Feldheim's New Bio on Reb Dovid Soloveichik Should be Destroyed "It Contains Extremely Dangerous Ideas"

by "Not Daas Torah"

I remember the controversy when “The Making of a Godol” was banned. There was a whole brouhaha about censorship, banning, and whether there was actually anything wrong with the book. 

While its been years since I researched it, and I don’t remember who said it, there was one quote in support of the ban that has stuck with me all these years (and I am of course paraphrasing, if anyone knows the original quote please let me know): “When I read a biography of a gadol, I am looking to be inspired. To let me know the heights a person can reach. To help me set goals in my own personal ruchniyos. Knowing a certain godol wiped his nose on his sleeves doesn’t help me do that.”

I think there is a lot of truth in that quote. For better or worse, Gadolagraphies are not biographies. They are not academic works. They are not meant to be. They are there to push us to be greater - and that is totally fine. 

For all the criticism Art Scroll gets for how bland their gadol biographies are, they do an excellent job in pursuit of that goal. Even if read with a jaded eye, I put down the biography with a new appreciation of that gadol, his greatness, and his legacy, all of which inspires me to grow regardless of factual accuracy. Even as myth it does its job admirably.

This brings us to a new godol biography which has extremely dangerous ideas. I want to make clear: I am not talking hashkafically¹, I am not talking metaphorically. I mean literally life-threateningly dangerous ideas. Ideas that can physically damage a person for life, or even cause him to take his own life cha”v, and I say this from my professional viewpoint as a mental health professional. 

This book should be removed off the shelves as a chashash sakanas nefashos and I do not mean that lightly.

What Happens When a Sephardi Widow and a Belzer Chusid Divorcee Marry

 

Dozens of female Mossad operatives ran covert missions inside Iran during the 12-Day War

 

A clandestine network of female Mossad operatives slipped into Iran during the 12-Day War—running surveillance, logistics, and other on-the-ground tasks that helped blind Tehran’s defenses and enable precision strikes, according to an exclusive report first published in Israel. The account, citing Israeli sources, says “dozens” of women had boots on the ground, a detail later echoed by Iran-focused and pro-Israel outlets that summarized the scoop.

The picture that emerges: human assets moving quietly while the Israel Defense Forces and intelligence services pummeled missile sites, air defenses, and nodes tied to the nuclear program. Previous reporting from major outlets described Mossad agents penetrating Iranian territory to dismantle weapons systems and shape the battlespace before the first bombs fell—context that aligns with the new focus on women in field roles.

Mossad chief David Barnea has publicly praised his operatives’ performance during the campaign, calling the period “historic” and signaling the agency will keep working inside Iran as required. While he didn’t detail gender or units, his remarks—and an official video message—underscore an intelligence posture that blends cyber deception, local partners, and covert teams to hit targets far from Israel’s borders.

Operationally, female case officers and collectors expand cover options, complicate Iranian counterintelligence, and can move in spaces where male operatives might trigger alarms. The sources-based narrative credits these teams with roles from agent handling and route prep to last-mile targeting support—classic HUMINT (human intelligence) that turns satellite feeds and signals intercepts into actionable coordinates.

Tehran has long cast itself as impenetrable. Yet open-source and investigative reporting following the war described precisely the kind of pre-planted networks Israel would need: dissident cells aiding sabotage, decoy summons that lured senior officers, and detailed mapping of high-value personnel—methods that would be amplified by skilled handlers on the ground.

Israel’s strategic logic is straightforward: Iran arms and directs terror proxies—Hamas, Hezbollah, and others—while racing for nuclear leverage. Covert reach inside the regime is both deterrence and insurance. Barnea and senior Israeli officials have hinted that if Tehran rebuilds capabilities or edges its uranium toward weaponization, the playbook is ready to reopen—quietly at first, and then not so quietly.

The initial “female operatives in Iran” revelation came via The Jerusalem Post; Iran International and World Israel News carried follow-ups; Reuters and other outlets provide the broader operational backdrop of agents operating on Iranian soil during the same campaign. Together, they sketch a coherent arc: a service that can still put people—women and men—deep inside the heart of the Islamic Republic.

Song of Horiyois

 

 

After Charlie Kirk’s Death, Workers Learn the Limits of Free Speech in and Out of Their Jobs

In the days following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, numerous workers have been fired for their comments on his death, among them MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd.

Several conservative activists have sought to identify social media users whose posts about Kirk they viewed as offensive or celebratory, targeting everyone from journalists to teachers. Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer said she would try to ruin the professional aspirations of anyone who celebrated Kirk’s death.

It’s far from the first time workers have lost their jobs over things they say publicly — including in social media posts. But the speed at which the firings have been happening raises questions about worker rights versus employer rights.

In the U.S., laws can vary across states, but overall, there’s very little legal protections for employees who are punished for speech made both in and out of private workplaces.

“Most people think they have a right to free speech…but that doesn’t necessarily apply in the workplace,” said Vanessa Matsis-McCready, associate general counsel and vice president of HR Services for Engage PEO. “Most employees in the private sector do not have any protections for that type of speech at work.”

Add to that the prevalence of social media, which has made it increasingly common to track employees’ conduct outside of work and to dox people, or publish information about them online with the intent of harming or harassing them.

Hochul Endorses Zohran Mamdani for NYC Mayor

Skver Mayor Spitzer Poses With the Klavtah

 Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday urged New Yorkers to vote Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City, giving the Democratic nominee one of his most significant endorsements to date in the contest to lead the nation’s biggest city.

Writing in the New York Times’ opinion section, Hochul said that while she and Mamdani diverged on some issues, they came together on the importance of addressing the affordability crisis in the city and across the state.

“But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family,” wrote Hochul, a Democrat. “I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support.”

The stunning success of Mamdani, a 33-year-old self-described democratic socialist, in the race for New York City mayor has exposed divisions within the Democratic Party as it struggles to repair its brand more than half a year into Donald Trump’s presidency. Hochul’s endorsement is the latest sign that Democratic leaders who had been skeptical of Mamdani’s liberal views are beginning to consolidate around him.

Mamdani thanked Hochul for the boost, saying it’s a sign “our movement is growing stronger.”

“Governor Hochul has made affordability the centerpiece of her work. I look forward to fighting alongside her to continue her track record of putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets and building a safer and stronger New York City where no one is forced to leave just so they can afford to raise a family,” Mamdani said in a statement Sunday night. “I’m grateful to the Governor for her support in unifying our party — as well as the work she’s done standing up to President Trump, securing free lunch meals for our kids, and expanding access to childcare.”

In recent weeks, the other candidates in the race — former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and Republican Curtis Sliwa — have intensified their criticism of Mamdani over his platform and past statements ahead of the city’s general election in November.

Hochul said another reason she decided to back Mamdani was his vow that he would make sure the New York Police Department had the resources it needs to keep the city’s streets and subways safe.

“I urged him to ensure that there is strong leadership at the helm of the N.Y.P.D. — and he agreed,” Hochul wrote.

Mamdani, who is leading in the polls, has not been endorsed by some prominent Democrats, including Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leaders in the U.S. Senate and House.

U.S. House Republican Leadership Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, a New York congresswoman, said Hochul’s endorsement is a sign that the governor is moving left to shore up falling poll numbers.

“At the exact moment when New Yorkers are looking for strong leadership from their Governor with a majority opposing Zohran Mamdani, Kathy Hochul embraces this raging Communist who will destroy New York making it less affordable and more dangerous — once again putting criminals and communists first, and New Yorkers LAST,” Stefanik said in a Sunday statement.

Mamdani soundly defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Cuomo has since relaunched his campaign as an independent. Adams, a Democrat, skipped the primary to run as an independent in November. Sliwa ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Hochul served as lieutenant governor to Cuomo and replaced him after he stepped down in 2021 following a barrage of sexual harassment allegations. He denied wrongdoing during the campaign, maintaining that the scandal was driven by politics.

 

Actress Hannah Einbinder Takes a Page out of Satmar Handbook, and States On "Free Palestine" Speech: "It Is My Obligation As A Jewish Person To Distinguish Jews From The State Of Israel"

The "Tzneesdike" Satmar Chassiditeh Channa Einbinder  

 Backstage at the Emmy Awards ceremony Sunday night, Hannah Einbinder followed up on her acceptance speech call to “Free Palestine.”

Einbinder made the statement, along with saying “F–k ICE” as she accepted the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her role of Ava Daniels in Hacks.

Backstage, standing alongside Hacks co-star Jean Smart who just won in her Lead Actress category, Einbinder was asked by the press to expand on her statement about Palestine and about her move earlier this week, alongside 1,200 others, to sign a pledge to boycotting Israeli film institutions.

“I thought it was important to talk about Palestine,” she said, “because it’s an issue that’s very dear to my heart. I have friends in Gaza who are working as frontline workers, as doctors right now in the north of Gaza, to provide care for pregnant women and for school children to create schools in the refugee camps. And it’s an issue that’s really close to my heart for many reasons.”

She continued, taking a page out of the Satmar and Neturei Karta manifesto and said with a straight dace 

“I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the State of Israel, because our religion and our culture is such an important and long standing institution that is really separate to this sort of ethno-nationalist state.”

Elimelech Stern of Beit Shemesh Convicted of Spying for Iran

 

Elimelech Stern

The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday convicted Elimelech Stern, a 22-year-old Haredi yeshiva student from Beit Shemesh, of spying on behalf of Iran.

He was found guilty of contact with a foreign agent and conspiring to make threats after he carried out several missions for an Iranian intelligence agent in exchange for money last year.

Stern is one of dozens of Israeli citizens who have been arrested and charged with spying for the Islamic Republic. He is one of the first to be convicted since most espionage cases are still working their way through the legal system.

During a series of Shin Bet interrogations following his arrest, Stern confessed to being in contact with his operator, who went by the alias Anna Elena, over Telegram. Later in court, he insisted that he had been unaware he was communicating with a foreign actor.

According to the conviction handed down by Judge Hannah Miriam Lump, Stern recruited two other Israeli citizens to help him carry out the tasks assigned to him by his handler.

At the request of the agent, Stern enlisted one of his accomplices in printing and hanging fliers of bloodied palm prints with the English phrase: “It will be written in history that children were killed, let’s stand on the right side of history.” The assistant took pictures of himself hanging the fliers in Tel Aviv in early June 2024 and sent the photo evidence to Stern, who then forwarded it to the agent.

Stern also planned in June 2024 to leave a threatening package on the doorstep of Ronen Shaul, Israel’s representative in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but never followed through.

The Iranian agent requested that he send a severed animal’s head alongside a flower bouquet to Shaul. When he was unable to find an animal’s head, the agent changed course and asked him to send a severed doll’s head alongside a knife. Fearing legal repercussions, Stern eventually declined to send the package entirely.

That month, after a period of debate, he also refused to ignite a brushfire in Jerusalem at the agent’s behest.

Stern’s case is one of dozens to come to light over the past two years in which Iranian agents have successfully recruited Israelis into espionage schemes via social media, specifically the Telegram messaging app. Most of the accused spies start out with innocuous tasks that gradually grow into more serious offenses, like intelligence gathering and assassination plots.

The growing number of Iranian agents has even prompted Israel to open up a new wing for them in Haifa’s Damon prison.

The unlikely operatives, from diverse walks of life, are usually ordinary civilians contacted by Iranian intelligence officers online. The effort appears to be part of a mass recruitment scheme by Tehran to gather intelligence on Israel’s alleged nuclear and military sites, as well as key Israeli figures such as defense officials and top scientists.

Given Stern’s relatively young age when committing the offenses, he will be reviewed for probation before sentencing at the request of his attorney.

How Radical Domestic Terrorists Embedded Themselves into the Colleges, Secret Service, FBI , The US Navy, The US Army Etc

 

Maybe this can help you understand some of the “why.” pic.twitter.com/Yx5lFXKkVb

— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) September 13, 2025

Stephen Miller goes nuclear

 

Stephen Miller is going nuclear…

“This is not fringe anymore. Tape, after tape. Federal workers, bureaucrats, educators, professors, nurses… people celebrating and cheering the assassination of Charlie Kirk! There is a domestic terrorist movement growing in this country.” pic.twitter.com/dZZN4UFwyK

— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) September 13, 2025