Jerusalem attack

Uriel Lopatin, a man of great kindness and action, former mayor of Jerusalem and founder of the Yad Sarah organization, passed away last night at the age of 74 after an illness.

Lopatin dedicated his life to helping others, strengthening mutual responsibility, and serving the public with exceptional humility and devotion. His work left a deep mark on Jerusalem and on Israeli society as a whole.

May his memory be blessed. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

I received with a heavy heart the bitter news of the passing of Uriel Lopatin, may his memory be a blessing, a man of many deeds – former mayor of Jerusalem, founder and chairman of the ‘Yad Sarah’ charity organization, and a wonderful person who connected all parts of Israeli society.

I knew Uriel decades ago. From the first moment, I was impressed that his name matched his personality traits – a pleasant countenance, pleasant manners, and giving honor to others. He was filled with love for the people and the land, for the Torah of Israel, and of course for Jerusalem.

As one who constantly stands, as Prime Minister of Israel, on guard for our capital Jerusalem, I found in Uriel a loyal partner in strengthening Jerusalem’s status under Israeli sovereignty. In his years as mayor, he contributed with momentum to the building of Jerusalem as a city that was joined together.

To this was added the giant enterprise of ‘Yad Sarah’ for the loan of medical equipment. Uriel brought about a tremendous revolution in this area of auxiliary services for the sick and injured. Tens of thousands of citizens are helped each year by ‘Yad Sarah’ volunteers – and all of them are guided by Uriel’s “credo”: “Every day I ask myself not how well I did yesterday, but how I can help tomorrow.”

At this moment, as the wonderful Uriel is laid to eternal rest in the land of Jerusalem, my wife Sara and I extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the extensive Lopatin family.

May his memory be blessed.

Photography: Amos Ben Gershom, Moshe Milner/GPO

According to the indictment, filed by Adv. Amir Drausha from the Jerusalem District Prosecutor’s Office, on 19.10.2025, in the afternoon hours, the defendant left his home, drove in his vehicle with another person, removed the license plate from the vehicle, and arrived at Al Sahal Al Jedid street in the A-Tur neighborhood.

The two jointly fired eight shots into the air from a semi-automatic pistol, from within the vehicle and near the home of a family involved in an ongoing violent dispute, thereby creating a real danger to human life.

Immediately after the shooting, the defendant fled the scene with the other person, and the pistol used for the shooting was not apprehended.

By Pesach Benson • January 8, 2026

Jerusalem, 8 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Former Jerusalem mayor and longtime Knesset member Uri Lupolianski, a prominent Israeli public figure whose career combined decades of civic service with a later corruption conviction, died Wednesday night at the age of 74 after a prolonged illness. Lupolianski, who led Israel’s capital from 2003-2008, founded one of Israel’s largest volunteer-based social aid efforts.

He will be buried Thursday morning in Jerusalem.

Born in 1951 in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, Lupolianski was married and is survived by his wife and 12 children. He served as a military medic in his youth, an experience that would later influence his focus on health and social welfare. In 1976, after encountering difficulties obtaining medical equipment for a family member, he launched a small volunteer initiative to help people in need access essential devices.

That initiative eventually grew into Yad Sarah, a nationwide nonprofit organization that lends medical and mobility equipment to the elderly, people with disabilities, and those suffering from serious illness. Today, the organization operates dozens of branches across Israel and relies on thousands of volunteers, becoming a familiar presence in hospitals and homes across the country. The organization is named after his Polish grandmother, who perished in the Holocaust.

Lupolianski’s contribution to Israeli society through volunteerism earned him widespread recognition. Over the years, he received numerous awards, including the Israel Prize, the President’s Award for Volunteerism, the Knesset Speaker’s Award, and other honors from civic and social organizations. The Israel Prize, one of the country’s highest distinctions, was awarded to Yad Sarah in 1994, with Lupolianski accepting the honor on the organization’s behalf.

Parallel to his social work, Lupolianski built a long career in municipal politics. He entered public life in 1989, when he was elected to the Jerusalem City Council as a representative of Degel HaTorah, an Orthodox (Haredi) political party. He went on to serve in a series of senior municipal roles, including deputy mayor, acting mayor, chairman of the city’s planning and building committee, and head of family and community services.

In 2003, Lupolianski was elected mayor of Jerusalem, becoming the first Haredi leader to hold the post. His election was widely seen as a landmark moment for the integration of Haredi politicians into senior levels of public administration. He served one term and chose not to seek reelection in 2008.

Lupolianski’s public image was later damaged by his involvement in the Holyland affair, a major corruption case centered on a large real estate development project in Jerusalem. In 2014, he was convicted of accepting bribes after funds from a state witness were transferred to Yad Sarah. He was initially sentenced to six years in prison and fined NIS 500,000 ($157,000), but due to serious medical conditions, Israel’s Supreme Court reduced his sentence to six months of community service.

Following his death, Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum issued statements of condolence. President Isaac Herzog described Lupolianski as a “man of the people,” saying that his life’s work “became a global model for volunteerism.”

The Prime Minister’s Office said Lupolianski “embodied the spirit of Jerusalem” and was a pioneer in integrating the Haredi community into senior public service, adding that his life showed one could “maintain deep religious devotion while serving the entire public.”

Yad Sarah said in a statement, “We are stunned and heartbroken over the passing of our revered leader, the pillar of kindness,” adding, “Woe to the ship that has lost its captain.”

Knesset member Uri Maklev of United Torah Judaism said, “The world of kindness has today lost its greatest architect,” praising Lupolianski’s lifelong commitment to helping others with “warmth, integrity, and sensitivity.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Meets with Delegation of Japanese MPs

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, (Tuesday, 6 January 2026), at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, met with a delegation of Japanese Members of Parliament.

The Prime Minister welcomed the members of the delegation on their visit to Israel and thanked them for standing by Israel throughout the war.

The Prime Minister and the delegation members discussed regional challenges and the promotion of bilateral cooperation.

Prime Minister’s Office:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met yesterday (Tuesday) at his office in Jerusalem with a delegation of parliament members from Japan.

The Prime Minister welcomed the delegation members on their visit to the country, and thanked them for standing by Israel throughout the war.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister discussed regional challenges and the promotion of cooperation between the countries with the delegation members.

Photo: Haim Tzach, GPO

Save the Date: February 2-4, 2026 | Binyanei Ha’Uma, Jerusalem

Tech giants are already there: Google, NVIDIA, Microsoft, AWS, Monday.com, will take part in an event that will bring together 30 delegations from around the world with education ministers and senior figures from industry and academia.

In February 2026, the Ministry of Education in Jerusalem will launch the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, the opening shot for Israel Reality Month. The conference will serve as a broad platform for strategic connections, collaborations, and leading educational policy in the age of artificial intelligence, and will establish Israel’s position as a central hub for educational innovation and a leader in the global dialogue on the future of learning.

The conference will bring together approximately 500 senior figures, including 30 delegations from around the world, alongside technology and futurism experts. During the conference days, participants will be exposed to the educational and technological ecosystem in Israel and are expected to sign an international memorandum of understanding and the “Jerusalem Declaration.” This declaration is an Israeli initiative that constitutes a groundbreaking document of principles for leading joint educational initiatives between participating countries.

Concurrently with the conference, the Ministry of Education will hold a large AI exhibition with approximately 230 exhibitors and about 30,000 visitors. The exhibition aims to present existing solutions for promoting personalized learning, alleviate concerns among teaching staff, and develop skills for adopting technology.
Register for the exhibition

As part of the conference, among other things, there will be:

• Roundtables: To formulate a concept for the responsible, ethical, and systemic integration of artificial intelligence in schools.
• Future Generation Dialogues: Students from Israel and around the world will work together to create a shared understanding of the challenges they face and the right way to adapt technology based on their personal experiences.

Meirav Zerbib, Deputy Director General and Head of the Innovation and Technology Administration: “The international conference is an official stamp on Israel’s ability to turn a technological vision into pedagogical reality. We are proud to host the best minds and to provide fertile ground for developing learning methods that will empower both teachers and students. Here in Jerusalem, we will begin the journey from the development stage to actual implementation in every classroom.”
The full conference schedule and updated participant list will be published in the coming days.

Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch: “The opening of Israel Reality Month with an international event that reflects the Israeli education system’s leadership in artificial intelligence. We have set an ambitious goal to return the Israeli education system to leadership in the international arena in the fields of science and artificial intelligence within five years, and we will achieve it. The broad scope of participating countries and companies is proof of the level of trust in the path we are paving.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening , at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, met with a delegation of Japanese Members of Parliament.
 
The Prime Minister welcomed the members of the delegation on their visit to israel and thanked them for standing by Israel throughout the war.
 
The Prime Minister and the delegation members discussed regional challenges and the promotion of bilateral cooperation.
 

By Ezra Lev Cohen • January 6, 2026

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — It’s a bustling Friday morning in Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda shuk, but it seems everyone has time to take a break from their pre-Shabbat shopping to say a few words of admiration about Deni Avdija, the Israeli basketball phenom from Kibbutz Beit Zera who is taking the U.S. by storm. On Monday, the Portland Trail Blazers forward was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week.

The 25-year-old Avdija is even outpacing better-known stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant in fan voting for the All-Star Game, which will take place in February.

“He is a great player,” one young man eagerly tells The Press Service of Israel.

“He’s the best NBA player,” says another.

“He shoots beautiful three-pointers. The whole defense is on him, because he’s the player that influences the contest,” says a third.

Even people who don’t watch sports feel the “Deni-buzz.”

“I hardly watch sports [but] I see him a lot… on the cornflakes box and stuff,” says one kid excitedly.

It’s no accident that Avdija, known as “Turbo” for his aggressive play style, has become so beloved. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game, numbers reminiscent of LeBron James’ production at the same age. He’s singlehandedly led the Portland Trail Blazers to contention for a playoff spot for the first time since 2021. All this puts him on the cusp of becoming Israel’s first All-Star.

But it’s not just his skills that have made him so popular. He’s different from most NBA players. He has little social media presence and a humble personality in interviews. Yet his calm demeanor belies a huge community of fans and followers who latch on to his contagious personality and a lead-by-example locker-room style. As one older gentleman put it in the shuk: “Deni Avdija is a great man. He’s a mensch,” Yiddish praise used to describe a person of character and integrity.

Rakefet Arieli, the team nutritionist for Maccabi Tel Aviv, recalled being intrigued when a 16-year-old Avdija first walked into the Maccabi Tel Aviv training facility.

“I knew that he is very talented and I knew he has very good genes because you see his parents, but he was very… childish,” she told TPS-IL. She described how their early meetings consisted of Avdija pointing at pictures of the team’s stars and saying, “I want to look like them.” This wasn’t unexpected.

“At 16-17 years old, body image is important,” Arieli explained. “But there was a point when he understood that if he wants to play basketball in the EuroLeague and in Tel Aviv, he needs to take care of his body not just in an aesthetic state of mind but also from an athletic state.”

On the court, though, and with his teammates, Arieli watched a young man who was in his element. “Even when he was young, he was always dominant because he’s a funny guy, he likes to laugh,” she reminisced. “He puts his music very loud. You always heard his voice. He has very good vibes. He’s very friendly, he has a lot of friends, and all the teammates always loved him,” something of a rarity on professional teams where competing for playing time can often become the focus.

Avdija’s charisma off the court and talent on the court resulted in almost immediate success with Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 2018, at 17, he led the team to the Israeli League championship; then he did it again in 2019 and in 2020.

In 2020, at the age of 19, Avdija won both the Israeli League MVP and the Israeli League Israeli Player of the Year awards, the youngest athlete ever to achieve that feat. But all along, Deni understood his success in the context of his community, his country, and his people. In 2020, he was drafted ninth overall by the NBA’s Washington Wizards. At a post-draft celebration in Tel Aviv, Avdija declared to his family and friends, “I’m gonna make you proud. I’m gonna work 100%.”

Avdija’s Israeli and broader Jewish communities remain at the forefront of his identity, even as he’s found international fame. He doesn’t play on Yom Kippur. He lights the Chanukah candles every year. In the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, Avdija told reporters, “There’s really more important things than basketball in life. And it’s really tough for me, and my mind sometimes isn’t there. But I got to keep it professional and do my job, and when I have the chance to stand with Israel, I will.”

Meanwhile, Avdija’s play continues to improve. On Saturday, Avdija scored his third triple-double of the season and made a clutch three-pointer to seal Portland’s victory over the San Antonio Spurs. On online basketball forums and in Instagram comment sections, fans seemed more convinced than ever of his All-Star chances. In his postgame interview, though, all he could talk about was his teammates. “This team, this camaraderie, those players, it’s just fun to play. They’re fighting, they’re defending, we’re just an amazing team.”

Back in the shuk, the pride Israelis feel for Deni is infectious. “Deni, the king,” declares one passerby. “You’re going to make it to the All-Star Game, Deni, and we love you.”

“Deni Avdija has a soul,” says another. “You see that he’s playing for the people.”

One guy says it all: “Thank God for Deni Avdija.”

But even as they cheer him on, Israelis place a certain level of responsibility on Avdija.

“He wants to show the whole world that [though] Israel has much less funding for basketball, we can still make it,” says a man in the shuk. “He should just be a good person, a great basketball player.”

“He has a lot of responsibility. He’ll make it.”

According to the verdict, the defendants conspired together to carry out a terrorist attack aimed at murdering Jewish civilians. For this purpose, they had previously equipped themselves with a vehicle, an improvised submachine gun, ammunition, knives, and an axe, changed the vehicle’s license plates, and entered Israel illegally. Upon reaching the Romema neighborhood in Jerusalem, they identified four Haredi civilians, accelerated their vehicle towards them, and struck them. They then attempted to shoot and stab them, but failed to complete their plan due to a malfunction in the weapon.

In its sentencing arguments, the Jerusalem District Prosecutor’s Office, represented by Adv. Moria Hirsh, requested that each of the defendants be sentenced to 37 years of actual imprisonment, along with suspended sentences and significant compensation to the victims of the offense.

The prosecution emphasized that this was an exceptionally severe and planned terrorist incident, characterized by high determination, multiple weapons, and real lethal potential, and that the fact that the incident ended without loss of life was due to a miracle alone. The prosecution further argued that although one of the defendants was a minor at the time of the offenses and the other was a young adult, the age circumstances do not mitigate the severity of the acts, and that in the circumstances, a deterrent and clear sentencing message is required, especially in light of the fact that the attack was carried out in the midst of a war.

The court, as stated, sentenced each of the defendants to 28 years of actual imprisonment, suspended sentences, and financial compensation to the victims of the offense. Additionally, it ordered the confiscation of the means used to carry out the attack. The court noted that “the defendants committed their acts during wartime on multiple fronts while the country was bleeding and hurting from the results of the October 7th terrorist attack, and security forces were working day and night to defend the country’s borders.

This murderous attack demonstrated to the country – and to the entire world – in the most painful way, the meaning of terror and the need to combat it with all tools, including legal ones.”