Dozens of Yidden gathered to demonstrate at a building site in Yehud, a city in central Israel, asserting that the land under development may be the location of an ancient bais hakevaros.
Video footage from the scene captured several chareidi men sprawled on the ground within the work zone, symbolically pouring dirt into sections of the site that had already been dug up as a show of opposition.
On Tuesday, Border Police forces responded by forcibly removing the demonstrators from the premises.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Elazar Yonah Ginsberg zt”l, rov of Agudas Achim and a distinguished talmid chacham whose life was defined by avodas Hashem, ahavas haTorah, and a deep, personal connection with every member of his kehillah.
Rav Ginsberg was a son of Rav Tzvi Meir Ginsberg zt”l of the Agudas Harabbanim, a brother of the Chuster Rebbe of Boro Park, and a brother-in-law of the Skolya Rebbe of Boro Park.

On Monday night, Yeshiva Mercaz HaRav hosted a major celebration in Yerushalayim marking 58 years since the city’s liberation and reunification during the Six Day War.
Rav Yaakov Shapira, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav, was among the figures at the event, along with Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion. Joining them were rabbanim, dayanim, government officials, and thousands of participants from all over the country. The evening featured addresses from city rabbanim, the chief rabbanim, Rav Shapira, Mayor Lion, and various public leaders.

On the eve of Chag HaShavuos, Rav Dov Landau issued an urgent and strongly worded letter to bnei yeshiva, addressing their role at this critical juncture and warning of government threats to conscript lomdei Torah.
With the state dragging its feet on passing a draft deferment law, Rav Landau expressed grave concern over attempts to forcibly draft yeshiva students — and threatened consequences should such efforts proceed.
“If they force yeshiva students to enlist,” Rav Landau wrote, “we will be compelled to take actions that we do not wish to take.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of the longtime spiritual leader of the Johannesburg, South Africa Sephardic kehillah, Rav Aviyahu Levy zt”l, at the age of 80, after a period of illness.
Rav Levy was born and raised in the Musrara neighborhood of Yerushalayim. A close disciple of Chacham Yehuda Tzadkah zt”l, the rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef, Rabbi Levy received semichah at a young age and was also deeply connected to the Baba Sali zt”l.

In a political snub just days before a critical vote in the committee for appointing dayanim, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu attempted to mediate between Likud Minister Dudi Amsalem and the heads of the chareidi and religious parties—Aryeh Deri (Shas), Moshe Gafni (Degel HaTorah), and Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism). But the effort failed, with all three leaders refusing Netanyahu’s invitation to meet, asserting that the process is already closed and that “you have no connection to it.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rav Shimon Shatin-Shapira zt”l, a longtime yungerman at the Breslover kollel. He was 61 and had endured many years of intense physical and emotional suffering.
Rav Shimon, who became known as “Rav Shimon Ba’al HaYissurim” for the tremendous pain he bore with ahavas Hashem, was a fixture in the Breslov community. Despite frequent hospitalizations, he never allowed illness to separate him from his deep bond with Torah. Those who knew him often found him immersed in learning at all hours, even within hospital corridors.

Rav Dov HaKohen Kook, the Tzaddik of Tiveria, has issued a directive sharply criticizing a common practice among religious emergency responders—returning home by car after responding to Shabbos emergency calls. The prominent mekubal has labeled the practice a serious violation of Shabbos.
“I was shocked to learn that all the chareidi and religious responders are returning home by car,” Rav Kook was quoted as saying on Kol Chai Radio. He added that he had been unaware of the phenomenon until this week.

Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the special envoy appointed by President Donald Trump to spearhead the fight against antisemitism, received an extraordinary letter of endorsement this past week from senior gedolim in Israel, both Chassidic and Litvish.
The letter, written in both English and Hebrew, expresses profound gratitude to President Trump and extends heartfelt blessings to his newly designated representative. Among the prominent signatories are Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, Rav Berel Povarsky, the Rebbes of Belz, Sanz, and Seret-Vizhnitz, as well as Rav Shaul Alter.