Trump brilliantly calls Iran’s bluff — with his own Strait of Hormuz blockade

 

Whoever’s calling the shots in Iran wasted yet another chance for peace over the weekend, and now President Donald Trump will again call Tehran’s bluff.

Iran’s negotiators refused to satisfy America’s demands Saturday in talks in Pakistan, as regime leaders bet that playing the Strait of Hormuz card would get Trump to blink.

Instead, he played it right back at them — announcing his own blockade, so that Iran’s oil exports (which had continued despite the war) will also be blocked.

The prez is thinking outside the box with this blockade and his plans to escort ships through the Strait; if necessary, he can later order US forces to take Kharg Island and eviscerate the regime’s power base.

This also guarantees that Tehran’s effort to charge a toll on all tankers crossing the Strait will fail — honoring an American commitment to freedom of the seas that goes back to President Thomas Jefferson, the Barbary Pirates and the US Marines’ triumphant excursion “to the shores of Tripoli.”

Of course Iran’s rulers (whoever they are at this point) responded with fresh bluster, vowing a “strong and forceful response” to Trump’s move and huffing that it would end the cease-fire.

Utter bull: Tehran has almost no offensive capabilities left except those that threaten Strait shipping, and those assets can now be eliminated as completely and readily as the rest of its Navy, missile launchers and drone capabilities already were.

It can’t seriously mine the Strait without choking off its own exports, nor can that blockade last once America and its allies’ minesweepers, backed by the US Navy, get down to work.

Trump’s blockade won’t much impact Europe or the Americas, while our Middle Eastern allies are switching to export routes that don’t rely on the Strait; it’s Iran and its allies (mainly China) that will now suffer most.

Beijing and its dependents in Moscow will soon regret vetoing the UN Security Council measure to reopen the Strait.

Meanwhile, the Iranian hardliners behind this lunacy will face more internal pressure from other regime factions; everything they’ve tried to do has blown up in their faces.

They assumed America would be help captive by conventional wisdom; our president proved them wrong.

Trump once again tried to reach a peaceful settlement; the Iranians again refused: Now they’ll pay yet a higher price for thinking they could get him to chicken out.

Rabbi urges Charedi participation in Holocaust Remembrance Day

 Rabbi David Leibel has called on the Charedi public to change its approach to Holocaust Remembrance Day and take an active part in it.

In an article published in the Achvata journal of the "Achvat Torah" network, Rabbi Leibel argued that changes in the character of the day require renewed consideration.

"In the past, this day was tied to an ethos of heroism and rebellion," he wrote. "Over the years, it has become a day of simple mourning for the six million. This change requires us to reexamine how we participate."

Explaining the difficulty felt by the broader public, he added, "Holocaust Remembrance Day is one of the more complex issues in our relationship with the secular public, which sometimes feels that we are alienated from the memory of the victims and struggles to understand why."

The first reason, Rabbi Leibel noted, is halakhic, or related to Jewish law: "It is difficult to establish days of mourning in the month of Nissan, during which eulogies and fasting are forbidden. For this reason, the Chief Rabbinate rejected the date of the 27th of Nissan even before the establishment of the State, and instead set [Holocaust Memorial Day for] the 10th of Tevet."

The second reason, he said, relates to identity: "The Charedi public uses strategies of conservatism and differentiation to cope with secularization. Establishing special [commemorative] days falls under the authority of Torah sages, and they determined that in our time there is no need for this."

However, in Rabbi Leibel's view, the time has come to reconsider.

He explained, "Over the years, the way the Holocaust is perceived has changed, even within the Zionist establishment. The public has abandoned the founders’ original intention. Today it is a day of simple pain over the six million, not a celebration of physical heroism."

"It is not wise to cling to old customs simply because that is how we acted in the past, without examining what is happening around us. There are valid foundations for resistance, but after we have firmly established our distinct identity, perhaps it is no longer appropriate that a large part of the nation is engaged in mourning and remembering millions of murdered Jews, while we appear as if it does not concern us."

Instead, Rabbi Leibel suggested, "It is possible to find ways to participate without compromising halakha or differentiation. Whether through reciting Psalms or other means - the main thing is to express solidarity with the rest of the nation, so they understand that we are part of them and that this pain belongs to us as well."

Israel Crippled Iran’s Satellite Control Centers During Operation Roaring Lion

 

Israeli airstrikes during Operation Roaring Lion damaged Iran’s ability to control and maneuver satellites in orbit, the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate has assessed, dealing what officials say could be a setback lasting years to Tehran’s space program.

Yisrael Hayom reported that the Israeli Air Force targeted ground bases operating Iran’s satellite array, degrading the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Space Command’s capacity to manage its satellites, including advanced maneuverable systems capable of approaching and potentially disrupting the satellites of other nations. The economic damage is estimated in the billions of dollars, with assessments suggesting Iran will need years to restore what was lost.

The strikes were driven in part by concern that Iran could turn those maneuverable satellites against Israeli assets in orbit. Officials at the IDF’s Space Center, part of Unit 9900, said that defending Israeli satellites from Iranian interference was a central mission throughout the war, carried out around the clock.

“In this war, space was significant in ways not seen before,” said Lt. Col. Sh., the Space Center’s commander. “When the IDF operates over great distances, the importance of satellites rises dramatically. We are relying on years of investment that have placed Israel among the leading countries in this field.”

The stakes were high. Israeli military satellites from the Ofek series provided critical intelligence throughout the campaign — essential given the distance from Iran, which limited other collection methods. Damage to even a single satellite, officials noted, could have materially affected the conduct of the war.

Iran has spent the past decade narrowing a long-standing gap in space capabilities, successfully launching satellites it claimed could photograph U.S. bases in the Gulf and collect electronic signals intelligence. The overlap between satellite launch technology and ballistic missile development added further urgency to the Israeli targeting effort.

The campaign also prompted a shift in U.S. policy on commercial satellite imagery. The Pentagon required commercial providers to delay releasing images from the conflict zone, and Planet Labs confirmed it would withhold imagery from Iran and surrounding areas for an indefinite period. The restrictions took effect as early as March 9, shortly after the war began, though they were only disclosed publicly afterward.

Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán Ousted After 16 Years in European Electoral Earthquake

 

Hungarian voters on Sunday ousted long-serving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power, rejecting the authoritarian policies and global far-right movement that he embodied in favor of a pro-European challenger in a bombshell election result with global repercussions.

Election victor Péter Magyar, a former Orbán loyalist who campaigned against corruption and on everyday issues like health care and public transport, has pledged to rebuild Hungary’s relationships with the European Union and NATO — ties that frayed under Orbán. European leaders quickly congratulated Magyar.

His victory was expected to transform political dynamics within the EU, where Orbán had upended the bloc by frequently vetoing key decisions, prompting concerns he sought to break it up from the inside.

It will also reverberate among far-right movements around the world, which have viewed Orbán as a beacon for how nationalist populism can be used to wage culture wars and leverage state power to undermine opponents.

It’s not yet clear whether Magyar’s Tisza party will have the two-thirds majority in parliament, which would give it the numbers needed for major changes in legislation. With 93% of the vote counted, it had more than 53% support to 37% for Orbán’s governing Fidesz party and looked set to win 94 of Hungary’s 106 voting districts.

It was a stunning blow for Orbán — a close ally of both U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — who conceded defeat after what he called a ″painful″ election result.

“I congratulated the victorious party,″ Orban told followers. “We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition.″

In a speech to tends of thousands of jubilant supporters at a victory party along the Danube River, Magyar said his voters had rewritten Hungarian history.

“Tonight, truth prevailed over lies. Today, we won because Hungarians didn’t ask what their homeland could do for them — they asked what they could do for their homeland. You found the answer. And you followed through,” he said.

Turnout in the election was nearly 80%, according to the National Election Office, a record number in any election in Hungary’s post-Communist history.

‘Choice between East or West’
Orbán, the EU’s longest-serving leader and one of its biggest antagonists, traveled a long road from his early days as a liberal, anti-Soviet firebrand to the Russia-friendly nationalist admired today by the global far-right.

The EU will be waiting to see how Magyar changes Hungary’s approach to Ukraine. Orbán repeatedly frustrated EU efforts to support the neighboring country in its war against Russia’s full-scale invasion, while cultivating close ties to Putin and refusing to end Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy imports.

Recent revelations have shown a top member of Orbán’s government frequently shared the contents of EU discussions with Moscow, raising accusations that Hungary was acting on Russia’s behalf within the bloc.

Members of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement are among those who see Orbán’s government and his Fidesz political party as shining examples of conservative, anti-globalist politics in action, while he is reviled by advocates of liberal democracy and the rule of law.

In Budapest, Marcell Mehringer, 21, said he was voting “primarily so that Hungary will finally be a so-called European country, and so that young people, and really everyone, will do their fundamental civic duty to unite this nation a bit and to break down these boundaries borne of hatred.”

Strained relationship with the EU
During his 16 years as prime minister, Orbán launched harsh crackdowns on minority rights and media freedoms, subverted many of Hungary’s institutions and been accused of siphoning large sums of money into the coffers of his allied business elite, an allegation he denies.

He also heavily strained Hungary’s relationship with the EU. Although Hungary is one of the smaller EU countries, with a population of 9.5 million, Orbán has repeatedly used his veto to block decisions that require unanimity.

Most recently, he blocked a 90-billion euro ($104 billion) EU loan to Ukraine, prompting his partners to accuse him of hijacking the critical aid.

His challenger came from the inside
Magyar, 45, rapidly rose to become Orbán’s most serious challenger.

A former insider within Orbán’s Fidesz, Magyar broke with the party in 2024 and quickly formed Tisza. Since then, he has toured Hungary relentlessly, holding rallies in settlements big and small in a campaign blitz that recently had him visiting up to six towns daily.

In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month, Magyar said the election will be a “referendum” on whether Hungary continues on its drift toward Russia under Orbán, or can retake its place among the democratic societies of Europe.

Tisza is a member of the European People’s Party, the mainstream, center-right political family with leaders governing 12 of the EU’s 27 nations.

Uphill election battle
Magyar faced a tough fight. Orbán’s control of Hungary’s public media, which he has transformed into a mouthpiece for his party, and vast swaths of the private media market give him an advantage in spreading his message.

The unilateral transformation of Hungary’s electoral system and gerrymandering of its 106 voting districts by Fidesz also will require Tisza to gain an estimated 5% more votes than Orbán’s party to achieve a simple majority.

Additionally, hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries had the right to vote in Hungarian elections and traditionally have voted overwhelmingly for Orbán’s party.

Russian secret services have plotted to interfere and tip the election in Orbán’s favor, according to numerous media reports including by The Washington Post. The prime minister, however, has accused neighboring Ukraine, as well as Hungary’s allies in the EU, of seeking to interfere in the vote to install a “pro-Ukraine” government.

Such accusations are part of why many in the EU see Orbán as a danger to the bloc’s future.

But across the Atlantic, Trump and his MAGA movement are all-in for another Orbán term. Trump repeatedly endorsed the Hungarian leader and U.S. Vice President JD Vance made a two-day visit to Hungary last week meant to help push Orbán over the finish line.

Rosh Yeshiva Appeals to Students for Forgiveness Amid Sons’ Drowning Tragedy

 

An Israeli rabbi whose two sons were caught in a drowning incident, leaving one in critical condition and the other missing, issued an emotional appeal Sunday asking for forgiveness and urging spiritual reflection.

Bchadrei Charedim reports that, Rabbi Shlomo Spiegel, head of a yeshiva group in Jerusalem’s Beit Yisrael neighborhood, sent a message to his students calling on them to pray for his sons and to strengthen their conduct toward others.

In the message, Spiegel described the ordeal as a deeply personal and spiritual shock, writing that he felt singled out by divine providence. He reflected on the timing of the incident during the period of the Counting of the Omer, when Jewish tradition emphasizes respect and unity, and warned against failures in interpersonal conduct.

“With eyes swollen from tears, I ask forgiveness,” he wrote, urging anyone who may have been hurt by him or his family to grant full forgiveness. He also asked that anyone with financial grievances come forward so they could be addressed.

Spiegel also shared the names for prayer — Avraham Yeshayahu ben Shoshana and Yissachar Dov ben Shoshana — asking the public to pray for their recovery and safety.

He encouraged his students and followers to take on practical commitments, including avoiding hurtful speech and exercising greater sensitivity in daily interactions, saying such efforts could bring merit for his sons.

The incident, involving two brothers from a haredi family, has drawn widespread attention in Israel, as rescue teams continue searching for the missing son while the other remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Community members have responded with prayers and calls for unity as authorities continue efforts related to the case.

Trump ..."You gotta love this guy" Attacks Pope Leo XIV "stop catering to the Radial Left"

 President Donald Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media on Sunday, saying the first American pope should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”

It was an extraordinary broadside against the global leader of the Catholic Church, exacerbating a feud that began over the war in Iran.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president wrote on social media.

Soon afterward, he spoke to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, where he landed on Air Force One.

“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said, adding that “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”

Trump’s post followed Leo having denounced over the weekend the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.

Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire.

The U.S.-born pope didn’t mention the United States or Trump by name in his prayer. But Leo’s tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.

IDF Closes In on Bint Jbeil: The Fall of Hezbollah’s Most Symbolic City

 Hundreds of IDF infantry and armored troops have completely cut off Bint Jbeil, trapping hundreds of Hezbollah fighters inside, with forces now positioned near the site of Nasrallah’s infamous year 2000 speech. JFeed The Israeli army’s 98th Commando Division completed the encirclement of Bint Jbeil in the central sector of southern Lebanon in the early morning hours of Thursday.

The operation caught dozens of Hezbollah fighters who had taken refuge in the town by surprise. Some attempted to flee as Israeli forces closed in and were killed while escaping. Others remain barricaded inside as IDF units move slowly and carefully to locate them and clear the town of Hezbollah presence. 

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported Sunday morning that Israeli troops “are still trying to infiltrate and take control of the remaining neighborhoods” in Bint Jbeil, and that the IDF was shelling the outskirts of the town with artillery. 

One of the most significant developments in the battle was a raid on a local hospital. The IDF said it identified Hezbollah infrastructure inside a government hospital in Bint Jbeil. Several Hezbollah fighters were spotted observing troops from a hospital window and opening fire. The IDF said forces eliminated the terrorists quickly, and later killed about 20 Hezbollah fighters in targeted strikes in the hospital area. Troops raided the hospital compound and discovered a cache of weapons on site. The IDF said Hezbollah had been using the hospital “systematically and continuously” for military purposes, including storing and transferring weapons and using the facility for observation, concealment, and shelter. 

Why Bint Jbeil Matters So Much
The operation carries major symbolic value, as Bint Jbeil is the largest Lebanese Shiite town near the Israeli border, located about 2.5 miles away. During the 2006 Lebanon War, Israeli forces failed to take control of the city despite intense fighting. That 34-day conflict ended under UN Resolution 1701, which called for the disarmament of southern Lebanon. 
The city’s most famous moment came in May 2000. After the IDF withdrew from southern Lebanon following an 18-year occupation, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah delivered a victory speech in Bint Jbeil, where he infamously compared Israeli society to a “spider’s web” — meaning it looks strong but breaks easily. 

Member of the Largest Reform Temple Sends a Devastating Resignation Letter to the "Rabbi"

 

'Rabbi Buchdahl" 

After reading the letter, I quickly realized that the letter could have been written to the Satmar Leaders, I couldn't believe the uncanny similarities that Reform and Satmar have politically in common!

 I highlighted in red the similarities and the message that Satmar ASS"kanim should read! 

(Just as an aside, "rabbi Buchdahl," is a "giyoris" I put "giyoris" in quotes because she never converted through a legitimate Orthodox Bais Din, and she subsequently became the "chazzan" of Central, then they promoted her to be the "rabbi")

Controversy erupted at Central Synagogue after the congregation's leadership offered only a belated, hedged response to Zohran Mamdani, the avowedly anti-Zionist mayoral candidate who had accused Israel of genocide, called it an apartheid state, and refused to condemn the slogan "Globalize the Intifada." As reported previously, Central's clergy, who had shown little reluctance to use the pulpit for progressive political causes, retreated behind the synagogue's 501(c)(3) status when the threat came from the left. Now, a longtime member has submitted a resignation letter, published here anonymously, that lays out in unsparing detail what that silence cost. The letter is a sweeping indictment of Central's leadership, arguing that the congregation has failed its members by treating antisemitism as a talking point rather than an emergency, and by extending moral clarity only in directions that carry no political risk.

April 6, 2026

To the Clergy and Board of Trustees of Central Synagogue –

I cannot in good conscious continue to support Central Synagogue financially with the payment of dues. So, it is with the deepest sorrow and extreme regret that I hereby resign from the congregation of Central Synagogue. Central has been a special place for me and my family. All three of my children became bar and bat mitzvah at Central. They all gained an appreciation and love for Judaism at Central’s religious school. Perhaps most importantly, the loving and uplifting services inspired them and drew them closer to the practice of Judaism. That is why I find it so painful to continue to watch the leadership of the congregation commit the most serious of shogeg despite all evidence to the contrary.

I have reached the point, however, where for the sake of my children, grandchildren, and our community, I can no longer allow myself to be complicit. The rising tide of antisemitism did not start on October 7^th, 2023. It started many years before. After the terrorist attack of September 11^th, educated people responded uniformly with a defense of freedom, democracy, and Western civilization. Twenty years later, after the savagery of October 7^th, they responded with a defense of the horrific atrocity and, in many circles, with a celebration of it. What changed?

Bnei-Brak Assemblyman Yaakov Vider Wants Bnei-Brak to have their very own Army!

I know, I know—it sounds too absurd to be real! Who was it that said “truth is stranger than fiction”?

Apparently, Yaakov Vider wants the citizens of Bnei Brak to carry guns.

Why, you ask? To protect themselves from terrorists.

But wait—doesn’t the Torah מגני ומצלי—protect and shield? Isn’t Torah supposed to be our defense?

It seems that over the past two months, Bnei-Brak got reality hit hard. They realized they could no longer rely on the Chazon Ish’s assurances, as Bnei Brak itself suffered serious attacks.

So now, they’ve taken a page straight out of Ben-Gurion’s Zionist handbook—forming their own army. But of course, it would be their army, separate from the rest of Israel.

So it’s fine to arm Bnei Brak, but what about the rest of the country? Why not enlist in the army and protect everyone?

נמות ולא נסתגייס

 

Leizer Enden a Gerer Chusid beat the crap out of Rav Yizchak Dovid Alter Friday Night "Lekovad Shabbas"

 Violent incident in Bnei Brak: Rabbi Yitzhak David Alter, one of the sons of the Rebbe of Gur, was attacked on Friday night by a yeshiva student named Lazer Andaan, who approached him with the "Shabbat Shalom" greeting and began attacking him in front of the worshippers. 

According to the testimonies the attacker has been shouting for a long time that he should resign and establish an independent leadership.

 In the attack, his Spudik and glasses were blown away by the force of the blow, and he was rescued from the scene by yeshiva students.

 The police are familiar with the incident and the background in the investigation