A Rabbi From Miami Made Aliyah to Israel and Caught My Eye

 Nadene Goldfoot                                          

Rabbi Zev Leff is a well-known American-born rabbi, educator, and author who lives in Moshav Matityahu, Israel. He has been the communal rabbi for Moshav Matityahu for over 20 years and is also the Rosh Yeshiva (head of the yeshiva) and Rosh Kollel of Yeshiva Gedolah Matityahu. 

The "shalit" part of your query likely refers to the honorific term "Shlit" (short for Shlita, which means "may he live a long life"), which is often used after a respected rabbi's name, such as in a recent appeal where he is referred to as "Harav Zev Leff Shlit"a". 

Well, I caught him on Youtube with a man asking him a few questions.They both spoke Yiddish most of the time with enough English so I thinkI know what was being discussed.  

Rabbi Leff felt strongly that it was better for observant Jews to be in Israeland of course all of us, too;  that it is a big mitzva to live in Israel, and Ican verify knowing and feeling the difference as I lived there for over 5years. 

The mitzvah of living in Israel is a complex topic with different interpretations, but many authorities, such as:

 Nachmanides, consider it a biblical commandment to both collectively conquer and settle the land, as well as for each individual to dwell there. This is based on the verse, "you shall inherit the land and you shall dwell in the land" (Numbers 33:53). 

Maimonides and others have a different view, with some suggesting the mitzvah is not compulsory in the present time, while others believe it's an integral part of fulfilling the entire Torah. Today, many view it as a strong recommendation, or a "mitzvah kiyuma" (a great mitzvah, but not an absolute obligation), especially for those who are prepared to be more observant. 

Now, Rabbi Leff might be a third asked of his opinion in the future.  Heis including Maimonides' comment about it as well. At any rate, the dis-cussion reminded me of our once Presidential candidate from Vermont, Bernie Sanders,  who made a visit to Israel and didn't like it at all.  Nowhe's always voting against Israel, and that's sad to me, as he is Jewish.He said that this isn't yet the time of the Moshiach, but he is coming.  

Senator Bernie Sanders's position on Israel has evolved over his career, but he currently is a strong critic of Israel's military actions in Gaza and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, advocating for an end to unconditional U.S. military aid. In fact, he votes against Israel all the time for everything.

Kibbutz Sha'ar HaAmakim in 2008 (John Dodo/WikiCommons)   

Bernie Sanders went to Israel in the 1960s to work for several months on a collective farm, or kibbutz, as a young man, reporters said, but he himself,  Sanders said that in 1963 he lived and volunteered at Shaar Ha’amakim, an Israeli kibbutz near the city of Haifa, according to Israeli newspaper.    This experience is often cited as an early influence on his political beliefs, as the kibbutz was structured around socialist.  ideals.  I take it that that wasn't a reason to live there to receive thatspecial feeling one will have if a serious person.  Well, reports are that hefailed in living here; wasn't up to the work assigned to him.  

I made aliyah later, in 1980, and though a Conservative, I did have thatspecial feeling.  I was serious about living in Israel and doing my part inhelping the country by teaching English.  I had a permanent job in Oregonso I wasn't in need of a job. I know what the Rabbi is talking about. Jews are losing their Jewishness, and Israel is reviving it.  Moving toIsrael is something they could and should do if they want their family toremain Jewish.

  We're a small group, Jews make up approximately 0.2% of the world's population. This is based on the global Jewish population being about 15.8 million, which is a fraction of the total world population of roughly 8 billion people. As of 2024, Israel's Jewish population is approximately 7.15 million, which makes up about 45% of the world's Jewish population. This figure is an estimate, with some sources placing the number slightly higher, around 7.3 to 7.45 million, depending on the inclusion of occupied territories. Only in Israel  does one receive that same feeling about being in Israel.

   Which brings me back to Moshav Matityahu,  It is easy to overlook Moshav Matityahu. It is located on a strategic hill that overlooks Ben-Gurion Airport, across the road from Hashmonaim, a Modern Orthodox suburb that is popular among American olim. Moshav Matityahu is an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank (JUDEA AND SAMARIA), near the city of Modi'in Illit. It is under the jurisdiction of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, which governs settlements in the West Bank. 

One reaches Matityahu from the road to Kiryat Sefer, the first neighborhood in the Chareidi city of Modi’in Illit. Considering that Matityahu’s population of about a hundred families is dwarfed by Modi’in Illit’s population of over 60,000, one can be forgiven for assuming it is a neighborhood of that large and rapidly growing city. Modi'in Illit is in the West Bank (JUDEA AND SAMARIA), although it is a settlement and city organized under Israeli administration and is located near the Green Line (1949 Armistice Line). It is often referred to as Kiryat Sefer and is situated midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The international community widely considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. 

The West Bank was for a few minutes after WWI, supposed to go to theJews, said the British, but then they had a better offer for our originalhomeland.  Judea and Samaria was the land where the Bible took place,and all the town and pathways are mentioned in the Bible.  

Yet Matityahu has its own unique history and character. It is located between Modi’in Illit and Hashmonaim ideologically as well as geographically. In fact, when Modi’in Illit recently tried to annex Matityahu into its municipality, the courts ruled against the merger, partially on the grounds that Matityahu’s population would not fit well with the almost entirely Chareidi population of Modi’in Illit.

In 1978, a group of American Jewish families formed the nucleus of a Torah community they wished to build in Israel. They first moved to the community of Mevo Horon to learn the skills necessary to work the land and operate a moshav, or a collective farm, and the first twenty families moved to Matityahu in the summer of 1981. The fledgling moshav was affiliated with Po’alei Agudat Yisrael (PAI), a now-defunct political party and social movement for working Chareidim. 

During those first years—before they had telephones or a hookup to the national electrical grid, and before it had rained enough to fill up Matityahu’s mikvah—they received assistance from other PAI communities, especially Mevo Horon, with its two telephones, mikvah and small grocery store.

Resource:

https://jewishaction.com/jewish-world/israel/a-chareidi-zionist-moshav-moshav-matityahu/

https://www.timesofisrael.com/revealed-the-mystery-kibbutz-that-once-hosted-bernie-sanders/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zev_Leff

Giving Out A Pardon For The Craziest Accusation I've Ever Heard

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

                                                     Trump and Netanyahu

President Herzog today received a letter from President Trump urging him to pardon Prime Minister Netanyahu. While emphasizing that he respects “the independence of the Israeli justice system,” 

Trump described the criminal proceedings against Netanyahu as “a political, unjustified prosecution,” adding that Netanyahu “has fought alongside me for a long time, including against the very tough adversary of Israel, Iran.” 

Herzog responded that before considering it, Netanyahu would first have to request a pardon, according to Israeli law.

On 21 November 2019, Netanyahu was officially indicted for breach of trust, accepting bribes, and fraud, leading him to legally relinquish his ministry portfolios other than prime minister. Netanyahu's trial in the Jerusalem District Court began on 24 May 2020, with witness testimony starting on 5 April 2021.  For the past 6 years he has been working as PM under this stressful period as PM.  Who has brought up such charges that have lingered  to this date?         

Avichai Mandelblit is an Israeli jurist who served as the Attorney General of Israel from 2016 to 2022. Mandelblit had a long career in the Israel Defense Forces legal system, eventually serving as the Chief Military Advocate General between 2004 and 2011. In April 2013, he was appointed Cabinet Secretary.

De-Beer was replaced as editor by Ron Yaron in 2011. As of 2017, the paper is headed by Noah Mozes's son, Arnon Mozes. Yedioth Ahronoth is an Israeli daily mass market newspaper published in Tel Aviv. Founded in 1939, Yedioth Ahronoth is Israel's largest paid newspaper by sales and circulation and has been described as "undoubtedly the country's number-one paper." It is published in the tabloid format. It is known as centrist, compared to the left-leaning newspaper of record Haaretz and right-leaning, distributed-for-free Israel Hayom newspapers in Israel.

In January 2017, secret recordings were released of conversations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mozes discussing a potential deal in which the newspaper would provide better coverage of Netanyahu in exchange for the government limiting the circulation of competitor Israel Hayom. This led to the opening of "Case 2000" corruption investigation against Netanyahu.  Why?  Can't the father and former owner of the Newspaper have a discussion about it with the PM? Israel Hayom was giving bad press about Netanyahu for his competitors in politics, Labor.  Perhaps other newer ones, as well. 

                       Shekels for Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper 

The newspaper is owned by the Yedioth Ahronoth Group, which also owns shares in several Israeli mass media companies, such as "Channel 2", a commercial television channel; "Hot", the national cable TV company; "Yedioth Tikshoret", a group of weekly local newspapers; Vesti, a Russian language newspaper; magazines, such as the weekly TV guide magazine Pnai Plus and weekly women's magazine La'Isha; and other non-media companies. Yedioth Ahronoth has its own publishing house called "Yedioth Sfarim" (Hebrew ידיעות ספרים).

Israel's Attorney General, Avichai Mandelblit, brought the charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019. Mandelblit announced the indictment for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust after police investigations recommended charges in three separate cases, based on police allegations that he granted state favors worth hundreds of millions of dollars to an Israeli media businessmen in return for gifts and favorable coverage.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has given Netanyahu an unexpected boon, delaying his corruption trial by two months, as OCCRP reported in March.

The other three defendants in the three cases -- Arnon Mozes, publisher of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper; Shaul Elovitch, controlling shareholder of the Bezeq telecommunications company and his wife Iris, reportedly attended the beginning of the trial. Running into financial difficulties, Komarov sold the paper to Yehuda Mozes , a wealthy land dealer who regarded the paper as an interesting hobby and a long-term financial investment. His sons Reuben and Noah ran the paper, with Noah as the first managing editor.

Before entering the court Netanyahu addressed reporters, insisting that the charges against him “are absurd and fabricated” and that he is the victim of an attempted political coup by the police, the state prosecutors, the left and the media.                  

He also said that the entire process is designed to remove him and the right-wing camp he leads, Likud,  from power for years to come, according to Times of Israel. 

Benny Gantz calls for 'national reconciliation instead of incitement' in first press conference since announcing merger with Yair Lapid to form Kahol Lavan

The political party that opposed Likud the most in 2019 was the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) alliance, led by former military chief Benny Gantz and centrist politician Yair Lapid. Blue and White (Hebrew: כָּחוֹל לָבָן, Kahol Lavan) was a centrist and liberal Zionist political alliance in Israel. It was established by the Israel Resilience Party, Yesh Atid and Telem to run in the April 2019 Knesset election, in hopes of defeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The start of Netanyahu’s trial unleashed protests of his supporters as well as his opponents.

Hundreds of supporters and opponents gathered in front of Jerusalem's District Court, but also outside Netanyahu's official residence, the Jewish Journal reported Monday.

While the opposition was protesting against Netanyahu on the streets of Jerusalem, his long-time rival Benny Gantz, with whom Netanyahu formed a coalition government last month, stood up for the prime minister stressing he “is innocent until proven guilty.”.  Thank you Benny Gantz.  What a crazy accusation that was made;  all competition in a Presidential race and its promotions or demotions. Good Grief! 

update: 12:49pm: In the UsA, It is illegal to intercept communications between third parties. Law enforcement can also use intercepted communications in violation of the act. However, the law has an exception for businesses. A company can intercept calls with consent.

In Israel, the law generally prohibits wiretapping or electronic surveillance of individuals without proper legal authorization, primarily a court order.  "Regular" wiretaps are forbidden unless there is a suspicion of a serious criminal offense, typically one punishable by ten years or more in prison (though political offenses like public corruption have at times been excluded).In essence, any form of electronic surveillance that bypasses judicial review, lacks a legitimate and serious criminal or security justification, or is conducted without a valid and honestly obtained court order is not allowed under Israeli law.  Was the police in on this to do a wire tapping?  Even if people are talking, they are not acting on it.  Isn't it the action that counts?  

In Israel, phone privacy is regulated by the Privacy Protection Law, which prohibits unauthorized recording or disclosure of private information and has specific provisions for marketing calls. This includes the requirement to get consent for processing personal data and a "do not call" registry for consumers. Violations can result in criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and hefty fines for organizations, according to CookieScript, ICLG.com, and IAPP. 

Resource:

israelAM

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2019-02-21/ty-article/gantz-and-lapid-present-joint-slate-as-polls-thrust-them-ahead-of-likud/0000017f-f786-d5bd-a17f-f7be9d7e0000

https://abcnews.go.com/International/israels-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-indicted-bribery-fraud/story?id=67199981#:~:text=Mandelblit%20recommended%20charges%20against%20Netanyahu,charge%20of%20breach%20of%20trust.

https://www.occrp.org/en/news/israeli-court-begins-corruption-trial-against-netanyahu

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yedioth_Ahronoth

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47316511

Nuclear Bombs of Iran Continue

 Nadene Goldfoot                                              

  Iran's rockets, Fajr 5 can reach cities of Afula and Hadera in Israel.  

Iran reportedly still possess enough enriched uranium to produce 11 nuclear bombs. The stockpile is believed to have been secretly relocated prior to the Israeli and American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. "US President Donald Trump has insisted that US strikes obliterated Iran’s nuclear enrichment program during the 12-day war in June. However, the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal between Iran and several global powers to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, expired last month. "

Members of the Israeli security forces check the destruction in front of a residential building hit during an Iranian missile attack in Beersheba in southern Israel, on June 20, 2025. Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on June 20, a week into the war between the longtime enemies.Maya Levin, AFP Via Getty Images

      An  Israeli Air Defense System intercepts a ballistic missile on Junes 21, 2025.  

• Context: The June 2025 war, which involved direct military confrontation between Iran, Israel, and the US, marked a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict. Israel reportedly targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, while Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel. 

The Jerusalem Post says that,""Israel feels the job is unfinished and sees no reason not to resume the conflict, so Iran is doubling down preparedness for the next round."

 Iran is said to be developing a new enrichment site, codenamed “Pickaxe Mountain,” which it refuses to open to international inspectors. Satellite imagery taken over the last months show that Iran is continuing construction activities at the Natanz “Pickaxe” mountain, or Mt Kolang Gaz-La, in line with activity at the site prior to the June war.  Multiple reports have suggested that Pickaxe could be the perfect hiding place for uranium — as speculation mounted that Iran may have been able to remove its cache before the attacks unfolded over the weekend.

As of September 2025, Iran’s visible activities point towards late stages of construction, including improving security, but represent neither an expansion of the site nor an acceleration of activity.  They do not indicate an ability to quickly rebuild destroyed parts of its nuclear program. 

 Rather, Iran appears to have two main choices for the site: Cobble together remaining assets into this closely watched facility, exposing high value targets for follow-on strikes, such as highly enriched uranium stocks, during recovery from rubble and transport, or slowly build and accumulate new capabilities, where anything imported from abroad or produced by Iranian companies outside the military industry would have to be closely scrutinized for quality and potential sabotage.

Iran is also reportedly rebuilding its ballistic missile industry, using chemicals imported from China. Yes, Iran is reportedly rebuilding its ballistic missile program with chemicals like sodium perchlorate imported from China. This is not a new development, as China has been a long-time supplier of these materials for Iran's missile programs. These purchases are part of a broader effort to replenish depleted missile stocks, particularly after the recent conflict with Israel. 

Israeli officials now believe that Iran has rebuilt at least half of their original arsenal of 2,700 missiles and is working to expand it ahead of a potential new confrontation. TBN Israel's Yair Pinto reports on the Israel-Hamas and regional war. Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile arsenal while denying access to nuclear inspectors. Hamas violates the ceasefire with rocket fire and executions in Gaza, even as it secretly works with mediators to hold onto power.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah smuggles Russian missiles through Syria with help from corrupt army units.

And in Israel, the IDF strikes back hard eliminating over 30 Hamas commanders in a single wave of precision attacks. Stay up-to-date with the latest developments here on TBN Israel.

An Iranian girl drinks water during a heatwave in the capital Tehran on August 9, 2025. | Atta Kenare/Getty Images/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Iran is experiencing a major draught and is facing severe water shortages in Tehran and other major cities.  Iran has now seen six years of drought in a row, with reservoirs in Tehran dropping to their lowest level in decades. Officials say Tehran residents have reduced their water consumption by 12% in the last seven months, but this still falls short of the projected goal.Iran's drought is caused by a combination of factors, including climate change, decades of poor water management, excessive dam construction, illegal well drilling, and unsustainable agricultural practices. These issues have severely depleted water reserves, with climate change and rising temperatures exacerbating the crisis by increasing evaporation and contributing to low rainfall. The Ayatollah has thought nothing but how to harm Israel when he should be taking care of the land and his own people.  

Veterans Of Wars And Their Battle After The Battles: Israelis and Americans

 Nadene Goldfoot                                             

Golly gee whiz!  It looks like every citizen in Israel happens to be a veteran!  Everyone has been expected to serve; women for 2 years and men for 3.  When I lived in Israel from 1980 to the end of 1985, I saw bent- backed white haired men leading their unit up the street who were defending Safed, where I lived and taught students in juniors high!  All the younger men teaching in my school had been called into serving as they were the younger veterans. All were in uniform, carrying M1 rifles.  Even I went through a 3 day training course on how to shoot an M1 rifle. We adults were all expected to pitch in. 

Israel's equivalent to Veterans Day is Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Memorial Day, which honors fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. It is observed on the 4th of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar, which typically falls in late April or early May. The day is immediately followed by Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day). Being today is Veteran's Day in the States, I thought I'd mention it sinceIsrael just got back a deceased soldier killed in battle in 2014 in tradefor 200 war prisoners held for serious war offenses .  

The hardest times for veterans in Israel are generally considered to be the periods immediately following major, high-casualty conflicts, such as the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the ongoing conflict since October 7, 2023, due to the severity of the trauma and initial lack of adequate mental health support.  I would say that this has given the whole state PTSD.  

For almost 50 years, veterans of the Yom Kippur War suffered in silence with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to a culture that emphasized strength and discouraged sharing feelings of vulnerability.                        

 

Today is Veteran's Day in the USA.  It makes me remember that our servicemen fought for us so that women weren't forced to enter the services unless they wanted to, and some were in the WACS and some in the WAVES.  

The hardest times on Veterans in the USA were Vietnam veterans who faced hardship upon returning home due to societal rejection, poor treatment from the government, and struggles with physical and psychological injuries. Many were met with hostility or indifference instead of the parades that greeted previous generations, and they often had to deal with trauma of PTSD, addiction of drugs and alcohol, and unemployment alone because the support systems were inadequate or nonexistent at the time.

As of late 2023, there are about 18 million American veterans, a number that is decreasing over time. The veteran population is aging, but it is also becoming more diverse in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity, and the majority of living veterans have served during the Gulf War era or later. Support for veterans is provided by organizations like the VA and Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and the annual Veterans Day on November 11th honors all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.   Thank you for what you just did for Israel, guys, you are Israel's big brothers.