Knesset to Hold Four Debates on Torah Study Basic Law as Netanyahu’s Ultra-Orthodox Deal Hits Legal Hurdle

The Knesset Committee will hold four debates next week on a Basic Law proposal to entrench Torah study as a foundational value in Israel. The bill, backed by ultra-Orthodox lawmakers, follows changes to its wording and comes after a legal setback reported by Channel 13.

Channel 13·+1 outlet · 100% center

Civil memorial day set for 1,000th day since October 7 massacre

October Council announced a nationwide civilian memorial day for next Thursday, marking 1,000 days since the October 7 massacre. The day will include a one-minute silence at 10:00 a.m., events across Israel, a march from Tel Aviv Savidor Center, and a central rally at Hostages Square.

Kan News·+1 outlet · 100% center

Yonatan Urich Says He Will Keep Working in Netanyahu’s Office After Court Rejection

Yonatan Urich said he will keep working for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a Tel Aviv District Court again rejected the prosecution’s bid to restrict him. He claimed the prosecution lost its argument and that the court found no basis for new limits.

Srugim·+4 outlets · 60% right-leaning

Two Haredi Women Detained in Poland with 100 kg of Khat in Suitcases

Two 23-year-old Haredi women from Israel’s Sharon region were arrested in Krakow with 100 kilograms of khat in their luggage while transiting to Frankfurt. Polish authorities ordered three months of detention, while the women and their lawyer raised concerns about the questioning and their legal rights.

Mako·+1 outlet · 100% center

Teen Motorcycle Rider Seriously Injured Near Beit Yehoshua

An 18-year-old motorcycle rider was seriously injured after crashing on Route 553 near Beit Yehoshua. Magen David Adom evacuated him to Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba.

Ynet

What Ultra-Orthodox Protests Cost the Haredi Parties

Ariel Shrafer said this week’s ultra-Orthodox road blockages hurt the Haredi parties politically and legislatively. He warned that the protests may help push the next coalition toward excluding them.

Srugim

New Israel-Lebanon Talks Begin in Washington

American officials said a new round of Israel-Lebanon talks has begun in Washington. No details were released about the participants or the topics under discussion.

Kikar HaShabbat·+1 outlet · 50% center

IDF Expects More Than 3,500 Haredi Recruits This Year, Up 25%

The IDF says more than 3,500 Haredim are expected to enlist in 2025, up from about 2,800 in 2024. The final total will be confirmed at the end of the recruitment year, and it remains below official targets.

Kikar HaShabbat

Yan Diomande’s rise from hardship to World Cup prominence

Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande described a childhood of poverty, a difficult move to the United States, and the death of his 15-year-old sister Roxane. The article says that hardship helped build the mental toughness behind his rapid rise and World Cup impact.

Walla

Hamas Tries to Add Gaza to Iran-US Talks After Lebanese Ceasefire Example

Hamas is trying to use Iran’s talks with the United States to put Gaza on the agenda, after a similar dynamic helped produce a Lebanon ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed Gaza and the Palestinian issue in a call with Hamas official Basem Naim.

Walla·+2 outlets · 67% center

Deputy 401 Brigade Commander Takes Over 52nd Battalion After Fatal Lebanon Incident

Lt. Col. N. took over as acting commander of the 52nd Battalion on Thursday after Lt. Col. Dor Ben Shimon was killed in a tank incident in Lebanon with three soldiers. The new acting commander addressed troops by radio as Ben Shimon’s military career and family background were detailed.

Walla·+1 outlet · 100% center

Thousands of Followers Prepare for Rabbi of Toldos Yehuda Stutchin’s Annual Israel Visit

Thousands of followers in Israel are preparing for the annual visit of the Toldos Yehuda Stutchin rabbi, who is based in Borough Park. He is expected to arrive in the coming days for gatherings, talks, and a central Shabbat in Jerusalem.

Kikar HaShabbat

Venezuela quake footage captures panic as death toll climbs

A resident filmed the panic in Venezuela as two major earthquakes caused widespread destruction and triggered a national emergency. At least 164 people were killed and 971 injured, with the death toll expected to rise.

Kikar HaShabbat·+6 outlets · 67% center

School in Petah Tikva to Open Late After Violent Classroom Attack

Studies at the Or Y.Orbach religious school in Petah Tikva will start at 10:00 a.m. Friday after a violent classroom attack on a teacher. The Teachers Union said the student assaulted the teacher, threatened pupils and hit her with a metal bottle, and special education classes will continue as usual.

Srugim

NASA selects Israeli satellite-imaging firm for commercial data contract

ImageSat International has signed a two-and-a-half-year framework deal with NASA to supply satellite imagery from its EROS and RUNNER systems. NASA said the broader commercial-data procurement could be worth up to $476 million, though the ISI contract guarantees only a $500 minimum and no fixed order volume.

Walla

Why Curaçao’s celebrated World Cup shirt may never be worn

Curaçao’s yellow away shirt has been widely praised ahead of the 2026 World Cup, but FIFA rules may keep it off the pitch. Because Curaçao’s group opponents do not clash with its blue home kit, the team is unlikely to wear the kit unless it reaches the knockout stage and needs a change.

Mako·+1 outlet · 100% center

Amsalem Plans to Put Bank Yahav Privatization Before Finance Committee

David Amsalem said he will seek Finance Committee approval for a plan to privatize the state’s holdings in Bank Yahav. The state could sell up to half its stake for several billion shekels, with no fixed timetable yet announced.

N12·+1 outlet · 100% center

Health Ministry Bars Two Jerusalem Zol VeGadol Branches From Selling Food and Cosmetics

Israel’s Health Ministry has barred two Zol VeGadol branches in Jerusalem from selling food and cosmetics after fruit puree jars linked to benzodiazepine substances sickened five young children. The children have been discharged, no broader manufacturing defect was found, and police are still investigating.

Calcalist·+4 outlets · 75% right-leaning

Chief Rabbi Says Legal Restrictions Prevented Him From Signing Rabbinic Certificates

Sixty new rabbis and judges received certification last night at a ceremony led by Rabbi David Yosef. Yosef said legal restrictions prevented him from signing the certificates himself, and severe traffic tied to a vehicle protest kept several senior rabbis away.

Kikar HaShabbat

French Court Fines City After It Refused to Approve a Suspected Sham Marriage

A court in Meaux, France, ordered Chessy to pay 7,500 euros total to an Algerian man and his Finnish partner after the city refused to officiate their wedding. The municipality said the marriage was fraudulent and intended to bypass immigration rules, but it was eventually forced to perform the ceremony under court pressure.

Kikar HaShabbat

Fourth-Grade Pupil Injures Teacher’s Head During Violent School Fight in Petah Tikva

A fourth-grade pupil in Petah Tikva attacked his class teacher while she was breaking up a fight, hitting her in the head with a stainless-steel bottle. She was evacuated for treatment and is in stable condition. The report places the assault in a broader pattern of escalating violence in Israeli schools.

Kan News

Pride March in Haifa May Cause Traffic Disruptions

Police warned that Haifa’s Pride march, set to begin within the hour, may disrupt traffic in the city. The route from Carmel French toward Central Carmel will be intermittently closed, with drivers diverted to Yafe Nof and HaTishbi.

Ynet·+1 outlet · 100% center

Report Reveals Secret Underground Tehran Complex Built for Khamenei

Iran International says it uncovered a secret underground complex built for Ali Khamenei in central Tehran. The report says the Revolutionary Guards built and concealed the site, which included deep shelters, an escape tunnel system, and a blast-proof room.

Now 14·+3 outlets · 50% center

Rabbi at Bnei Brak Wedding Raises ‘Enough’ Protest Sign During Celebration

Hundreds attended a Wednesday night wedding in Shbet Halevi’s main synagogue in Bnei Brak, where the rebbe’s granddaughter married a grandson of the Shaatz rebbe. During the celebration, the rebbe unexpectedly raised a drivers’ protest sign reading “Enough” while leading songs.

Kikar HaShabbat

Maccabi Tel Aviv Weighs Reunion With Eli Dasa

Maccabi Tel Aviv is seriously weighing a move to bring back Eli Dasa, who left the club in 2019. The 33-year-old Israel captain is now a free agent after a strong season with NEC Nijmegen, and the club may offer him a major long-term deal.

Walla

Roman Sorkin Released From Israel Squad Because of Injury

Roman Sorkin has been released from Israel’s national team squad because of injury ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Germany and Croatia. Israel is also missing five other injured players, while Danny Avdija remains unavailable because he was not released from the NBA.

Mako·+1 outlet · 100% center

Veteran Ad Agency Boroda Kaplan Rebrands as KPLN After Ownership Shift

Boroda Kaplan has split from Adler Chomsky, rebranded as KPLN, and changed ownership after about 25 years. Guy Boroda left for KashCash, Eyal Chomsky bought his stake, and Ron Kaplan continues as CEO.

Globes

Complaints Chief Says Political Events Should Not Be Held in Judges’ Homes

Israel’s judges’ complaints commissioner dismissed a complaint over an event at Judge Yifat Mishori’s home in Afula. He said she was unaware of it, but warned that political gatherings should generally not be held in judges’ homes.

Now 14

Tiberias Childhood Friends Turn a Café Gamble Into a Hotel Bar Expansion

Maor Sahar and Idan Shmo, childhood friends from Tiberias, are opening NO.2, a kosher bar-restaurant on Tel Aviv’s waterfront next week. Their café business led to a partnership with Israel Canada Hotels after CEO Reuven Elkes approached them, and they now operate multiple venues and plan more expansion.

Ynet

Report Says Russia Used Cellebrite Tool to Hack Dissident’s iPhone

Citizen Lab says Russian authorities used a Cellebrite tool to access Andrei Pivovarov’s iPhone after his 2021 arrest in St. Petersburg. The report says the data taken included messages from WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram, and that attempts to access his MacBook failed.

Calcalist

How Trump’s Iran Policy Reversed from Total War to a Deal

An Israeli-style reconstruction says Donald Trump went from threatening to destroy Iran to accepting a June 2026 deal that leaves Tehran richer and more secure. The article traces that reversal through Trump’s posts, the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, and the economic pressure that followed.

Kikar HaShabbat·+1 outlet · 100% right-leaning

Israel Faces a Deepening Trap in Lebanon Amid Diplomatic Pressure

The article says Israel is trapped in southern Lebanon by U.S.-Iranian diplomacy, while Hezbollah strengthens and international monitoring fails. It warns that pressure for a quick withdrawal could undo Israeli gains and revive the threat to northern Israel.

Kikar HaShabbat

Jellyfish: Ancient, Brainless, and Surprisingly Sophisticated

The article explains why jellyfish are ancient, brainless but highly successful marine animals, and details the species found in Israel and around the world. It also covers dangerous stings, proper first aid, and the famous scientific and fatal cases linked to box jellyfish and Irukandji jellyfish.

Kikar HaShabbat

The White Tiger: How an Iowa Mother Became America’s Most Wanted Female Fugitive

Kikar HaShabbat

How to Build a Real Bond With Your Child

A Hebrew column says parents should stop treating daily check-ins like interrogations and instead build emotional connection through open conversation. It argues that when children are heard from a young age, they are more likely to share their feelings later in life.

Kikar HaShabbat

Nevé Yaakov Marks 102 Years Since Its Founding as the “Second Jerusalem”

Neve Yaakov marked 102 years since its founding as a Hebrew settlement north of Jerusalem. The article links a small antiquities site there to the Talmudic idea of “two Jerusalems,” and recalls the neighborhood’s destruction in 1948 and rebuilding in 1970.

Kikar HaShabbat

Pressed Into Dating, a Seminar Student Finds an Unexpected Match

Mimi, a 22-year-old seminary student, reluctantly entered the dating process after nearly two years of family and social pressure. On a hotel date, she discovered that Moti was under the same pressure and felt unready too, and the two eventually agreed to continue and became engaged.

Kikar HaShabbat

Parents Urged to Set Clear Boundaries Using the 'Traffic Light' Method

Rabbi Asaf Ratzon and Rabbi Moshe Rabi present the “traffic light” method for parenting in the third episode of “Talking About Education.” They say children need clear limits, but those limits should be few, age-appropriate, and delivered with love and authority.

Kikar HaShabbat

Mגדל העמק Emerges as a Promising Northern Option for Haredi Families and Investors

Mגדל העמק is portrayed as an affordable, fast-developing northern city with jobs, transport, and active urban renewal. The article says it may suit Haredi families and investors, especially as new projects and community infrastructure expand.

Kikar HaShabbat

Rabbi Shares How He Chose His Son’s Happiness Over Community Expectations

Jerusalem rabbi Moshe Mordechai says he overrode communal pressure to accept his son Shalom Aharon’s more modern wife, Bina. After a tense family moment, he confronted his children and insisted that their happiness and peace at home mattered more than appearances. He says the couple was embraced and now live happily with four children.

Kikar HaShabbat