Leibaleh: The Drama at Prison 10 and the Singers Who Refused to Perform for the Surveyor

Leibaleh had long been waiting to write the two words again, “subject to Home Front Command instructions,” but until a report fit for the purpose arrived, the only instructions we are getting are from Trump, and once again the people of Israel were spared weddings in bunkers, of course until the 17th of Tammuz, after which there is no problem resuming them. This week, the “Black Color” and “Red Color” alerts, not the judges’, were mixed together. The question was asked in the study hall: what is the law when both happen together? Which takes precedence? Should one enter a protected space or go out to the city street? The answer is that black color is more beloved, and unfortunately also more frequent. From there, in the ever-hasty war, Leibaleh saw the admired Shas chairman, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, who now has a Shas dessert tray at home with signatures of the great Sephardic rabbis, arriving for the first time at the gates of a military prison to visit the prisoners of Sephardic Torah learners, and others. Deri, fitting for the coronation of the next generation of senior Shas figures, brought with him Malkieli and Biton. Those who noticed saw that they were without ties, while the chairman, as usual, was wearing one; they adapted themselves to the dress code, subject to preparing for the chairman without ties.

Here Leibaleh reveals details you have not yet heard: the chairman was a little angry after the visit to Prison 10, because there he met people who, how should one put it, are serving time not because of “the sin of Torah study,” but rather soldiers with kippot who were caught up in matters in the army that are better left unsaid. It turns out that the prisoners of “the faction” refused to meet the Shas chairman, and the matter was a source of great alarm. Leibaleh’s scoop: the Bnei Yosef education network, which as of 1/1/2026 became an independent nonprofit not under the state, decided that continuing to rent offices for the network headquarters was simply a waste of money, and bought offices in Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul neighborhood that will be ready in a few years. Will the leadership of Chinuch Atzmai follow their example? Time will tell.

And more Shas news: the movement’s newspaper, HaDerech, underwent a historic makeover this week, nine years after its founding. Leibaleh, who saw the paper this morning, discovered that it is truly an authentic imitation of Yisrael Hayom and Yedioth, and in practice there is no need to browse foreign fields. Taking the editorial helm of the paper is Asher Medina, whose columns are read with great eagerness. Leibaleh noticed that not only HaDerech changed, but also the Torah supplement Shabbat Kodesh of Yated Ne'eman, edited by Rabbi Mordechai Orlansky, brother of CEO Zelig, was redesigned after many years and stiff competition with the Torah supplement LeKrat Shabbat of HaPeles, which won handily.

This week Leibaleh saw something he had not seen in years, one of the “surveyors” of the haredi sector celebrated a bar mitzvah for his son. According to him, it was a modest family event, aside from one credits video he released to justify the barters. At the celebration, Leibaleh saw an unpleasant scene when the great chassidic singers who came to the event, each of them claiming that his voice was finished, and so Aharon Fraid, Shalom Lemar, and Itche Meir Helfgott passed the microphone from one to the other, and none of them opened their voices, to the great disappointment of the host.

Leibaleh could not help but cover the Keren Olam HaTorah and the trip to the United States. Already in the Fattal Lounge, Leibaleh saw the mashgiach Rabbi Dan Segal, with businessman Rabbi Mendi Mushkovitz standing behind him, a Belz chassid in his own right and a student of the mashgiach, who drove the mashgiach to Ben Gurion Airport and also prayed, as usual, in a minyan of gedolei Yisrael. Photographer Eli Kubin, who has moved to live in the United States, joined the foundation’s photography team, together with photographers Nati Alber and Daniel Neposi.

Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon Rabbi Dov Lando, who used to stay only at the home of his close associate, the magnate Shimon Glick in Monsey, stayed for the first time at the home of the chairman of Keren Olam HaTorah, the magnate Rabbi Reuven Wolf in Lakewood, together with HaGaon Rabbi Yitzchak Halel. Leibaleh learned that Rabbi Dov Lando will come to stay with Glick before Shabbat. At several events in which Rabbi Dov Lando participated in the United States, there was heavy pushing, reaching the point of danger around the Rosh Yeshiva. Leibaleh learned that one of the household members, who had taken care of the Rosh Yeshiva’s welfare, left the house and did not join the current trip. The leader of the Torah world, HaGaon Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, is expected to join the trip only this coming Sunday, due to his granddaughter’s wedding, daughter of his son, HaGaon Rabbi Aaron Hirsch, which will be held this evening in Bnei Brak. Also expected to join the trip are HaGaon Rabbi Yitzchak Azrih and, for the first time, the Gaavad, HaGaon Rabbi Asher Weiss.

This week Leibaleh celebrated a bit over the preliminary approval of the Basic Law, Torah Study. Leibaleh saw Gafni, Yaakov Asher, Tesler, Malkieli, and Buso in the plenum, together with Shas chairman Aryeh Deri. In connection with the plenum, the Knesset secretary sent a letter this week prohibiting bringing food and drinks into the Knesset plenum, and stating that the directive will be enforced by Knesset ushers.

And after several weeks in which the Bnei Brak municipality was at the forefront of tenders, this week it was Modi'in Illit’s turn, as it published a request for proposals for permanent external legal consultation for the city. Deadline for submitting proposals, by 5.7 at 14:00.

The Rebbe of Kretschnif came this week to offer condolences to the Yaari family on Beit Hasha’at Street in Rehovot, who are among the great friends and supporters of the holy court. The Rebbe came to comfort them over the death of their son Ohad, may God avenge his blood, in Lebanon. Leibaleh also came to comfort the beloved brothers who sanctified God’s name at the funeral, and who are also among those who frequent the holy court.

A serious display of unity was recorded in Bnei Brak, the entire city leadership, except for Mayor Zevvert who had a sheva brachot for his grandson and the host could only come in the afternoon, came to take part in the sheva brachot celebration held by the Shlomei Emunim faction on the occasion of the marriage of the daughter of Deputy Mayor Yossi Yakobovitz. The celebration was attended by deputy mayors from all factions, municipal department heads, and dozens of community leaders and heads of institutions in the city. Leibaleh saw at the Bnei Brak unity celebration a joint dance by the Rebbes of Nadvorna and Zutshka.

The supporter of Torah, the magnate Rabbi Eliyahu Schlossberg, and his brother, businessman Rabbi Binyamin Schlossberg of Lakewood, were seen touring the hall of Yeshivat Atret Shlomo in the yeshiva city in Rishon LeZion, together with the rosh yeshiva, HaGaon Rabbi Shlomo Ben Tsion Sorotzkin.

At Maatanei Zehava in Bnei Brak, Leibaleh saw the great chassidic singer Mordechai Ben David, who was preparing for a major performance with Shmulik Sochot, tasting herring on Tuesday evening at Motti Cohen’s place. On the eve of last Shabbat, Leibaleh saw Mordechai Ben David doing his Shabbat shopping with his close associate, businessman Zevi Fried, at Shmulik Weiss’s Shabbat Market on Yirmiyahu Street in Jerusalem.

At the Residence of President Isaac Herzog, a special ceremony was held this week for awarding the President’s Volunteer Medal. Leibaleh caught Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, who came to honor the founders of the Chesed organization Lev Chash, Yehoshua Rauchberger and Yaakov Zeibeld.

Photographer Niftali Lerer thought he was catching the final minutes before the skies closed while returning from the pilgrimage trip of the supporters of the Sadigura kollel in Zakopane, Poland. The flight, which was delayed several hours, was eventually released after the closure of the skies was prevented.

The young man Rabbi Shalom Ozer Gerrer, son of the Rebbe of Sanz Vizhnitz, was seen this week in a special visit to the home of the well-known philanthropist Rabbi Naftali Berman in Beitar Illit. Also from Sanz Vizhnitz, Leibaleh watched this week the dedication of a Torah scroll for the chassidut in Ramat D', where the court singer Pini Folk energized the grand event.

At the wedding of the hanhig room boy from Dushinsky, held this week in Modi'in Illit, Leibaleh saw the Dushinsky Rebbe speaking quietly with the Ashdod activist Rabbi Shaul Lando for long minutes. Leibaleh, who does not usually eavesdrop on conversations, can testify that it appeared the conversation dealt with important matters.

In the chassidut of Toldos Avraham Yitzchak, Leibaleh saw this week a sheva brachot for one of the boys, a grandson of the Rebbe of Talna, who married the daughter of the Rebbe of Sochaczew. It turns out that the groom is none other than one of the participants in the minyan of the Rebbe of Mea Shearim, and since childhood has absorbed and breathed Toldos Avraham Yitzchak.

The father of orphans, Rabbi Meir Aker of the organization B'nenu in the Land of Israel, was seen by Leibaleh deeply engaged in study in the Beit Midrash at Ben Gurion Airport, on the way to strengthen an orphaned family in London.

This week there were many large celebrations on the same evening, and Leibaleh already has difficulty knowing where to be and how much to be, but with God’s help he manages to dart among all the places. A central and prestigious sheva brachot celebration for the youngest daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak Fried, chairman of Hiddabroot, was held in Jerusalem with the participation of the who’s who and Hungarian food. Leibaleh, out of the corner of his eye, managed to capture a picture of the father of the bride, Rabbi Yitzchak, the beloved son, the man of kindness Zevi from Toms River, and Shimen Breitkopf the righteous.

Later Leibaleh arrived in Bnei Brak, to Neot Yerushalayim Hall, for the wedding celebration of the assistant to MK Uri Maklev, David Birnberg, soon to take on a new and coveted role that will be spoken about רבות. Leibaleh saw his boss Maklev blessing under the chuppah. Earlier, Leibaleh caught MK Uri Maklev validating a Rav-Kav like any ordinary person, before a short ride on the Gush Dan light rail. Leibaleh salutes Maklev for using public transportation.

From there, Leibaleh flew to Petah Tikva to celebrate the engagement of celebrity reporter Itzik Ohana from the website Kikar HaShabbat, who started here at Behadrei Haredim. Leibaleh could not absorb all the celebrities who were at the big event and the dramatic proposal. At the celebration, Leibaleh saw illusionist Meni Hollander, who came to celebrate with the groom Itzik.

From Ohana’s celebration, Leibaleh went straight to Achuzat Vagshal Hall to celebrate until the small hours of the night with singer Shmulik Kalish, one of the conductors of the prestigious Neshama choir. The groom is also the grandson of Rabbi Shamai Shzuri, chairman of the Central Company for Realizing Rights and beloved by the great rabbis. Leibaleh saw almost all the singers and members of the elite Neshama choir, represented by Neta Levin’s office, gathering for one dignified photo. Those absent, and there were many, were working at other events that same evening, after all they fulfill, “By his soul he brings his bread.”

Later Leibaleh saw Shmulik Sochot, Ari Hill, Motti Wizel, and Dudi Feldman, alongside social media אנשי Dudi Friedman and Avi Partig. At the celebration the singers danced for the singer and vocal artist Neta Shafrei. That is how it looked on video.

At the edge of the celebration, Leibaleh saw the vocal artist Benzi Stein, who had finished a wedding at Birenberg’s, when a child asked him for an autograph. Stein felt somewhat uncomfortable, but what does one not do to make a small child happy.

At a bar mitzvah in the United States for the son of the magnate Yidel Mandel, Leibaleh saw Abrami Zupnik, Mandel’s right-hand man, shaking his hand and receiving a blessing from the Rebbe of Brad, whose influence extends from Williamsburg to Ramat D' in Beit Shemesh. Later Leibaleh saw Zupnik in a new song he composed. Leibaleh offers a first video preview for those who missed the bar mitzvah.

At a seudat mitzvah of the Ditzat HaTorah fellowship, led by HaGaon Rabbi Nachman Mendel, which gathered this week at the home of the magnate Rabbi Aharon Gottlieb in Jerusalem overlooking the Temple Mount, with the famous mikveh of the great rebbes, the guest Abbot of Liminov also took part.

Between one emergency phone call and the next, Leibaleh met this week the CEO of Mazor medical consultant, Nachum Frank, while Dudi Kepler did not miss the opportunity for a selfie outside the outrageous restaurant Batzir in Bnei Brak.

Moments before the ceremony for the award of honor from the mayor of Jerusalem, we saw the medical consultant Rabbi Binyamin Fisher with organization director Uri Widraker. Leibaleh did not miss public relations man Itzik Katz, who was arranging the final stretch before the ceremony.

A major novelty this week at the Ramot Mall in Jerusalem, with the opening of the Toyo sushi restaurant under the certification of Sharis. The rabbinic court member HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Rubin came to the opening and closely monitored the strict supervision.

At a fascinating closing conference in the Haredi district at the Ministry of Education, which included five learning meetings and research processes on growth trends in the education system, concluded by an expert panel from government and academia, the district’s haredi director, Shai Kalderon, praised the initiators.

The song, “And the Jews shall rule over their enemies”: during an air raid siren heard this week in Migdal HaEmek during Shacharit prayer, the father of the outreach movement, Rabbi Yid Grossman, broke into dance with his students, on the day the second letters were written for the benefit of the people of Israel from Persia, the 23rd of Sivan.

And to this week’s mazal tov corner, mazal tov to the chairman of Orchot Yosher, Rabbi Aryeh Kanievsky, grandson and trusted man of Maran the Prince of Torah, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, of blessed memory, on the birth of his first grandson. Warm congratulations to MK Erez Malul of Shas on the engagement of his daughter this week, just days after taking up his post in the Knesset once again.

Mazal tov to the medical activist Rabbi Asher Zelig Vals, chairman of the organization Ezra V’Yeshua, on the wedding of his son. Rebbes, rabbis, public figures, and senior doctors attended the wedding. Leibaleh knows that Rabbi Vals, who remains behind the scenes, is one of the strongest forces in the medical world today, all with modesty and simplicity. Mazal tov to Chaim Stern, CEO of Tikun Bari, on the engagement of his son. Mazal tov to media personality Chaim Luria on the engagement of his son Shalom Noach, one of the notable students of Slonim Yeshiva. Mazal tov to the London magnate Rabbi Yosef Kadish Brzheski on the wedding of his son.

This week a sheva brachot was held at the home of the magnate Rabbi Avraham Frish in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood, and the Rebbe of Vizhnitz came to the celebration.

Top figures in the music industry attended the wedding of the prominent impresario in the yeshiva world, Shmulik Rosenberg of Acord Productions, managed by Practi Perfect Ltd. Mazal tov!

Mazal tov to Hananal Azoualos, one of the writers for the newspaper Be'Kehila, on the birth of a son. Mazal tov to Nachman Tobol, the online spokesman for United Hatzalah, on the wedding of his son this week.

An enormous and great joy this week in Ohel Avraham Krakow in Poland, with the arrival of the news of the engagement of the distinguished young man Tzali Reichman from Netanya, the right-hand man of the CEO Rabbi Avraham Zolden. Leibaleh sends mazal tov and a picture from the vort at the Rebbe of Czarnow.