1. "Zionism will not win." These words, in perfect Hebrew, was written by the Hamas beasts on the podium on which the official ceremony for the return of four Israeli abductees to the Red Cross was taking place, on their way home,.
Hamas monsters sought to express the overarching goal of Hamas ideology – to wipe off the face of the earth the State of Israel, the product of Zionism, and to turn all of its territory into the State of Palestine (HILAT). There is no higher goal in Hamas' eyes than this.
And shockingly, this exact slogan, but with precise precision, .......stands – "lehavdil" between our own enemies and our stray brothers, between the impure and the pure – in its essence – of the ultra-Orthodox evasion.
"Zionism will not win" is the engine that drives the ultra-Orthodox opposition to a series of disgusting behaviors:
The lack of recognition of the miracle of miracles (which some compare to the miracle of the exodus from Egypt!) of the very establishment of the state, and the despicable refusal to take part in the festival:
No praise and thanksgiving on the day of its founding; not standing still on Memorial Day (with the imaginary false claim that it is a non-Jewish custom – and it is not!); not to fly its flag
And there are even the "stringent" who scornfully trample on the flag and set it on fire, in order to express their disgust with the Zionist idea.
Many still make sure to recite the Tachanun prayer on the day of the festival (and the zealots even fast when Independence Day falls on the days of the second day after Pesach). No recognition. Not even symbolic. Not even gratitude.
Far-left, pro-Hamas Councilmember Shahana Hanif is suddenly bending over backwards to show support for the Chosen People — now that she’s in a tight challenge against a Jewish primary opponent.
Until just four months ago, Hanif, 33, who reps the 39th district — which includes parts of Brownstone Brooklyn, including liberal bastion Park Slope, but also heavily Orthodox Jewish Borough Park — has almost never bashed Hamas or spoken up for Israel.
“This hateful act threatens the safety of our community,” she wrote on X.
On the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, Hanif released a statement of support calling out the terrorist bloodbath — something she rarely does.
Hanif was singing a far different tune before a primary threat emerged in August from Maya Kornberg, a Jewish Democrat who works at NYU’s Brennan Center for Justice.
In April 2023, Hanif was one of just two council members to vote against an ‘End Jew Hatred Day’ resolution — calling it a “far right” idea.
In the days after Hamas’ attack Hanif insisted in a since-deleted post on X “the root cause of this war is the illegal, immoral, and unjust occupation of the Palestinian people,” and that “no peace” should be expected.
At a “Cease Fire Now Rally for Gaza” in Bryant Park where Hanif was arrested, hundreds of protestors shouted the anti-Israel chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Another since-deleted X post from Hanif demanded a “ceasefire” just five days after the slaughter in an effort to shut down any military response from Israel.
So far, Hanif, elected in 2022, has raised about $68,000 for the June 24 primary contest, while Kornberg is nipping at her heels with almost $63,000 in the bank, according to campaign finance data.
Rabbi Andy Bachman, a former senior rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, said Hanif called him to offer support in August after a bookstore in her district canceled a talk from him because he was a “Zionist” — but described her recent outreach “too little and too late.”
“My perspective is as a lifelong proud Democrat, any politician who is unwilling to . . . condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization is simply not fit to lead,” he said.
In a statement Team Hanif said she would “always work to keep all New Yorkers safe by addressing the root causes of violence” and insisted that she had “repeatedly and categorically condemned Hamas.”
They refused to send any past example of her doing so.
*Let's not forget the perfidy of Ezra Friedlander who is a supporter of this Muslim antisemite
In May 2021 Ezra endorsed her saying:
Ezra Friedlander, a Hasidic lobbyist who lives in the district, said he is voting for Hanif because she signaled to him an understanding of the nuances of Orthodox Jewish life, which Friedlander attributed to her being raised as a religious Muslim.
“She understood the financial hardship that entails, she understands kosher food,” he said. “You’re talking about someone who doesn't need a textbook to understand the lifestyle challenges for an Orthodox Jewish family.”
The military helicopter that collided with an American Airlines flight over Washington, DC, was flying nearly twice as high as it should have been — but the Black Hawk was not equipped with a new technology that would have alerted air traffic control to its dangerously deviated path, The Post can reveal.
The revelations come as questions plague the Pentagon over why the Army would allow its pilots to train in an area home to the most densely trafficked air path convergences in the country — and as the Federal Aviation Administration prohibited most helicopter traffic in the area as the deadly midair collision continues to be investigated.
The Black Hawk chopper was flying more than 300 feet above the Potomac River Wednesday night when it smashed into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport-bound Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kan., as the plane was landing, killing 67 people aboard both aircraft.
Aviation guidelines require helicopters on that route to stay below 200 feet.
President Trump on Friday blasted critics for casting blame on his administration’s recent firing of aviation officials since taking office, pointing out that the issue clearly rested with the Army helicopter’s fatal deviation from the required altitude.
“The Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200-foot limit,” an exasperated Trump wrote on Truth Social. “That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???”
The collision may have been avoided if the Army had outfitted the Black Hawk with an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast device, a relatively new technology that allows air traffic control operators to see an aircraft’s altitude, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said on Friday’s episode of his podcast, “The Verdict.”
The Department of Defense announced Friday night that it will institute a new “annual media rotation program” for its in-house press corps, effectively removing several major news outlets, including NBC News, from their Pentagon office spaces in favor of other outlets.
In addition to NBC News, The New York Times, National Public Radio and Politico must vacate their dedicated workspaces. The news organizations found out in a memo sent to the press corps without being individually notified, and an accompanying email included a message that read, in part, “no additional information will be provided at this time.”
“For over a half-century, the Pentagon Press Corps has benefited from working out of individual office spaces that provide coveted and open access to some of the Department’s top military and civilian leaders,” read the memo Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot sent to the Pentagon Press Association.
Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas were transferred Saturday morning by the Hamas terror organization to the Red Cross in Khan Yunis, and joined up with IDF forces, who brought them to a reception point in Re'im, where Yarden Bibas met his father and sister.
Two hours later, Keith Siegel was released from Gaza Port. He ascended a stage for a short time, wearing a hat and waving to the crowd. At the transfer point, Hamas gave him two bags. Reports said that one of them was for his wife, Avivah, who was freed in a November 2023 prisoner swap deal.
He was later transferred to the IDF and crossed into Israel, where he met his wife.
Ofer Calderon landed on a helipad at Sheba Medical Center, and when he noticed his friends, he ran to them and waved, to the sound of applause.
The Prime Minister's Office said: "The Government of Israel embraces the returnee Keith Siegel. His family has been updated by the responsible authorities that he is with our forces. The Government, together with all of the security officials, will accompany him and his family. The Government of Israel is committed to returning all of the hostages and the missing."
Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing in the Prime Minister's Office, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch said, "Today, three of our hostages were returned to Israel: Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel. We welcome them with a big embrace. We have made arrangements for receiving them and will assist in their rehabilitation after a long period of captivity."
In exchange for the three civilians, Israel will release nine terrorists with life sentences, and 81 other terrorists who are serving lengthy sentences. However, Hamas' Prisoners Office published a list of 183 names, 18 of whom are serving life sentences, 54 of whom are serving extended sentences, and 111 Gaza residents who were arrested following the October 7 massacre.
In the darkest moments of Jewish history, Hashem sends beacons of light that illuminate the path forward for all of Klal Yisroel. Agam Berger has emerged as such a beacon – a young woman whose story transcends our modern understanding of faith and devotion, embodying the deepest truths of Jewish survival and divine providence.
Raised in secular Israeli society, Agam discovered within herself what Judaism has always known: that the burning flame of Torah lies dormant in every Jewish Neshama. When faced with unimaginable terror, surrounded by resha’im gmurim who sought to destroy not just her guf but her neshama, she made an extraordinary choice. Without any formal Torah education, without the warmth of Shabbos candles in her childhood home, she chose to observe Shabbos in captivity.
This choice reflects the fundamental Jewish understanding that the Borei Olam is not merely the Creator, but the source of all goodness and ethical behavior. When Agam wrote “דרך אמונה בחרתי” (“I have chosen the path of faith”), she wasn’t just making a personal statement – she was connecting to an unbroken chain of Jewish conviction stretching back to Har Sinai itself.
Klal Yisroel’s survival defies historical precedent. While mighty civilizations like the Carthaginians, Incas, and Aztecs have vanished into the melting pot of history, the Jewish people have maintained their distinct identity through two millennia of exile. Agam’s story provides a living testament to this miraculous survival.
Just as the land of Israel lay uncultivated until its people returned – a historical anomaly that points to divine providence – so too did the seed of faith lie dormant in Agam’s soul until the moment of greatest need. The divine synchronicity of her mother simultaneously being drawn to Shabbos observance, miles away and unaware, echoes the words of our Sages: “More than the Jews have kept Shabbos, Shabbos has kept the Jews.”
When Agam’s mother declared she would wait until after Shabbos to reunite with her daughter, she stood in the tradition of countless mothers throughout history who understood that our covenant with Hashem supersedes even the strongest human bonds. Her decision recalls a previous Prime Minister, Menachem Begin’s passionate defense of Shabbos observance: “Shabbos is one of the loftiest values in all of humanity, it originated with us. It is all ours.”
Together with her fellow captives, Agam maintained Jewish dignity through faith under the most trying circumstances. They fasted on Yom Kippur despite their weakness. They refused non-kosher food despite their hunger. In doing so, they joined the ranks of Jewish women throughout history – from Sarah Imeinu to the heroines of the Holocaust – who maintained their faith in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The power of their message lies not just in the acts themselves, but in their source. Here were no scholars or rabbis, but young women who discovered within themselves the eternal truth that Judaism has always taught: that ethical monotheism isn’t just a philosophical concept, but a living reality that demands action. Through their choices, they transformed private suffering into public kiddush Hashem.
Agam’s story reminds us that Judaism’s mission – to declare the concept of God and the obligation to emulate Him in all we do – continues in every generation. In an age of confusion and spiritual darkness, her crystal-clear choice of faith over fear, tradition over trauma, serves as a modern-day illustration of an ancient truth: that within every Jewish soul, no matter how distant they may seem from tradition, lies a divine spark waiting to illuminate the world.
When mother and daughter finally reunited, their first words were not of personal relief but of gratitude to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. In that moment, they exemplified Judaism’s eternal understanding that concepts and ideas are not enough – they must be accompanied by action. Their story has become a living mussar sefer, teaching us that even in our modern world, the path of faith remains as vibrant and relevant as ever.
During her captivity, Agam Berger braided her fellow hostages’ hair, offering hope for their swift release.
This gesture inspired young girls in kindergartens and schools, who wore braids today as a sign of solidarity with the freed hostages.
A message circulating on social media reads: "Agam’s braids have become a symbol of strength, love, humanity, and courage."
El Al Employees Wear Braided Hair with Yellow Ribbons to Honor Freed Hostage Agam Berger
In a touching tribute, El Al Airlines employees wore braided hair adorned with yellow ribbons to honor Agam Berger, who was released from Hamas captivity today after 482 days.
The gesture carries deep symbolism, as many of the recently freed female hostages returned home with braids done by Agam herself, who, despite being left behind, spent her final moments with the departing captives braiding their hair as a gesture of love and strength.
Ezra Friedlander, from the Friedlander Group, issued a video apology on Thursday for a viral video in which he accused Tower 41, the oceanfront resident building in Miami Beach, of antisemitism.
Friedlander, who visited Miami Beach this week and wanted to daven Mincha at the Shul there, had claimed he was refused entry due to antisemitism but expressed regret for his comments, acknowledging that they were inappropriate, totally not correct, and did not reflect his true beliefs.
Friedlander explained that he was unaware of Tower 41’s policy of restricting non-residents from participating in the Shul minyan over security issues and was also unaware that the restaurant is only open for takeout. He was deeply apologetic for his comments and promised to be more careful with his words in the future.
Friedlander also sincerely apologized to the management of Tower 41.
He still has not apologized for urging frum Jews to support the then-President Obama on the murderous Iran deal! He has also not apologized for urging Congress to give Anwar Sadat the murderer of over 2,000 Jewish Soldiers a Congressional Medal of Honor! But he found time to apologize to a restaurant that refused to serve him a tuna fish sandwich!
In the wake of a photo circulating online showing a Hamas terrorist wearing a United Hatzalah sweatshirt during the hostage release on Thursday, United Hatzalah CEO Eli Beer addressed the situation with a statement. The photo, taken among the crowds during the release, caused concern after it showed a Palestinian in Gaza wearing the organization’s distinctive sweatshirt.
Beer clarified that the individual seen in the photo is not a United Hatzalah volunteer. According to the organization’s investigation, the sweatshirt was likely stolen on October 7th from one of the homes of United Hatzalah volunteers in communities surrounding Gaza. Beer emphasized that while there is no immediate security threat, the organization wanted to make the public aware of the situation.
United Hatzalah, a well-respected emergency medical service in Israel, has long been dedicated to providing aid to all communities, regardless of background or faith. The organization remains committed to its lifesaving mission, despite the unfortunate incident. Beer’s statement aimed to ensure transparency and calm, reinforcing that the stolen item posed no security risk, while also alerting the public to the potential misuse of their brand.
President Trump argued Thursday that it appears to him that the collision between an American Airlines jet and Army helicopter over the Potomac River “should have been prevented.”
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane,” the president added, referring to publicly available air traffic control audio of the incident.
“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
In a separate post, Trump wrote: “What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!”
American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was traveling from Wichita, Kan., to Washington when it collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter as it approached Washington Reagan National Airport in Virginia.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane. All Killed!
Israeli authorities have confirmed that Muhammad Abu Asaid, the Hamas operative responsible for abducting IDF observer Naama Levy during the October 7 attack, was killed in a targeted drone strike in Gaza City four months ago.
This information was withheld until the recent release of the last female IDF observer held captive.
The Berger family watches as Agam is handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas at the initial reception point.
Freed soldier Agam Berger embraces her parents at an IDF facility near the Gaza border after spending 482 days in Hamas captivity.
Tears of relief and joy filled the air as Agam Berger’s family and friends celebrated her long-awaited release from Hamas captivity after 482 days. Berger, a 19-year-old IDF observer from Holon, was one of five female soldiers abducted from the Nahal Oz military post during the October 7, 2023, attack.
Her mother, a devoted observer of Shabbat, had firmly stated that she would try not desecrate the holy day for her daughter’s release, nor would she allow media to take photos or videos of Agam until after Shabbat. Originally scheduled for release on Shabbat, Agam was instead freed today, resolving the dilemma and allowing her mother to welcome her home without violating religious observance.
Mohammad khalil says Zionists don’t deserve to live while he’s on a visa @Columbia. It’s 10 pm and @ICEgov is aware of his home address and whereabouts. We have provided all his information to multiple contacts. He’s on our deport list! pic.twitter.com/bfHxhdujGF
Vivian Silver was a Canadian-Israeli who dedicated her life to help Gaza and vilify Israel. She organized programs to help Gazan workers in Israel, drove them to Israeli hospitals, joined the anti-Israeli organization B'tselem and founded "Women Wage Peace." As part of her work,…
Two sleazy, conniving Senate Democrat freshmen - Arizona’s Gallego and Michigan’s Slotkin - voted for the same ICC sanctions bill a few months ago in the House when they were running for Senate but now changed their vote due to pressure from self-hating Chuck Schumer, among…
A Hamas operative was caught on video directing hostage Agam Berger’s release, instructing her to mimic his actions. This isn’t spontaneous—it’s staged. What you see on camera is exactly what Hamas wants you to see. pic.twitter.com/e5pNE7gUDR
First photos of Arbel Yehud absolutely surrounded by Islamist terrorists and thousands of Palestinians in a mob.
It is absolutely disgusting that the Red Cross and any of the other mediators would allow hostages to have to go through something like this walking through a mob of… pic.twitter.com/SakY51W85A
Footage of Israeli hostage Gadi Moses walking through mob of violent Palestinians. There are also reports that Arbel Yehud has been transferred to the Red Cross.
According to a report on Kan 11 Wednesday night, Defense Minister Israel Katz declined the Shin Bet’s request to sign an administrative arrest warrant for a young Jewish man suspected of “terrorism.” Katz, who had previously declared an end to administrative arrests of Jews in Judea and Samaria, instead summoned the young man’s rabbis to his office, and during the meeting requested that they supervise the suspect and ensure he refrains from any further forbidden activity.
Minister Katz believes that alternative measures should be explored in the fight against “Jewish violence” in Judea and Samaria and hopes that this new approach will prove effective.
Israeli security sources stated in response to Kan 11’s report: “As part of the Shin Bet’s responsibility to prevent Jewish terrorism, administrative measures are only used as a last resort, after exhausting a series of softer approaches. These include discussions about shared responsibility with parents and rabbis, as well as warning conversations when necessary. In some cases, the Shin Bet has even proposed alternatives to detention, such as educational and rehabilitative programs.”
Back in May, The Jewish Press noted that in the past seventy years, there had been 25 administrative detentions of Jews in Israel, out of which 19 were carried out in the year and a half of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s tenure. How did the Shin Bet manage with only 6 anti-democratic detentions for so many decades?
The Tag Meir organization, paid for by the New Israel Fund, criticized DM Katz’s decision, stating: “Minister Katz’s reckless refusal to comply with the Shin Bet’s request for an administrative detention order against a terror suspect, and his belief that rabbinical supervision can prevent Jewish terrorism, will cost us dearly in blood.”
Here’s a historical note: on July 2, 2014, following the horrific murders by Hamas of Naftali Frankel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrah, which led to Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, NIF joined Tag Meir in Jerusalem for a vigil calling for an end to the violence, racism, dehumanization, and bloodshed.
On both sides.
Two weeks ago, Minister Katz announced his decision to cancel administrative detention orders for Jewish detainees residing in Judea and Samaria. In a statement to the media, he justified the move as a response to the recent hostage deal, stating: “This is a message to encourage settlement in light of the expected release of terrorists.” As a result, five administrative detainees were released.
The Shin Bet criticized the decision, stating that it was made without considering the agency’s security assessments and potential implications.
So, here’s another historical note: on August 22, 2024, the Shin Bet and DM Gallant ordered the administrative detention of acclaimed documentary filmmaker Avraham Shapira, from Yitzhar, Samaria, while he was working on a video exposing the clandestine police’s political activity. This week, Channel 14 screened the video:
The Shin Bet issued a statement claiming that the filmmaker was a “violent and extreme activist involved in directing hilltop youth and young men to carry out violent activities in the Samaria region.
“Shapira was arrested as part of a police investigation on suspicions that he took part in the terrorist events in Kfar Jit on Aug. 15, during which a Palestinian was murdered, and four houses were set on fire,” according to the Shin Bet.
Jit is located five miles northwest of Yitzhar, south of Shechem.
“He did not cooperate, and in the absence of a criminal [prosecution] alternative, it was decided to put him under administrative arrest due to the great danger of his continued activity,” the Shin Bet said. “The false claim that Shapira was arrested for being a ‘film director’ is unfounded.”
This brings us to the old Yippies’ scientific advice on how to tell whether the chief of police is lying: you must observe his face very closely during his press conference, and if he opens his mouth, it means he’s lying.
While Shas chairman Aryeh Deri threatened to go to elections if the army draft status of yeshiva students is not regulated by law within two months, the Degel Hatorah faction of the United Torah Judaism party chose to try to calm the spirits on Wednesday evening.
"The government is stable and it has overcome not-so-simple challenges. There are those who want it to fall, but that won't happen," said Deputy Minister Uri Maklev at an annual transportation conference.
"Neither the commentators, nor the Attorney General, nor Yair Lapid, nor Yair Golan will bring down the government," he stated.
The crisis escalated after Deri stated on Tuesday, in an interview with Kol Barama radio that if the draft law isn't passed within two months, the Knesset will be dissolved.
"The secret to our existence, even in tough times, has been and will always be the unity of the Jewish people," Maklev said on Wednesday evening. "When we were united – we triumphed. It's in our hands."
