🚨 The Jewish community leaders in Iran were forcibly brought to Tehran today to express loyalty to the new Supreme Leader, on behalf of the community. pic.twitter.com/ME4ZSfcYoz
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) April 29, 2026
“I don’t speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don’t have the power to remain silent.” Rav Kook z"l
🚨 The Jewish community leaders in Iran were forcibly brought to Tehran today to express loyalty to the new Supreme Leader, on behalf of the community. pic.twitter.com/ME4ZSfcYoz
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) April 29, 2026
What Ben-Gvir doesn't understand is that Charedim by-in-large are reckless and don't care what he thinks and could care less about safety!
They didn't allow the Israeli Government to regulate and provide safety measures in Miron for decades!
It wasn't too long ago when 45 Chardeie men got killed by other Charedim in a stampede in this very place, and what did their "gedoilim" say?
They said that these victims were martyrs that died "Al Kiddush Hashem" ..... These same "gedoilim" don't think IDF soldiers getting killed, die "Al Kiddush Hashem"
Utter insanity!
All those who smothered the 45 people in Meron, stepping on their living bodies, pushing helpless people to the floor, each and every one of them, is called according to the Torah a "רוצח " and would have to go to the Arei Miklat, and wait there until the Kohein Gadol died!
In Bnei-Brak they refused to go to shelters? Why you naively ask?
Because as the Israeli Yated wrote, "since it was the Zionist Government that made those regulations, it was prohibited to listen to them" They instead listened to a Chazon Ish that said that Bnei-Brak would never be bombed!
Charedim (grown men) climb up on 30 story Crains in Yerushalayim during protests, putting their very lives at risk! They put their bodies in front of buses and cars, and pull out sefarim so it shouldn't be "Bittul Torah" ..Two of those who stopped traffic over the last year have been killed and 3 seriously injured.
What are the results?
Tragedy!!!!
Tragedy in Meron, Tragedy in Bnei-Brak, and Tragedy in Yerushlayim!!
My message to Ben-Gvir is: Let them do what the hell they want, they won't listen to you even when they see tragedies!
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir held a security assessment at Meron on Wednesday and toured the site with senior police commanders and other officials as plans take shape for Lag B’Omer.
However, Ben-Gvir harshly criticized the plan approved by the Home Front Command for managing the Lag B’Omer event at Meron.
According to Ben Gvir, the proposed framework does not reflect realities on the ground. While it formally limits gatherings to about 1,500 participants per area, multiple designated zones could result in thousands of people being present on Har Meron at the same time—posing a serious safety risk.
The discussion took place against the backdrop of ongoing security tensions in southern Lebanon. The minister emphasized that the ceasefire with Hezbollah has been repeatedly violated in recent days, turning any large gathering into a potential target.
During the meeting, Ben Gvir stressed that he would not approve the event without explicit security authorization and a revised, realistic plan from the Home Front Command that ensures participant safety.
“I just held a special situational assessment in Meron, where I heard from all relevant parties—both security officials and Chareidi community leaders,” he said. “My conclusion is clear: I’m raising a red flag—we are racing, with our eyes wide open, toward the next disaster.”
“Unfortunately, the Home Front Command is presenting a sophisticated-sounding but unrealistic position. Without explicit approval and a genuine plan that guarantees safety, I cannot authorize the event.”
“I demand that the Home Front Command come to its senses and approve a workable framework. We will not abandon the lives of our Chareidi, secular, and Dati Leumi brothers who come to Meron.”
-Award-winning journalist Kevin Deutsch says antisemitism from both the far left and far right has created a more perilous environment for American Jews in 2026 than in 1930s Germany, as political movements on both sides target Israel and the Jewish community.
In a recent interview with Alan Skorski, Deutsch, author of the watchdog Jewish news Substack “After October 7,” described a coordinated campaign that has isolated Jews and Israel across the political spectrum.
Skorski pointed to examples in deep blue and solid red states. In New York City, voters elected Mamdani as mayor, while in Florida, antisemite James Fishback is running as a Republican candidate for governor and Dan Bilzerian is challenging Jewish Republican Rep. Randy Fine for his congressional seat.
Deutsch said the far left’s assault on Israel began as part of a “social justice” agenda, reviving blood libels by accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. On the far right, figures like Fishback have exploited leftist antisemitism to promote their own hatred, he said. Fishback, who promotes an “America Only” platform, has received substantial donations from Democratic Muslims who back his antisemitic views, according to Deutsch.
“The Democrats are done with Israel,” Deutsch said, citing a vote by 40 Democratic senators in support of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ bill to halt all U.S. military aid to Israel.
He urged the Republican Party to erect a firewall against candidates like Fishback, warning that failure to do so would leave Israel without American support and Jews increasingly isolated.
Skorski drew parallels to 1930s Germany, noting that while Adolf Hitler created the Nazi movement, today various movements have aligned to turn government policy against Israel. Deutsch pointed to a professional propaganda campaign funded by Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood, amplified by left-wing NGOs that have overwhelmed Israel’s ability to counter the information war.
“The DSA, like the Nazis, are employing a purity test,” Deutsch said, referring to the Democratic Socialists of America. “Opposing Israel, regardless of any other issue, is mandatory.” He said the DSA is running candidates at every level — from school boards to local civil rights commissions — in a bottom-up strategy that turns Jews into proxies for Israel.
Deutsch also criticized an “AIPAC-tracker” run by a Marxist and a Groyper that singles out pro-Israel funding in an effort to strip Jews of their civil rights to support the Jewish state.
The journalist highlighted the phenomenon of “tokenization,” in which Jewish figures such as those associated with J Street, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro have publicly criticized Israel, creating what he called a “social permission structure” for broader attacks on the Jewish state and, by extension, Jews.
Deutsch’s warnings come amid heightened concerns in Jewish communities following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent surge in antisemitic incidents across the United States.
This is AI generated but its calm, tzneesdik, anda beautiful song! We need more of this!
Moments before stabbing two Jews, the attacker — knife in hand — is seen chasing an ultra-Orthodox man down the street as the victim screams for police in a harrowing scene.
This is the moment the terrorist is taken down after stabbing two Jewish people in Golders Green.
BREAKING: The suspect is being treated by Hatzola paramedics.
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) April 29, 2026
He just tried to cut the throats of two Jews people.
Remember last month when the internet said Hatzola only treats jews? Well they’re currently treating a man who attempted to stab jews. pic.twitter.com/S319GfOhYN
זו תורה וזו שכרה
Many of those sitting on the buses and in the cars, are pregnant women, mothers with children trying to get home in time for their other children, many elderly people that need the bathroom, but they the protestors don't care they are stopping traffic Leshem Shamyim, and learning , look at the big jlub, a grown man leaning against the bus "arein-getun" in a sigyeh!
They tied up Yerushlayim, Bnei-Brak and Beit Shemesh!
All benefits have to be taken away from them!
Not one peep, from the "gedoilim"
הפרגוד: חוסם ולומד pic.twitter.com/OayTBmtjT3
— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) April 29, 2026
Harav David Shlitah is a very well-respected Rav and Posik in Beit Shemesh. Finally a prominent Rav in a major Jewish Charedie City, not afraid to tell the truth!
I see a slow change in the Chardeie culture finally speaking out and refuting the lies and propaganda of Yeshivishe R"Y!
Listen to his lecture:The highway is closed from Aluf Sadeh to Em HaMoshavot in both directions, with traffic diverted to alternate routes.
Similar protests blocked traffic in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh where people were stuck in buses and cars for hours!
The story has been spreading across WhatsApp groups and frum news sites for the past several days. The details vary depending on which version one encountered. A family in the Lakewood area was without parents at home one evening. Dinner was ordered through Uber Eats. The intended restaurant was Smash House Burgers — a kosher establishment with locations in several cities, well known to many. The actual restaurant the order went to was Smashburger, the national chain that serves bacon, cheeseburgers, and milkshakes.
In one version, the family caught the mistake when the packaging looked unfamiliar and the food was not eaten.
In another, three children sat down and ate before anyone realized what had happened. The differences matters, and should not be glossed over, but for what needs to be said now, the discrepancy is almost beside the point. Because in either version of the story, the same critical safeguard was missing.
There was no kosher seal – or rather: there was no checking for one.
Other conversations abound:
“Kosher restaurant shouldn’t use a confusing name!”
“Why do we need to follow goyisha names for restaurants?”
“Uber Eats should label kosher establishments more clearly!”
“Hashgachos shouldn’t permit menu items that resemble cheeseburgers!”
And more.
But maybe, in this modern era, we should retool our Chinuch. Maybe we should create a curriculum that addresses the underlying issue – something that Chazal had addressed long, long ago – The concept of Chosamos.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday issued a sharp criticism of Israel over what he described as the arrival of a vessel carrying “stolen" Ukrainian grain to an Israeli port.
“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability. This applies, in particular, to grain stolen by Russia," Zelenskyy said in a statement. “Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload. This is not - and cannot be - legitimate business."
Zelenskyy added that Israeli authorities “cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country’s ports and what cargo they are carrying."
According to the Ukrainian president, Russia has been “systematically seizing grain on temporarily occupied Ukrainian land and organizing its export through individuals linked to the occupiers," describing such actions as violations of Israeli law.
“Ukraine has taken all necessary steps through diplomatic channels to prevent such incidents. However, we see that yet another such vessel has not been stopped," he stated.
It is no secret that the shidduchim world within the Hasidic community has been experiencing a serious crisis in recent years. Many older bachelors remain unmarried for long periods, while their peers have already built families, raising children and guiding them in a life of Torah and Mitzvos.
The situation in which one young man remains single from an entire class is heartbreaking. Beyond the personal pain of the unmarried individual, his friends also face a difficult reality. On the one hand, they want to maintain their relationship with him; on the other, it’s hard to ignore the feelings of jealousy that may arise when meeting or speaking with someone who has not yet had the chance to establish a home.
While there is no single explanation for why some individuals do not become engaged even after dozens or hundreds of dates, recent accounts suggest an interesting phenomenon that may be contributing significantly to the crisis.
From conversations with older singles and parents, a concerning picture emerges, as reported on the Emess (Kol Chai) site. In some Hasidic circles, it has become common to send the handwriting of a prospective couple to a graphologist before finalizing a match, in order to analyze personality traits and determine compatibility.
This practice is especially widespread in one of the larger chasidic groups in Israel. In many cases, families consult well-known graphologists, sometimes considered among the best in the country, to decide whether to proceed with a proposed match.
“What’s holding the sector back in recent years is this issue of graphology. Ninety percent [of matches] are rejected,” says “A,” who has experienced the crisis firsthand and asked to remain anonymous. “I understand that in Gur Hasidic dynasty they’ve only recently begun to scale this back.”
He adds: “This has led to a large number of unmarried young men within the community. People have become almost addicted to it. It’s a miracle it hasn’t spread to the Lithuanian or Sephardi sectors. I personally had several good matches this past year that could have progressed, but the graphologist said they weren’t suitable.”
Another individual, “T,” shared a similar experience: “I once dated a girl who wouldn’t move forward in any match without approval from a certain graphologist. Eventually she got fed up and switched to someone else, because the first one rejected all her matches.”
He added: “At one point I met that graphologist and told him: ‘Stop destroying homes that could be built in Israel. Even if it’s your livelihood, there are other ways to make a living without harming people like this.’”
“B,” a parent of two older sons navigating the matchmaking system, offered further insight: “A very senior graphologist told me that those who say whether to go ahead with a match or not are charlatans motivated by money. A graphologist can analyze personality, but should never determine compatibility.”
He continued: “He even told me that if he had analyzed his own handwriting and that of his wife, he would have concluded they were completely incompatible, yet thank G-d they’ve been happily married for 40 years.”
These testimonies come from people directly affected by the matchmaking crisis, who have chosen to speak out in hopes of raising awareness and perhaps contributing to at least a partial solution.
Online reaction was swift and intense. Avi Glaserman questioned, “How the hell was she elected into office if she thinks (II) in Roman numerals equals 11?”
Lakewood Resident, Rabbi Yechiel Farkash, Facing Extradition to Israel for Alleged Sexual Abuse of Students at Bnei Brak Yeshiva Where He Taught, Denied Bond Ahead of Extradition Hearing
Nearly 19,000 Jews immigrated to Israel over the past year, arriving from 103 countries despite ongoing war and regional tensions.
Russia, the US, and France led in numbers, with rising immigration from Western countries linked to growing antisemitism.
Most newcomers settled in central Israel and Jerusalem
According to a new report from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 742 Jews from the United Kingdom made aliyah in 2025, the highest annual total since the mid-1980s.
Over the past two decades, aliyah from the UK has remained stable, typically ranging between 400 and 740 people per year, with a long-term average of about 566 annually.
In practical terms, that means roughly 2 out of every 1,000 British Jews make aliyah each year, higher than other countries like Canada but still far below places like France, where migration levels are significantly higher.
So this is not, at least yet, a mass exodus. But something is changing.
Firstly, this marks two consecutive years of growth, rising from 561 immigrants in 2024 to 742 in 2025.
Secondly, since October 7, studies show British Jews are more likely than before to consider aliyah, even if many have not yet acted on it.
That change is especially pronounced among younger Jews, Orthodox communities, and those who have personally experienced antisemitism.
Many British Jews find that there are many factors to consider regarding aliyah. Economic opportunities, family, and connection to Israel all play a role.
Antisemitism in the UK has surged in recent years, which reshapes how many Jews view their place in British society.
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| The late Cult leader Eliezer Shlomo Schick. |
The report cited current and former members of the Bratslav community in Yavne’el, officials with knowledge of the matter, and the previously unpublished findings of a government panel established in 2023 to look into the closed community.
The panel that looked into the community reportedly found “cases that give rise to suspected crime,” “multiple cases of dysfunctional parenting,” and “sexual abuse, part of which goes unreported.”
“It’s straight-up rape,” said a current community member . “Nobody asks a 14-year-old girl if she wants to get married. A year later she’s taking a baby to the playground.”
According to the government panel, the weddings are mainly between children aged 15-17, who are taught from an early age to get married young
“The community perpetuates and is permeated by a religious and cultural outlook that says early marriages of minors are desirable and, among other things, help keep youth away from various dangers,” said the government report, without elaborating,
The newspaper cited current and former community members as saying the “dangers” that the community fears are non-procreative seminal emissions, which are prohibited in halacha, or Jewish ritual law.
Current community members agreed to speak only on the side of the road, far away from the town, and were wary of approaching cars, Haaretz said.
It quoted one female community member as saying, “Whoever talks risks ruining their and their family’s lives.”
The government panel that looked into the Yavne’el community was established by the Welfare Ministry with representatives of the police and of the justice, education, and health ministries following an interview by the Kan public broadcaster with a woman who escaped abuse in the sect.
The woman, Mika Maimoni, was wed at 14 to a 19-year-old husband and got pregnant in three months. Maimoni was sent to give birth in Bnei Brak and was instructed on the way there to memorize a cover story to explain her pregnancy, she told Kan. She escaped the sect in 2015 when it was grieving the death of its spiritual leader Eliezer Shlomo Schick.
Marriages like Maimoni’s are common in the Yavne’el Bratslav community, according to Haaretz. Community members cited by the newspaper said the weddings take place at a rate of one or two a month.
In 2003, Tiberias police uncovered about 20 cases of marriages arranged by Schick of young girls, some of them aged 12, to grooms as young as 15.
And in its report, the panel established in 2023 found child marriages to be “very widespread” in the community of roughly 500 families, which accounts for over half the residents in the 5,000-odd town, according to Haaretz.
But the panel reportedly said it could not give exact figures because of conspirators’ “synchronized and systematic cover-up technique and subterfuge.”
Those were said to include holding weddings in secret, changing child spouses’ addresses, giving authorities false information, appointing loyalists as teachers and counselors, and getting doctors to register adult mothers as the patients of fertility treatments performed on young girls.