation in March. However, the bill remained stalled in the House for months due to disagreements among Republicans over several provisions. According to Politico, revisions that won President Donald Trump’s backing ultimately helped move the legislation forward. The White House issued a statement Wednesday praising the bill and encouraging the Senate to approve the updated version.



According to The New York Times, Trump has recently focused heavily on limiting the role of institutional investors in the housing market, including large financial groups and pension funds that purchase residential properties. The president had originally supported the Senate’s earlier version of the bill.



&#8220;This has been years of work in the making and months of intensive work in this 119th Congress to find a path that improves accessibility on housing for the American people and affordability for the American people that could be a bicameral and bipartisan housing measure,&#8221; said Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., and chairman of the Financial Services Committee.



The legislation has become a major priority for both parties ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, as housing affordability continues to worsen across the country. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have increasingly faced pressure from constituents struggling with soaring housing costs.



&#8220;It&#8217;s unconceivable that members of the House and the Senate would want to go home and face constituents who legitimately frustrated with housing affordability and not be able to tell them, &#8216;I got this bill passed,&#8217; &#8220;said David Dworkin, president of the National Housing Coalition, in The New York Times.



Despite the overwhelming House vote, uncertainty remains over the bill’s future because of the changes made by House lawmakers. Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren addressed the issue in a joint statement released Wednesday.



&#8220;There&#8217;s still work to be done, and we are committed to continuing to work with the White House and our colleagues in the House on a housing bill that can pass the Senate and get to the president&#8217;s desk,&#8221; they said.

House Passes Bipartisan Housing Bill

A new Fox News national survey found growing voter frustration over the economy and President Donald Trump’s handling of major issues, while opposition to continued U.S. military involvement in Iran is also rising — even though most voters believe the United States is winning the conflict.



The poll found that affordability remains the dominant concern for Americans.



Fifty-eight percent of voters identified the cost of living as their biggest economic worry, an increase from 50% in February. Other concerns trailed far behind, including government spending at 16%, jobs at 8%, and tariffs at 8%.



More than three-quarters of respondents — 77% — described the economy as being in bad shape, up from 73% last month and 71% a year ago. Just 23% rated the economy positively, marking the lowest figure recorded in more than a year.



The economic pessimism is also affecting voters personally. A narrow majority, 51%, said their family’s financial situation is worse now than it was two years ago. Before the 2022 midterm elections, that number stood at 44%.



The worsening outlook appears to be hurting Trump politically. A year ago, 56% of voters disapproved of his handling of the economy. That figure climbed to 66% last month and now stands at 71%. Fox News noted that much of the latest increase came from Republicans, with GOP disapproval rising by 7 points since April.



Support among Republicans outside the MAGA movement was especially weak. Just 36% of non-MAGA Republicans approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, compared to 74% of MAGA Republicans and 18% of independents. Overall, only 29% approved of Trump’s economic performance, down from 34% in April.



Trump received his worst marks on inflation, where only 24% approved of his handling of the issue, compared to 35% in January. Inflation was also one of the few issues where a majority of Republicans — 51% — expressed disapproval. Among independents, disapproval reached 85%, while Democrats registered 96%.



The president’s ratings were also underwater on foreign policy, with 38% approving and 62% disapproving. Border security, once considered one of Trump’s strongest issues, also slipped into negative territory for the first time during his second term, with voters divided 49% to 51%. That decline came even as 45% said border security is better now than it was two years ago, compared to 29% who said it is worse.



Trump’s overall job approval rating fell to 39%, down 3 points from last month and 10 points lower than at the start of his second term. Meanwhile, 61% disapproved of his performance, including 48% who said they strongly disapprove.



Since April, approval ratings have weakened among several traditionally supportive groups, including rural White voters, White men without college degrees, and Republicans.



Fox News said Trump’s approval ratings among Republicans, non-MAGA Republicans, White voters, and rural voters have all dropped to record lows in its polling.



&#8220;Despite consistently strong GOP support, the president’s numbers are leaking a bit,&#8221; says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson. &#8220;Make no mistake; it’s all about affordability. Independents jumped ship in 2025, and now non-MAGA Republicans and other core constituencies are wavering.&#8221;



The survey also found that 57% of voters believe Trump’s policies will hurt the country in the long run, compared to 34% who believe they will help. The share saying his policies will “hurt” increased by 6 points since last April. While 88% of MAGA Republicans said Trump’s policies would help the country, only 43% of non-MAGA Republicans agreed.



Gas prices also remain a major concern for voters. Eighty-six percent called rising gas prices a problem, including 51% who described them as a “major” problem. Nearly all respondents — 96% — said gas prices are a problem for the broader economy, while 75% labeled the issue “major.”



When asked who or what is responsible for high gas prices, voters largely blamed domestic factors such as Trump’s policies, oil companies, and government regulations. However, 91% said the Iran war is the primary cause.



On Iran, two-thirds of voters said they believe the United States is winning the war, but opposition to American military involvement still rose to 60%, up from 55% last month.



Half of respondents said they expect the war to last at least a year, including 33% who believe it will continue for more than a year. Meanwhile, 60% favored setting limits on how long the United States should remain involved militarily in Iran.



Nearly all Republicans — 89% — and two-thirds of independents said they believe the United States is winning the war, while 56% of Democrats said they think Iran is winning. Younger voters under 30 were the most likely age group to say the United States is winning, at 79%, but they were also among the most opposed to the war, at 67%.



Among military veterans and active-duty service members surveyed, 55% supported U.S. action against Iran and 72% said they believe the United States is winning the conflict.



Concern over Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon has also declined sharply. Last summer, 78% of voters expressed concern, the highest level ever recorded in the Fox News poll. That figure has now dropped to 56%, the lowest on record, down from 66% in March.



The poll also examined reactions to Trump’s handling of the recent U.S.-China summit. While 45% approved of Trump’s performance, 54% disapproved.



A majority of voters — 52% — said Chinese President Xi Jinping came away with more of what he wanted from the negotiations, compared to 46% who said Trump did. More than a quarter of Republicans agreed that Xi emerged stronger from the summit, along with majorities of Democrats and independents.



The survey was conducted May 15-18 by Beacon Research and Shaw &amp; Company Research and included 1,002 registered voters nationwide. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Trump’s Ratings Tank In Fox News Poll

On Wednesday, the Tzedek Association delivered the first in a series of air conditioning units to FCI Otisville, a medium-security federal correctional institution with an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp and detention center, located in Orange County, New York. The group plans to expand the initiative to additional facilities across the country.



The effort is the latest in a string of advocacy victories for Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, the group&#8217;s founder and president, who has spent more than a decade pressing the federal government on prison conditions and sentencing reform. Tzedek was among the organizations credited with helping push the First Step Act into law.



“For too long, many incarcerated individuals have suffered through unbearable heat conditions with little relief. We are thankful to work alongside leaders who understand that basic humanity and dignity must remain a priority,&#8221; Rabbi Moshe Margaretten told Belaaz.



The air conditioning donation comes as federal prisons face recurring scrutiny over summer heat conditions. Inmates in many facilities serve their sentences wearing 100 percent polyester uniforms that offer little relief in hot weather. With summer approaching, Tzedek argued that exposing incarcerated people to extreme heat in such conditions is a matter of basic human dignity.



The announcement comes amid what reform advocates describe as an unusually receptive moment inside the Bureau of Prisons. Last week, Rabbi Margaretten met in Washington with Deputy Director Joshua J. Smith and his team. Smith, who was sworn in last June, oversees 122 facilities and a workforce of 36,000, and is responsible for the care and custody of 156,000 federal inmates. He is the first formerly incarcerated person to serve at any level as a Bureau of Prisons employee — having been convicted in the late 1990s on drug conspiracy charges and later pardoned by President Trump.



Under the current BOP leadership, Tzedek said it has been advocating for expanded tablet access and video communication for inmates, significantly broadened furlough opportunities, and further implementation of the First Step Act.



Rabbi Margaretten also attended the White House&#8217;s Shabbat 250 celebration last week, a gathering honoring 250 years of American history, where he met with senior administration officials including Martin Marks, the White House Jewish Community Liaison.

Tzedek Installs Air Conditioners in Federal Prison

Nearly 200 lawmakers, congressional aides, Jewish organizational leaders, and invited guests gathered Wednesday morning at the US Capitol for an event recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month.



The breakfast gathering was organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.



Among the featured speakers was Sam Salz, identified as the first Orthodox Jew to play Division I college football. Members of both parties from the House and Senate also addressed attendees.



Lawmakers who delivered remarks included Reps. David Kustoff, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Virginia Foxx, Timothy Kennedy, Haley Stevens, Don Bacon, Brad Schneider, Randy Weber, Mark Harris, and Randy Fine, along with Sens. Bernie Moreno and Dave McCormick.



Additional members of Congress in attendance included Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Wesley Bell, Madeline Dean, Kim Schrier, Jim Jordan, and Dan Goldman.



Much of the discussion centered on antisemitism following the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks and the broader role of Jewish Americans in US history and public life.



Rep. David Kustoff addressed the rise in antisemitism globally since October 7.



“How do we combat it? That is the magic question. We know that antisemitism has been around as long as the Jews have. There’s no easy, push-button answer. What each of us has to do is continue to call it out and show it exists all over. I’ll do that, and I’m proud that so many of my Republican and Democratic colleagues continue to do that. Let’s keep working. Let’s keep fighting.”



Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz focused on education and public awareness during her remarks.



“It’s essential to seize this opportunity in the month of May to build awareness of the role Jewish Americans play in our country’s success. The best tool in the toolbox to counter baseless conspiracy theories, ignorance, and bigotry is education and sunlight. The mission of JAHM is clear — to educate our neighbors, to build broad, cross-community coalitions, and be embraced and celebrated, rather than tolerated. It’s essential, it’s achievable, and it’s fundamentally American.”



Other speakers included CAM President of US Affairs Alyza Lewin, Jewish Federations of North America President and CEO Eric Fingerhut, Conference of Presidents CEO William Daroff, and Weitzman Museum Chairman Emeritus Phil Darivoff.



Lewin said antisemitism cannot be addressed without understanding Jewish identity and Jewish history.



“Antisemitism is skyrocketing, and to address antisemitism effectively, you have to not only understand how it manifests and its patterns, but you need to understand Jewishness. You need to understand what it means for Jews to be Jewish, and you need to recognize and appreciate how the values of Judaism and Judeo-Christian ethics form the basis of this country.”



She added, “It is important that we come together to recognize Jewish American Heritage Month and celebrate what Jews in America have contributed over the last 250 years to this country. That’s what we’re here for today.”



Fingerhut described the United States as historically unique for Jewish life in the Diaspora.



“We are so proud of this great country that has been so open and so welcoming to the Jewish people. This is the greatest, most open, and freest society for the Jewish Diaspora in the 4,000-year history of the Jewish people. On this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we affirm our commitment to helping this country continue to be a strong, open, and vibrant beacon of freedom for peoples of all faiths from all over the world.”



Daroff said Jewish American history is intertwined with the broader American story.



“Jewish American Heritage Month reminds us that the Jewish story in America does not stand apart from the American story, but forms part of the fabric of our nation’s history, character, and democratic ideals.”



Darivoff said Jewish American Heritage Month serves as an opportunity to educate the public about Jewish history and identity.



“American Jewish values are central to the founding of this country and our political thought. Jewish American Heritage Month is an important moment for us to teach all Americans about who Jews are. It’s a huge task and we have a long way to go.”



In keynote remarks, Salz reflected on becoming the first Orthodox Jewish player in Division I football despite not having played football in high school.



“The fact you can have the child of an immigrant from Latvia and an immigrant from Uzbekistan come to this beautiful country and be the first Orthodox Jew to play Division I football is the epitome of the American dream,” he said. “I’m proud to stand on the shoulders of all the great Jewish Americans who came before me and helped shape the foundation of this country.”



Congress passed a bipartisan resolution in 2006 encouraging presidents to annually recognize Jewish American Heritage Month, after which President George W. Bush officially proclaimed May as the observance month.



Since then, presidents from both parties have issued annual proclamations marking the occasion, including President Donald Trump earlier this month.



Last week, the House unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month and condemning antisemitism. CAM was among the organizations backing the measure.

Lawmakers Mark Jewish American Heritage Month At Capitol Event Amid Focus On Rising Antisemitism

A US source told Axios that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “hair was on fire after the call,” referring to the recent conversation between the Israeli prime minister and President Donald Trump regarding ongoing negotiations with Iran.



Israeli officials, however, downplayed the characterization somewhat, noting that Netanyahu “is always concerned” about the direction of talks with Iran, including during earlier negotiation rounds that ultimately collapsed.



Both the Prime Minister’s Office and the White House declined to comment to Axios regarding the report.



According to Axios, mediators have spent recent days attempting to close remaining gaps surrounding the latest Pakistani-backed proposal. Two Arab sources and one Israeli source said Qatar recently presented both the United States and Iran with a revised draft agreement.



A separate Qatari source disputed that characterization, saying there is no independent Qatari proposal and that Doha is instead trying to refine the existing Pakistani framework.



The latest diplomatic push is reportedly focused on obtaining firmer Iranian commitments to curb its nuclear program, while also securing stronger American guarantees to gradually release frozen Iranian assets held overseas.



The report added that both Qatar and Pakistan dispatched delegations to Tehran earlier this week to discuss the newest version of the proposal with Iranian officials.

Report: Netanyahu Alarmed Following Trump Call As Iran Negotiations Continue

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee issued an unusually forceful rebuke Wednesday against National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir following the minister’s filmed confrontation with activists from the pro-Hamas flotilla headed to Gaza.



“Universal outrage &amp; condemnation from every high-ranking Israeli official, from Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Sa&#8217;ar, Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog, and Ambassador Yechiel Leiter for despicable actions by Ben Gvir. Flotilla was a stupid stunt, but Ben Gvir betrayed the dignity of his nation,” Huckabee said.



Ben Gvir also faced criticism earlier in the evening from Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter.



“As Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa&#8217;ar have made clear, Itamar Ben Gvir’s reckless grandstanding is not representative of government policy. I am Israel’s top diplomat in the US, at the heart of our most important alliance. Ben Gvir’s antics take a sledgehammer to our diplomatic efforts while Israel’s enemies gleefully jump on every unfortunate nonsense to discredit and demonize. The provocateurs of the Flotilla charade were properly detained in accordance with international law and will be deported to their home countries. End of story,&#8221; Leiter wrote on X.



Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also publicly condemned the national security minister’s conduct.



“Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza. However, the way that Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms. I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs as soon as possible,&#8221; Netanyahu said.



Foreign Minister Gidon Sa’ar likewise sharply criticized Ben Gvir over the incident.



“You knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display &#8211; and not for the first time,&#8221; Sa’ar wrote. &#8220;You have undone tremendous, professional, and successful efforts made by so many people &#8211; from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many others. No, you are not the face of Israel.&#8221;



According to reports, at least five countries have announced plans to summon Israeli ambassadors for reprimand meetings following Ben Gvir’s visit to the flotilla activists and the release of footage from the encounter.



Despite the backlash, Ben Gvir defended his actions and dismissed the criticism.



“There are those in the government who still do not understand how supporters of terrorism should be treated. Israel’s foreign minister is expected to understand that Israel has stopped being a punching bag. Anyone who comes into our territory to support terrorism and identify with Hamas will get hit &#8211; and we will not turn the other cheek,&#8221; Ben Gvir said.

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee Blasts Ben Gvir Over Gaza Flotilla Incident

Rabbi Yishai Por z&#8221;l, 52, was murdered Wednesday night while learning Torah inside Kollel Chazon Ish in Bnei Brak.



According to eyewitnesses, the attacker -believed to be mentally unstable &#8211; entered the shul, pulled out a sharp object, and repeatedly stabbed Rabbi Por z&#8221;l as his 13-year-old son watched in horror.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="680" height="510" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/HIxFrJlXQAAm117.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27233" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/HIxFrJlXQAAm117.jpg 680w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/HIxFrJlXQAAm117-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" /></figure>



Hatzalah and other emergency medical teams rushed to the scene and treated the victim, who was critically wounded. He was transported to the hospital while undergoing CPR as doctors battled for roughly an hour to save his life before pronouncing him dead.



Yechiel Goldman, operations officer for ZAKA, described the aftermath of the attack.



“The scenes inside the synagogue were extremely difficult: the holy books and study benches were stained with blood. ZAKA volunteers, operating under these circumstances with deep reverence, are cooperating with investigators from the forensic identification division of the Israel Police and assisting in collecting the many evidentiary and forensic findings left at the scene.&#8221;



Israel Police opened an investigation into the killing and said a suspect has been taken into custody.

Rabbi Yishai Por z”l, Murdered In Kollel Chazon Ish In Front Of Son

Council Speaker Julie Menin is preparing to move forward with a revised bill establishing protest buffer zones around schools after Mayor Zohran Mamdani rejected an earlier version of the legislation, The Post has learned.



The updated proposal makes narrower changes to the original measure by specifically limiting the restricted protest areas to schools. Sources familiar with the matter said the legislation is expected to pass the full City Council within weeks by a commanding margin, likely preventing another showdown with the mayor.



Under the revised School Safe Access bill, the protest-free zones would apply only to educational institutions that serve students. Insiders said the adjustment is relatively modest but could help win over lawmakers who had hesitated to support the previous version.



The changes were also welcomed by members of the Jewish community, many of whom strongly criticized Mamdani after he vetoed the original proposal.



“We commend Speaker Menin for consistently advocating for the safety and well-being of Jewish families,” the UJA-Federation of New York said in a statement. “At a time when too few elected officials in New York City are willing to take meaningful action against antisemitism and hate, Speaker Menin has shown real courage and moral clarity.”



Moshe Spern of United Jewish Teachers also praised the revisions to the bill.



“By clarifying and refining the bill’s language, she helped keep the focus where it belongs: protecting students and ensuring safe access to schools while bringing more stakeholders together behind that goal,” he said.



Mamdani had vetoed the earlier version of the legislation, sponsored by Eric Dinowitz (D-Bronx), after it failed to secure enough votes for a veto-proof majority. The mayor argued the wording was overly broad and could potentially limit demonstrations at universities, museums, and teaching hospitals.



“This could impact workers protesting ICE, or college students demanding their school divest from fossil fuels or demonstrating in support of Palestinian rights,” he said last month.



Supporters of the revised legislation believe the amendments directly address those concerns.



The school-focused measure closely mirrored another proposal that sought to establish protest-free zones outside houses of worship.



Mamdani also opposed the religious institutions bill, though that legislation ultimately passed with enough support to override a veto.

Council Advances Revised School Protest Buffer Zone Bill After Mamdani Veto

Dozens of Talmidim from Shavei Hebron Yeshiva on Wednesday moved into a residential building in Chevron’s Old City market district, known as the Casbah, marking the first permanent Jewish residential presence there since the 1929 Chevron massacre.



Jews lived in Chevron for centuries until Arab rioters murdered 67 Jews during the 1929 massacre and the British evacuated the surviving Jewish community from the city. After Israel took control of Chevron in 1967, Jews returned to several limited, heavily secured parts of the city, but not to the Casbah, the dense Palestinian market and residential area in Chevron’s Old City.



The students moved into Beit Valero, a building inside one of the most sensitive parts of the city. Chevron is one of Judaism’s holiest cities and is home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, where Jewish tradition says Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are buried. Today, the city is home to both a large Palestinian population and a small Jewish community living under heavy Israeli military protection.



The yeshiva said the move became possible only after it completed a complex legal purchase of the property, followed by months of renovations, security upgrades and coordination with Israeli authorities. Jewish groups cannot simply move into the Casbah. Property purchases in the area require willing sellers, extensive legal documentation, military security planning and government coordination, and they are often politically explosive and can take years to complete or approve.



Rabbis, public officials and residents gathered at the site for a mezuzah ceremony as students officially entered the building. Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Chananel Etrog said: “We are entering Beit Valero, and it is impossible not to see King David returning to his city, Chevron.”



The IDF said forces would secure the building and surrounding area on an ongoing basis because of the site’s high security sensitivity.

Shavei Chevron Yeshiva Talmidim Move Into Chevron Casbah For First Time Since 1929

Israel is considering closing its historic Istanbul consulate, months after the building was targeted in a shooting and after Israeli diplomats were evacuated from Turkey following Oct. 7, AFP reported today.



Israel’s embassy in Ankara would remain open, but both the embassy and Istanbul consulate have been staffed by local Turkish personnel since Israeli diplomats were pulled from the country.



An Israeli source said no decision had been made, but the vacant Istanbul property is costing Israel money and was slated for demolition under earthquake-preparation plans

Israel Weighs Shutting Istanbul Consulate, Empty Since Oct. 7 Evacuation

A man around 40 years old was seriously wounded Wednesday afternoon in a stabbing attack on Rechov HaAri in Bnei Brak, as police launched a manhunt for a suspect who fled the scene. Hebrew media reports said the stabbing occurred near a kollel in the area.



Magen David Adom said emergency crews were dispatched at 2:13 p.m. after receiving reports of a stabbing. Paramedics found the victim suffering from penetrating wounds and provided life-saving treatment at the scene before evacuating him to Sheba Medical Center in serious condition.



“The victim was lying conscious but disoriented and suffering from penetrating wounds to his body,” MDA medic Elchanan Rosenstein said. “We provided medical treatment including stopping the bleeding and administering medication, and evacuated him in intensive care condition to the hospital while in serious condition.”



Israel Police said officers were called to the scene immediately after the report was received and began collecting evidence and witness testimony. Authorities said the background to the incident is currently believed to be criminal, not terror-related.



The suspect fled before police arrived, and no arrests had been announced as of Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Bnei Brak Man Seriously Wounded In Criminal Stabbing, Suspect Escapes

The Binyamin Regional Council announced Tuesday night that Major (res.) Itamar Sapir Hy’d was killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon. He was 27 years old. Levaya arrangements were set for Wednesday in Ra’anana.



Itamar was born to Yehuda and Rivki Sapir of Eli, where he was raised and educated in local schools throughout the Binyamin region. He later continued his studies at Yeshivat Neve Shmuel in Efrat.



A number of years ago, he married Roi, and the couple initially lived in Ra’anana before settling in Ariel. There, they raised their young son, Maayan, who is about a year and a half old.



Sapir enlisted in the IDF in 2019 and served in the elite Maglan unit. By the end of his active-duty service, he had risen to the position of company commander. During reserve duty, he continued serving as a company commander in Maglan’s reserve battalion.



Those who knew Itamar spoke emotionally about the loss and the impact he had on those around him.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="606" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/113717.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27181" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/113717.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/113717-300x202.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/113717-768x517.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



“He was the most upright friend I know,&#8221; said Meir, a childhood friend of Itamar. “A cheerful and opinionated friend with a wonderful family. A friend who, when he wanted something, would invest all of himself to achieve his goal.&#8221;



Sapir is the 63rd soldier from the Binyamin Regional Council to fall since the beginning of the war. He is survived by his wife Roi, son Maayan, parents Yehuda and Rivki, and brothers Tal, Erez, and Yosef.



Binyamin Regional Council head Israel Ganz issued a statement mourning Sapir’s death and offering condolences to the family.



“All of our hearts are broken with the fall of Captain Itamar Sapir, of blessed memory,&#8221; Ganz said. “Itamar grew up in Eli, a community that has already sacrificed many of its finest sons since the start of the war. The Eli community sends its sons to the front with faith, responsibility, and endless devotion, and tragically, this time its son did not return.&#8221;

Major (Res.) Itamar Sapir Hy’d Killed In Battle In Southern Lebanon

Sen. Tom Cotton and 24 Republican senators are urging President Donald Trump to fully dismantle UNRWA, arguing that American taxpayer money is still indirectly reaching the agency through the broader United Nations budget despite Trump’s funding ban last year. The lawmakers said roughly $70 million from the UN’s annual budget still flows to UNRWA and called for the agency to be completely removed from the UN funding system.



The senators’ letter cited ongoing investigations into alleged Hamas ties among UNRWA employees following October 7. According to findings referenced by the lawmakers, multiple staff members were accused of participating in Hamas terrorist activities, holding Israeli hostages, or assisting the attack. “Any aid organization in Gaza or otherwise must be demonstrably free of ties to terrorism and committed to transparency, accountability, and peace,” the senators wrote.



The push comes after Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 ending direct US funding to UNRWA, which had received up to $1.5 billion during the Biden administration. Congressional Republicans are also backing broader cuts to UN funding and proposals that would block American money from reaching organizations that refuse to cooperate with federal watchdog investigations.



Israeli officials have long accused UNRWA of allowing Hamas terrorists to operate inside its schools and facilities in Gaza, including claims that weapons and tunnel infrastructure were hidden near agency compounds. Earlier this month, Israel announced plans to establish government offices at the former UNRWA compound in Jerusalem as part of its broader campaign against the agency. UNRWA has denied many of the allegations against it and says some accused staff members were dismissed.

Senate Republicans Urge Trump To Remove UNRWA From UN Budget

London&#8217;s frum community received a measure of relief this week as two antisemites were brought to justice following separate incidents that had left residents deeply shaken.



In the first case, Mohamed Sibous, 18, of Schoolhouse Lane, Limehouse, was arrested and charged following the spread of a deeply disturbing video on social media in which he threatened to behead Jews. London Shomrim, which worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to identify the suspect, thanked law enforcement for their swift response. The video, recorded outside 82 Whitechapel Road in Tower Hamlets, had prompted Shomrim to sharply increase patrols in frum neighborhoods pending his arrest.



&#8220;The Orthodox Jewish community is exceptionally concerned about these threats,&#8221; Shomrim stated, adding that they were &#8220;working closely with Metropolitan Police Tower Hamlets and Hackney&#8221; to address the situation.



In a separate case, Tavius Jean-Charles, of Bethune Road, London N16, was found guilty of a string of antisemitic offences committed over a period of months. Among his crimes were explicit threats to kill Jewish individuals, and throwing a stone at a vehicle driven by a Jewish man, shattering the windscreen. Jean-Charles was also overheard on his phone, while standing outside a Jewish school, discussing blowing up &#8220;one of their schools.&#8221; A victim impact statement read in court from the manager of a local shul conveyed the toll the campaign of terror had taken: some members of the kehillah, he said, were terrified for their lives. Jean-Charles was remanded in custody pending sentencing at Southwark Crown Court.



Shomrim welcomed the verdict, stating that Stamford Hill&#8217;s kehillah &#8220;can sleep easier with this extremely unpleasant character off our streets,&#8221; and acknowledged the investigative work of Metropolitan Police Hackney detectives in bringing him to justice.

London Man Charged After Beheading Threat Video; Second Antisemite Convicted on Multiple Counts

In accordance with the instructions given by the Degel HaTorah leaders, the Charedi Members of Knesset will vote tomorrow, Wednesday, in favor of dissolving the Knesset and advancing elections. This comes in response to the Prime Minister’s refusal so far to pass the IDF Conscription Law.



 The legislative process for dissolving the Knesset and moving up the elections consists of three votes, with the first vote scheduled to take place tomorrow. The Prime Minister will attempt to stall the remainder of the process to ensure the completion of his term and hold the elections at their original date at the end of October 2026.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-19-at-3.46.44-PM.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-27192" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-19-at-3.46.44-PM.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-19-at-3.46.44-PM-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WhatsApp-Image-2026-05-19-at-3.46.44-PM-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">MK Moshe Gafni with Degel Hatorah leader, Hagaon Reb Dov Landau</figcaption></figure>



 Meanwhile, over the past week, the Netanyahu has been working to try and pass a conscription law, despite the fact that this could harm him politically due to anger from his own voters, which demands universal enlistment, including Charedim.\



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="599" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/spoke_interest230326.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27190" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/spoke_interest230326.jpg 800w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/spoke_interest230326-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/spoke_interest230326-768x575.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Prime Minister Netanyahu</figcaption></figure>

Tomorrow: Haredi Parties to Vote in Favor of Dissolving the Knesset – Netanyahu Offers to Pass Conscription Law

A frum, elderly man and veteran Hatzalah member was tragically found shot along the shoreline of Kissena Lake in Queens on Monday afternoon. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.



Officers responded to a call about an unconscious man near the lake, located within Kissena Park in East Flushing, just before 5 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Albert (Avrumi) Itzkowitz, 75, of Queens, suffering from gunshot wounds to the neck and back. 



No arrests have been made, and police have yet to release descriptions of possible suspects or establish a motive.



Community members remember Avrumi as a pillar of the Queens Jewish kehilah. Sorolle Idels of the Queens Jewish Alliance told Belaaz that he was beloved by all who encountered him.



&#8220;Always with a smile, Avrumi was a wonderful man,&#8221; Idels said. &#8220;He was osek tzibbur — he was in Hatzalah early on.&#8221;



Idels also recalled that Avrumi and his family had operated the first kosher bakery in Kew Gardens Hills. &#8220;He had a bakery with his father and brother &#8211; the first kosher bakery in Kew Gardens Hills,&#8221; Idels said. &#8220;And when their faher was niftar, he and his brother ran the store.&#8221;



Avrumi had recently suffered the loss of his wife, who passed away two weeks ago.

BDE: Hatzalah Veteran Avrumi Itzkowitz z”l, Tragically Murdered at Queens Lake

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese sparked a new backlash after publishing a Facebook post attacking Germany over its Holocaust memory and support for Israel, in remarks critics described as highly antisemitic.



Albanese, the UN rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, wrote that Germany’s postwar sense of responsibility for the Holocaust should no longer be described as “historical guilt.” Instead, she called it “a historical superiority syndrome that was never properly diagnosed, never treated, never healed.”



She then linked Germany’s postwar identity to its treatment of Jews and Israel. Albanese wrote that the West accepted Germany because Germans proved they could tolerate certain members of a group once considered “undesirable,” adding that they accepted “the Jews, but not all of them.”



The most inflammatory passage referred directly to Jewish identity and Israel. “No longer a fragile minority. No longer a people in exile. No longer the people of the book. But the chosen people. ‘Chosen to rule?’ one might wonder when looking at what Israel has become,” she wrote.



Albanese also claimed that “Israel does not represent all Jews,” and therefore “Germany does not honor all Jews,” pointing to Germany’s treatment of anti-Zionist Jews. She ended by saying Germans are “called to free themselves” and that “this is their opportunity.”



The post adds to mounting controversy around Albanese, who has repeatedly faced accusations of antisemitism over her comments on Israel. Earlier this year, several European governments called for her removal after she described Israel as “the common enemy of humanity” during an Al Jazeera forum in Qatar. The United States has also sanctioned Albanese, though a federal judge recently blocked those sanctions while the case continues.

UN Rapporteur Tells Germans To ‘Free Themselves’ From Holocaust Guilt

The Islamic Center of San Diego, where a deadly mass shooting Monday left three people dead, has previously drawn national attention over past ties to September 11 hijackers and inflammatory statements made by its current imam regarding Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.



Three people, including a security guard, were killed after two gunmen opened fire at the mosque. The suspected attackers were later discovered dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds inside a BMW. Authorities said the threat had been neutralized, though a motive has not yet been officially determined.



The mosque has long faced scrutiny because two of the September 11 hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, reportedly attended prayers there while living in San Diego. According to previous reports, the pair also found housing near the mosque through community advertisements while taking flight lessons in the area.



More recently, Imam Taha Hassane came under criticism for remarks made shortly after the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel.



“This did not start last week or on October 7. This is the result of brutal Zionist occupation and genocide,” Hassane said in a social media video posted days after the attack.



“Resistance is justified when people are under occupation and don’t let them change that narrative.”



Members of Hassane’s family have also faced accusations over anti-Israel activism and inflammatory rhetoric.



According to Canary Mission, Selma Hassane has “promoted incitement, spread hatred of Israel, engaged in anti-Israel activism and is a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.”



Meanwhile, watchdog group StopAntisemitism accused Hassane’s wife, Lallia Allali, of sharing graphic imagery following the October 7 attacks, including a depiction of a Jewish star accompanied by the words “the devil is killing.”



The group also alleged that Allali was involved with the Palestinian Youth Movement, a radical anti-Zionist organization that openly advocates for the “liberation” of all land “from the river to the sea” and describes its movement as rooted in an Arab struggle for all of “Palestine,&#8221; with the newly formed state to be entirely Arab.



Residents living near the mosque told the New York Post that tensions between the Islamic Center and the surrounding community had escalated following the October 7 attacks, particularly involving a nearby Hebrew-language charter school.



One parent said disputes intensified after the school displayed hostage posters across the street from the mosque, prompting mosque officials to contact police over alleged vandalism concerns.



“Hassane was supposed to bridge all the communities, but quickly became a hostile figure,” local journalist and parent Stella Escobedo said.

San Diego Mosque Hit By Deadly Shooting Had Long History Of Extremism and Ties to 9/11 Hijackers

Survivors and relatives of victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing expressed alarm over the growing congressional campaign of Democrat Adam Hamawy, citing his past relationship with convicted terrorist cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, widely known as the “Blind Sheikh.”



Hamawy, a plastic surgeon from Princeton, is considered a leading contender in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman in New Jersey’s heavily Democratic 12th Congressional District. His past association with Abdel-Rahman, who was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing plot, has drawn renewed scrutiny.



The February 1993 bombing killed six people and injured more than 1,000 others. Abdel-Rahman stood trial in 1995 over his involvement in the attack, and Hamawy appeared as a defense witness during the proceedings. On the campaign trail last week, Hamawy reportedly referred to the cleric as a “leader of the community.”



Hamawy has also stated that he never heard Abdel-Rahman advocate violence or terrorism, despite having traveled with him for 13 hours in 1991 to an Islamic conference in Detroit titled “Toward a Global Islamic Economy in Detroit,” where multiple speakers reportedly discussed jihad and infidels.



“I would never vote for Hamawy because of this and again, saying that as a lifelong Democrat and someone who really wants to keep New Jersey blue, I would find another Democrat to vote for even if it meant writing in someone. I could not with a clear conscience ever vote for this man. Nor would I encourage anybody else to. Some things are just not forgivable,&#8221; said Michael Macko, whose father, William Macko, was killed in the World Trade Center bombing while working in the North Tower.



“These are people being associated with the very horrific killing of my father. Whenever I see things like this it&#8217;s hard because your immediate reaction is just unbelief,&#8221; Macko added.



“Maybe he didn&#8217;t know how bad the sheik was,” Macko said of Hamawy, “but I would find that hard to believe given his closeness to him.&#8221;



Many survivors said memories of the 1993 bombing have faded in public consciousness because of the September 11 attacks, though they continue to live with the trauma decades later.



James Outerbridge, who survived both the 1993 bombing and the September 11 attacks, told the Washington Free Beacon on Monday that he remains in therapy because of his experiences.



“What had happened [in 1993] not only affected me, but was a precursor to 9/11,&#8221; Outerbridge said.



Outerbridge, who worked at a bank in the towers and later helped save hundreds of lives during the September 11 attacks, sharply criticized Hamawy’s candidacy.



“There&#8217;s no place for people like this,&#8221; Outerbridge said. “Allowing people who have those kinds of connections to come in here, run for political office, and then who knows, down the line, put their own agenda into play.&#8221;



“He doesn&#8217;t deserve to run for political office in our country,&#8221; he added.



Charles Maikish, who directed the Port Authority’s World Trade Department during the bombing, recalled to the Beacon feeling the tower physically shake when the blast occurred.



“I was sitting at my desk in Tower One when the tower heaved. It just actually heaved. And I knew something had happened,&#8221; he said.



“I always referred to them as my twins,” Maikish added. “And it was a devastating experience to have it, you know, injured the way it was injured.&#8221;



Speaking about Hamawy’s ties to Abdel-Rahman, Maikish said: “Personally, it disgusts me. For somebody that has befriended that group, or the head of that sect that perpetrated such a heinous crime, to me, is just totally against what would be a free, open, democratic society.&#8221;



Questions surrounding Hamawy’s relationship with the Blind Sheikh resurfaced after reports highlighted a 1995 New York Times article that identified him as a “supporter” of the cleric.



“If you need anything, you can just give me a call,” Hamawy reportedly told Abdel-Rahman in 1993, months after the bombing.



Hamawy has not denied knowing the cleric, who died in prison in 2017, but has dismissed criticism over the relationship as “right-wing, MAGA smears.”



While Hamawy’s Democratic rivals had initially been cautious in addressing the controversy, some have recently begun speaking more openly as the primary race enters its final weeks.



“You are known by the company you keep. In the mid 1990s when Adam Hamawy indicated he was an interpreter for [the Blind Sheikh], who was convicted of acts against this country, he sat in a ride and developed amnesia about what transpired on that very long road trip,&#8221; said Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp.



“You can&#8217;t describe Adam Hamawy as a progressive,” Mapp added. “He is what you would call a radical extremist. Individuals associating with clearly anti-American views like the convicted Sheikh call into question people like Dr. Hamawy.&#8221;

1993 World Trade Center Bombing Survivors Outraged Over Congressional Candidate’s Ties To Mastermind

An active shooter attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday afternoon left three people dead with two suspects found dead in a nearby car, police said, declaring the threat neutralized.



San Diego police responded to the Clairemont-area mosque shortly after noon local time following multiple reports of an active shooter. Officers arrived to find a scene that officials later described as &#8220;active but contained,&#8221; with significant law enforcement resources deployed. The two suspects were killed during the response. Law enforcement officials identified 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez as the suspects.



Multiple nearby schools were placed on lockdown as the situation developed, and police established a reunification site at 4125 Hathaway Street. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area.



California Gov. Gavin Newsom was briefed on the incident, with his office saying emergency management officials were coordinating with local law enforcement. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he was aware of the situation and that emergency personnel were &#8220;actively working to protect the community.&#8221;



In New York, the NYPD announced it was increasing deployments to mosques citywide as a precautionary measure. &#8220;While there is currently no known nexus to NYC or specific threats to NYC houses of worship, out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD is increasing deployments to mosques across the city,&#8221; the department said.



The Islamic Center of San Diego is located approximately eight miles north of downtown San Diego.

3 Killed, 2 Suspects Dead in Shooting Attack at San Diego Mosque

Hamas has reportedly chosen senior intelligence official Mohammed Odeh to take over as the terror group’s leader in Gaza and commander of its military wing following the elimination of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, according to Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.



Al-Haddad was killed Friday in an Israeli strike.



The report says Odeh previously headed military intelligence for Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades during the October 7 massacre and worked closely with al-Haddad in efforts to rebuild Hamas’s command structure after the assassinations of former leaders Muhammad Deif and Muhammad Sinwar.



Citing a source familiar with the matter, Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Odeh had earlier been offered leadership of the al-Qassam Brigades after Sinwar’s assassination last May, but turned down the position at the time.



According to the Saudi outlet, Odeh was responsible for collecting intelligence on IDF bases near the Gaza border and identifying vulnerabilities within the military’s Gaza Division ahead of the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas terrorists.

Report: Hamas Names Mohammed Odeh To Lead Terror Group In Gaza After Elimination Of Al-Haddad

A federal jury in Oakland ruled Monday against Elon Musk in his high-profile lawsuit targeting OpenAI, determining that the billionaire filed the case after the legal deadline had already passed.



The unanimous decision came less than two hours after deliberations began, bringing an end to a closely watched three-week trial that drew major attention across Silicon Valley and the tech world.



Following the verdict, Musk’s attorney told the court that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO plans to preserve his right to appeal.



The courtroom battle featured testimony from several of the biggest figures in artificial intelligence and technology, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, OpenAI president Greg Brockman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, and Musk adviser Shivon Zilis.



Musk — who contributed roughly $38 million to OpenAI before later launching his own AI venture, xAI — had sought approximately $150 billion in damages and wanted the court to dismantle OpenAI’s for-profit structure.



The lawsuit accused Altman, Brockman and OpenAI of abandoning the organization’s original charitable mission by creating a for-profit arm that later attracted billions of dollars in investment. Musk also alleged that Microsoft helped advance the effort through its reported $13 billion investment into OpenAI.



During testimony earlier in the trial, Musk repeatedly argued that OpenAI had betrayed its founding purpose.



“This lawsuit is very simple: It is not OK to steal a charity,” Musk said from the witness stand.



At another point in the proceedings, jurors heard about a message Musk allegedly sent Altman after details of Microsoft’s investment became public, describing the arrangement as a “bait and switch.”



Altman and the other defendants maintained throughout the trial that Musk not only knew about OpenAI’s transition toward a for-profit model, but had supported the idea at the time. Lawyers for OpenAI introduced evidence they said showed Musk agreeing that raising traditional investor funding through equity was necessary to compete with major tech firms such as Google.



Brockman also testified about a 2017 meeting held at one of Musk’s homes, where senior OpenAI figures — including Altman, former chief technology officer Mira Murati and Zilis — discussed the organization’s future.



According to Brockman, it was “clear there was a party there the night before,” with the residence covered in “confetti and cups.”



Brockman testified that whiskey was served during the gathering and that conversations about launching a for-profit entity carried a “celebratory” atmosphere.



One attorney who attended much of the trial but was not connected to the case said Musk’s arguments appeared stronger as proceedings unfolded, particularly during Altman’s cross-examination.



“Musk has more of a case here than previously thought,” said the attorney. “The first 15 minutes of Altman’s cross-examination were devastating.”



Questions surrounding Altman’s credibility became a central focus for Musk’s legal team. Attorneys for Musk pointed to testimony from former OpenAI board members Tasha McCauley and Helen Toner, as well as Murati, who suggested Altman was not always consistent or truthful in his dealings.



“My concern was about Sam saying one thing to one person and completely the opposite to another person,” Murati said in recorded testimony played for jurors.



In closing arguments last week, Musk attorney Steven Molo used a dramatic analogy to challenge Altman’s credibility before the jury.



“Imagine that you’re on a hike, and you come upon one of those wooden bridges that you see on a trail and it’s over a gorge,” Molo said.



“There’s a river that’s 100 feet below and it looks a little scary, but a woman standing by the entry to the bridge says, ‘Don’t worry, the bridge is built on Sam Altman’s version of the truth.’”



“Would you walk across that bridge? I don’t think many people would,” the lawyer added.



Altman pushed back on Musk’s accusations while testifying last week, responding to Musk’s repeated claim that OpenAI had effectively “stolen” a charity.



“It feels difficult to even wrap my head around that framing,” Altman said.

Jury Rejects Elon Musk’s Massive OpenAI Lawsuit In Major Blow To Tech Billionaire

At least 10 people were hurt Monday night after a bus crashed into a tree and an electrical pole on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv before swerving into pedestrians nearby.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="848" style="aspect-ratio: 464 / 848;" width="464" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/111687.mp4"></video></figure>



According to Magen David Adom, an 11-year-old girl suffered severe multi-system injuries and was listed in critical condition. She was evacuated to Ichilov Medical Center while receiving CPR treatment.



Emergency responders also said a 49-year-old woman and a 76-year-old man were seriously wounded in the crash. A 39-year-old man sustained a back injury and was listed in moderate condition, while six additional victims suffered light injuries.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/111682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27131" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/111682.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/111682-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/111682-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG-20260518-WA0009-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27129" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG-20260518-WA0009-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG-20260518-WA0009-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG-20260518-WA0009.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>

Bus Slams Into Tree And Pole In Tel Aviv, Leaving 10 Injured Including Child In Critical Condition

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is standing by a controversial Nakba Day video released by City Hall, even as major Jewish organizations across the country intensify criticism of the mayor over the post.



The video, published Friday by Mamdani’s administration, featured a woman identified as a “Nakba survivor” describing the “catastrophe” tied to Israel’s founding and saying it “continues to this day.”



“Nakba,” the Arabic word for “catastrophe,” is used to describe the flight and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Arabs during Israel’s 1948 War of Independence. Critics of the Nakba narrative argue that it is frequently tied to demands for a so-called “right of return” that would effectively end Israel’s status as a Jewish state.



Jewish leaders in New York had already blasted the video for portraying Israel’s founding in a one-sided manner, warning that such rhetoric contributes to hostility and threats targeting Jews. On Monday, prominent national Jewish organizations added their voices to the backlash.



“In his post sharing a one-sided video about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the mayor of New York City fueled real world harm,” the American Jewish Committee says. “At a time when Jews are being attacked in the streets of New York and worldwide because of antizionist narratives, amplifying misleading content doesn’t just distort public understanding, it puts the Jewish community at further risk.”



The controversy reflects growing concern within the pro-Israel American Jewish community that anti-Zionist rhetoric has crossed from political expression into outright discrimination and incitement against Jews.



The Anti-Defamation League also sharply criticized the mayor, calling the video “propaganda.”



“Releasing it right before Shabbat isn’t leadership. It’s provocation. Especially when Nakba Day ‘commemorations’ in this city featured open support for US-designated terror organizations, veneration of their leaders, and calls for Israel’s destruction. New Yorkers deserve a mayor with the moral clarity to call that out,” the ADL says.



Demonstrations held in New York City for Nakba Day on Friday and Saturday included protesters waving Hezbollah and Hamas flags, including from a truck carrying children.



Additional footage circulating online from the Pal-Awda Bay Ridge “Nakba Day 78” protest appeared to show children being led in chants while, directly behind them, a flag bearing the emblem of Hamas’s Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades was visible.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="1676" style="aspect-ratio: 1080 / 1676;" width="1080" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/111662.mp4"></video></figure>



Despite the uproar, Mamdani defended the video during a Monday press conference.



“I was proud to commemorate Nakba Day, which is an annual day on May 15th that commemorates the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians from 1947 to 1945 during the creation of the State of Israel and for the year that followed,” Mamdani says, incorrectly stating the timeline surrounding Israel’s founding.



“We wanted to ensure that the focus of this is just to hear from a New Yorker herself, on her own memories, of what it means to be expelled, what her life has been like, and she has found home in New York City,” Mamdani says.



The mayor also revealed that he had originally intended to appear in the video personally, but said he became ill and did not want to “create any kind of complications” for the woman featured in the clip.



Mamdani was also questioned about the decision by several major Jewish organizations to boycott an event he is hosting Monday night in honor of American Jewish Heritage Month and Shavuot.



“My message to Jewish leaders across this city is that my door is always open,” he says.

Mamdani Defends ‘Nakba Day’ Video As Jewish Groups Accuse NYC Mayor Of Fueling Incitement

President dismissed his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department, just hours after reports emerged that his administration was considering a massive taxpayer-funded compensation program for political allies who claim they were unfairly targeted by past investigations.



According to ABC News, the proposed $1.7 billion fund could compensate Trump allies, including some connected to Jan. 6 prosecutions and other federal investigations. The report said commissioners overseeing the payouts would reportedly not be required to publicly explain why certain individuals received money. 



Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and the Trump Organization originally filed the lawsuit in January, accusing the IRS of failing to stop the leak of Trump’s tax records. The records were leaked by former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn, who later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison for disclosing confidential tax information to media outlets.



The case drew unusual legal scrutiny because Trump, as president, effectively oversees the Justice Department lawyers defending the IRS in court. Last month, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams questioned whether the lawsuit created a conflict by allowing a sitting president to seek damages from agencies controlled by his own administration.



The White House referred questions Monday to the Justice Department, while representatives for the Treasury Department, IRS and Trump’s legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump Drops $10 Billion IRS Lawsuit In Exchange For $1.776 Billion Compensation Fund

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday night that Israel’s death penalty law for terrorists has now been applied in Judea and Samaria, making it the default punishment in cases where terrorists murder Jews or Israelis and are captured alive.



Katz said the move marks a major post-October 7 policy shift. “Enough with the era of containment. Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison in comfortable conditions, will not wait for deals and will not dream of release &#8211; they will pay the heaviest price,” Katz said. “Today, with the signing of the amendment by the Central Command commander, we are turning the new policy into reality.”



Katz thanked National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who led the law with the backing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Katz said Israel’s message to terrorists is clear: “Whoever raises a hand against a Jew, whoever harms IDF soldiers or Israeli civilians &#8211; the State of Israel will pursue him, reach him, and exhaust the law against him to the end.”



Ben Gvir also welcomed the move, saying the government had fulfilled its promise. “A terrorist who murders Jews must know that his end will not be in a release deal, but in the death penalty,” he said. “After October 7, the State of Israel is changing the equation. In the face of murderous terror, we do not fold and we do not contain &#8211; we defeat.”



The Knesset approved the death penalty law earlier this year, but its application in Judea and Samaria required a military order amendment because the area operates under military law.

Death Penalty For Terrorists Takes Effect In Judea And Samaria

It is with sadness that we report the petirah of Rebbetzin Tova Kalman a&#8221;h, who was nifteres suddenly at her home in Bnei Brak at the age of 83. Her petirah came without warning — she had been feeling unwell and within moments was no longer responding. Hatzalah was summoned but were unable to revive her.



Rebbetzin Kalman was born and raised in Bnei Brak, into a home that was steeped in Torah and avodas Hashem from every direction. Her father, Harav Yehudah Dov (Berel) Tshishensky zt&#8221;l, was one of the last survivors of the famed town of Ger in Poland, where he had grown up as a child in the very court of the Imrei Emes zt&#8221;l.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="828" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110431-828x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27112" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110431-828x1024.jpg 828w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110431-243x300.jpg 243w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110431-768x949.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110431.jpg 864w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px" /></figure>



Her husband, Harav Pinchas zt&#8221;l was a talmid of the Chazon Ish zt&#8221;l who had been among the founding generation of the Kollel Chazon Ish in Bnei Brak. And the home she built with her husband was situated in the very apartment where the Chazon Ish&#8217;s rebbetzin had lived out her final years — a home that breathed the kedushah of that generation.



Rav Pinchas went on to learn his entire life in the Kollel Chazon Ish, davening each day in the nearby Lederman shul, known to all as a hidden tzaddik who walked with great humility. He maintained a close bond with his neighbor the Sar HaTorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky zt&#8221;l, having learned together with him as a chavrusa before his marriage. Harav Chaim presented Reb Pinchas with a Sefer Chochmas Adam as a wedding gift, inscribed &#8220;l&#8217;yom chasunaso, from (Rav) Chaim Kanievsky&#8221; — though Reb Pinchas, in his great humility, crossed out the title &#8220;HaRav HaGaon&#8221; that Rav Chaim had written before his name. When Rav Pinchas was niftar during COVID and the levayah was small, Harav Chaim stood watching from his window.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110425.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27111" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110425.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110425-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110425-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Her father Rav Berel, who was known affectionately among the Gerrer chassidim as &#8220;Berel Gerer,&#8221; was regarded as one of the most reliable and vast repositories of Gur&#8217;s tradition. When the Gerrer leadership sought to verify a minhag, it was to Reb Berl that they turned. Based on his precise recollections, the ohel of the Chiddushei HaRim and the Sfas Emes in the town of Ger was restored, along with other graves in Poland. The Beis Yisrael zt&#8221;l himself remarked of the Tshishensky family: &#8220;All of Reb Berl&#8217;s children are yirei Shamayim, refined and good.&#8221; Reb Berl&#8217;s wife had founded the Bnos Agudas Yisrael organization in Bnei Brak and established mosdos for the chareidi community there, with the encouragement and support of the Chazon Ish.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="643" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110442.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27113" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110442.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110442-300x214.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110442-768x549.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110442-350x250.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



Even before her marriage, the Rebbetzin had forged her own bond with the world of the Chazon Ish. As a young woman, she used to assist the Chazon Ish&#8217;s rebbetzin, caring for her with great devotion in her later years. When the Chazon Ish&#8217;s rebbetzin was nifteres, the apartment — which belonged to Kollel Chazon Ish — was entrusted to Rebbetzin Kalman and her husband, and she lived there until her final day.



Her husband was himself a figure of great stature. Born in Budapest to his father Rav Avraham Yaakov hy&#8221;d, he lost both parents in the Holocaust and came to Eretz Yisrael with his aunt, where he was raised in the Ponevezh orphanage in Bnei Brak. There he came under the influence of&nbsp; Chazon Ish zt&#8221;l, who even purchased his tefillin for his bar mitzvah.



Those who knew Reb Pinchas recalled stories that spoke to a purity of middos unusual even among the outstanding. On one occasion, while spending Shabbos at a son&#8217;s home in Moshav Tifrach, he woke in the morning and told his son quietly that he would not be eating the cholent. When pressed for a reason, he shared that he had dreamed that he was carrying the cholent outside the eruv. Father and son soon discovered that the eruv had indeed fallen during Shabbos — and that the cholent had been moved before Shabbos to a neighbor&#8217;s home that was outside it.



The Chazon Ish had once been asked whether there are Lamed-Vav tzaddikim in this generation. A young bochur was present in the room that day. The Chazon Ish replied that yes, there are — and pointed to Reb Pinchas, saying: he is one of them.



It was a condition of their shidduch that Rav Pinchas, who came from a Hungarian background, would don a shtreimel, as befitting her Gerrer family. He did so willingly. Their home was a place of tznius, emunah and kedushah. As a teacher, Rebbetzin Kalman was beloved by her students, to whom she imparted a deep sense of emunah. The last act she performed before her petirah was the iber-maissering of food(“double maaser”- a chumra practiced by talmidim of the Chazon Ish, Briskers and other groups, who don&#8217;t wish to rely solely on the maaser that is under kashrus supervision) — a practice she had observed meticulously her entire life, as was the custom of the Chazon Ish.



Rebbetzin Kalman a&#8221;h is survived by her children and grandchildren, who continue the legacy of these great homes.



Notably, the rebbetzin was nifteres on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, but was brought to kevurah on 2 Sivan; her husband&#8217;s s yahrtzeit.



She was buried in the Segulah cemetery in Petach Tikvah.



Yehi zichra baruch.

BDE: Rebbetzin Tova Kalman a”h

When the sun began its descent over the nation&#8217;s capital last Friday afternoon, something unprecedented was unfolding inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Roughly 120 Jewish guests gathered in the ornate Indian Treaty Room for a pre-Shabbos reception hosted by the White House — a direct expression of President Donald Trump&#8217;s historic proclamation calling on the country to observe what has become widely known as Shabbat 250.



As part of the White House&#8217;s Jewish American Heritage Month proclamation, President Trump designated the period from sundown Friday, May 15, through nightfall Saturday, May 16, as a national Shabbos, in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence. The call marked the first time an American president had formally urged the celebration of Shabbos.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="850" style="aspect-ratio: 478 / 850;" width="478" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110079.mp4"></video></figure>



Rabbi Levi Shemtov, executive vice president of American Friends of Lubavitch-Chabad and one of the most recognizable Jewish faces on the Washington political scene, was among those who spoke at the event. Rabbi Shemtov, in a Sunday interview with Belaaz, described the atmosphere inside the Indian Treaty Room as lively and warm. Guests enjoyed tapas-style hors d&#8217;oeuvres and refreshments, and the gathering wrapped up with enough time for everyone to make their way home before the z&#8217;man.



From there, the evening only deepened. A group made their way on foot to the Decatur House, adjacent to the White House, where davening was followed by a full Shabbos seudah — with Rabbi Shemtov making Kiddush for the roughly 100 guests in attendance.



Martin Marks, Special Assistant to the President and White House Liaison to the Jewish Community, also addressed the crowd. &#8220;The room broke out into singing and dancing,&#8221; Rabbi Shemtov said. &#8220;It was lebedik — very lebedik.&#8221;



A separate Shabbos dinner, organized by Arie Lipnick of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, drew a parallel gathering of Jewish administration members, Capitol Hill staff, media figures, and policy professionals in celebration of the president&#8217;s national Shabbos. President Trump, who had been returning from a lengthy trip to China, touched down as the White House event was winding down and was not present at the seudos.



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="848" style="aspect-ratio: 384 / 848;" width="384" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110059.mp4"></video></figure>



Rabbi Shemtov said he also witnessed a beautiful Kabbalas Shabbos in the courtyard of the complex.



Asked whether he had seen anything quite like it before, he reached back to a different memory — a massive musical davening led by Beri Weber outside the White House on the day of a major Washington rally, with what he estimated was close to a thousand people and a massive Kiddush Hashem. &#8220;But that,&#8221; he noted, &#8220;was not inside the White House. This was actually at the White House.&#8221;



For Rabbi Shemtov, the significance of the moment ran far deeper than the festivities themselves. He drew a pointed historical parallel. &#8220;Compare it to Antiochus,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Antiochus forbade the Jewish people from keeping Shabbos, from performing bris milah, from sanctifying Rosh Chodesh — because he wanted Jewish observance stripped of its quality of kabbolas ohl, of submission to the ratzon of the Ribono Shel Olam. Here comes the President of the United States, leader of the free world, and decides that he&#8217;s going to call on Jewish people to keep Shabbos.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109838.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27088" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109838.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109838-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109838-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



The proclamation itself came as part of a weekend in which the administration had organized a large prayer event on the National Mall — a multi-faith gathering that, as Rabbi Shemtov noted, was not something many Jewish people could comfortably or appropriately participate in.



The President&#8217;s singling out of Shabbos for the Jewish community, rather than folding them into the broader program, carried its own message. &#8220;He wants to make sure that when they say they&#8217;re celebrating their Judeo-Christian values or the foundations of the founding of America, that includes people who are of the Jewish faith,&#8221; Rabbi Shemtov said. &#8220;I think that&#8217;s very interesting and unprecedented. It means Jews are being told that they can observe their religion without compromise.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110077-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27093" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110077-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110077-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110077.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



What made this gesture stand apart from prior presidential outreach, he explained, was its reach. Making the White House kosher for a party — as George W. Bush did during his administration — was one thing. &#8220;Here he&#8217;s asking people to do something outside the White House, across the country,&#8221; Rabbi Shemtov said.



The proclamation invoked President George Washington&#8217;s seminal 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, and paid tribute to Revolutionary War-era financier Haym Salomon, highlighting the role Jewish Americans have played in the life of the nation since its founding.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110075-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27090" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110075-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110075-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110075.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



While the website Shabbat250.org logged over 7,500 pledges to observe Shabbos, Rabbi Shemtov said the true scope of the response was almost certainly far greater. &#8220;I don&#8217;t think you have to think wildly to say that hundreds of thousands of people across the country responded to this call,&#8221; he said, pointing to the wave of Chabad House programs organized specially for the occasion, shuls that marked the Shabbos in unique ways, Chabad on Campus initiatives, and alerts and calls to action issued by the OU, Agudath Israel and affiliated organizations.



For Rabbi Shemtov, the cumulative effect of that response captured something essential about what the proclamation was meant to accomplish. The Shabbat 250 call, he said, reached Jews across the spectrum — those keeping Shabbos for the first time, those being brought to the table by a friend or family member who keeps Shabbks, and even those who are fully shomer Shabbos but were given pause to reflect on just how fortunate they are. &#8220;The Ribono Shel Olam has allowed us a unique freedom within the larger society for us to do what we need to do in terms of Yiddishkeit without any interference into our practices,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That is something very, very important.&#8221;



&#8220;When the president asked people across the country, everywhere, who are of the Jewish faith, to do something about Shabbos — that wasn&#8217;t only that he took it personally,&#8221; Rabbi Shemtov said. &#8220;He wanted them — meaning us — to take it personally.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="850" style="aspect-ratio: 478 / 850;" width="478" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110081.mp4"></video></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110073-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27092" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110073-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110073-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110073.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110061-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27091" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110061-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110061-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110061.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109850-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27089" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109850-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109850-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109850.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109835.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27087" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109835.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109835-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/109835-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-video"><video height="478" style="aspect-ratio: 848 / 478;" width="848" controls src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/110080.mp4"></video></figure>