'Are you serious? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust?' Becca Balint tells Pam Bondi when it was noted she opposed resolution condemning 'from the river to the sea'

The post Vermont lawmaker storms out of Epstein hearing after US AG raises her record on antisemitism appeared first on The Times of Israel.

With annual death toll expected to double by the mid-2040s, report from Taub Center calls to rethink current approach to burials, including adopting higher density practices to prevent 'cities of the dead'

The post Israel’s ‘generous’ burial policy to become unsustainable as population ages, study warns appeared first on The Times of Israel.

US congressman names Jewish philanthropist as one of several powerful figures whose identities are redacted, says he was labelled an 'unindicted co-conspirator' shortly after Epstein's death

The post Unredacted Epstein files and looming deposition thrust Les Wexner back into spotlight appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Army says Israelis face no threat from 'unarmed civilians in sovereign Egyptian territory,' following most recent spotting of trucks near border

The post IDF sends troops, aircraft to Egyptian border after pickup trucks approach appeared first on The Times of Israel.

US-based activists raise death toll in Iran protest crackdown to over 7,000 * Wrapping up visit Down Under, Herzog decries 'frightening' antisemitism but says most Australians respect Jews

The post Top Haredi rabbi: ‘Whether authorities agree or not, no yeshiva student will go to IDF’ appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Information minister says government to next focus on placing all arms under state control north of the Litani River, rules out possibility of confrontation with terror group

The post Lebanon to decide in coming weeks on 2nd phase of Hezbollah disarmament plan — minister appeared first on The Times of Israel.

UG Solutions says it has 'provided information and proposals to US-led Board of Peace,' after it was revealed to be looking for Arabic-speaking contractors with combat experience

The post US firm that secured aid sites talking with administration about new role in Gaza appeared first on The Times of Israel.

After Efrat settlement officials claim that American mission will set up a 'service station,' embassy stresses reports asserting it will open office are 'incorrect'

The post US embassy denies reported plan to open consular service branch in West Bank settlement appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Groundbreaking study led by Weizmann Institute of Science and Hadassah AIDS Center scientists paves the way for new medical therapies that target the body’s bacterial ecosystem

The post Israeli researchers find gut bacteria may boost immune system of HIV patients appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Two leaders end highly anticipated DC meeting, held amid negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, with no major announcements or statements to the press; pair also discuss Gaza

The post Trump says he ‘insisted’ to Netanyahu that Iran talks go on, as PM stresses ‘security needs’ appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Carrie Prejean Boller initially refused to step down from religious liberty advisory body after derailing a panel on Jew-hatred with repeated claims anti-Zionism isn't antisemitic

The post Former Miss California ousted from White House commission following antisemitism row appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Panel cites 'reliable and well‑documented sources inside Iran' that women's rights activist was violently apprehended in December and is subject to life-threatening abuse

The post Nobel committee calls on Iran to free Peace Prize laureate Mohammadi appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Palestinian water provider says workers were assaulted by settlers; prosecutors charge man suspected in attack last fall; IDF nabs Palestinians affiliated with Hamas, Islamic Jihad

The post Settlers demolish 15 Palestinian homes, residents say, as West Bank attacks continue appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemns 'outrageous' comments made at Doha forum; Albanese rejects 'manipulation' of her sentiments on general foe of humanity

The post France calls on UN rapporteur Albanese to resign over ‘common enemy’ Israel remarks appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stress dialogue and trust after meeting, reaffirm trade goal of $10 billion, share aim to warm relations

The post Turkish and Greek leaders hold talks, voice desire to resolve maritime disputes appeared first on The Times of Israel.

A clear decision by the Human Rights Council to remove Albanese would send a strong message about professionalism and equal standards for Jews and Israel.

Prof. Alex Weinreb, chair of the Demography Area and Research Director at the Taub Center, published a study warning about a shortage of burial grounds that is worse than expected.

Pro-Palestine protesters will rally in Melbourne on Thursday amid ongoing demonstrations and violent clashes during President Herzog's visit to Australia.

Iran's FM Abbas Araghchi criticizes Miriam Adelson's claims, calls for diplomacy in US-Iran talks, and warns of military retaliation if negotiations fail.

“We are ashamed before the people. We are ready to hear the voice of the people," Iranian President Pezeshkian said in a speech during the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

Graham praised both leaders' efforts towards a "way forward in the Middle East" following a three-hour White House meeting between the two.

Trump also said that "tremendous progress" has been made in Gaza and in Mideast. • Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially joined Gazan Board of Peace.

Her comments, Barrot said, “target not the Israeli government, whose policies can be criticized, but Israel as a people and as a nation, which is absolutely unacceptable.”

The al-Tanf base is strategically located in the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. It was established as a key hub for operations by the global coalition against Islamic State terrorists.

The order to deploy “could be issued in a matter of hours,” one of the officials confirmed to the Wall Street Journal, though no official directive from Trump has yet been given. 

Federal documents and a looming deposition have intensified scrutiny of Ohio billionaire Leslie Wexner over his decades-long connection with Jeffrey Epstein.

"The foundation did not pursue any collaboration with Epstein and no fund was ever created," the organization said in a statement.

The Scholar: Insights from the Faculty of the Hebrew University Business School. An in-conversation interview with Dr. Dan Marom, hosted by acclaimed Israeli director Maor Zaguri.

“It was a secret poll which said that 92% of the Iranian people hate their regime,” Sabti said, according to a transcript provided to The Jerusalem Post.

Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Miami Summit on Wednesday, Alshareef called on Israel and the Jewish people to back Iranians seeking freedom, as Netanyahu voiced solidarity with the protesters.

At the Jerusalem Post Miami Conference, TALMA CEO Ido Mahatzri showed how teachers, language and values reshape Israel’s periphery.

Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Miami Conference, IDF veterans and civil-society leaders highlighted service, dignity, and Diaspora responsibility as pillars of Israel’s next chapter.

Amid changing geopolitics and evolving Diaspora-Israel relations, the conference served as a platform for powerful ideas, bold discussions, and building bridges across continents.

A 50-year-old man suspected of planning a terror attack near Jerusalem was arrested, along with his son, after police found weapons and incitement materials.

The bill seeks to promote a new investigative framework that diverges from the traditional independent state commission of inquiry mechanism overseen by the Supreme Court.

Pro-Israel activist and IDF veteran Yoseph Haddad is contemplating a political party for Israel's next Knesset elections, with recent polls showing strong support, especially from Jewish voters.

According to the index's findings, 73% of Israelis rate Trump as a better-than-average US president in terms of Israel's interests, with 49% describing him as one of the best in history for Israel.

Two major possible leaks could be part of a pincer movement by the Trump administration to make sufficient progress regarding Hamas disarmament to circumvent a return to a major Gaza ground invasion.

The New York City mayor claimed that increasing taxes by 2% on those earning more than a million dollars per year would resolve nearly half of the city's budget deficit.

According to Iran's state outlet, Guterres extended congratulations to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, describing the day as an opportunity to reflect on the country's path.

Israeli satirical sketch comedy Eretz Nehederet's newest skit was the highlight of the show's entire season.

The authorities tell us that Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but the conditions that allowed him to thrive are very much alive.

מוכתאר עטא אבו מדיעם נורה למוות ברכב ברהט, כארבעה חודשים אחרי ששרד ניסיון התנקשות. "חיכינו והמתנו, המשטרה לא עשתה כלום", סיפר האב. שעות אחר כך נורו למוות שני גברים בירכא ובלוד, בבוקר צעיר נורה למוות בשגב שלום. מתחילת השנה נרצחו בחברה הערבית 44 בני אדם - 5 מהם תוך 12 שעות

היום תחול עלייה קלה בטמפרטורות, וכבר מחר תורגש התחממות נוספת. האוויר יהיה אביך, ובדרום אף צפויות סופות חול. ביום שבת: גשם מקומי בצפון ובמרכז

אחרי שבשנה שעברה נשבר שיא ההרוגים בתאונות דרכים, גם בשנה הנוכחית הנתונים לא מעודדים: 47 בני אדם נהרגו מתחילת השנה, בהם 10 ילדים ובני נוער. ברלב"ד האיצו בשרים לא לחכות לחקיקה, ולהעלות באופן מיידי את הקנסות על עבירות: ״רק הרתעה תוריד את ההתפרעויות בכביש"

האולטימטום החרדי שקושר בין חוק הגיוס לתקציב המדינה אינו איום על השלטון - אלא טקס קבוע בתוך השלטון, שמכוון לאוזניים אחרות לגמרי

ניסיון להשתמש במילה "מאורעות" במקום "טבח" משקף את הרצון אנושי בסיסי, הצורך להרגיש שהאירוע לא ריסק את יסודות הבית - אך כאן טמון המתח המרכזי בין היחיד ללאום

הפעם ב"פרופיל נמוך": נשיא ארה"ב אירח את רה"מ בבית הלבן, נתניהו נכנס דרך כניסה אחורית. הנושא האיראני היה בראש סדר היום, אבל לפני הפגישה חתם נתניהו על הצטרפותו ל"מועצת השלום" של עזה - שבה חברות טורקיה וקטאר. הפגנה נגד ישראל נערכה במקביל, זו רשימת המשתתפים בפגישה

נשיא ארה"ב הגדיר את פגישתו עם רה"מ "טובה מאוד", אבל הוסיף שלא הושגו שום החלטות: "אם תושג עסקה, הבהרתי שזו העדיפות. אם לא - נראה מה תהיה התוצאה". בחדר הקבינט בבית הלבן דנו השניים בתרחישים לקריסת המו"מ ובעזה. דיווח: נושאת מטוסים נוספת קיבלה הוראה להתכונן ליציאה למזרח התיכון

לפי "וול סטריט ג'ורנל", הפנטגון הורה לנושאת מטוסים שנייה להתכונן לצאת למזרח התיכון - והוראת היציאה עשויה להתקבל בתוך שעות. לפי הדיווח טראמפ, שנפגש אמש עם נתניהו, טרם הכריע בנושא: "התוכניות עשויות להשתנות"

גורם בכיר במועצת השלום של טראמפ טוען שבניגוד לרושם, הפסקת האש לא קורסת: "יש הרבה מאוד בעיות, אבל הכול מתקדם". לטענתו יש הסכמה של חמאס על פירוק הנשק, שיחל בחודש הבא - אך הדבר האחרון שיפורק יהיה הנשק הקל, כי בחמאס חוששים מהחמולות בעזה. אחרי שאינדונזיה הודיעה שתשלח אלפי חיילים לכוח הייצוב, אמר הבכיר שמדינות רבות יצטרפו אליה: "לא חסרים מתנדבים"

השאלה מי יזם את הפגישה הדחופה בין נתניהו לטראמפ היא חשובה. היא טומנת בחובה את השאלה למי בער להעביר מסר – לנתניהו שחושש מהסכם אמריקאי-איראני או לטראמפ שמנסה ללחוץ לקידום מהלך מדיני?

נשיא ארה"ב מאותת לאיראנים שהוא מעדיף את האופציה הדיפלומטית - אבל לא להרבה זמן. הפגישה עם נתניהו התארכה מעבר לצפוי, ורה"מ הציג את הקווים האדומים של ישראל. אם המו"מ יקרוס, טראמפ נערך לפעולה משמעותית יותר מזו שנבלמה בחודש שעבר

במקביל למלחמה באלימות ברמדאן, ישראל צריכה לעסוק גם בשינוי תפיסת הרמדאן. עליה לגעת בשורש הבעיה, ולא רק בסימפטום שלה

הדיון הציבורי על המסמך שמרכז את עדות נתניהו בפני מבקר המדינה מחמיץ לחלוטין את העיקר. במקום לדון ב-55 העמודים שמציגים ציטוטים חסרי הקשר והאשמות, עלינו לעסוק במה שהוביל באמת ל-7 באוקטובר

צה"ל עבר באחרונה תהליך, כשחידש את אוגדת הגבול המזרחי, וטוב עושים במשרד ההתיישבות כשמקדמים במרץ את ההתיישבות בסמוך לגבולות - כי חוץ מביטחון, נדרש מערך אזרחי שלם

עורכי דינה של סנ"צ רותי האוסליך כתבו לשר לביטחון לאומי כי היא מצפה לתשובה תוך שמונה ימים, ואם לא - יעתרו נגד החלטתו שלא לקדמה לתפקיד רמ"ח חקירות ולדרגת ניצב-משנה. בן גביר טען שהתחזתה, עורכי הדין: "טענות משוללות יסוד". המפכ"ל כתב עליה לפני כשנתיים וחצי: "מוערכת לאורך כל הדרך"

מנהל התעופה הפדרלי הטיל סגר פתאומי ל-10 ימים על נמל התעופה אל-פאסו, ואחרי שעה קלה הסיר אותו באופן מפתיע לא פחות. ממשל טראמפ דיווח על נטרול כלי טיס ששיגר קרטל סמים מקסיקני, אך לפי עדויות לא היה שום כטב"ם, והרקע הוא סכסוך בין המנהל לפנטגון על מערכת יירוט בלייזר. חברת קונגרס: "משהו לא מסתדר, הממשל חייב תשובות". נשיאת מקסיקו: "כטב"מים? לא ידוע לי דבר כזה"

הרצח ה-40 בחברה הערבית בשנת 2026, שמתחילתה חלפו 42 ימים בלבד: מוחמד קאסם (47) נורה בראשו ביישוב פוריידיס ליד זיכרון יעקב. הרוצח תועד יורה באמצע הרחוב - ונמלט על קורקינט. לאחר הרצח התפתחו בזירה עימותים בין התושבים לבין המשטרה 

פרשת "הפגישה הלילית": השופט מזרחי לא קיבל את בקשת המשטרה - שתוכל לערער - וקבע כי צחי ברוורמן יוכל לטוס ללונדון לתפקידו המיועד. לדבריו, ברוורמן יתייצב לחקירה תוך 12 שעות אם יידרש. הוא לא הורחק מנתניהו

בתום חקירה אישרה המשטרה לפרסם כי פלסטיני בן 50 מקלנדיה נעצר בתחילת החודש אחרי תאונה עצמית בכניסה לירושלים. החשוד תכנן לבצע פיגוע משולב במחסום חיזמה, שכולל דריסה ודקירה, וברכבו נמצאו סכינים. בהמשך נעצר גם בנו

קנדה המומה מאחד ממעשי הטבח הקשים בתולדותיה: אישה שזהותה טרם נחשפה פתחה באש בבית ובתיכון בעיירה מרוחקת בקולומביה הבריטית, רצחה 9 בני אדם – והתאבדה. רה"מ קרני ניסה לעצור את הדמעות מול המצלמה: "יום קשה. אנשים יתעוררו בלי מישהו שהם אוהבים". מאבק על חייה של מאיה בת ה-12 שנורתה גם בצוואר, אמה: "זה התחיל כמו יום רגיל, תתפללו על התינוקת שלי"

ניצן גוייכמן, מהנדסת כימיה שהתגוררה באשדוד, היא אחת העובדות שהתמוטטו ומתו בבית הזיקוק. הנסיבות עדיין נבדקות 

חמאס מתמודד עם משבר פיננסי בשל צמצום מקורות המימון, ומחבלים לא מקבלים משכורת באופן סדיר. התוצאה: מחפשים מקור הכנסה חלופי. גורם בעזה ל-ynet: "המצב קשה מאוד, אבל אלה יוזמות בודדות"

עורכת דינו של ניק קוליוחין, שלא הורשה לטוס ב"כנף ציון" לוושינגטון "מטעמים ביטחוניים", שיגרה מכתב למשרד רה"מ ושב"כ בדרישה להבהיר מיידית בכתב כי "העיתונאי אינו מהווה ולא היווה כל סיכון לראש הממשלה או לסביבתו"

מסוקי חיל האוויר הוקפצו לגבול אחרי שטנדרים לבנים התקרבו לגדר מהצד המצרי. "קבוצת בדואים מטיילים", אמרו בצה"ל. תושב אשכול סיפר ל-ynet: "שמענו ירי. לא היה דבר כזה כל המלחמה, טוענים שזה לא חמושים אבל זה מטריד מאוד"

נשיא טורקיה מינה לתפקיד במפתיע את אקין גורלק, מי שהוביל את גל המעצרים נגד אנשי מפלגת ה-CHP החילונית ונגד ראש העיר איסטנבול, שנחשב ליריבו הגדול של ארדואן. כשגורלק ניסה לגשת לדוכן להישבע חסמו חברי פרלמנט מהאופוזיציה את דרכו, ואנשי מפלגת השלטון התעמתו איתם: חלקם חלצו נעליים, אף של מחוקק נשבר. הדיון פוצץ, אך בהמשך חזר גורלק ונשבע – מוקף בתומכי ארדואן

בית המשפט האריך בחמישה ימים את מעצרו של המנכ"ל - חבר כיתת הכוננות של מושב בן זכאי שפצע נער שנחשד בפריצה. השופטת: "בתיק הזה רב הנסתר על הגלוי". במושב זועמים: "בן אדם חשב שזה פח"ע, יצא להגן על הבית - ונעצר"

בזמן שרה"מ נערך להציג לנשיא האמריקני את הקווים האדומים של ישראל במו"מ עם טהרן, במפרץ הפרסי עובדים שעות נוספות במטרה להרגיע את הרוחות. בכיר איראני ביקר בעומאן ובקטאר, שיחד עם טורקיה לוחצות על וושינגטון לא לתקוף. חוקר בכיר ב-INSS: "מראית עין של מו"מ רציני תאפשר לארה"ב לרדת מהעץ"

3 חודשים אחרי מעשי התוקפנות בכפר באזור בית לחם, שכללו הצתת כלי רכב ובתים ויידוי אבנים כנקמה על פינוי מאחז בלתי-חוקי, הוגש כתב אישום נגד צעיר בן 18 מחדרה. המשטרה עצרה עוד 3 חשודים, שאר המעורבים מסתובבים חופשי

בן-שחר קיבל ב-2024 את פרס ישראל בתחום חקר הפסיכולוגיה. בעבר כיהן כנשיא האוניברסיטה הפתוחה, והיה פרופסור אמריטוס במחלקה לפסיכולוגיה באוניברסיטה העברית. בן-שחר פיתח כלי מדידה ואבחון כמותיים. בעקבות פועלו הוקם המרכז הארצי לבחינות והערכה, שאחראי על הבחינה הפסיכומטרית

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lashed out at an Israel Hayom report that Tehran has deceived the US over the execution of protesters.

In a post on his official X account, Araghchi wrote that "no executions have taken place, no court process has been concluded, and more than 2,000 prisoners have been pardoned." He also attacked Israel Hayom publisher Dr. Miriam Adelson.

Whenever Miriam Adelson's mouthpiece pushes a dramatic claim about Iran, it's worth asking who it serves. Even the U.S. President has acknowledged where her primary loyalties lie.

In its latest piece, Adelson's outlet declared—just an hour before Netanyahu's White House… pic.twitter.com/pJK3JFqRz8

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) February 11, 2026

However, Iran's Deputy Judiciary Chief Ali Mozaffari said that protesters arrested during the recent unrest were not included in the pardons.

Araghchi claimed the report was published an hour before Netanyahu's meeting at the White House in order to create the impression that Iran had misled Trump. "Before buying the narrative being peddled, consider who benefits from it—and who may actually be doing the deceiving," he wrote.

In the Israel Hayom report, which cited two diplomatic sources, Araghchi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian conveyed messages to US officials in January promising to meet initial American demands, including a halt to executions, in order to avoid a potential strike.

Araghchi, Witkoff and Kushner. Photo: AP/Arab networks

On Jan. 14, President Trump presented the development as an achievement, saying: "We were told that the killing in Iran has stopped and there is no plan for executions."

But intelligence information obtained by several Western intelligence agencies, including the Mossad as well as British and German services, indicated that the executions continued while efforts were made to conceal them. Instead of hanging protesters in city squares, detainees were reportedly shot or strangled to death in custody, and their families were told they had died during demonstrations.

According to assessments cited in the report, the number of executions carried out in this manner reaches into the thousands, in addition to the tens of thousands killed during the suppression of the protests.

Western officials have also continued to receive reports of ongoing crackdowns on protests erupting in provincial cities, as well as mass arrests.

The post Iran accuses Israel Hayom of trying to sway Trump as intel cites hidden executions appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

No one keeps track anymore of how many times President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have met since 2016. But if there was one defining feature of their meeting on Wednesday night, it was how markedly different it was from the past: its exceptionally low profile.

Trump did not wait for Netanyahu outside the White House, nor did he offer reporters the familiar photo opportunity of the two leaders posing with raised thumbs. The Oval Office was closed to questions, and there was no joint press conference afterward. Netanyahu, for his part, all but slipped away from the spotlight. Not only did he forgo briefing the Israeli media, he also skipped interviews with American conservative outlets, appearances he has never previously missed.

The visit itself was strikingly brief and businesslike. Netanyahu spent less than 30 hours on US soil, an unprecedentedly short trip.

Trump and Netanyahu speak to reporters at the president's estate during Netanyahu's last visit. Photo: AFP

American media outlets showed little interest in the prime minister's arrival in Washington, perhaps reflecting the frequency of his meetings with Trump. Television networks were instead focused almost nonstop on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the elderly mother of an ABC anchor who was abducted from her home two weeks ago and has not been seen since.

The minimal coverage of the Netanyahu-Trump meeting mirrored the Washington weather. For nearly three weeks, the city has been blanketed in snow that has hardened into ice and refuses to melt.

Yet all indications suggest that the attempt to project a cool, understated atmosphere outwardly stood in stark contrast to what transpired behind closed doors. On the contrary, in order to avoid reinforcing the false and antisemitic claim that Israel dictates US policy, Netanyahu appeared intent on minimizing the public footprint of the visit.

Similarly, and perhaps even more so, the White House had no desire to place the Iranian issue at the center of the public agenda. It was the administration that closed the meeting to the press, part of a broader policy over recent weeks of limiting public discussion of the explosive issue, in every sense of the word.

Netanyahu and Trump. Photo: EPA

Why? The most succinct explanation may have come from Sen. John Kennedy, who is not related to the famous political family, in an interview with Iran International. After meeting Trump on Wednesday, Kennedy said the president would "honor his commitments to the Iranian people," but stressed that this required "a careful strategy, not hasty actions." He added that Israeli intelligence, which Netanyahu likely presented to Trump during the meeting, would help clarify which operational options are feasible.

Kennedy's remarks closely align with those of Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spent last weekend with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and is known for his hawkish views on Iran. Graham also said Trump remains committed to the Iranian people while carefully weighing his next moves.

Taken together with the administration's public and leaked messages, the recurring conclusion is that US action against the Islamic Republic of Iran is not a question of if, but when. A diplomatic agreement between the two countries appears impossible. The Iranians are spoiling for confrontation. During rallies in Tehran marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, demonstrators symbolically threw Trump's messages into the trash, displayed coffins representing Iranian generals and signaled an unwillingness to compromise on the issues Trump and his team insist must be addressed.

"We have to deal with the missiles and everything else," Trump told Fox News. For the ayatollahs' regime, however, those subjects are nonstarters. Add to this the well-known positions over the years of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump himself regarding Iran. Anyone who believes they have suddenly transformed into Barack Obama or Antony Blinken does not understand the players involved.

Minutes before entering the White House on Wednesday, Netanyahu signed on as a founding member of the Board of Peace. Yet, as one knowledgeable Western diplomat put it, the meeting marked Netanyahu's seventh encounter with Trump since January 2025 and amounted to another session of a "war council."

If the two leaders did indeed discuss military action, that would help explain why their conversation extended well beyond its scheduled time.

The post Among all their meetings, this was the most unusual yet appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Iran has deceived the United States at least twice to prevent strikes and reach talks in Oman, according to two diplomatic sources, one of them from the region.

During the first weeks of January, as the US prepared for a strike and began advancing its forces toward the Gulf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian conveyed messages to the Americans, including a promise that they would respond to initial American demands to avoid a strike. The Americans first demanded a halt to the massacre of protesters and the prevention of the expected executions there.

Araghchi and Pezeshkian pledged that there would be no executions, and President Trump presented this as an achievement on January 14 that led to postponing the decision to launch a strike. "We were told that the killing in Iran has stopped and there is no plan for executions, or for an execution, or for executions – that's what I was told based on reliable authority."

However, according to intelligence information that reached several intelligence agencies in the West, including the Mossad and the British and German agencies, the executions continued, but efforts were made to conceal them. Instead of hanging protesters who were caught in city squares, they were shot or strangled in custody, and their families were told they died in the protests, even though there is evidence they were arrested alive. According to estimates, this method resulted in thousands of executions, separate from the tens of thousands killed during the dispersal of protests. In addition, the West continuously receives reports about the ongoing suppression of protests and demonstrations breaking out in rural cities, and about mass arrests.

Protests against the Iranian regime in Iran (Photo: Social media)

The second story is no less serious. Iran conveyed a message to the Americans through Turkey that it was ready to open negotiations with the US "for comprehensive discussion of all disputes." The Americans demanded details, and according to diplomatic sources, Iran confirmed it would agree to discuss not only the nuclear issue but also long-range missiles and the support and maintenance of terror organizations dependent on it – Hezbollah, the Houthis, the militias in Syria and Iraq, and, of course, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The Americans agreed in principle to hold the talks and, at Turkey's request, suggested that they take place in Ankara, with representatives of other countries, such as Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, present. Iran refused, and the negotiations moved to Muscat, Oman's capital, in the format that had existed last spring. Israel Hayom reported that at this stage, Iran raised a demand that the force buildup against it in the region be halted and that the forces already added withdraw. The Americans were furious about this and nearly canceled, while continuing to advance more and more forces.

Finally, a preliminary round of talks was held last Friday in Muscat. During it, the Americans discovered that Araghchi had not been authorized to discuss issues other than the nuclear one, and that even on this, the Iranian position was hardening. After initial discussions and an American threat to halt the talks, Araghchi informed the mediating Oman that there was something to discuss and suggested a principled agreement to address the other issues after the nuclear issue is agreed upon and a timetable for removing sanctions is set.

He also said he would come to the next meeting with a broader mandate. The Americans did not accept this position and conditioned the continuation of talks on bringing all issues to the table, but so far, Iran has not agreed to this.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on August 26, 2024 (Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP)

The diplomatic sources say this information and the refusal of the hawkish line leaders in Iran to any discussion on other issues greatly diminishes the chance of resuming talks and increases the likelihood of extensive American action against the regime.

To this can be added the publications about the significant expansion of long-range missile production in Iran, and the renewal of activity at nuclear sites and their fortification ahead of a possible strike.

Israel Hayom has learned that the Iranian deception was presented to several leaders of countries in the region. Most countries in the region have announced they will not allow the Americans to attack Iran from their territory, but if convinced, they might participate in defensive operations. Thus, as Israel Hayom reported, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Jordan participated in intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran toward Israel in the war in June.

The post Iran secretly executed thousands despite promise to US appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Vice President JD Vance cautioned Iran on Tuesday that military force represents "another option on the table" should the regime fail to reach a nuclear agreement with Washington, Fox News reported.

The second-in-command delivered his remarks to reporters prior to boarding Air Force Two, responding to questions about President Donald Trump's consideration of deploying an additional aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East.

A journalist inquired: "How confident are you in going the diplomatic route? Do you think that is still going to be successful or are we leaning more towards a military strike?" Vance responded by outlining the administration's strategy, saying: "The president has told his entire senior team that we should be trying to cut a deal that ensures the Iranians don't have nuclear weapons."

US President Donald Trump (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) (Photo: Getty Images. EPA, Maayan Toef/GPO)

The vice president then added a veiled threat. "But if we can't cut that deal, then there's another option on the table. So I think the president is going to continue to preserve his options. He's going to have a lot of options because we have the most powerful military in the world. But until the president tells us to stop, we're going to engage in these conversations and try to reach a good outcome through negotiation."

The vice president additionally minimized speculation about toppling Iran's leadership, stating that deposing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's government would ultimately rest with "the Iranian people" – a position contradicting President Trump's previous social media claims that "help is on the way."

Vance emphasized the Trump administration maintains a singular objective: blocking the current Iranian government from acquiring nuclear weaponry. The vice president's statements emerged one day ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled White House session with Trump on Wednesday, with Iran's nuclear program anticipated to dominate discussions.

Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 9, 2026 (Photo: AP)

During a telephone conversation with Axios, Trump stated Tehran "very much wants to reach a deal," while issuing a warning: "Either we make a deal, or we'll have to do something very tough — like last time."

Netanyahu, addressing journalists before his departure from Israel to Washington, indicated his intention to articulate Israel's stance, telling reporters: "I will present to the president our concept regarding the principles of the negotiations — the essential principles that are important not only to Israel but to anyone who wants peace and security in the Middle East."

American and Iranian representatives resumed diplomatic talks in Oman this week, marking the first such engagement since last summer's 12-day military conflict. Washington maintains substantial armed forces positioned throughout the Gulf region – a deployment interpreted broadly as serving dual purposes of deterrence and providing negotiating leverage with Tehran.

The post Vance dismisses Iran regime change plans, says US focuses on nuclear threat appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Intelligence and security agencies in several European countries have identified routes through which senior Muslim Brotherhood figures are smuggling their funds out of the continent, Arab media reported. The senior figures have been dismantling and selling their real estate properties and facilities in recent months. Part of the capital is moving to countries in East Asia. Meanwhile, the leadership crisis in the Islamist movement continues.

According to the information, these funds are being transferred through commercial mechanisms that appear legitimate, such as cooperation with import-export companies or individuals not organizationally connected to the movement. These individuals establish companies in Europe to transfer funds under the guise of importing goods.

Observers explained that the move follows expectations that European measures could harm the Muslim Brotherhood's financial structure. This is especially true given that the US, Egypt, and Jordan treat the group as a terror organization. According to reports, Europe is witnessing increased coordination in handling the issue. However, achieving real progress in this context depends on resolving the issue of donations made through charities affiliated with the group.

A man photographs the main entrance of the original Muslim Brotherhood office, that is sealed with official wax after it was raided and shut down by police, in Amman, Jordan, Wednesday, April 13, 2016 (Photo: AP /Raad Adayleh) AP

In this context, a source told the Emirati site Aram News that the money transfers are directed to countries including China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and several others in Asia and Africa. According to the source, one mechanism is the guise of importing goods such as clothing, food, and electronics. These transactions are then frozen, and the companies that dealt with imports are closed.

Meanwhile, the Saudi channel Al-Arabiya reported on power struggles over the movement's financial resources. According to the channel's sources, the struggle has reached courts in Turkey. Among other things, a power struggle was reported surrounding the purchase of a five-story building in Istanbul. Additionally, a series of mutual frauds between fugitive senior figures and various factions in the Muslim Brotherhood was reported.

Founded in Egypt about a century ago, the Muslim Brotherhood promotes a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam hostile to Western values. Its branches and affiliated groups span the Middle East and beyond. Some have evolved into full-fledged terror organizations, while others maintain a facade of political or social activism.

The post After Europe: Where is Muslim Brotherhood's next destination? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Israel's David's Sling air defense system has successfully completed a series of complex tests designed to enhance its readiness against future threats, Israel's Defense Ministry announced Wednesday. The trials were conducted in cooperation with the Defense Ministry, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the US Missile Defense Agency.

The tests were carried out by the Israel Missile Defense Organization, known by its Hebrew acronym Homa, within the Defense Ministry's Directorate of Defense Research and Development, together with the US Missile Defense Agency and Rafael. The advanced air defense system is designed to intercept a range of threats, including rockets, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Israel's David's Sling air defense system has successfully completed a series of complex tests designed to enhance its readiness against future threats. pic.twitter.com/2quuBaqNQm

— Israel Hayom English (@IsraelHayomEng) February 11, 2026

The series of trials, built on operational lessons learned during the war and from Operation Rising Lion, included a variety of challenging scenarios reflecting both existing and emerging threats. Defense officials said the successful tests mark another technological and operational breakthrough in upgrading the system, which demonstrated high performance during the war, carrying out successful interceptions that saved lives and prevented extensive damage.

David's Sling air defense system. Photo: Defense Ministry Spokesperson's Office

David's Sling constitutes a central layer in Israel's multi-tiered air defense array, which also includes the Arrow missile defense system, Iron Dome and Iron Beam, the laser-based system recently delivered to the Israeli Air Force. The system's development is led by the Defense Ministry through the Israel Missile Defense Organization in cooperation with Israeli defense industries and the US Missile Defense Agency.

David's Sling air defense system. Photo: Defense Ministry Spokesperson's Office

Rafael is the prime contractor for David's Sling. Israel Aerospace Industries, through its Elta division, developed the MMR radar, while Elbit Systems developed the command-and-control system.

The post Israel upgrades David's Sling air defense system following trials appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

According a report by The New York Times, the United States is demanding that Hamas surrender all weaponry capable of harming Israel, but would initially allow the terrorist organization to retain small arms. The details were provided by officials and others familiar with the proposal.

The White House denied the specifics of the report, saying that President Donald Trump is "committed to the 20-point plan."

Hamas terrorists accompanied by children celebrate in the streets of Gaza. Photo: Reuters Reuters

The report said a team led by an American official, including Kushner, Trump's son-in-law; Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy for peace missions; and former senior UN official Nikolay Mladenov, intends to share the document with Hamas within weeks.

The sources, including a regional diplomat and individuals familiar with the plan, spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. They cautioned that the details could still change and that additional drafts may yet emerge.

If the proposal is ultimately presented to Hamas, it would mark a significant step toward dismantling the armed terrorist organization, a central component of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. That plan formed the basis of the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after two years of war.

The post Report: Trump to allow Hamas to retain some weapons appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran's Defense Council, said Wednesday during a speech at the Revolution Day march that the ballistic missile arsenal is not subject to negotiation.

According to him, "the negotiations that come in parallel with the American president's threats fall within the framework of the usual American approach." He warned that "the war will not remain limited to a specific geographical framework or between only two sides."

The senior Iranian official, who is close to the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, also said that "the nature of the region causes any confrontation to have implications that go beyond the military aspect. Considering the energy resources and potential in the region, any escalation could have implications for many factors. Any escalation could affect the lives of people around the world."

An Iranian child stands on "coffins" of American officers

He noted that "the only logical option for the other side (the US) is to engage seriously in the ongoing negotiation process and avoid demonstrations or propaganda." Shamkhani further emphasized that "the missile capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are not for negotiation."

Thousands of people were filmed on one of Tehran's main streets, filling it even before the official marches began. Authorities placed various displays along the street designed to highlight the regime's achievements, including a pile of debris claimed to be an Israeli drone shot down over Iran during Operation Rising Lion.

One of the displays regime officials placed at the heart of the celebrations in Tehran was a pile of coffins draped in the United States flag bearing the names of senior commanders in the US military, including CENTCOM commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, and General Randy George, chief of staff of the US Army.

Yesterday, it was reported that the regime is forcing government employees and welfare recipients to participate in the events, threatening that their income will be affected if they do not take part in the regime's celebrations. This aligns with the regime's past behavior when public turnout at religious or political events was low.

The post Iran defense chief: Ballistic missile program not up for negotiation appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Never before has there been such a visit. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to spend just 30 hours in the US, with the centerpiece of the brief trip being a meeting with President Donald Trump. The Iranian issue will, of course, take center stage in their talks.

Netanyahu is joined by his military secretary and the incoming head of the Mossad, Roman Gofman. In an unusual move, a media figure who had boarded the plane and set up his equipment was removed at the instruction of security officials accompanying the prime minister. The individual is officially classified as a journalist but in practice disseminates pro-Russian and pro-Chinese messaging, and suspicions regarding him have circulated for some time. The Shin Bet security agency said the decision was made to reduce risks to the prime minister and to sensitive information in his vicinity.

True to what associates describe as his "Herzlian" approach of persuading foreign leaders through the prism of their own interests, Netanyahu is expected to outline what Israel sees as the wrong contours of any potential US-Iran agreement. "I will present to the president our views regarding the principles that must underpin any negotiations," Netanyahu said before takeoff. "They are important not only for Israel, but for anyone in the world who seeks peace and security in the Middle East."

In other words, rather than arguing that certain concessions reportedly being considered in Washington would harm Israel, Netanyahu is expected to focus on why such concessions would be bad for the US.

Are such concessions in fact on the table? And does Trump need convincing about the nature of the Islamic Republic of Iran? According to an Israeli diplomatic source who spoke to Israel Hayom, the answer is no. This is not a case of an American "collapse of positions," the source said, but rather a presentation of Israeli principles.

In recent days, the White House and senior administration officials have wrapped their intentions in heavy ambiguity. On one hand, the US has significantly reinforced its forces in and around the Persian Gulf. On the other, it has made no public statement outlining red lines for a possible agreement, whose prospects appear slim. Nor have there been authoritative briefings clarifying where Trump stands.

The only consistent message coming from third parties within the administration is that "nothing has changed." US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who joined the flight, put it this way: "As far as I know, there are no significant gaps between Israel and the US regarding the demands from Iran."

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at the Western Wall Oren Ben Hakoon

Taken together, and in the absence of solid information, the signs suggest that Netanyahu is reiterating positions already well known in Washington, perhaps reinforcing an already hawkish stance. Trump has a long and consistent record of hard-line positions toward Iran. As a presidential candidate he opposed the 2015 nuclear deal brokered under former president Barack Obama, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and he withdrew from it after taking office. He ordered the killing of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. He imposed crippling sanctions on Tehran during his first term and renewed them in his second.

Above all, he backed Operation Rising Lion and later concluded it with Operation Midnight Hammer, deploying the well-known B-2 bombers.

An "Obama scenario" is unlikely

True, there have been tactical retreats. Trump did not respond militarily to the 2020 attack on Saudi oil facilities attributed to Iran. More recently, he halted a planned strike on the regime, reportedly in part at Israel's request. Geopolitics is rarely linear, and tactical shifts do not necessarily signal strategic reversals.

The Iranian regime has also reportedly attempted to assassinate Trump personally. There is little doubt, Israeli officials say, that the president has not forgotten that.

For that reason, the likelihood of Trump signing what Israelis would view as a humiliating agreement, similar to or worse than the Obama-era deal, appears remote. Absent an agreement, a US military strike on Iran is seen by some in Jerusalem as a question not of if but when. Such a move would involve complex operational considerations and a comprehensive plan running from A to Z, potentially culminating in regime change. If the US were to deploy its full force and the regime were to survive, the consequences would reverberate far beyond Iran.

Netanyahu, Obama and Trump. Photo: Olivier Fitoussi/Flash 90, AP, AFP Gaza also on the agenda

At the last minute, Netanyahu decided to raise another issue with Trump: the situation in the Gaza Strip. For that purpose, entrepreneur Michael Eisenberg was flown in. Eisenberg previously conceived and operated the humanitarian fund for Gaza, which Israeli officials credit with helping sever ties between the Hamas terrorist organization and the local population.

In this context, Netanyahu and Trump are expected to discuss how to overcome what Israeli officials describe as the most significant obstacle in Gaza: the disarmament of Hamas.

Sources familiar with the details told Israel Hayom that the so-called technocratic government in Gaza is functioning effectively and intends to assert its authority. Still, the central question is implementation. Most agree that the chances of achieving demilitarization without Israeli military action are low.

"But we already did the unimaginable by securing the release of all the hostages," one of the sources said. "Maybe here, too, we will succeed against all odds."

The post Attack or deal? Trump has a score to settle with Iran appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump, with Iran expected to top the agenda. According to two Israeli sources who spoke to CNN, the prime minister plans to discuss possible military options against the Islamic Republic during his visit, as Israel prepares contingency plans in case negotiations between Washington and Tehran collapse. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is considering seizing tankers carrying Iranian oil in order to increase pressure on Tehran.

One Israeli source said Jerusalem remains skeptical about the chances of the emerging US-Iran talks but is working to ensure its interests are safeguarded, including preserving Israel's freedom of military action under any future agreement. Netanyahu was expected to present Trump with updated intelligence on Iran's military capabilities, one source added.

"Israel is concerned about Iran's progress in restoring its ballistic missile stockpiles and capabilities to their pre-12-day war levels," one of the officials said. According to Israeli assessments, without intervention Iran could possess between 1,800 and 2,000 ballistic missiles within weeks to months.

Before departing for Washington on Monday, Netanyahu said he would discuss "Gaza, the region, but first and foremost Iran."

"I will present President Trump with principles for negotiations with Iran that are important for anyone who seeks peace and security in the Middle East," he said.

US prepares target bank for possible strikes on Iran. Photo: EPA/AFP/GettyImages Military buildup across the region

At the same time, a comparison of satellite images from early February with those taken in January reveals a significant reinforcement of aircraft and military equipment across the Middle East, according to William Goodhind, a satellite imagery analyst with the Contested Ground organization.

Iran maintains underground missile complexes near Tehran as well as in Kermanshah and Semnan, and near the Gulf coast. In addition, an Iranian drone carrier, the Shahid Bagheri, was spotted in satellite images on January 27 about five kilometers (3 miles) from the port of Bandar Abbas, and again on February 10 in the same area.

Patriot missile batteries deployed at a base in Qatar. Photo: Reuters

At Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Patriot missile systems were seen mounted on heavy M983 transport trucks in early February. Additional changes were observed at US bases across the region. At Al Udeid in Qatar, images from February 1 showed an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, three Hercules transport planes, 18 KC-135 refueling aircraft and seven C-17 transport aircraft. In images from January 17, there had been only 14 refueling aircraft and two C-17s.

At Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, images from February 2 showed 17 F-15 fighter jets, eight A-10 aircraft, four Hercules transports and four unidentified helicopters. At a second site on the base, additional transport aircraft and four EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft were observed, none of which appeared in images from January 25.

At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, C-5 Galaxy and C-17 transport aircraft were seen on February 2. On Diego Garcia, seven additional aircraft were observed in images from February 6 compared with January 31. An increase in aircraft numbers was also recorded at a base in Oman between January 25 and February 10.

The post Israeli officials warn Iran could rebuild missile arsenal within months appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

במשטרת ישראל פתחו בחקירת אירוע ירי בשכונת נווה ירק בלוד, בו גבר כבן 50 מצא את מותו. מתנהל מצוד אחר החשוד. באירוע נוסף שהתרחש ברהט, גבר בן 22 נורה למוות ברכבו

נתניהו מצא עצמו בתוך תהליך שמתגבש בזמן אמת, ולא מחוצה לו. אם הדרישה הישראלית על הטילים הבליסטיים תישאר מחוץ למסגרת, ישראל תידרש להחליט כיצד לפעול

החידה שלפניכם מיועדת לאנשים בעלי רמת ריכוז גבוהה במיוחד. בתמונה מוצג תרגיל שגוי. עליכם לתקן את הטעות באמצעות שינוי מיקומם של אחד או כמה מהגפרורים. האם תצליחו לגלות כמה גפרורים יש להזיז ואיזה מהם?

תצפית נדירה בצפון: גירית דבש נתפסה בעדשת המצלמה. "זוהי תצפית מאוד נדירה וחריגה שלא רואים כאן כל יום" מסבירים ברשות הטבע והגנים והוסיפו כי ישראל הינה גבול התפוצה של הטורף המיוחד

מותו של ג'יימס ואן דר ביק מסרטן המעי הגס בגיל 48 מטלטל דור שלם. מה עומד מאחורי העלייה המדאיגה בקרב צעירים, מתחת לגיל 50, מהם הסימנים המוקדמים ואיך ניתן להפחית סיכון

ועדת המשנה המליצה לאשר תיקון לתמ"א 35 שיאפשר הסדרה תכנונית של מגורי עובדים זרים בחקלאות. המהלך נועד לתת מענה למחסור בכוח אדם מאז הפסקת העסקת הפלסטינים, תוך שמירה על איזונים סביבתיים

כמעט חמש שנים אחרי שהזהיר מפני "צבא קטן וחכם", הרמטכ"ל אייל זמיר מקים אוגדה חדשה ושולח מסר ברור לדרג המדיני

אם שהגיעה עם בנה בן החמש לאתר הטבע "המפל הנסתר" ליד הוד השרון, ביקשה מאחד הגברים במקום להרחיק מבנה כלב תוקפני. היא לא תיארה לעצמה את התגובה המזעזעת שלו. הוגש כתב אישום

על רקע פגישת ראש הממשלה נתניהו ונשיא ארה"ב דונלד טראמפ, הפנטגון הורה לנושאת מטוסים נוספת להתכונן למעבר למזרח התיכון. באיראן לא ראו בעין יפה את המהלך: "חוסר כנות"

ברקע הדיווחים על החלטת ההנהגה החרדית לחזור בה מהסיכומים בנוגע לקידום חוק הגיוס, בכיר ההנהגה שתמך בחוק תקף את רשויות השלטון: "עולם התורה עובר כעת רדיפה נוראה מאחים תועים"

בריאיון טעון מספר אבידע בכר, שאיבד את אשתו דנה ובנו כרמל בטבח בבארי, על שעות האימה בממ"ד ועל המחיר האישי הכבד. במקביל הוא תוקף בחריפות את המעבר לשלב ב' בעזה וטוען כי מדובר ב"רפיסות"

להב 433 פענחה את רצח הנער בן ה-15 בנצרת, שנורה בפתח ביתו במסגרת סכסוך בין ארגוני הפשיעה; שלושה חשודים נעצרו, נתפסו אקדחים ורובה קלצ'ניקוב והוגשה הצהרת תובע לקראת כתב אישום

״הליברלים״ הם ליברלים רק מול בעלי הברית של ארצות הברית, לא מול השלטון הרצחני באיראן ובעיראק, בסוריה ובתימן. כל מי שהממשל האמריקאי מחבק סופג הפגנות וגינויים

ביטול החקיקה הירדנית שאסרה מכירת קרקעות ליהודים ביהודה ושומרון הוא תיקון מתבקש לעיוות היסטורי

בשנים האחרונות צמחה ברשתות החברתיות קבוצה של "מומחי זוגיות": יוצרי תוכן שמדברים על דייטים, אהבה ושיברון לב. הם לא מתיימרים להיות בעלי מקצוע, אלא רק לשתף: "השליחות שלי היא לעזור לזוגות אוהבים"

גלעד שלמור, שסרטו על חברו, כוכב “נינג'ה ישראל" שמחלים מאירוע לב קשה, ישודר מחר בקשת 12, מדבר על התשוקה המקצועית, על חשבון הנפש, על האבהות ועל הרווקות אחרי הפרידה מאדוה דדון: “אני מאוד רוצה אהבה"

לממשלה, ובעיקר לראש ממשלה, יש תמיד הרבה יותר אחריות. הם בשלטון, הם המובילים, הם בעלי האחריות היתרה

למה הפעוט איבד הכרה אחרי שבכה, מה יקל את כאבי הגב של הקשיש והאם יש קשר בין הקורונה לשיעול כרוני?

הדמוקרטיה הישראלית החלה להתגונן ב־1965 והיא עושה זאת מאז. כעת היא נאלצת להתגונן מול ניסיון ההפיכה המשטרית של הממשלה

אליפות ישראל בדיג ספורטיבי "קרפיון הגליל" נמשכה 125 שעות בכינרת, במהלכן נתפסו 381 דגים במשקל כולל של 729 ק"ג. הקרפיון הגדול בתחרות, במשקל 9.8 ק"ג, העניק לקבוצת ASA מעפולה את המקום הראשון

Israeli company Aporia says its artificial intelligence control tool Guardrails has been selected as one of TIME’s 2024 Best Inventions, a list of 200 pioneering innovations redefining the way we live.  

Guardrails, which mitigates evolving risks in AI systems real-time, has been recognized as one of the 10 companies in the AI technology category. 

The list was created following a thorough process in which TIME’s global editors and correspondents assessed each candidate based on several critical factors, such as originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

“We’re incredibly proud to see Aporia’s Guardrails recognized by TIME as one of the year’s best inventions,” said Aporia CEO Liran Hason. 

“Aporia is committed to making AI applications safer and more reliable for everyone—from businesses to everyday consumers,” he said. 

We’re developing rigorous Guardrail policies, implementing advanced capabilities to ensure compliance with AI regulations in the EU and US, expanding capabilities to secure a broader range of AI systems, and welcoming new customers. Our Guardrails do more than manage glitches; they empower companies to deploy AI that users can trust.”

The company has also been named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, and recently announced partnerships with Google Cloud and Microsoft. 

The post Israeli AI Safety Tool Among TIME’S Best Inventions For 2024  appeared first on NoCamels.

For more than a decade, NoCamels has written about every aspect of Israel’s high-tech sector, from medical breakthroughs for treatment of deadly diseases to digital developments for both work and leisure and greentech to preserve our struggling planet. 

Here are five favorites from us and five from you, our loyal readers:  

Our Picks: 

Cancer Cures 
With artificial intelligence playing an ever-increasing role in our lives, medtech company OncoHost is using it to help oncologists decide the optimum therapy for their cancer patients. 

The startup’s main focus is determining treatment for a form of lung cancer, with its proprietary PROphet platform scanning up to 7,000 proteins in a patient’s blood in order to see how receptive that person would be to immunotherapy.  

The platform looks for proteins that are present in the blood of patients who did not respond to immunotherapy but absent for patients who did respond. Click here for more

Life Saver 
When Israeli businessman Adam Bismut saw a man lose his life by drowning at the Dead Sea because help was too far away, he was determined to stop such tragedies from happening again. 

Bismut developed Sightbit, a drowning prevention platform that uses AI to spot dangers on and in the water, alerting lifeguards to people in peril in real time. 

Sightbit creator Adam Bismut z”l (Photo: Courtesy)

Tragically, the person who devoted his professional life to helping others also gave his life to protect others, as IDF Sgt. Maj. (res.) Adam Bismut fell in battle in Gaza on January 22, 2024. May his memory be a blessing. Click here for more

Water World 
Building on a water-from-air concept devised by WaterGen, fellow Israeli startup H2oll also produces drinking water from the atmosphere, but more cheaply, more efficiently and more sustainably – and in any climate.

The internal workings of the H2oll machine (Photo: Courtesy)

H2oll has added a new element to the existing technology, by way of a concentrated salt solution. Instead of cooling the whole air mass, it extracts and cools only the moisture molecules – around two percent of air content, depending on humidity – and turns them into water.

The company says it aims to address the global water crisis, especially in the developing world, where countries want to avoid expensive infrastructure, or costly bottled supplies. Click here for more

A Voice For The Voiceless 
The AI-powered Voiceitt platform is designed to recognize and translate speech by people with an underlying medical condition, disability or age-related condition that means their speech is hard to understand. 

Voiceitt lets people with speech disabilities speak spontaneously and be easily understood (Photo: Courtesy)

It works either as voice to text or voice to synthesized speech, with the latter allowing the user to speak in person in real time, as part of a face-to-face conversation, or in a virtual, online meeting.   

The technology is based on machine learning and speech recognition algorithms that are customized to the user, allowing the platform to assimilate each user’s unique way of speaking. It is web based, which means that it can be accessed from any internet-connected device without having to download a program or app. Click here for more

Potato Power
Rumafeed has come up with a way to boost the amount of animal feed produced worldwide by genetically modifying the currently discarded foliage from potato harvests and making it suitable for livestock.  

Potato foliage discarded during harvest could be nutritious feed for livestock (Photo: Depositphotos)

Potato foliage contains glycoalkaloids, which makes it toxic, but by removing this inedible chemical compound, the foliage is transformed from a waste byproduct to a plentiful, viable food source for herds that is rich in nitrogen and protein.  

Potato hay could also be a valuable source of income for farmers, fetching as much as $600 per hectare of land where the tubers are grown, with each hectare capable of producing 3.5 tons of it. Click here for more

Your Picks: The Articles You Read The Most

Ice Cream On Demand
A machine invented by Israeli startup Solato uses a secret process to create super-fresh frozen desserts from liquid in just 60 seconds. It whips up and freezes a range of gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, smoothies and even iced coffee.

Solato uses a secret process to create super-fresh frozen desserts from liquid in capsules, in just 60 seconds (Photo: Courtesy)

Solato says it is the first to market with a frozen dessert capsule machine, offering a range of flavors including Amarena cherry and mascarpone, piedmont hazelnut gelato, lychee sorbet, and classics like dark chocolate and vanilla gelato, as well as plain frozen yogurt. 

Each cup-sized capsule of concentrate liquid makes a cup of ice cream. The unique code on each capsule is read by the machine to determine how much it needs to freeze it and how much air it needs to add, to increase its volume. The capsule itself, which is biodegradable, can then be used for serving. Click here for more

COVID Spray 
An Israeli-founded company in Canada has developed a nasal technology to treat and prevent upper respiratory and topical infections such as COVID-19 and successful Phase 3 clinical trials proved it can reduce viral load in people with mild cases of coronavirus.

Enovid reduces COVID viral loads (Photo: Gilly Regev/LinkedIn)

Enovid, the nitric oxide nasal spray (NONS) created by Vancouver-based SaNOtize is designed to treat adult patients who have a risk of progression of COVID-19.  

The patented platform technology allows for the topical delivery of nitric oxide (a naturally occurring nanomolecule with the formula NO, hence the name) to treat a variety of bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases. Click here for more

Chewing Gum Diet 
A chewing gum infused with an ancient sugar-blocking herb may help people lose weight, according to a new consumer study. 

Sweet Victory gum (Photo: Courtesy)

Israeli startup Sweet Victory imbues the Indian botanical gymnema sylvestre into its gum, which blocks the taste receptors for sweetness when it is chewed for just two minutes. The company says that its effects last up to two hours.  

Of the 80 participants in a two-week trial, 87 percent reported experiencing weight loss, at an average of 1.3 kilos per two weeks. An additional 80 percent of the participants significantly reduced their consumption of sweets by the end of the trial, and said they had “better control” of their food choices. Click here for more

Screenless Laptop With Virtual Screens 
Spacetop, billed as the world’s first augmented reality laptop, looks like the keyboard to a standard 13-inch laptop, minus the 13-inch screen.

Spacetop offers dozens of virtual screens for its screenless laptop (Photo: Courtesy)

But with a dedicated pair of glasses and just 20 seconds of training, the user can actually see a dozen or more virtual screens. They can toggle between them, resize and reposition them at will, and even zoom in and out.

Sightful, the company behind the design, says Spacetop has been painstakingly redesigned “from the ground up” with no off-the-shelf components. Everything is custom-made and works on Spacetop OS, a proprietary operating system. Click here for more

Sperm Solution
Israeli scientists at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) haven developed an innovative platform to create sperm in a laboratory through a microfluidic system, which contains hundreds of microchannels for fluids to pass through. 

Sperm grown in the lab can provide a solution for men who have been affected by aggressive medical treatment (Image: Depositphotos)

The sperm was grown on a special silicon chip developed in collaboration with researchers at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The chip enables the researchers to grow cells from the testis in the microchip and add fresh cell culture media designed to support cellular growth. A 3D system was also built and integrated to allow the addition of testicular tissue cells. 

The innovation is designed to help males who receive aggressive treatment for cancer that can damage sperm-forming cells and result in impaired spermatogenesis, the origin and development of sperm cells within the reproductive organs, leading to fertility problems. Click here for more

The post Editors’ & Readers’ Choice: 10 Favorite NoCamels Articles appeared first on NoCamels.

Medical researchers at Tel Aviv University (TAU) have discovered a way to help the body fight cancerous tumors that are even resistant to prevailing forms of immunotherapy.

The researchers found that reversing a mechanism preventing the immune system from attacking tumors can stimulate the immune system to fight the cancer cells. 

The breakthrough was led by Prof. Carmit Levy, Prof. Yaron Carmi, and PhD student Avishai Maliah from TAU’s Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences. The paper was published in the leading journal Nature Communications.

Levy said the discovery occurred at his lab, which studies both cancer and the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun on our skin and body  – both of which are known to suppress the immune system. 

“Cancer suppresses approaching immune cells and solar radiation suppresses the skin’s immune system,” he explained. 

“While in most cases, we cancer researchers worldwide focus on the tumor and look for mechanisms by which cancer inhibits the immune system, here we proposed a different approach: investigating how UV exposure suppresses the immune system and applying our findings to cancer. The discovery of a mechanism that inhibits the immune system opens new paths for innovative therapies.”

The research was recently published in the leading journal Nature Communications.

The post TAU Team Discovers Mechanism To Eliminate Cancerous Tumors appeared first on NoCamels.

The tech incubator operated by Ashdod Port is investing $2 million in three startups as part of its strategy to foster innovation at the site. 

The sum was approved by the port’s board of directors as part of its Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) investment fund, subject to the approval of the Government Companies Authority. 

Since its establishment in 2021, the incubator has supported more than 90 startups in various fields, including operations, logistics, cyber and safety. 

The three startups were selected following a pilot program lasting an average of six months, during which the technologies being developed were tested in close cooperation with the port’s staff. 

The three startups are:

Makalu Optics, which develops groundbreaking LiDAR technology for various applications  

Treedis, which develops an advanced digitally compatible solution based on virtual and augmented reality  

Flyz Robotics, which developed an autonomous system for miniature drone robots with unique capabilities  

“The Ashdod Port Company views investments in technology companies as a strategic move, which will help us meet both the challenges of the current period of time and the global challenges faced by ports all over the world and, in parallel, optimize our competitive ability,” said Shaul Schneider, the chairman Ashdod Port Board of Directors. 

“We are confident that this investment will yield optimal results for the Port of Ashdod, for the Israeli economy, as well as for the international port industry.”

The post Ashdod Port Investing In Startups As Part Of Innovation Strategy appeared first on NoCamels.

The past year has been a period of great upheaval and uncertainty in Israel, yet the high-tech sector has proven steadfast, despite concerns over investment and durability and swathes of the workforce serving in the IDF reserves for long stretches at a time. 

And as Israel navigates this time of war on multiple fronts – with its troops fighting in Gaza and Lebanon as well as handling attacks from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen – NoCamels asked leaders in the sector to look forwards and share their thoughts on what the future holds for the national high-tech industry, whose strength and vitality earned the country the moniker “Startup Nation.”  

Israeli readiness to embrace innovation, even when it seems somewhat risky, is a long-standing trait that is key to the sector thriving even in wartime – and crucial to it flourishing in the years to come, says Jon Medved, the CEO of Israel’s global investment powerhouse OurCrowd. 

“The fact that Israel grows and it continues to grow its tech sector during war is sort of a core element of who we are,” Medved tells NoCamels. 

“The reason that we’re so strong in the startup arena boils down, more than any other single reason, to our attitude towards risk. We are people who have learned to live with risk, even though I’m not sure we chose it.”  

Limor Nakar-Vincent: Periods of growth follow cycles of tension (Photo: Eyal Toueg)

In agreement with this sentiment is Limor Nakar-Vincent, the Deputy Executive Director of Business at the Binational Industrial Research and Development  Foundation (BIRD), a joint Israeli-American endeavor that brings companies from both countries together on collaborative projects. 

Nakar-Vincent tells NoCamels that the decades of conflict that the country has endured has made its people hardy, and spurred innovation and development. 

She cites the strong sense of solidarity and a highly adaptable workforce whose members often take on additional responsibilities to cover for colleagues called to reserve duty. 

“Israelis are creative and deeply motivated, which helps them navigate challenging times,” she says. “[They] are accustomed to managing through cycles of tension, and historically, periods of growth follow.” 

Going Global

Medved credits the diverse essence of Israel – a rich melting pot of Jews from around the world – with its ongoing and future success on the global stage. This “secret sauce,” he says, allows Israelis to retain ties, language skills and familiarity with global commerce and business on a broad scale – all of which are key, too, to its future success. 

It is this global outreach that is crucial for investment in the sector in years to come, Medved says, as foreign investors are “the main part of the story in the Israeli Startup Nation ecosystem.” 

In fact, he explains, even during the ongoing conflict, Israel reached a record high of 93-percent foreign VC participation in funding rounds for local startups, meaning that just 7 percent of them were solely Israeli efforts. 

And as the sector looks to sustain itself and expand in years to come, Medved believes that in the next half decade or so, Israeli startups must now look beyond becoming a unicorn or decacorn (companies valued at $1 billion or $10 billion, respectively) and seek the attainable target of a $20, $50 or even $100 billion valuation, which means a more international approach.  

“I predict that 10 years from now, there will be several Israeli companies in that $100 billion range,” he says. 

Medtech veteran Mati Gill shares this sentiment, citing a trend of Israeli startups moving into the international arena rather than opting for what he calls “the classical ‘exit’ model” of selling to a larger entity. 

“We saw a generation of Israeli startups that went public and grew globally, [while] maintaining their headquarters and R&D in Israel,” says Gill, who today is CEO of the Rehovot-based Aion Labs medtech venture studio, an initiative of the Israel Innovation Authority that works with global pharmaceutical giants on solutions for some of the most challenging diseases facing humanity. 

In fact, Gill tells NoCamels, the expansion by Israeli startups into areas outside the classic tech and SaaS space into fields such deeptech and biotech has opened new opportunities for Israeli R&D to mature into industry solutions.

Staying Power 

These new opportunities include making headway in the field of sustainability – one of the most innovative and significant in the tech ecosystem – which will create fresh avenues for Israeli startups in the years ahead. This, of course, is  alongside other major areas like cybersecurity and fintech, in which local companies have already built a reputation. 

“The double bottom line of impact investing – doing well and making money at the same time – is very valid and important,” says Medved. 

“Whether it’s in healthcare or climate, access to disabled technologies, foodtech or agtech, transportation, education or financial inclusion, you will see large numbers of Israeli startups on the front lines of this important battleground.” 

Gill, who has worked extensively in medtech innovation, also believes that healthcare – which he describes as the meeting point of technology and life sciences – is an area in which Israel is “uniquely positioned” to become one of the most relevant and leading ecosystems. 

Israel is ‘uniquely positioned’ to lead in the healthcare sector, says Mati Gill (Photo: Elad Malka)

“Our strong research and talent capabilities in both sectors, coupled with the entrepreneurial mindset of Israelis have helped birth a new cluster of startups in the tech bio space in Israel,” he explains. 

This includes significant fundraising achievements, deals and increased interest from pharmaceutical multinational corporations in the past five years alone, he adds.

Medved also highlights the need to ensure that Israeli innovation in these extremely important areas is made available in “every corner of the planet,” regardless of how economically developed a country is. 

To this end, he says, OurCrowd has partnered with the World Health Organization Foundation on a $200 million Global Health Equity Fund to help make these technological advances more equitable.  

Meanwhile, says Nakar-Vincent, the ongoing war will likely lead to growth among companies focusing on dual-use technologies, which serve both civilian and military applications. 

“This sector has garnered heightened interest, leading to increased funding and expedited development processes,” she says. 

In fact, she adds, the experience gained by many Israelis now serving in reserve duty will nurture the establishment of new start-ups in the defense and homeland security spheres.

“It’s essential to consider various forms of support for high-tech companies, especially those facing the ‘valley of death’ but with the potential to commercialize their technologies,” she explains. 

Looking beyond new innovation to the challenges of maintaining its well-respected position in the world’s tech sector, Gill believes that regulatory and geopolitical stability are vital, as well as restored trust in the country’s leadership and maintaining an independent judiciary. 

The latter refers to the domestic political turmoil over proposed judicial reform in the months preceding the October 7, 2023 mass terror attack by Hamas that saw tens of thousands taking to the streets every week to protest.  

Equally important, Gill says, is the ability to produce experienced homegrown talent in the sector and the ability to attract talent from abroad to Israel.  

Jon Medved: Israeli startups must discover new funding sources (Photo: Courtesy)

Medved ties expansion in Israeli high-tech to the need to find novel ways of raising money, in particular for startups in the field of artificial intelligence, which Israeli angel investor and former military intelligence officer Alon Arvatz predicted last year would be accelerated due to its use by the army in the current war.  

“It turns out that to build these AI startups fast, you need a lot of capital and a lot of money for computing and for GPU farms,” Medved says, referring to sophisticated servers that can quickly perform complex calculations.

Ultimately, say both Medved and Gill, it is experiences of extreme challenge that makes Israelis creative, progressive and determined to succeed, and will continue to do so in the future. 

“We are great as a country at staying focused on what matters, delivering results no matter what and adapting to any circumstances – especially when our backs are against the wall,” declares Gill. 

“It’s unfortunately been part of our environment for thousands of years that our risk of survival is simply part of the nature of our society,” says Medved. 

“As a result, we don’t stop creating. We don’t stop celebrating. We move forward with laughter through tears, and if they think they can stop us, they can’t.”

The post Forward Facing: What Does The Future Hold For Israeli High-Tech? appeared first on NoCamels.

With conspiracy theories and so-called fake news rampant on social media, in particular during major election periods, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have developed a method to help fact checkers keep up with increasing volumes of misinformation on these platforms.

A team led by Dr. Nir Grinberg and Prof. Rami Puzis of BGU’s Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering found that tracking fake news sources, rather than individual articles or posts, can significantly lower the burden on fact checkers and produce reliable results over time.

The researchers’ audience-based models outperformed the more common approach of looking at who’s sharing misinformation by large margins: 33 percent when looking at historical data, and 69 percent when looking at sources as they emerge over time.

The authors also showed that their approach can maintain the same level of accuracy in identifying fake news sources while requiring less than a quarter of the fact-checking costs.

“The problem today with the proliferation of fake news is that fact checkers are overwhelmed,” explained Grinberg. 

“They cannot fact check everything … [and] we know little about how successful fact checkers are in getting to the most important content to fact check. That prompted us to develop a machine learning approach that can help fact checkers direct their attention better and boost their productivity,” he said.  
The team’s findings were published recently in Proceedings of the 30th ACM SIGKDD Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining.

The post BGU Develops Fast Fact Checking Via News Sources Not People appeared first on NoCamels.

Israeli military technology company Elbit Systems has announced that it has been awarded an approximately $200 million contract by the nation’s Ministry of Defense to supply high-power laser systems for the Iron Beam air defense platform.

The mobile Iron Beam system consists of two pivoting laser guns, a surveillance system to track the incoming projectile and a control center staffed by personnel who issue commands to the system. 

The laser gun creates a high-energy beam that can bring down missiles, mortars and drones at a reported maximum range of 10 km. The laser heats its target to incredibly high temperatures very quickly, rendering it obsolete. 

According to the contract, Elbit will supply the ministry with its proprietary high-power laser solution in order to provide a robust defense against a variety of threats. The contract also includes the provision of ongoing support services.

“As Israel’s Laser Center and a global leader in high-power laser technology, Elbit Systems congratulates on the significant progress made in the Iron Beam project and is proud of its contribution to its success. The capabilities developed at Elbit Systems represent a leap forward in future defense against various threats,” said Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, the president and CEO of Elbit Systems. 

The Haifa-based company, which has almost 20,000 personnel working across five continents, says its products allow its clients around the world “to address rapidly evolving battlefield challenges and overcome threats.”

The post Israel Gives Elbit $200M Contract For Laser Air Defense System  appeared first on NoCamels.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have found that the Oriental hornet is the only known animal in nature capable of consuming alcohol chronically and in high concentrations with almost no negative effects on their health or lifespan. 

The researchers hope that the discovery could help future studies into alcoholism and how alcohol metabolizes in our bodies. 

The research was conducted under the leadership of postdoctoral fellow Dr. Sofia Bouchebti from the laboratory of Prof. Eran Levin at Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History. 

The team tested the Oriental hornet’s ability to consume and break down alcohol, and were surprised by the rapid rate at which the insects metabolized it. 

They also found that even high concentrations of alcohol had no noticeable effect on the hornets’ behavior and that there was no difference in lifespan for hornets that only consumed alcohol for their entire three-month lives and those that consumed sugar water.

“This is a remarkable animal that shows no signs of intoxication or illness even after ingesting huge amounts of alcohol,” said the research team. 

“While alcohol-related research is highly advanced, with 5.3 percent of deaths in the world linked to alcohol consumption, we believe that, following our research, Oriental hornets could potentially be used to develop new models for studying alcoholism and the metabolism of alcohol,” said Prof. Levin. 

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).

The post TAU’s Booze-Proof Hornets Could Help Research Into Alcoholism appeared first on NoCamels.

Israeli company Dataloop AI has announced a collaboration with American multinational Qualcomm Technologies, which aims to significantly accelerate AI model development for mobile, automotive, IoT and other computing devices powered by Snapdragon platforms.

Snapdragon is a versatile suite of system-on-chip (SoC) semiconductor products for a range of devices designed and marketed by Qualcomm, including mobile devices, tablets and laptops.

Dataloop enables developers to streamline the entire AI lifecycle through an automated pipeline that includes data curation, labeling, model fine-tuning, and integration with Qualcomm AI Hub, which compiles, optimizes, and profiles the ready-to-deploy model.

“The Qualcomm AI Hub helps enhance the efficiency of AI development. Dataloop’s comprehensive platform simplifies the entire AI lifecycle, while Qualcomm Technologies’ innovations enable models that are optimized and ready for deployment on edge devices, empowering developers to accelerate innovation and bring AI solutions to market faster,” said Dataloop AI co-founder and CBO Nir Buschi.

“Qualcomm Technologies is collaborating with Dataloop to streamline on-device AI deployment,” said Siddhika Nevrekar, senior director of product management at Qualcomm.

“With Dataloop’s automated pipelines and robust data management, developers can effortlessly create powerful AI systems and seamlessly deploy them on-device using our Qualcomm AI Hub.”

The post Israeli, US Firms Team Up To Develop AI Models For Devices appeared first on NoCamels.

NoCamels has recently shone a spotlight on Israeli medical technology and green technology that has the potential to change the world. 

But there are other equally innovative companies whose remit falls outside of these two categories yet have just as much potential impact on our lives. Here we take a look at 10 of them: 

Electric Air Travel

Eviation became the first company in the world to develop an electric plane with its nine-seater aircraft Alice, which it designed from scratch.

In 2022, Alice made a successful eight-minute flight at Moses Lake in Washington State, reaching an altitude of 3,500ft. The company beat the world’s aerospace giants in the race to develop an electric airplane, which in most cases were focusing their R&D on modifying existing petrol planes. 

The plane runs on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that only require 30 minutes to fully charge. It has a top speed of nearly 300 mph, a range of 288 miles and can fly for an hour at a time.

Eviation hopes to launch the plane for short-hop commercial flights in the US in 2027, with the aim of shaping future air travel for both passengers and cargo. Click here for more

Sustainable Sweetness 

A heavy impact on the environment makes globally beloved chocolate a costly affair for the planet. But Israeli startup Celleste Bio has found a way to change that with its lab-cultivated beans that create cocoa indistinguishable from the rest.

Celleste Bio uses lab-grown cocoa beans to create sustainable chocolate (Photo: Depositphotos)

Celleste Bio uses cell culture technology to create the cocoa beans, combined with AI modeling to create optimal growing conditions. The bean cells are used to make the cocoa butter needed to manufacture chocolate, which has the identical chemical profile to the original.

It takes just seven days for the bean cells to mature in their bioreactor so that the butter can be harvested.  

And because the process involves just a couple of beans that can be repeatedly reproduced, the Misgav-based company says the lab-cultivated cocoa is grown without ever needing to cut down a single tree again. 

“We are the first in the world to have been able to produce chocolate-grade cocoa butter,” said Celleste CEO Michal Beressi Golomb. “We’re really excited about it.” Click here for more 

Hunter Drones 

In southern Israel, close to the city of Be’er Sheva, Robotican has been developing a drone that can snatch its target out of the sky and even named it after a bird of prey that grapples with its enemies mid-flight. 

The Goshawk floating above its ‘nest’ (Photo: Ariel Gabay)

The Goshawk fully autonomous drone is a counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft system) designed to detect, track and destroy other craft. It sits in a metal box-like device that Robotican has dubbed its “smart nest,” waiting for its opportunity to strike. 

Once the radar system spots that a hostile drone has infiltrated the no-fly zone, the nest opens and the Goshawk takes to the air, chases it and catches it in a net.  

If the hostile drone is too heavy or if the Goshawk senses other threats, the net is sent plummeting to the ground with its victim trapped inside. Otherwise, it bears it safely to earth unharmed.  

According to Robotican, the Goshawk has already intercepted more than 250 enemy drones in its use by the Israel Defense Forces. Click here for more

Beating Bots With AI  

Tel Aviv-based Cyabra calls itself a “social threat intelligence” company, whose mission is to fight misinformation and expose online risk to individuals, institutions or even governments. 

Cyabra says unlike other cybersecurity companies, it focuses on accounts aiming to cause harm in the social sphere, rather than hackers who pose “classic threats” to infrastructure or hardware.

Cyabra roots out accounts spreading disinformation on social media (Image: Unsplash)

The company says its unique AI software can root out even the most sophisticated threats, quickly identifying malicious actors using social media and other online spaces such as comment sections, to spread false information. 

Hundreds of different behavioral parameters are fed into the Cyabara algorithm, including an account’s online behavior, the accounts that it follows and engages with and those that follow and engage with it.  

The company’s three founders are all veterans of the Israeli high-tech sector and two served in information warfare units in the IDF.  

“They developed the technical tools and skills to be able to track and fight disinformation, and then they started to use those skills for good,” said Cyabra VP Marketing Rafi Mendelsohn. Click here for more

Taxis In The Sky

Israel’s notorious traffic jams have led two companies to develop drones that can carry passengers in urban areas, by passing the clogged roads below. 

Dronery and AIR were both part of the Israel National Drone Initiative (INDI), which five years ago began preparing for the regular use of unmanned flying vehicles to carry goods as well as passengers.  

Dronery’s UAV is designed to carry people through the air for distances of up to 30km (Photo: Mark Nomdar)

Dronery’s Chinese-made, Israeli-adapted craft can carry 220 kg in cargo and fly as far as 30 km, while AIR’s homegrown AIR ONE craft can carry up to 250 kg and for a far greater distance of 160 km. 

Successful test flights last year involved taking off and landing in urban areas while carrying mannikins.  

“We believe that this whole technology is something that can really help solve urgent problems such as traffic and such as air pollution, and help us move things from place to place in a more efficient and safe way,” said Daniella Partem, who headed Israel’s drone project. Click here for more

To Catch A Hacker 

Pentera simulates attacks across an entire organization to pinpoint potentially exploitable gaps that make it vulnerable to potential hacking attempts.  

The company takes the perspective of the hackers in order to highlight the security gaps that would be most appealing to them, rather than just searching for any and all weaknesses. 

Pentera approaches cybersecurity from the perspective of the hackers (Photo: Depositphotos)

The system carries out the assessments automatically, without disrupting an organization’s ongoing operations, and focuses on two particular kinds of threats: exploitable gaps in the external attack surface – an organization’s digital footprint that is visible and accessible to anyone – and potential openings for malicious hackers using compromised credentials like passwords.

It identifies corporate passwords and other sensitive information that were leaked online either through the dark web or other resources used by hackers that make it vulnerable to cyberattacks. 

“Our goal is to find these exploitable gaps so that security teams can remediate the issues before our adversaries have a chance to use them,” said Pentera’s Senior Director of Product Management Ofer Yavelberg. Click here for more

Man Or Machine? 

Can you tell if you are talking to a computer or a real human? It’s not as easy as it might seem. 

A game created by AI21 Labs tests users’ skills in discerning the difference between bot and person with the aim of showing just how far artificial intelligence has advanced. And it even fooled its creator Amos Meron.

The game gives users two minutes to determine if they are talking to a human or bot (Image: Courtesy)

The premise is based on what Alan Turing, the father of modern computing, in the 1950s called the Imitation Game – a time when machines could imitate man so well that it would be difficult to tell from one the other. The test later came to be known as the Turing Test in his honor. 

Using an array of large language models (LLMs), including ChatGPT4 and AI21’s own Jurassic-2, the test makes each bot into its own character, with a name, location and date of birth, that has knowledge of recent events and even the current weather.

The test takes two minutes, which Meron calls the sweet spot as anything shorter is not enough interaction but a longer conversation could be boring or expose the flaws in the bot. Click here for more 

Cybersecurity In The Actual Clouds 

Cyviation says it is the first-ever company to focus on cybersecurity for aircraft, with a software solution that provides multiple levels of safety without having to make changes to the planes themselves.  

Cyvation keeps planes safe from cyberattacks with four levels of protection (Photo: Pexels)

The four-layer system is designed to reduce the risk of cyber attack, help manage such attacks should they occur and support airlines as they implement new and upcoming international regulations regarding cybersecurity in aviation. 

The first layer is a scan of an entire craft to create a virtual “twin” that allows the company to analyze any vulnerabilities on different severity levels.

The second is cybersecurity training for pilots, which the company says had not previously existed at all.  Similarly, the third layer of protection is security information and event management (SIEM), which trains pilots and crew in how to act should a cybersecurity incident actually occur.  

 The final layer is a set of patented devices that can detect any attack in real time, allowing the pilot to react swiftly to the threat. 

“When we look at cyber training, we don’t look at how you protect your password, we look at how you react when there is an event on the aircraft,” said Cyvation CEO Avi Tenenbaum. Click here for more 

Watchers Over The Waves

Drawing on decades of professional experience, two Israeli technology veterans created a new startup to combat cyberattacks on some of the country’s key institutions, including national water company Mekorot. 

IXDen’s founders and co-CEOs Zion Harel and Dr. Leonid Cooperman devised entirely new software from scratch with a focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning. 

IXDen protects the infrastructure of Israel’s national water carrier Mekorot from attack (Photo: Courtesy)

Collecting information from sensors placed around the company’s infrastructure, IXDen uses those algorithms to analyze millions of pieces of data every day in order to spot any anomalies that point to suspicious activity or even to just identify a fault in the system. 

The water company has around 3,000 sites in 10 regions across Israel, including 700 water pumping stations and 20 desalination sites. The IXDen platform is active at each location, analyzing 300 million pieces of data on a daily basis and feeding it all into one centralized system. Click here for more

The post Impact Innovation: Israeli Startups That Could Shape Our Future appeared first on NoCamels.

Leading green power company Enlight Renewable Energy has announced the completion of its Solar and Storage Cluster project in Israel, covering 12 locations in the north and the south of the country. 

The 12 installations were built in cooperation with multiple agricultural communities in Israel, and have a combined solar generation capacity of 254 MW and energy storage capacity of 594 MWh. While portions of it began commercial operation in 2023 and grid connections continued throughout 2024, the process has now been completed.

The Cluster’s entire output will be sold to Enlight’s supplier division, which markets the electricity directly to customers in Israel’s newly deregulated power market. 

The generation volumes of the Cluster currently account for 50 percent of all clean power produced under the new regulatory framework. 

“Today we completed the commencement of full commercial operations at the largest group of renewable energy facilities operating in Israel’s deregulated power market,” said Enlight MENA General Manager Gilad Peled. 

“The Cluster will generate attractive returns for Enlight, while creating a stable and vital source of income for our partners in the agricultural communities of Israel.”

Enlight is headquartered in Rosh Ha’ayin and operates in multiple countries worldwide, including Italy, Spain, Sweden and the US. 

The post Clean Energy Firm Completes Solar Project In North, South Israel appeared first on NoCamels.

An Israeli company that develops cannabis-based therapeutics says its CBD injections have proven effective in providing pain relief for dogs with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. 

According to InnoCan Pharma, a long-term treatment plan consistently demonstrated the LPT-CBD injection’s efficacy in pain reduction and improved mobility, with the effects lasting for several weeks after each treatment. 

This, the company says, demonstrates that LPT-CBD can be a viable treatment option for managing chronic pain and enhancing the quality of life in animals.

Two dogs suffering from osteoarthritis were treated for two years or more with LPT-CBD after failing to respond to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and oral CBD. Both animals showed noticeable pain relief, substantially improved mobility and obvious increased well-being. 

“We are thrilled with these findings, which highlight the long-lasting effects of repeated administration of LPT-CBD to treat chronic pain,” said InnoCan CSO Prof. Chezy Barenholz. 

“These results support the potential of LPT-CBD as a monthly treatment for chronic pain conditions, providing sustained relief. They position LPT-CBD as a breakthrough solution for managing chronic pain in animals and, by extension, human patients,” he said.

“This compassionate therapy has demonstrated significant efficacy in companion dogs and reinforces our commitment to advance FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) approval of LPT-CBD for the treatment of chronic pain in dogs,” said Dr. Eyal Kalo, InnoCan’s director of R&D.

The post Cannabis Therapy Firm: CBD Jab Reduces Pain In Arthritic Dogs  appeared first on NoCamels.

The US government is funding the development of an effective treatment created by Israeli firm RedHill Biopharma for the rare and deadly Ebola virus (EBOV).

The funding comes via the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).  

A study last year carried out by RedHill found that twice-daily oral doses of its opaganib medication boosted survival from about six days to 11 days in mice infected with Ebola. 

Opaganib is a host-directed therapy, meaning rather than destroying the pathogen directly, it makes its local environment less favorable to grow and live in. 

The drug is also in development as a treatment for multiple cancers, COVID-19 and viral and inflammatory diseases.  

“EBOV is deadly, killing, on average, half of all those who contract it. This year marks 10 years since the West Africa Ebola epidemic in which 11,000 people died, and yet there are still no host-directed, small molecule therapies approved to provide effective and usable treatment strategies,” said RedHill Chief Business Officer Guy Goldberg.  

 “Currently only Inmazeb, a combination of three monoclonal antibodies, and Ebanga, a single monoclonal antibody, are FDA-approved to treat EBOV, as such there is an urgent medical need for additional effective and easy to distribute and administer EBOV therapies,” he said.  

The post US Government Funding Development Of Israeli Ebola Treatment appeared first on NoCamels.

With the adverse impact of climate change becoming clearer almost every day, the role of technology in mitigating these devastating effects has never been more important. 

Israeli innovation – from clean energy to agriculture technology – has made massive contributions to the world’s efforts to  deal with this phenomenon, and NoCamels takes a look at some of the companies that have the potential to make a real difference. 

Making A Splash With Clean Energy  

Eco Wave Power has become a worldwide phenomenon with its ability to transform water into electricity by using the power of waves. 

The company’s unique floating devices are placed in the water, where they rise and fall with the movement of waves, generating energy that is delivered to power stations on land. The power stations then convert that energy into pressure used to spin a generator, thereby producing electricity.

The system is already generating electricity in China, Israel, South America and the US, and the company lately signed an agreement to bring its technology to Taiwan.  

“It seems like slowly but surely the world understands the great potential and undeniable resource, which is wave energy,” said EWP co-founder and CEO Inna Braverman. 

Eco Wave Power’s floater technology draws energy from incoming waves by converting their motion into clean energy (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Air Con Without Electricity 

With no wires, no plugs and no greenhouse gasses, Green Kinko has developed the world’s first outdoors air conditioning unit to use liquid nitrogen as a power source. 

The Kensho unit quietly emits nitrogen gas at a temperature of -10C (14F) to cool the surrounding area, providing needed relief as the world gets hotter, without contributing to the problem. It even has the option of adding an insect repellent, to keep the mosquitoes at bay while enjoying a cool breeze in the garden. 

Liquid nitrogen is already in wide use as a coolant in multiple industries, and the Shefayim based company came up with the idea of using it to cool the air while working on an unrelated project with cryogenic (very low temperature) liquids.

“We have invented a new generation of air conditioner,” said Green Kinko CEO Tal Leizer. “The technology is unique and amazing.” 

The Kensho unit is the world’s first outdoor air conditioner that works without electricity (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Taking The Pollution Out Of Plastic  

UBQ Materials says its thermoplastic material, made from unsorted household waste, is considered to have the lowest carbon footprint in the world.

Each year, the world produces more than two billion tons of household waste, most of which is unrecyclable and sent to landfills, for incineration or dumped in open natural spaces. 

The company’s patented technology breaks down the waste into its most basic molecular components and assembles them into the new raw material. It can absorb all kinds of non-sorted household waste, including organic garbage, plastics, papers, cardboard and even dirty diapers.  

The process has zero emissions and uses little energy and no water, giving it a carbon footprint 15-20 times lower than that of alternative resins. 

“By converting solid waste into a sustainable circular thermoplastic that acts as a plastic substitute, we can stop covering up our waste and start transforming and reusing it in safe, affordable and beneficial ways,” said UBQ International Advisory Board member and former White House climate expert Gina McCarthy.  

UBQ Materials takes household waste and converts it into a bio-based plastic substitute (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more 

A Breath Of Fresh Air  

Using data from thousands of locations worldwide, BreezoMeter’s app gives users real time information on the air quality in their immediate vicinity – even as they move about. 

The startup takes data from government air monitoring stations – using more than 50,000 sources globally, including satellite, weather and traffic data. Its AI and machine-learning algorithms are then able to track levels of pollution street by street and hour by hour, and are accurate down to five meters (16 feet). 

Its Cleanest Route feature directs pedestrians and cyclists to the least polluted route for them, giving the options a score from 0 to 100, based on air pollution, pollen and smoke in the atmosphere. It also works for motorists, who are actually exposed to higher levels of pollution as they sit behind the wheel.

And so effective is the app, the startup was bought by Google in 2022, in a deal reported to have been worth more than $200 million.

“Our mission is to improve the health and safety of millions of people by reducing their exposure to environmental hazards,” said Tamir Kessel, BreezoMeter’s head of Business Development and Strategy.  

The BreezoMeter Air Quality map tells users how best to avoid pollution in the air (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more 

Keeping Urban Landscapes Green And Shady

Trees are one of the biggest casualties of human encroachment into natural landscapes. But one company has found a way to allow trees and technology to coexist – to the benefit of urban dwellers and nature. 

TreeTube’s proprietary tubes are massive, soil-filled cylinders made from inert plastic material (one quarter of which is recycled), which are fitted together like blocks and placed under roads and walkways alongside the infrastructure of modern life.

The tubes allow the roots of the trees to grow in non-compacted soil, unlike the earth needed for pipes and cables, giving them unfettered access to the ground, air and water they need to survive.

The company works primarily with local authorities and landscape architects, and installing the tubes is a quick and efficient process that takes just several hours. The tubes are already successfully in use in Israel, the Netherlands and Estonia, providing shade, keeping down urban temperatures and even reducing carbon emissions in the air. 

“Trees are fantastic filters,” said TreeTube co-founder Jonathan Antebi. “They are one of the utilities that have an actual return on investment to a municipality. 

TreeTube’s plastic-based tubular system is easy to install under sidewalks to let trees flourish in cities (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Don’t Worry, Bee Happy  

As the world’s beekeepers warn of the dangers of rapidly disappearing colonies of the honeymakers, Israeli company BeeHero has created a way of monitoring their hives to ensure that the insects inside are happy and healthy. 

Tiny in-hive sensors (about the size of an AirPods case) act as eyes and ears for beekeepers who rely on the bees for honey and pollination of crops. 

They gather a wide range of data from inside the hives, including sound, light, temperature, vibration and humidity. The data is analyzed by the AI platform, which alerts keepers to potential issues that require their attention.

The company says its solution is in use in more than 200,000 hives worldwide and in 2022 alone saved the lives of a quarter of a billion bees, while its precision pollination program tells farmers just how many bees they need and where they need them. 

“I think what is very, very unique about BeeHero is the understanding… that there must be a way to apply Big Data, algorithms, machine learning and artificial intelligence into a legacy industry,” said BeeHero’s VP Global Strategy Eytan Schwartz. 

BeeHero uses sensor technology to monitor the welfare of bees in hives (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Meat With Mercy 

The world’s first steak created without killing an animal was the work of Israeli startup Aleph Farms, which grows cultured cow cells in the lab to create meals to satisfy any carnivore. 

Scientists have warned of the environmental impact of the world’s high demand for meat, which requires massive swathes of land for grazing, which not only is resource heavy but also drives up production costs. 

Aleph Farms says its bio-engineering platform, developed in conjunction with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, means it can grow steak in the lab without the need for vast tracts of land, water, feed and other resources to raise cattle. Nor does Aleph require antibiotics, whose use in animal feed has exacerbated the growing phenomenon of antibiotic resistance.

The startup uses a combination of six unique, innovative technologies, including the bioreactors in which the cells are grown, which also allow it to drop the production costs of the meat.  

“We’re shaping the future of the meat industry — literally,” said Aleph Farms co-founder and CEO Didier Toubia. 

Aleph Farms creates cultivated meat with less resources and animal cruelty (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

The post Israeli GreenTech Making Our World A Happier, Healthier Place  appeared first on NoCamels.

Israeli company SuperCom, which provides security solutions for digital operations, has been awarded a five-year contract by the government-run Israel Prison Service (IPS) to deploy its PureSecurity Electronic Monitoring (EM) Suite, alongside its prime partner Electra. 

The full-service contract, which is already in effect, includes all EM programs within Israel, including SuperCom’s existing Home Detention Monitoring program and additional GPS Tracking programs.

The program is expected to cover all EM offender programs in Israel, with an estimated 1,500 enrollees and potential for expansion. SuperCom says it will deploy its cutting-edge EM solutions, including PureCom, PureTrack, PureTag, and PureBeacon. 

The contract also includes the option for up to four one-year extensions.  

“We are deeply honored to support Israel’s public safety infrastructure during these challenging times,” said SuperCom CEO and President Ordan Trabelsi. 

“By providing the Israel Prison Service state agency with our advanced electronic monitoring solutions, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to making Israel safer for all its citizens,” he said.

“We also thank our partner, Electra, one of the most reputable and reliable nationwide security services providers. Together, we offered a winning proposal that combines the most advanced technologies and services to meet the critical needs of the IPS.”  

The post Security Firm Wins Prison Service Contract For Electronic Monitoring appeared first on NoCamels.

CivicLabs, a joint initiative by the Israeli government and private industry to help the high-tech industry in the north, has launched a new program designed to promote startups in the Built Environment (human-created spaces) sector. 

The initiative was devised by Baran Group, Israel’s largest engineering company, and the program focuses on early-stage startups in the sector that have demonstrated both technological and business feasibility.

Forty percent of the startups participating in the program are from the north of Israel, where swathes of the area have been devastated by rocket fire from the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon since the day after the massive terror attack by Hamas in the south last October.

Over a period of six to eight months, the program will offer professional guidance, access to funding and investment opportunities, support for technological and business development, access to R&D infrastructure, pilot opportunities with potential customers and networking with global investors specializing in the Built Environment. 

The five startups selected for the program so far last week presented their ventures at an event held at Meta’s offices, attended by Alon Stopel, the chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority and chief scientist at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, along with investors, potential partners and leading industry experts.

“Our vision is not only to provide technological and business support but also to establish a comprehensive connection to the entire ecosystem in the north,” said CivicLabs CEO Yogev Katzir.

“This is crucial during normal times and even more so now. We believe that in this challenging period, breakthrough solutions can emerge that will transform the industry and revitalize the economy in the north. Our goal is to position Israel, particularly the north, as a leading technology hub in the Built Environment sector, thereby developing innovative technologies and strengthening the local economy,” he said. 

“The North needs support now more than ever, and at this moment, we are proud to spearhead a significant change in the industry,” said Baran Israel CEO Zohar Nevo.

“The Startup Nation, which has already demonstrated its leadership in various technological fields, is taking another step toward fostering innovation in the Built Environment sectors, which are essential for the ecosystem, independence, and resilience of the Israeli economy, now more than ever.”

The post New Program Supporting Early-Stage Construction Startups In North  appeared first on NoCamels.

Israel Aerospace Industries, a world leader in the aerospace and defense sectors, has opened its first American innovation center in Washington, D.C., marking the event with the launch of a new accelerator program. 

The new IAI Catalyst program focuses on a number of fields critical to the future of aerospace innovation, among them AI, quantum science, energy and space technology, with the stated aim of becoming an epicenter for aerospace innovation. 

IAI says the Catalyst program will host two cohorts every year, each comprising four startups who have passed a rigorous screening process. 

The selected startups will be provided with office space, technological and business support from IAI and an investment of $100,000, and will be encouraged to work with IAI engineers on future advanced technologies.

“We are proud to launch the Israel Aerospace Industries Innovation Center in the United States, marking a significant milestone that underscores the deep bond between Israel and the US,,” said Amir Peretz, IAI’s Chairman of the Board of Directors and former Israeli defense minister. 

“This center symbolizes the partnership between Israel and America, and the achievements that are reshaping global defense and technology. Together, we will continue to lead, innovate, and shape the future for future generations,” he said.

The post IAI Launches First US Innovation Center, New Accelerator Program  appeared first on NoCamels.

Raanana-based startup Cympire has been selected by the Israel Defense Forces to use its cybersecurity training and assessment platform for training. 

Cympire says its military-grade platform provides hyper-realistic training environments and is designed to meet the needs of military, government, enterprise organizations and higher education, 

The platform enables users to “train-as-they-fight,” offering mission-critical readiness, as well as online training content and services.

“We are honored to be selected by the IDF for this critical project. Cympire’s platform offers the most advanced capabilities for building cyber defense skills, and we are committed to supporting the IDF in maintaining their leading edge in cybersecurity,” said Cympire CEO Yaniv Shachar.

According to Cympire’s senior advisor US Maj. Gen. Neil S. Hersey, the former Deputy Commanding General – Operations at the US Army Cyber Command, the partnership underscores the company’s ability to meet the demands of elite military cyber units. 

“By leveraging Cympire’s platform, the IDF will enhance its ability to counter advanced cyber threats effectively. I am excited to see this technology being utilized in one of the world’s most challenging and dynamic cyber defense environments,” he said.

The post Israeli Cybersecurity Startup To Provide Training For IDF appeared first on NoCamels.

American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has completed its purchase of Israeli medtech company V-Wave, which makes a device to treat heart failure, after the prospective acquisition was announced in August. 

The Israeli company has now become part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.  

V-Wave’s proprietary, minimally invasive Ventura Interatrial Shunt (IAS) is designed to treat patients with heart failure. The shunt between the left and right atria in the heart aims to reduce elevated pressure in the left atrium. 

It received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2019 and CE mark in 2020, and, according to Johnson & Johnson, has the potential to be the first device of its kind to market.

The American multinational said in August that it would pay up to $1.7 billion for V-Wave. This included a sum of $600 million upfront, followed by further payments totalling some $1.1 billion should V-Wave hit certain regulatory and commercial milestones. 

“We’re excited to officially welcome V-Wave to Johnson & Johnson MedTech,” saif Johnson & Johnson Executive VP and Worldwide Chairman Tim Schmid. 

“V-Wave’s novel implantable device, the Ventura Interatrial Shunt, offers tremendous promise for patients experiencing heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This technology has the potential to be the first device of its kind to market. We look forward to working with the talented V-Wave team to bring this transformative innovation to patients.”

The post Johnson & Johnson Completes Purchase Of Israeli Startup V-Wave appeared first on NoCamels.

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot have created a new composite plastic that degrades easily using bacteria that is cheap, strong and simple to prepare. 

Seeking to create a composite plastic that would meet the needs of industry while also being environmentally friendly, the researchers decided to focus on commonplace, inexpensive source materials whose properties could be improved. 

They found that molecules of tyrosine – a prevalent amino acid that forms exceptionally strong nanocrystals – could be used as an effective component in a biodegradable composite plastic. 

And after examining how tyrosine combines with several types of polymers, they also chose hydroxyethyl cellulose, a cellulose derivative employed extensively in the manufacture of medicines and cosmetics.

When hydroxyethyl cellulose and tyrosine are combined, they form an exceptionally strong composite plastic made of fiber-like tyrosine nanocrystals that grow and integrate into the hydroxyethyl cellulose. 

The study was led by Dr. Angelica Niazov-Elkan, Dr. Haim Weissman and Prof. Boris Rybtchinski of Weizmann’s Department of Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science. 

As both cellulose and tyrosine are edible, the biodegradable composite plastic can actually be eaten. The researchers say, however, that as the conditions in the lab are not suitable for foodstuffs, they have yet to sample their new material.

The post Weizmann Researchers Create Biodegradable Composite Plastic  appeared first on NoCamels.

The Startup Nation is world-famous for its innovation in a wide range of fields, from cybersecurity that protects from hackers to awe-inspiring defense tech on the ground and in the air that keeps us all safer.  

But for many who find themselves facing the greatest battle of all – for their health – Israeli companies have developed truly life-changing medical technology. 

We take a look at some of the most significant innovations, which have the potential to really make the world a better and healthier place. 

Freezing Out Cancer 

IceCure Medical’s ProSense system does what the name of the company suggests – freezing tumors as a treatment for early-stage breast, lung, liver and kidney cancers. 

Doctors insert a small needle into the tumor, using liquid nitrogen to freeze it to temperatures as low as -170°C, without harming the healthy tissue that surrounds it. The cells die as they thaw, and are then absorbed by the body.

The system can be used in a doctor’s own surgery with no invasive treatment or general anesthetic, involving no hospitalization or tissue removal that can cause scarring. The ice ball also has an analgesic effect, providing additional numbing and pain relief to the treated area.

Today, ProSense currently has regulatory approval in 15 countries, including Canada, the United States and China.

IceCure allows physicians to remove tumors by freezing them with liquid nitrogen – with no need for hospitalization (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Wheelchair That Puts Users Back On Their Feet  

The wife of inventor and entrepreneur Dr. Amit Goffer cried when she saw him standing on his own feet for the first time, after almost two decades in a wheelchair, thanks to his UpnRide development.  

The unique mobility device gives users the freedom to sit, stand and travel in an upright position, and can lift the user from a sitting to a standing position – and back again – unaided.

Goffer had lost the use of both legs and some movement in his arms when he broke his neck in an ATV accident in 1997, He had already invented the “bionic” ReWalk, a wearable device that allows paraplegics to walk again, and then began developing a solution for people who did not have the upper-body function it requires.  

And unlike other similar solutions on the market, FDA-approved UpnRide’s sophisticated technology allows the user to travel upright at 4km per hour regardless of terrain, tackling almost all urban environments. Click here for more

Dr. Amit Goffer visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem using the mobility device he invented (Photo: Courtesy)

Delivering An IVF Baby Boom 

Israel loves babies. It is the only developed nation on the planet with an above-average number of births per woman and is by far the world leader in IVF procedures. 

So it is hardly surprising that a major revolution in the efficacy of IVF treatments should be Israeli. 

Tel Aviv-based startup AIVF uses artificial intelligence to select the embryo with the best chance of being successfully implanted into a woman’s womb. 

Using massive amounts of biological data, the EMA platform was trained to understand developmental biology in order to detect milestones and parameters in a developing embryo. 

The founders created the platform based on the premise that AI would be better than the human eye at the “crucial point“ of evaluating embryos in the lab and determining which of a woman’s fertilized eggs was most likely to be viable. 

The AIVF platform predicts which embryos fertilized using IVF are most likely to result in pregnancy (Photo: Depositphotos)

Click here for more

Tiny Camera Is Canceling Colonoscopies   

Perhaps the most famous of Israeli medtech developments, the PillCam is a non-invasive method of detecting disorders in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. 

Developed by Given Imaging (today owned by American multinational Medtronic), the pill-sized camera is ingested by patients, which allows physicians to visualize the esophagus, colon and areas of the small intestine. This is vital for detecting diseases including Crohn’s, obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) and even esophageal cancer.

After a 10-hour fast, patients swallow the PillCam that then passes naturally through the digestive system over an eight-hour period. During that time PillCam transmits approximately 50,000 images, which can then be downloaded and reviewed by the physician.  

The pill also costs around $800, making it far cheaper than a colonoscopy that can come with a price tag of more than $4,000 and is often far more uncomfortable. 

Since acquiring Given Imaging, Medtronic has opened development centers in Jerusalem and Yokneam, where it employs around 750 people. 

The PillCam allows physicians to examine the gastrointestinal tract without a colonoscopy (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Predicting Strokes With Sensors

Prevention, as the saying goes, is better than a cure, and Avertto’s groundbreaking wearable device alerts people to the dangers of an imminent stroke before it even happens. 

The first-ever device of its kind uses cutting-edge pulse wave analysis technology to monitor changes in the blood flow to the brain through the carotid artery, allowing immediate medical steps to be taken to mitigate the risk. 

Strokes are most commonly caused by a clot blocking the essential supply of blood to the brain, and according to the World Health Organization are the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability across the globe. 

Avertto’s device uses sensors placed over the carotid arteries, the two major blood vessels on either side of the neck that provide the blood supply to the brain.

A lower blood flow level indicates potential blockages in the carotid arteries. The device’s AI-based alert system detects these changes and within seconds notifies the wearer, first responders and healthcare providers. 

Avertto’s wearable device monitor changes in the blood flow to the brain via the carotid arteries (Images: Courtesy)

Click here for more

AI Platform Makes Snappy Work Of Diabetic Eye Test

A store-bought camera and a revolutionary AI platform have made simple work of one of the seemingly endless list of tests required by diabetics to monitor their health – with minimum discomfort and in a convenient setting.  

AEYE Health’s proprietary software analyzes an image of the eye for diabetic retinopathy – damage to the blood vessels in the retina that can lead to blindness – without having to dilate the pupil in an uncomfortable and incapacitating procedure. 

Building the platform, which uses machine learning, involved collecting and analyzing massive amounts of data in order to understand how to differentiate between patients whose eyes needed no immediate further care and those who required a referral to an ophthalmologist. 

The method can be used by a family doctor at a pharmacy or even in a patient’s own home, and yields immediate results, avoiding the discomfort and inconvenience that deters many people from having the crucial annual test. 

So remarkable is the development that AEYE Health CEO Zack Dvey-Aharon was recently named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence for 2024. 

The AEYE Health technology allows crucial eye tests to be carried out in a convenient setting (Photo: Courtesy)

Click here for more

Mapping Endometriosis Without Surgery 

Women suffering from endometriosis – when tissue similar to the womb lining grows as “lesions” on other parts of the body – have traditionally had to undergo painful and invasive surgery to properly assess the extent of the debilitating disease.  

So challenging has been the detection of the disease, Yale Medicine says that it takes between four to 11 years from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment.  

But femtech startup EndoCure has developed an AI-powered ultrasound platform for comprehensive mapping of the lesions, leading to quicker diagnosis and customized treatment options for the one in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide who suffer from endometriosis. 

The lesions appear primarily on the ovaries, bowel and other areas of the pelvic region, causing severe pain and affecting fertility. 

EndoCure’s system integrates with standard ultrasound equipment, streaming the data using its own software as the area is scanned.  It produces 3D imaging that is able to detect lesions smaller than one millimeter, which are extremely hard for current systems to spot.

Scar tissue on a woman’s reproductive system caused by endometriosis (Image: Depositphotos)

Click here for more

An honorable mention also goes to femtech startup Gynica, which has developed a treatment for endometriosis with cannabinoids, the main component in the cannabis plant. 

The startup’s proprietary slow-release suppository makes use of cannabinoids’ anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, as well as their ability to deter the movement of the endometrium cells to different parts of the body in a three-fold treatment that tackles different aspects of endometriosis. Click here for more

The post Israeli Medical Technologies That Could Change The World appeared first on NoCamels.

The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) has approved a second year of funding for a joint R&D project to develop CRISPR gene-editing technology for crustaceans that will improve key traits such as growth rate, disease resistance and environmental adaptation. 

The joint project by sustainable aquaculture company Watershed AC, computational biotech firm Evogene and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) focuses on giant freshwater prawn, white leg shrimp and red swamp crayfish.

CRISPR is a powerful gene-editing tool that allows for the modification of DNA with unprecedented precision and ease, making it a valuable tool in various fields of research and biotechnology.

The decision by the IIA – the government agency dedicated to supporting the national tech sector – came after the collaboration partners met their targeted goals in the first year of research. 

Using Evogene’s advanced GeneRator AI tech-engine and other tools, Watershed and BGU successfully produced the first edited giant freshwater prawn with selected gene modifications by using CRISPR.  

In the second year, the collaboration’s main target is to industrially scale-up CRISPR technology for giant freshwater prawn and expand the obtained application to other two crustacean species.  

The collaborators say the global shrimp market, which was worth $40.35 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.09 percent and the global crayfish market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 31.5 percent during the next eight years, 

These growing markets increasingly emphasize the need to expand sustainable aquaculture, the team says, making the technology developed in the frame of the collaboration exceptionally relevant.

The post IIA Funds Further Israeli R&D Into Crustacean Gene Modification appeared first on NoCamels.

Eco Wave Power, an Israeli company that uses waves to create energy, has signed an agreement to bring its technology to Taiwan.

According to the agreement, the Tel Aviv-based company will sell its first wave energy generation unit to I-Ke International Ocean Energy, a subsidiary of leading maritime engineering company Lian Tat.

I-Ke will provide the full financing for the 100KW pilot project, by buying a turnkey conversion unit from Eco Wave Power, the agreement states. The conversion unit includes all the hydraulic and electric conversion parts, coupled with the smart control and automation system.

This agreement is based on a memorandum of understanding signed between Lian Tat and Eco Wave Power in June 2023, and will leverage the latter’s technology to maximize energy extraction on the Taiwanese coastline.

“The construction of Eco Wave Power’s project is relatively easy, and I believe that it will be a significant stepping stone for the development of green electricity in Taiwan,” said Lian Tat Chairman CY Huang. 

“I also think that this will allow Taiwan to break away from existing renewable energy restrictions and develop in the direction of diversified renewable energy,” he said. 

“I am certain that Eco Wave Power’s official visit in Taiwan and the signing of this official collaboration agreement between our companies is the beginning of a true friendship and a productive business collaboration,” said Eco Wave Power founder and CEO Inna Braverman. 

“I believe that this new collaboration will not only be a win-win collaboration for both parties but will also serve as a pioneering step towards the implementation and adaptation of wave energy all over Asia, as this will be the first onshore wave energy array in the region. So let’s change the world together – One Wave at a Time!” 

The post Israeli Wave Energy Tech To Create Power In Taiwan appeared first on NoCamels.

A new AI tool created by Microsoft, in association with a group documenting the events of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 of last year, facilitates the preservation of real-time testimonies from that day as part of a collective memory. 

Engineers from Microsoft Israel’s R&D department teamed up with Edut 710 to develop the unique tool, which allows anyone to create a personalized ceremony, event or learning session. 

The ceremony can include video testimonies, background materials, artwork and texts related to the October 7 attack,and creators end up with a customized PowerPoint presentation of their work.

Edut 710 was founded to preserve the memories of the victims of the mass terror attack in southern Israel, collecting testimonies of survivors in full detail. So far, more than 1,200 testimonies have been collected as part of a project to create a comprehensive national archive. This archive could then be used to teach and discuss the attack even when survivors cannot be physically present. 

Browsers of the collective digital memory bank do so with the help of advanced language-learning models (LLMs),which allow it to carry out sophisticated searches across hundreds of testimonies. 

“Collaborating with the amazing employees at Microsoft has allowed us to take another step forward in our commitment to the survivors, their stories, and society at large, ensuring that these testimonies reach a wide audience and are not just preserved in archives,” said Itay Ken-Tor, co-founder and Head of Partnerships and Resource Development at Edut 710. 

“We are excited by the collaboration and the amazing dedication of the Microsoft volunteers who created such an important and impactful platform in such a short time, and we thank them all,” he said. 

“Above all, we are deeply moved by the ability of users to send personal thanks to the survivors whose testimonies they heard. From our experience and consultations with experts, we know how significant this is for them.”

The post Microsoft Creates AI Tool To Help Preserve October 7 Testimonies   appeared first on NoCamels.

Israeli water management pioneer LeakZon has announced the official release of what it says is the first and only dedicated platform designed to significantly reduce water loss rates and enhance the control and clarity of water networks. 

The WEAD (Water Efficiency, Anomaly Detection) platform contains an automated algorithm to identify, categorize and address any anomalies in a water system, monitoring the problem and its performance until resolution.

The  SaaS solution integrates with any Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) platform, and is the only platform available that supports simultaneous integration with multiple AMI platforms. 

The platform, which is available for water utilities, municipalities, smart meter manufacturers and multifamily property owners, also maintains high levels of cybersecurity to safeguard customer data. 

Its capabilities include reducing water loss by up to 66 percent; an intuitive dashboard that provides a clear snapshot of entire water networks; and a Virtual District Metered Area (VDMA) that presents a holistic view of water networks.

“We are thrilled to offer utilities the opportunity to enhance their water loss management,” said LeakZon CEO Dan Winter. 

“With numerous customers already benefiting from our solution, we are confident that WEAD will help utilities, municipalities, and multifamily property owners increase their revenue and significantly reduce water loss. In light of the global climate crisis, LeakZon has made sustainability one of our top priorities, and we are pleased to be able to make our humble contribution to creating a better and safer world.”

The post Water Management Pioneer Unveils Unique New Anti-Leak Platform appeared first on NoCamels.

“We will dance again” has become an Israeli mantra of hope and resilience following the massacre at the Nova music festival on October 7, when Hamas terrorists brutally slaughtered 364 people at the dance party and kidnapped dozens more to nearby Gaza. 

Vibez, a unique, young platform for music events, is determined to help Israelis do just that – with major input from a famous Israeli DJ whose son was one of the victims of the Nova attack. 

The memorial to the victims of the massacre at the Nova music festival in southern Israel (Photo: Shlomo Roded/PikiWiki)

The platform is available in app and browser form, and operates as a portal for private communities for specific events, which anyone can apply to join. The platform serves as a complete environment for each event, with social media features, member offers and ticket sales. 

“We built an ecosystem for advanced communities that does much more than just ticketing,” Dovev explains. “We do the whole aspect of member management.”  

And no other platform in the world, he says, has the same range of features as Vibez. 

One of the main communities on the platform – with more than 10,000 members –  is operated by David Abramov, better known in the Israeli music world as DJ Darwish, who is also a member of the Vibez advisory board.   

Abramov’s 20-year-old son Laor was initially declared missing in the chaotic aftermath of the Nova attack and tragically later found to be among the dead. 

Launched just two weeks before the massacre at the Nova festival on October 7, Vibez co-founder and CEO Saar Dovev tells NoCamels that it took until mid-March for Israeli events to begin happening again. 

Nova was a prime example of a community-based music festival, Dovev says. 

Saar Dovev: We realized that events were building themselves communities (Photo: Courtesy)

Each community – be it created by an individual, specific festival or club – has its own pages on the platform, with listings for upcoming events, messages from the operators and special offers exclusive to that group. 

Would-be members ask to join the specific community in order to access their features and, once approved, can interact and receive often exclusive details of upcoming events.  

Dovev explains that each community can also define the levels of membership within it, such as premium or VIP, set up event promotions or even just send messages to its members. A social media aspect, allowing members to chat, is also in development. 

“We are a little bit like Meetup,” Dovev says, referring to the global forum for people to find others in their immediate vicinity who share their interests, “but for nightlife, festivals, parties – everything to do with culture.” 

Dovev set up Vibez in late 2021 with co-founder Yael Dovev, who is the company COO and also his wife, whom he fondly refers to as his “partner in crime.”  

An experienced entrepreneur in the event industry, Dovev had created ticketing platform EventBUZZ more than a decade ago, but came to realize that as events of all kinds were building communities around themselves, they would need a dedicated home to manage all their interactions. 

“Communities became a big thing everywhere, in every segment of life,” he says.  

The founders funded the development of the platform themselves, with no external investment and a small team to write the code and develop the software themselves. 

“I’m very proud of the fact that we are a bootstrap company, and we reached the milestone that we have reached,” Dovev says, adding that Vibez “didn’t spend a shekel on marketing.”  

That milestone includes some 100,000 users in Israel and an app that he says has been downloaded by more than 10 percent of that number – making it the 15th most popular app in the country in less than a year. 

The Vibez app has become one of the most popular apps in Israel (Photo: Courtesy)

Although currently operating primarily in Israel, the platform has also expanded internationally with events in Finland and Thailand, and has already established itself as a firm fixture in the latter. 

Vibez is also hopeful that a large music festival in Europe will be using the platform in the near future, and has its sights set on the US, where it has already registered the company. 

Although the emphasis is on music events, Dovev says the platform is suitable for any kind of cultural experience. 

“If it has culture, if it has music, sound, art, movement, it’s relevant for us,” he says.

The post Innovative Music Festival Platform Is Helping Israelis To Dance Again  appeared first on NoCamels.

The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) has announced the 20 Israeli climate tech companies that will be featured at the United Nations COP29 Climate Conference set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan in November. 

The 20 companies operate in a diverse range of sectors related to green tech – including renewable energy; water; advanced agriculture; and smart transportation – and each has its own innovative solution to combating the global climate crisis.

The various companies were chosen in order to showcase the impact of Israeli innovation in this ecosystem, and will be present at the Israeli pavilion inside the event’s main Blue Zone hub. 

COP29 will be the UN’s 29th climate conference, the largest event of its kind in the world. More than 100 heads of state and over 40,000 participants – including members of governments, the private sector, academia and financial institutions – 

are expected to attend this year’s conference, which will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change, with an emphasis on innovative and sustainable solutions.

The Israeli companies selected are: 

Airovation Tech: Developed a unique technology for capturing and storing carbon dioxide from the air, enabling industries such as fertilizers, cement and steel to significantly reduce carbon emissions

CarbonBlue: Removes carbon dioxide from ocean water, allowing it to absorb more CO₂ from the atmosphere without requiring water pre-treatment

Rewind: Developed a carbon dioxide removal method involving the storage of biomass in the 2km deep, oxygen-depleted waters of the Black Sea

Momentick: Uses advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to provide precise and autonomous capabilities for detecting and quantifying methane and other greenhouse gas emissions worldwide

Senecio Robotics: Tackles the global mosquito epidemic by developing an AI-powered robotic platform that releases sterile males, dramatically reducing mosquito populations in vast areas

TextRe: Specializes in converting synthetic textile waste into sustainable recycled materials used in various applications in the plastics industry.

Treetoscope: Presents advanced irrigation optimization technology in agriculture, reducing water waste and promoting efficient use of renewable water sources

BlueGreen Water Technologies: Purifies polluted lakes by combining innovative materials and technologies to treat stagnant water sources and rivers

SolCold: Developed a unique nanotechnological coating that cools buildings under sunlight without the need for electricity, making it a perfect solution for extremely hot regions

EZPack: Provides off-grid water solutions for rural areas, with technologies that supply clean water for drinking and agriculture even in harsh conditions

NGV: Offers technology to reduce carbon emissions from polluting industries while creating sustainable products, enabling over an 80-percent reduction in emissions throughout the lifecycle

Envomed: Developed a solution for the treatment of hazardous medical waste, focusing on environmental preservation and reducing pollutant emissions

Reep Technologies: Removes ink from paper in a way that allows paper reuse, reducing pollution in the printing industry

H2OLL: Provides technology to extract drinking water directly from the air, a unique solution for areas with water shortages

Salicrop: Develops environmentally friendly fertilizer alternatives that help plants adapt to harsh climatic conditions

ANINA Culinary Art: Offers unique packaging solutions for healthy, eco-friendly meals that are ready to eat within minutes

CI Sensing: Developed a revolutionary solution for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions based on Optical Gas Imaging technology, which helps energy companies reduce emissions and enhance safety against leaks

Marine Edge: Provides optimization solutions for shipping companies, reducing fuel consumption and pollutant emissions

Terra: Developed technology for managing and monetizing carbon removal for farmers

The post Israel Sending 20 Green Tech Firms To UN Climate Conference appeared first on NoCamels.

One year after the brutal mass attack by Hamas terrorists on southern Israel, and the country is still dealing with the subsequent and ongoing war in Gaza, driving Hezbollah from the northern border, and attacks by Iran and its other proxies in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. 

But during the past year, Israelis have displayed the resilience, determination and creativity that has helped them overcome the threats they have faced since the creation of the state in 1948 and for which they have a worldwide reputation. 

So too has the national innovation ecosystem risen to the occasion, displaying the same tenacity that earned it the moniker Startup Nation, and using it to rehabilitate the country during the greatest challenge of its 76-year history.  

Perhaps in the realest sense of the word rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center – Israel’s largest and internationally ranked hospital – is developing the most groundbreaking surgical techniques to improve the lives of Israeli veterans who were wounded in the line of duty. 

The soldiers underwent what Sheba said were life-changing procedures by Israeli and top global surgeons, with the aim of helping them to reclaim their sense of empowerment and independence. 

The foreign surgeons also worked with their Israeli counterparts on these new techniques, in a joint project by Sheba and Brothers for Life, a non-profit organization providing critical and immediate aid to wounded IDF veterans.

The innovative techniques will now be used to operate on IDF veterans such as Sergeant O., who lost his right leg after stepping on an IED during a mission in the West Bank in January, and who has since  experienced severe pain due to nerve damage. 

Sergeant O. was set to undergo surgery at Sheba to ease the pain, a procedure to be led by Dr. Jason Souza, Director of the Orthoplastic Reconstruction and Advanced Amputation Program at Ohio State University.  

“We are humbled and honored to serve those who have served us. It is our duty to help veterans rebuild their lives and enable them to look ahead to a future filled with hope and possibilities,” said Dr. Avi Avitan, head of Sheba’s Outpatient Rehab Clinic. 

“Our network of healthcare professionals, including surgeons, physical therapists and prosthetists assists patients along every step towards recovery, providing support in every way possible. They fought their battle on the front line, and now it is our turn to fight alongside them in their journey to recovery and rehabilitation,” he said. 

Brothers for Life today works with 2,000 wounded IDF veterans and its co-founder and executive chairman Gil Ganonyan, who was also wounded in battle, anticipates that more veterans will look to the organization for support in the coming months. 

“We are fully committed to continuing our vital mission of supporting the physical and mental recovery of our heroes, putting the puzzle pieces back together to build a stronger, more resilient future,” Ganonyan said. 

Coping with the wounds of the past year also means healing the mental scars, and Israel’s innovation ecosystem has also been hard at work in this sphere too.  

Medical cannabis company SyqeAir – which created the world’s first inhaler with metered doses for pain management – has developed an online questionnaire to recognize early symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and recommendations for professional help for anyone suffering from mental distress. 

The number of Israelis dealing with PTSD has almost doubled in the past year (Photo: Pexels)

According to the Israeli Center for Suicide Research, the number of Israelis dealing with PTSD has almost doubled in the past year from 16 percent to 30 percent. Furthermore, a survey by the University of Haifa also found that approximately 60 percent of the population not directly affected by the war are experiencing acute stress disorder (ASD), which when left untreated has the potential to develop into PTSD.

SyqeAir’s questionnaire asks respondents about their recent emotions and behaviors, and the degree of their intensity, which may reveal symptoms characteristic of PTSD. 

The completed questionnaire is analyzed for signs of symptoms characteristic of PTSD. If such signs appear, the respondent is recommended to contact a professional for a full diagnosis and treatment advice. 

The questions are based on a self-report survey used by the National Center for PTSD at the US Department of Veterans affairs, which assesses 20 symptoms of post-traumatic stress. 

According to SyqeAir, its data shows a 350 percent increase in victims of hostilities being treated with medical cannabis, of which 56 percent are being treated for PTSD. 

The data also shows a 150 percent increase in members of the security forces being treated with medical cannabis, of which 57 percent are dealing with PTSD from the ongoing conflict.

“Professional estimates suggest that by the end of 2025, between 1.5 to 2 million individuals may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),” said SyqeAir CEO Hagit Kamin. 

“Our newly developed digital tool aims to raise awareness about post-traumatic symptoms and offers an early self-identification solution for those in need of help and professional guidance to improve their well-being,” she said. 

“Considering the rapid increase in the number of people experiencing PTSD, we recognize the critical need to provide the general public with an initial identification tool to promote awareness and enable individuals to seek treatment as early as possible.”

Young Israelis are also innovating for better medical solutions, with students at Afeka College of Engineering creating new technologies for emergency medical services in the wake of the October 7 attacks. 

The top three winning entries were an AI-powered platform to streamline patient medical history, thereby reducing time to treatment; a smart bandage that helps prevent sepsis by detecting an infection based on the changes in a patient’s pH levels; and a drone that can deliver medical equipment to remote areas.

The unique solutions for emergency care were created during the Tel Aviv college’s third annual 24-hour hackathon, and is an issue of great importance to Afeka, which has seen 42 percent of its study body serving in the Israel Defense Forces during the course of the war. 

Afeka students beside a Magen David Adom ambulance during the college’s hackathon for medical care innovation (Photo: Courtesy)

The event, dubbed “the MDAthon,” was held in conjunction with Magen David Adom, Israel’s national rescue service, and included multidisciplinary teams of students and alumni, emergency responders and industry professionals. 

“The demand for skilled engineers has never been greater, especially during these critical times,” said Afeka President Prof. Ami Moyal. 

“Our students will be the leaders and innovators that drive future success, will drive our economy, and ensure Israel’s continued success on the global stage.”

The post Rehabilitation Nation: Israeli Innovation On Road To Healing  appeared first on NoCamels.

Israeli medical diagnostic company MeMed has announced the successful completion of the first randomized controlled trial in the US of its test to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections. 

The test could reduce the amount of use of antibiotics, which do not work on viral infections but whose prescription for them plays a part in the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

The company says the trial of the MeMed BV test successfully demonstrates its clinical utility in promoting appropriate antibiotic use, highlighting its potential to improve patient outcomes and healthcare decision making. It also called the trial a critical step toward making the test the standard for distinguishing bacterial and viral infections.  

The randomized controlled trial was conducted across 11 Emergency Departments (EDs) and Urgent Care Centers (UCCs) in the US and Israel, and included 260 adult patients with clinical suspicion of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). 

The first small-scale analysis of data from the trial showed a 62 percent relative reduction in unnecessary antibiotic prescription rates, while follow-up data indicated no significant increase in the rate of return ED/UCC visits within 7 days.

“The results of this trial build on a decade-long series of studies involving thousands of patients, demonstrating the high performance of the MeMed BV technology,” said MeMed co-founder and CEO Dr. Eran Eden. 

“This trial marks a significant step forward by generating interventional data and showcasing the test’s actual impact on patients. We are committed to further expanding on these findings, with several additional utility and real-world studies underway,” he said.  

The post Israeli Test To Tell If Infection Bacterial Or Viral Successful In Trial  appeared first on NoCamels.

Tel Aviv University (TAU) has been ranked seventh worldwide and first outside the US in the 2024 Pitchbook Ranking for global entrepreneurship. 

The annual ranking, published by renowned business data research company Pitchbook, tracks startups raising capital in the US, using the number of entrepreneurs among an institution’s alumni to compile the top 50 universities.

TAU says the achievement was driven by 893 alumni with bachelor’s degrees who have founded 755 companies over the past decade, raising $29.8 billion in total capital. 

While TAU joins world-famous US universities such as Stanford, MIT and Harvard in the top 10, it places higher than Yale, Columbia and Princeton, who were ranked 11th, 13th and 14th respectively. 

Pitchbook singled out three companies founded by TAU alumni that have each raised over $1 billion: Generate ($4.3 billion); Lendbuzz ($1.2 billion); and Next Insurance ($1.1 billion).

“TAU continues to be Israel’s main entrepreneurial university and a global leader in producing alumni who become entrepreneurs, found companies, raise venture capital and drive economic progress,” said Prof. Moshe Zviran, the university’s Chief Entrepreneurship & Innovation Officer. 

“TAU’s 7th place in the Pitchbook ranking is another testament to the exceptional quality of our alumni and the impact of our entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus, which actively promotes this mindset,” he said. 

Three other Israeli universities made the list: the Technion – Israel School of Technology in Haifa, which was ranked 16th; the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which was ranked 30th; and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, which was ranked 47th.

The post Tel Aviv University Ranked 7th In World For Global Entrepreneurship appeared first on NoCamels.

<p>Deni Avdija and the Portland Trail Blazers suffered a road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 133-109, on Wednesday night.</p><p>Avdija finished with just 11 points, along with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.</p>

As Israel navigates the post-"Swords of Iron" regional landscape, the transition from military administration to civilian "Administrative Sovereignty" is no longer an ideological luxury; it is a fundamental security requirement. Opinion.

Local police are investigating antisemitic graffiti found at a synagogue in Olney. Local officials and state leaders condemn the incident, vowing efforts to combat hate.

Lebanon will decide next week how to proceed with the second phase of its plan to control arms north of the Litani River. Hezbollah has refused to disarm despite ceasefire agreement.

Iran's missile program is a "red line" and non-negotiable, says Ali Shamkhani, amid US-Iran tensions.

<p>The Brooklyn Nets, featuring Israelis Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, suffered a home loss to the Indiana Pacers, 115-110.</p><p>Saraf tied his NBA career high with 12 points in 17 minutes of play, while Wolf finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds.</p>

President Isaac Herzog condemns rising antisemitism in Australia during his visit, offering goodwill to the Jewish community.

MK Elazar Stern angers members of the Degel HaTorah party after criticizing the leader of the haredi Lithuanian community, Rabbi Dov Lando.

Russia attempts to block WhatsApp as part of a broader effort to promote the state-backed MAX app, citing surveillance concerns.

<p>At least 15 people were killed after a ferry capsized in the Nile River in Sudan, according to medical sources in the country.</p><p>The Nile River, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea, passes through Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, and several other countries in Africa.</p>

Rep. Becca Balint stormed out of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday after Bondi deflected questions about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and instead criticized Balint’s record on antisemitism.

Lawmakers called the hearing to press Bondi on a range of issues, including Epstein and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

Balint, a Vermont progressive, asked Bondi during her questioning whether Trump had been aware of billionaire financier Howard Lutnick’s ties to Epstein when he was appointed as commerce secretary. The most recent files released last month showed that Lutnick had visited Epstein’s private island and dined with him years after he said he had cut off ties — and after Epstein pled guilty to sex crimes.

After Bondi refused to answer Balint’s question, the congresswoman replied, “I’m going to conclude that the president, in fact, did know about his ties.”

At the end of Balint’s questioning, which devolved into shouting as Bondi consistently interrupted Balint, Bondi then raised Balint’s record on antisemitism.

“With this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution condemning ‘from the river to the sea,’” said Bondi, appearing to refer to Balint’s April 2024 vote against a House resolution condemning the common pro-Palestinian slogan. (At the time, Balint said the resolution was “yet another way to sow division and demonize Palestinians.”)

Balint quickly shot back at Bondi’s remarks.

“Oh, do you want to go there, attorney general? Do you want to go there? Are you serious? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust? Really? Really?” said Balint, before rising from her seat and exiting the chambers.

During her 2022 campaign for Vermont’s single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Balint, who describes her family as “Jew-ish,” frequently invoked the story of her Jewish grandfather’s murder during the Holocaust.

“My grandfather was murdered in the Holocaust,” Balint said in a campaign video at the time. “My whole life I’ve known that beating the forces set on dividing us takes showing up every chance you get.”

Balint’s grandfather, Leopold Bálint, was killed by the Nazis on a forced march from Mauthausen Concentration Camp in 1945 after he stopped to assist a prisoner.

The hearing Wednesday featured scathing criticism from Democratic lawmakers of Bondi’s handling of the Epstein case, with Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin accusing her of “siding with the perpetrators” and “ignoring the victims.”

“If AG Bondi claims to care about Epstein survivors, why did she reveal their identities but redact the names of the rich pedophiles and sex abusers who hurt them?” Balint wrote in a post on X Wednesday. “She must take accountability for this cover-up and finally deliver the justice these victims deserve.”

--
The post Rep. Becca Balint storms out of Epstein hearing after Pam Bondi raises her record on antisemitism appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Newly released federal investigative documents and a looming congressional deposition have renewed scrutiny of Leslie Wexner, the Ohio billionaire philanthropist long known in the Jewish world for his leadership and largesse — and more recently for his decades-long association with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Wexner, the founder of retail giant L Brands and the Wexner Foundation, was publicly named Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna as one of six powerful men whose identities had been redacted from millions of pages of “Epstein Files” released Jan. 30 by the Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. 

Khanna, speaking from the floor of the House, said the FBI had labeled Wexner an “unindicted co-conspirator” in investigative documents drafted shortly after Epstein’s 2019 death, although the files also note “limited evidence” against him. 

The appearance of Wexner’s name in those unredacted records,  and the broader controversy over redactions, has thrust the 88-year-old benefactor back into public debate. Wexner has not been charged with any crime in connection with Epstein’s sex-trafficking offenses and has repeatedly denied knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct. Prosecutors and Justice Department officials emphasized that inclusion in the files does not equal guilt. 

The relationship between the two men began in the late 1980s, when Wexner brought Epstein on as a financial adviser; Wexner later granted Epstein power of attorney beginning in 1991, and federal records describe how Epstein used that authority in property and other transactions before the two men reached a 2008 settlement in which Epstein paid Wexner $100 million after Wexner accused him of theft or misappropriation. Wexner publicly accused Epstein of theft before his death, but the size of the repayment was revealed in the latest documents.

Within the Jewish community, Wexner has been a towering figure: his foundation’s prestigious fellowships have trained waves of rabbis, lay leaders and nonprofit executives, and his philanthropy has funded Jewish education and institutions for decades. But the Epstein connection has been a source of tension. In recent years, Jewish leaders who benefited from Wexner-funded programs publicly wrestled with what some described as an “unease” about his past association with Epstein. At least two rabbis have made public commitments to donate to victims of sex trafficking to compensate for the benefits they received from his Jewish philanthropy.

Amid the latest disclosures, Wexner is slated to give sworn testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Feb. 18, in what is expected to be a closed deposition rather than an open hearing. Committee leaders have not said whether the transcript will be released publicly, a decision that could shape how much light is shed on the nature of Wexner’s ties to Epstein.

--
The post Unredacted Epstein files and planned deposition thrust Jewish philanthropist Leslie Wexner back into spotlight appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday in an effort to push the U.S. leader to widen negotiation with Iran to include Israeli security priorities.

“Nothing definitive” came out of the highly anticipated meeting between the leaders, which lasted roughly three hours, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social immediately afterwards. But he signaled that he had resisted a push to end direct talks with Iran.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be,” wrote Trump.

Prior to boarding a flight on his way to Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Netanyahu told reporters that his meeting with Trump would center “first and foremost” on negotiations with Iran.

“I will present to the president our views on the principles in the negotiations, the important principles, and in my opinion they are important not only to Israel — but to everyone in the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East,” Netanyahu told reporters.

During Wednesday’s meeting, which was closed to the press, Netanyahu was expected to push Trump to widen negotiations with Iran beyond its nuclear program, including imposing restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and ending Iranian support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

The talks Wednesday were also expected to center on developments in the ceasefire in Gaza, with Netanyahu officially joining the Board of Peace during a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the day.

Met with U.S. Secretary of State @marcorubio at Blair House in Washington.

Ahead of my meeting at the White House with President Trump, I signed Israel’s accession as a member of the “Board of Peace.”

We will continue strengthening the unbreakable alliance between Israel and… pic.twitter.com/CJ4Lw92WdX

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 11, 2026

Netanyahu’s visit Wednesday was his sixth to the United States since the beginning of Trump’s term. Trump surprised him at an earlier meeting by announcing that he planned to open direct talks with Iran, which has vowed to destroy Israel.

The visit shortly followed talks in Oman on Friday between Iran’s foreign minister and Trump administration officials on reaching a potential nuclear deal. Those talks came a month after Iranian leaders ordered a crackdown on civil protesters in which an estimated 30,000 Iranians or more were murdered.

On Tuesday, Trump told Axios that he was “thinking” about sending another aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf where he has already assembled a large military buildup, adding, “Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time.”

Iran has said it will retaliate if the United States strikes to curb its nuclear program, sparking concern of a war. Last June, the United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran amid the country’s 12-day war with Israel, damaging but not destroying them.

In an interview Tuesday with Fox Business Network’s Larry Kudlow, Trump said that a good deal with Iran would mean “no nuclear weapons, no missiles.”

“We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal,” said Trump. “I think they’d be foolish if they didn’t. We took out their nuclear power last time, and we’ll have to see if we take out more this time.”

--
The post After 3-hour White House meeting, Trump says he ‘insisted’ to Netanyahu that Iran talks should continue appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The newest Jewish Federations of North America survey has already generated its share of anxious headlines: Only 37% of American Jews say they identify as Zionists. Seven percent call themselves anti-Zionist, 8% non-Zionist and 18% aren’t sure. Another 30% say none of the labels offered describe them.

And yet 88% say Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state.

One eye-catching, and perhaps unsurprising, finding in the survey is that younger Jews are more likely to declare themselves anti-Zionists. Only 35% of Jews ages 18-34 accept the Zionist label.

But look closer and another intriguing generational breakdown stands out: Contrary to conventional wisdom, older Jews are not in fact more likely to identify as Zionists. In fact, only 33% of Jews ages 75 and older say they use the term to describe themselves.  

Why would the youngest and oldest cohorts in the study have strikingly similar attitudes about the word “Zionism”? (The only demographic with a majority [55%] of self-identified Zionists was millennials between 35 and 44.)

The answer may lie less in changing attitudes toward Israel than in the long, complicated evolution of a word.

For Jews now in their late 70s and beyond, the reluctance to use “Zionist” may have roots in how the term was used — or not used — after Israel’s founding. Middlebury College sociologist Ted Sasson, a scholar in residence at the Israel-based Institute for National Security Studies, argues that even when Jews were celebrating the establishment of Israel, they remained anxious about their own standing as loyal Americans and used the label more sparingly than we might assume.

“Zionism was always a minority political movement among American Jews,” said Sasson, author of “The New American Zionism” (2014). “They came increasingly to support Israel, but as the most powerful Jewish community in the world mobilizing support as an act of faith and commitment and responsibility, but not one that they would describe as Zionist.”

Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion, left, American Jewish Committee head Jacob Blaustein and Israeli Labor Minister Golda Meir announce their historic agreement on Israel-Diaspora relations at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in August, 1950. (American Jewish Committee Archives)

That ambivalence about the ideology of Zionism was famously captured in the 1950 agreement between David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, and Jacob Blaustein, a leader of the American Jewish Committee. Blaustein pledged that American Jews would support nation-building in Israel with their dollars and advocacy; in exchange, Ben-Gurion said Israel would not interfere with American Jewish affairs, suggest Jews should owe their first loyalty to Israel, or, crucially, call for large-scale immigration of American Jews to Israel. 

The Jewish establishment’s views on Zionism were exemplified in Max Fisher, a Detroit philanthropist and general chair of the United Jewish Appeal in the 1960s. According to a profile of Fisher by Boris Smolar, the longtime editor in chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Fisher was “not a Zionist” yet “a most dedicated friend of Israel.”  

“For American Jews to be a Zionist meant to contemplate aliyah and to declare oneself in exile,” said Sasson, 60, using the Hebrew term for immigrating to Israel. “So ‘Zionism’ already in the 1950s and ’60s was not used by American Jews to describe their commitment to Israel.”

Instead, he notes, “Americans call themselves ‘pro-Israel,’ and that captures how American Jews think about their diaspora responsibilities as protectors and mobilizers on behalf of the Jewish state.”

That distinction may help explain why older Jews — who grew up raising money for Israel, marching for Soviet Jews’ right to emigrate to Israel or celebrating Israel’s unexpected military victories — don’t necessarily see themselves as Zionists. The state existed; their role was to support it, not necessarily to join an ideological movement.

Such ambivalence about “Zionism” was not universal, however. Sylvia Barack Fishman, emerita professor of contemporary Jewish life at Brandeis University, grew up in the Modern Orthodox Bnei Akiva youth movement, which actively encouraged aliyah (as opposed to haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, Jews, many of whom opposed the establishment of a modern political Jewish state on theological grounds). Now 80, she recalls that nearly all of her bunkmates at the movement’s Camp Moshava in Rolling Prairie, Indiana eventually moved to Israel. 

Those who stayed behind, she said, represented the distinction between “pro-Israel” and “Zionist.”  

“When you’re looking at people over 75, I think their idea of a Zionist is a person who goes to live in Israel,” she said. “So, you know, ‘are you a Zionist?’ ‘No, I live in Queens. What kind of a Zionist could I be?’”  

Writer and activist Letty Cottin Pogrebin, 86, who did grow up in Queens, said she called and still calls herself a Zionist — with an explanation.  

“I grew up calling myself a Zionist. We had to argue, though, that being a Zionist didn’t require moving to Israel. It just required letting your dollars go to Israel and your heart go to Israel, and your body stay here in the diaspora,” she said. 

Today, when Zionism has come under attack in leftist circles where she had devoted her career as a feminist pioneer, Pogrebin describes a more cautious relationship with the label: “I am only comfortable calling myself a ‘liberal Zionist,’ then explaining myself, not just letting it out there, because it’s become so radioactive.” For her, a liberal Zionist believes both Israelis and Palestinians have a specific cultural and national identity, which could be expressed in two states or perhaps a confederation. She rejects the idea of a single binational state of Jews and Palestinians.

Pogrebin said external rhetoric has reshaped the emotional resonance of the word “Zionism” for Jews younger than she. “Opponents made [Zionism] a dirty word, and somehow the ‘Z’ had the same kind of power on the left that that we [Jews] fear from the swastika,” she said.

Fishman compares the word’s trajectory to another charged identity marker.

“What has happened to the word ‘Zionist’ for young people is a process of delegitimization, very similar to what happened to the word ‘feminist,’” said Fishman. While interviewing Jewish women leaders in Israel and the United States for a forthcoming book, she said many of her subjects were reluctant to use a term that had long been derided by its critics.

Pro-Israeli demonstrators rally during what became the Six-Day War in Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington, June 8, 1967. (UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

“There are many who actually were groundbreakers, doing astonishing things for other women, and they told me they would only agree to an interview if I did not use the word ‘feminist’ in the same sentence with their name,” she said.

Even before the Oct. 7 attacks and the war that followed, said Fishman, the left had succeeded in stigmatizing “Zionism.”  

“For Jews under 30, the word Zionism has become equivalent to ‘white supremacist’ in many circles,” she said, describing their peers’ anti-Zionist attitudes. “So it’s not that the majority of them don’t care about Israel, but to be a Zionist means that you think Jews are better than other people. … It has so many negative connotations and people under 30 are notoriously sensitive to what their peer groups think.”

The result, she says, is strategic avoidance: “They’re not going to fight a battle over a word. So just like those women who were world-class feminists, but didn’t want to be called a feminist, these people may care a lot about Israel, but they just do not want to fight that particular battle.”

The youngest and oldest American Jews may converge on deploying (or avoiding) the word “Zionist,” but still view Israel across a yawning gap of experience and memory. As Harvard scholar Derek Penslar describes it in his book 2023 book “Zionism: An Emotional State,” Jews who came of age in the 1970s and early ’80s grew up when Israel’s pivotal wars of 1967 and 1973 were a living memory, and the 1990s Oslo peace process “could give young Jews a sense of hope and a belief that Israel embodied [their] liberal values.” 

“In contrast,” writes Penslar, “university-age Jews in the twenty-first century lived in a radically different environment — darker and more foreboding on every front.” Many have only known Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a series of increasingly right-wing governments. 

Pogrebin agrees that her understanding of Zionism was shaped by historical experience as much as ideology. “I was a child during the Holocaust, but I was a very alert child. I was aware that my parents were scared to death,” she said. “You don’t forget that; you’ve internalized it.”

The JFNA survey was greeted with good news/bad news reactions. Many welcomed the finding that a majority feel an attachment to Israel, but disagreed on who might be to blame for the reluctance to embrace the “Z” word.   

For the Greater Philadelphia branch of the right-wing Zionist Organization of America, the gap between the majority who told JFNA they feel emotionally attached to Israel and the roughly one-third who identify as Zionist is a sign of the failure of the “education systems,” Jewish institutions and Jewish families to teach “what Zionism actually is.” 

“Zionism is the belief and movement for Jewish self-determination and security in our historic, legal and G-d given homeland,” the chapter posted on Facebook. “Zionism is not merely a political movement (although some elements are). Rather, it is a peoplehood movement. As what Zionism is gets diluted, the Jewish People is diluted — and endangered.”

On the left, the survey offered proof that the Jewish establishment has itself tarnished the “Zionist” brand by discouraging criticism of Israel’s flaws and advocacy of democratic values in the country.

“I personally don’t think the terms Zionism and anti-Zionism serve us any longer,” wrote Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of the rabbinic human rights group T’ruah, in a JTA essay. “We need a new vocabulary to describe the conviction that most American Jews actually have: a deep connection to Israel and belief that it should be a Jewish and democratic state, and a willingness to fight for Palestinians’ rights and to criticize the Israeli government.”

The JFNA survey may ultimately reveal less a collapse of Zionism than a transformation in how American Jews talk about themselves. The oldest generation absorbed Israel into a sense of communal responsibility; younger Jews navigate a world in which ideological labels are heavily politicized and Israel is for many a pariah state. Both cohorts may support Israel deeply while resisting a word whose meaning has shifted.

Or perhaps what’s lacking is a time horizon, and the generations can’t be understood without measuring how their attitudes change over the years. It’s possible that the people with the highest hopes about Israel’s future could be the most disappointed by its present. 

“I have many, many [Jewish] friends who call themselves anti-Zionist and non-Zionist,” said Pogrebin. “It’s an arc that they have come to. After years of fidelity to the Zionist dream, they’ve come to believe it impossible.”

--
The post It’s not just the kids: Only a third of US Jews 75+ call themselves ‘Zionists’ appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Catholic right-wing activist Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from the White House Religious Liberty Commission over what the chair called her “political agenda” during a public hearing on antisemitism this week.

The announcement of Prejean Boller’s removal by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, an evangelical Christian, on Wednesday came after Prejean Boller spurned calls to resign from her post amid mounting backlash over her remarks on Monday.

“Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission,” Patrick wrote in a post on X. “No member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue. This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America. This was my decision.”

During Monday’s hearing, Prejean Boller, who was named to the commission in June, argued that anti-Zionism is not antisemitic and said her Catholic faith prohibits her from supporting Israel.

“I’m a Catholic, and Catholics do not embrace Zionism, just so you know, so are all Catholics antisemites?” said Prejean Boller, who wore a pin depicting the American and Palestinian flags.

She also defended conservative influencers Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson against antisemitism allegations, later receiving praise from Owens on social media for her defense.

Following Patrick’s announcement of Prejean Boller’s removal, Owens decried the decision in a post on X, which featured a host of antisemitic conspiracy theories.

“Carrie didn’t hijack anything. You hosted a performative Zionist hearing meant to neuter the Christian faith. Carrie spoke truth, as a Catholic, and Christians, the Truth cannot be defeated. Zionists are naturally hostile to Catholics because we refuse to bend the knee to revisionist history and support the mass slaughter and rape of innocent children for occult Baal worshipers. Your decision will only further the Christian enlightenment which is taking place in this country. And for that, we thank you. ,” wrote Owens in the post, which was reposted by Prejean Boller. “@CarriePrejean1 said no to selling her soul.”

Prejean Boller’s removal drew praise from Shabbos Kestenbaum, an antisemitism activist who was invited to speak on Monday’s panel and had previously called for Prejean Boller’s removal.

“We spoke about Christian Americans and Jewish Americans being under assault. She was interested in discussing the Middle East and non advancing American religious liberties. THANK YOU,” tweeted Kestenbaum.

--
The post Carrie Prejean Boller ousted from White House Religious Liberty Commission following antisemitism row appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The occupation of Minneapolis by ICE is terrifying and ominous. Last month 1,000 clergy from around the country traveled to the Twin Cities to witness how armed agents daily sweep through neighborhoods, setting up checkpoints, abducting people, tear gassing witnesses, and threatening everyone’s safety. Houses of worship have gone into lockdown, transforming their sanctuaries into private spaces, putting a locked door between them and their neighbors.

As rabbis, one question has become urgent and immediate: What will we do when ICE comes to our door?

For hundreds of synagogues across the United States, that question may well already have been answered. They just don’t know it yet.

This year, as in years past, hundreds of synagogues across the country are set to receive grants through the Nonprofit Security Grants Program, a Department of Homeland Security initiative administered by FEMA. The program offers between $60,000 and $100,000 (sometimes more) in security funding to houses of worship and other nonprofits. The money goes toward security cameras, armed guards, and physical enhancements and more. For many synagogues facing antisemitic threats and stretched budgets, that’s a transformative amount of money that would be hard to turn down.

Many progressive communities like ours have long believed that depending on DHS to keep us safe is a problem, owing to the department’s surveillance of Muslims and the fact that the grants strengthen infrastructure that puts some community members at risk. But in 2025 the mismatch between Jewish communal values and practices and resources to ensure our safety became even more stark when the Trump administration slipped new language into the terms of the grant. The money now appears to come with strings that should alarm any Jewish community.

The grant now requires participating organizations to cooperate with ICE operations, forbids participating organizations from engaging in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming, and bars participation in any kind of “discriminatory prohibited boycott” (an apparent reference to boycotts of Israel). To access the Nonprofit Security Grants, synagogues all over the country have agreed to become extensions of the apparatus now raiding American cities.

It’s not yet clear how many synagogues have applied for the grants with these terms or have gotten them. It’s also not clear whether many synagogues are even fully aware of what they’ve signed on to. Especially before Minneapolis, “cooperation with immigration enforcement” may have seemed like an abstraction or even acceptable to many communities, and perhaps they didn’t really expect their diversity programming to be audited. Think of it as the Terms of Service problem. How many of us actually read what we’re agreeing to when we click “accept” on Apple’s terms? We know there’s something in there we probably wouldn’t like, but we need the phone.

It’s possible many synagogues did the same calculation with DHS money. They assumed the restrictions wouldn’t really matter, whereas tens of thousand dollars in security money was a concrete and pressing need. Never mind the fact that for years Muslim organizations have been sounding this alarm.

Last August, my congregation in Philadelphia, Kol Tzedek, joined with dozens of synagogues and Jewish organizations along with over 100 communal leaders to refuse this funding, and we tried to sound the alarm. We signed a letter explaining why we couldn’t in good conscience trade security dollars for collaboration with an agency whose mission conflicts with our values. But many other synagogues applied to take the money anyway. They need the cameras. They need to keep their members safe. What choice did they have?

It didn’t help that the umbrella organization for Jewish federations urged synagogues to apply, assuring them that it believed the terms would not be applied to them and noting that they could always turn down the funds once offered.

But now the federations group is sounding the alarm about a continued lack of clarity around the terms, and those congregations are in a terrible situation, one they may not even realize they’re in.

Houses of worship are some of the most powerful sites of resistance to ICE operations precisely because we can provide sanctuary. For centuries, religious communities have stood between state violence and vulnerable people. DHS understood this threat to its mission, and that’s exactly why they attached these strings to their security money.

It’s a clever and effective scheme: The Trump administration leveraged our real security fears to neutralize an institution that historically has had the moral and legal standing to say no to state violence and provide actual sanctuary to refugees and immigrants.

If your synagogue, nonprofit or community center received a grant from the $270 million federal budget for this program (and statistically, it probably did) you need to know what you’re on the hook for. More importantly, you need to know you have a choice about what comes next.

When ICE comes to your city and demands your cooperation the only moral choice is noncompliance. Thirty-six times the Torah instructs us to protect the ger – the sojourner, the immigrant, the most vulnerable in our midst. So when the time comes, refuse to cooperate, even if you signed that agreement and risk losing tens of thousands from your budget.

But it’s not too late. There are things you can and should do now. Find out if your congregation or organization sought or took this money. Ask for transparency about where your community stands. Tell your leadership that you didn’t sign up for this, that collaboration with ICE operations is not compatible with your community’s values, that there are opportunities for community safety that don’t require collaboration with the apparatus being used to terrorize and punish American cities.

To my fellow rabbis, synagogue executive directors and board presidents, I truly understand the impossible calculations you have to make and why the money seems irresistible. But this is the moment to make a different choice, even if it’s costly.

Consider the alternative: What happens when ICE shows up in your town and at your door, and your contract obligates you to cooperate? What happens when your own congregant is targeted? Or when a congregant learns their synagogue helped enable a raid on their neighbor’s family, their school, a place of worship? What happens when history looks back at this moment and asks what we did?

Jewish federations, and specifically the Secure Community Network, bear a lot of responsibility here. They put us in this position by lobbying for this fund’s creation and tying themselves to DHS. They facilitated these agreements, distributed this money, made it seem normal and necessary. They could have made a different choice: They represent billions of dollars in assets that could have chosen a different security model for our communities, and they still can.

The federations should bail out congregations that choose noncompliance by creating a fund for synagogues that refuse or break their DHS contracts. They should work to build the security infrastructure we actually need, one that protects us and our neighbors.

This moment is a test of our values. The question isn’t whether you took the money last year (many did, for reasons that made sense at the time). The question is, knowing what you’re on the hook for, and knowing after Minneapolis what ICE is about, what will you do now? Will you comply when ICE comes knocking? Will you check their paperwork, provide access, facilitate raids?

Or will you remember why houses of worship exist in the first place? We are here to be places where the vulnerable find protection, where we are accountable to each other, where we answer to something higher than federal enforcement agencies.

Sanctuary means something, or it means nothing. This is the moment to decide which it will be.

--
The post American synagogues are being forced into a terrible choice: Collaborate with ICE or risk our own safety appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

A member of the White House Religious Liberty Commission who derailed its meeting on Monday by pressing the case that anti-Zionism is not antisemitic is fending calls to step down.

“I would rather die than bend the knee to Israel,” Carrie Prejean Boller, a model and Catholic right-wing activist named to the panel in June, tweeted early Wednesday, as fallout over the meeting continued.

The Wall Street Journal, the right-wing activist Laura Loomer, and Catholic and Jewish groups aimed at fighting antisemitism all denounced Prejean Boller’s comments, which represented a dramatic eruption into government proceedings of the kinds of far-right talking points about Jews and Israel that have fueled a recent divide over antisemitic rhetoric within the Republican Party.

During the meeting, which had been convened to discuss antisemitism in the United States, Prejean Boller defended Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson against antisemitism allegations, disputed the idea that blaming Jews for killing Jesus is antisemitic and said her Catholic faith prohibits her from supporting Israel.

“I’m a Catholic, and Catholics do not embrace Zionism, just so you know, so are all Catholics antisemites?” Prejean Boller, who wore a pin depicting the American and Palestinian flags, asked Yeshiva University President Ari Berman, who had been invited to testify.

To Shabbos Kestenbaum, who emerged as an antisemitism activist in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, she asked, “Since we’ve mentioned Israel a total of 17 times, are you willing to condemn what Israel has done in Gaza?”

Prejean Boller also criticized Seth Dillon, the Christian CEO of the conservative satire site The Babylon Bee, for calling conservative influencers Owens and Carlson antisemitic.

“I would really appreciate it if you would stop calling Candace Owens an antisemite. She’s not an antisemite. She just doesn’t support Zionism, and that really has to stop,” she said. “I don’t know why you keep bringing her up and Tucker.”

The Religious Liberty Commission was created by President Donald Trump in May with the mandate to offer recommendations on expanding religious liberties to the president. Its critics have said it caters largely to the concerns of Christian evangelicals, including an interfaith group that filed a lawsuit against the commission this week accusing it of having “unbalanced and biased viewpoints.”

Prejean Boller, a former Miss California who was stripped of her title in 2009 months after she criticized gay marriage, was named to the commission by Trump in June alongside a host of Christian influencers including the television personality Dr. Phil.

Donald Trump and Carrie Prejean Boller attend a press conference at Trump Tower on May 12, 2009 in New York City. (George Napolitano/FilmMagic)

Prejean Boller, who converted to Catholicism in April, has long been controversial. In 2021, she launched a social media campaign against COVID-19 mask mandates, and has frequently advocated against transgender inclusion in sports and same-sex marriage. In recent months, she has frequently promoted anti-Israel rhetoric and defended Carlson and Owens on her Instagram account, which has 125,000 followers.

Last week, Prejean Boller also promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories about the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a post on Instagram.

Prejean Boller faced pushback during Monday’s meeting, including from Catholic commissioners who disputed her characterization of Catholic doctrine and from the commission’s sole Jewish member, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, of New York’s Congregation Shearith Israel and Tikvah, a politically conservative Jewish think tank.

“The one thing we should be careful about is speaking on behalf of all members of a religious community, even if one is a member of that religious community,” Soloveichik said during the meeting in an apparent rejoinder to Prejean Boller. Soloveichik did not respond to a request for comment from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

The commission’s leader, a Republican from Texas, eventually halted her questioning on Monday. But the pushback continued online, where Loomer — a far-right conspiracy theorist who appears to have influenced hiring decisions by Trump and other Republicans — called for her removal.

“Who at the White House selected Carrie Prejean Boller @CarriePrejean1 to sit on the White House Religious Liberties Commission? Her behavior today was disgraceful and she has no place sitting on the committee,” Loomer tweeted. “In fact, she should be removed from the Committee.”

Prejean Boller quickly clapped back.

“Can you even imagine this? a Religious Liberty Commission prepared to fire a commissioner for her Catholic faith? If that happens, it proves their mission was never religious liberty, but a Zionist agenda,” she wrote in a post on X. “I refuse to resign.”

In a post on X, Kestenbaum also called for Prejean Boller’s resignation and criticized her for using the last section of the panel to “to pivot to Israel.”

“I’m shocked that you would abuse the trust of President Trump and his Commission to instead of focusing on how to elevate religious liberties, fixate on a foreign conflict on the Middle East,” he wrote. “If you are not planning on helping young Americans such as myself fight for religious liberties then I encourage you to give your seat for someone who will.”

To him as well, Prejean Boller affirmed that she would not resign from the commission.

“I will not be bullied. I have the religious freedom to refuse support for a government that is bombing civilians and starving families in Gaza, and that does not make me an antisemite. It makes me a pro-life Catholic and a free American who will not surrender religious liberty to political pressure,” she wrote. “Zionist supremacy has no place on an American Religious Liberty commission.”

Some conservative figures threw their support behind Prejean Boller following Monday’s hearing, including former Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who wrote in a post on X, “I’m with her.” As a member of Congress, Greene voted against antisemitism legislation that she said rejected “Gospel” that “the Jews” handed Jesus to his executioners.

And Owens, too, has taken up Prejean Boller’s cause. “Zionists are calling for Carrie Prejean to be punished,” she tweeted. “This is because they disagree with the Catholic and Orthodox position, that we do not, as Seth Dillon illuminates, simply ‘worship a Jew’. This is an intentionally-corrupted theological talking point that needs to end.”

Early Wednesday, Prejean Boller tweeted thanks to Owens for “the shoutout tonight.” Her post reached more than 50,000 followers, more than 10 times as many as she had before Monday’s Religious Liberty Commission meeting.

--
The post Carrie Prejean Boller spurns calls to step down after anti-Zionist clash at White House antisemitism hearing appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called for the release of Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian Columbia University protester who has been held by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement since March 2025.

Kordia was arrested as the Trump administration sought to round up and deport non-citizens who had participated in anti-Israel protests that drew allegations of antisemitism. Unlike Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate who became a symbol of the crackdown, Kordia was in the country illegally after overstaying her student visa. She had never been a student at Columbia but had been arrested for her involvement in a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia in 2024.

After Khalil and other students arrested during the crackdown were freed by judges who said the Trump administration was wrong to seize them, Kordia remained in custody.

“For more than 10 months, I have been locked in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Alvarado, Texas,” wrote Kordia in an op-ed published by USA Today last month. “My arrest came after my participation in protests for a ceasefire and an end to Israel’s siege on Gaza at the gates of Columbia University in April 2024. The Department of Homeland Security publicly stated that it had targeted me because of my advocacy for Palestinian rights.”

On Friday, DHS said that Kordia had been hospitalized after suffering a seizure in ICE detention. She was discharged and returned to detention on Monday.

“Leqaa Kordia has spent nearly a year in an ICE prison for exercising her First Amendment rights in NYC & speaking out against the ongoing genocide in Palestine,” wrote Mamdani in a post on X Tuesday. “She was hospitalized after suffering a seizure. Now she’s back in detention. This is cruel & unnecessary. Release Leqaa now.”

Last March, Mamdani, a longtime pro-Palestinian activist, also called for Khalil’s release. Khalil later attended Mamdani’s inauguration.

Another pro-Palestinian activist arrested at the time was Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student who was detained by ICE agents on the street in Somerville, Massachusetts, in March. The main allegations against her centered on an op-ed she had published in the student newspaper criticizing Israel

This week, Öztürk’s lawyers disclosed in federal court that an immigration judge had found there were no grounds to deport her, following a months-long legal battle with the Trump administration.

“Today, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that despite the justice system’s flaws, my case may give hope to those who have also been wronged by the U.S. government,” Öztürk told CNN in a statement Monday. “Though the pain that I and thousands of other women wrongfully imprisoned by ICE have faced cannot be undone, it is heartening to know that some justice can prevail after all.”

Ultimately, no Columbia protester has been deported, though one graduate student who maintained she had not been involved in the protests “self-deported” after learning that federal agents were seeking her arrest. Still, the response to the protests and the subsequent allegations of antisemitism have been far-reaching, with Columbia shedding presidents, agreeing to pay a penalty to the Trump administration and pledging to hire more faculty members with expertise in Israel and the Middle East as a result.

--
The post Mamdani calls for release of Leqaa Kordia, the last Palestinian Columbia protester still detained by ICE appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

At a campus campaign stop last week, Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate James Fishback dropped some unusual verbiage while inveighing against junk food in school cafeterias.

“I’m not saying that the test scores are the result of the Pop-Tarts,” Fishback told a crowd at the University of Central Florida, in remarks boosting locally grown produce over convenience foods. “But if you wanted kids to fail, if you wanted to set our kids up for failure, you would feed them the absolute goyslop in our cafeterias.”

Goyslop?! What was Fishback talking about?

The term has skyrocketed in use in recent months among the very online far right, the ecosystem that gave rise to the candidacy of the 31-year-old investment banker and political outsider. It’s a portmanteau of “goy,” the Yiddish word meaning non-Jew that white nationalist groups have increasingly repurposed into an antisemitic badge of honor, and “slop” — a popular way to refer to low-quality content, especially digital content.

The term is making the rounds among the largest white nationalist and antisemitic influencers. Clavicular, a popular manosphere influencer recently seen dancing and singing to Ye’s “Heil Hitler” at a Miami nightclub, appeared on a recent livestream with white nationalist Nick Fuentes to lament how “the entire grocery store is filled with goyslop.”

One popular X account known for spewing antisemitism recently defined the term “goyslop” as “fast food”; it has also been used by accounts to describe everything from the Super Bowl to the Epstein files.

It’s the sort of trolling language that Fishback has used frequently since entering the race last year. He has repeatedly praised followers of Fuentes and indicated familiarity with the antisemitic podcaster Myron Gaines. He has called U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, his opponent and the leading candidate in the GOP primary, a “slave to donors.” (Donalds is Black.)

Fishback has also embraced anti-Israel talking points. He opposed Florida’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism because — as he recently claimed to Tucker Carlson — it would make it “against the law to criticize Israel.” He has said he would “divest every penny from Israel on day one,” setting up an ideological battle in a state with a substantial Jewish population where lawmakers are on the verge of forcing the term “West Bank” to be replaced in educational materials with “Judea and Samaria.”

During the same UCF campaign event in which he uttered “goyslop,” Fishback also inveighed against politicians who “visit another country” and wind up “kissing a stupid wall,” a clear reference to Israel’s Western Wall.

A collection of antisemitic memes referencing the term “goyslop,” including AI-generated videos of Jeffrey Epstein and a livestream with Clavicular and Nick Fuentes. (Collage by 70 Faces Media)

Fishback’s goyslop comments came as he was responding to a question about whether he planned to remove fluoride from the state’s tap water system and replace it with creatine — the amino-acid compound beloved among health influencers for purportedly boosting athletic performance.

Fishback later winkingly professed ignorance about the word.

“I used a term recently this week that I got a lot of flak for, about referring to the food in our public cafeterias,” he told a crowd while eating a fried Oreo at the Florida State Fair. “I don’t know what that term was.”

But Jews in Florida knew. “Just last night, at a local event, he mocked efforts to bring quality education to Florida schools, using the slang ‘GOYSLOP’ in a context clearly meant to belittle,” Joseph Feldman, an Orthodox Jewish Miami resident, wrote about Fishback in the Hasidic publication VINNews. “These remarks are not accidental gaffes; they are calculated, designed to play on prejudice for political gain.”

Searches for “goyslop” have spiked over the last three months after being essentially dormant prior to that, according to Google Trends.

“Consume less goyslop, piggy,” the right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong posted on X last month, mocking heavy-set anti-ICE protester in Minneapolis. Cheong frequently engages on the platform with the site’s owner and multi-billionaire Elon Musk, and his account commands a following of 1.2 million on its own.

The term and a variant, “zogchow,” originated on message boards like 4Chan as early as 2019, and user-submitted definitions of the term appear on Urban Dictionary date back to 2021. In its original usage, “goyslop” refers to corporate fast food or other low-quality food, including school lunches, which antisemites believe is promoted by Jews to keep “goyim” unhealthy and dissatisfied. (“ZOG,” short for “Zionist-occupied government,” is an acronym that emerged in white supremacist circles in the 1970s and is now widely used in antisemitic rhetoric.)

Some who have employed the term “goyslop,” including leftists who have absorbed and adapted far-right talking points on Israel and Zionism, may not understand its origins. “Ever since I saw someone say they thought the goy part of goyslop was a combo of gay and soy, I’ve been wondering how many other people have no idea what the f–k they’re saying half the time,” the progressive author Ashley Reese tweeted last week.

But others are fully aware. The Anti-Defamation League’s online glossary of hate terms notes that antisemites have increasingly used “goy” in reference to antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Neo-Nazi groups Blood Tribe and Goyim Defense League hold a rally in Orlando, Florida, Sept. 2, 2023. Far-right groups have co-opted the Yiddish term “goy” as a badge of honor. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

For example, the phrase “The goyim know” — as in “shut it down, the goyim know!” — has circulated on antisemitic forums for years. It imagines the speaker as a Jew whose villainy has been exposed, and depicts Jews as “malevolent puppet-masters, manipulating the media, banks, and even entire governments to the benefit of themselves but to the detriment of other peoples,” according to the ADL.

“Slop,” meanwhile, is online slang that has caught on with the mainstream in a big way, most notably as a reference to junky or untrustworthy content generated by artificial intelligence. The dictionary publisher Miriam-Webster declared “slop” its 2025 Word of the Year, defining it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.”

From AI, “slop” has spread to the real world as a catchall term for degrading quality control in all manner of institutions. The New York Times this week, in a trend piece about one-bowl, no-fuss meals called “boy kibble,” referred to the meal as “slop.” A conspiratorial fixation on “slop” foods also dovetails with the popularity of  Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement and various influencer podcasts.

Fishback’s inversion of Jewish terminology didn’t end with “goyslop.” At the UCF event, following a round of laughter and applause from the gathered crowd after he employed the word, the candidate added, “And that is on gentile, OK?”

That term — a seeming riff on “on fleek” — is even harder to parse. Most X users who noted the phrase seemed to be encountering it for the first time, and there is no online record of it being circulated by other figures or on other platforms.

Fishback is polling in the low single digits in the GOP primary, according to most current pollsters. The heavily favored, and Trump-endorsed, candidate is Donalds (whom Fishback, borrowing an insult once leveled by the left at Hakeem Jeffries, has also dubbed “AIPAC Shakur”). The state’s lieutenant governor and former House speaker are also in the race, with Casey DeSantis, Florida’s current First Lady, also reportedly mulling a run.

If Fishback’s meme-heavy campaign gains traction outside of the antisemitic fringe, he may prove a new political axiom: Slop sells.

--
The post Florida’s anti-Israel GOP candidate James Fishback is railing against ‘goyslop.’ What is he talking about? appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

When Bad Bunny took the stage at the Super Bowl, the world didn’t just see a global superstar; we witnessed a masterclass in the psychology of belonging. As a member of the Jewish community — a group that has spent generations navigating the delicate dance of integration and identity — I realized that the Puerto Rican icon was demonstrating a lesson that every minority community in America desperately needs to relearn.

For far too long, the “minority experience” has been framed as a negotiation. Whether you are Latino, Black, Asian, or Jewish, the unspoken rule has often been the same: to belong, you must first prove that you are “safe.” You must demonstrate your utility, minimize your differences, and, above all, politely ask for a seat at the table. We have been conditioned to believe that acceptance is a gift granted by the majority in exchange for our docility or our trauma.

But look at how Bad Bunny occupied the Super Bowl stage — during a 13-minute celebration of Puerto Rican culture all in Spanish and featuring the island’s iconic sounds and dances and imagery that alluded to its colonial history, its vivid street culture and even its historic challenges (like its overtaxed electrical grid).

Bad Bunny didn’t ask for permission. He didn’t ask for pity. He didn’t frame his community as a project to be fixed, a political talking point to be debated, or a tragedy to be mourned. Instead, he led with culture. He led with language. He led with an unapologetic, infectious joy that didn’t pause to translate itself for those who didn’t understand. He performed as if he already belonged — not because he had been graciously invited, but because his presence was an objective, immovable fact.

Contrast that for a moment with Robert Kraft’s “Blue Square” ad against anti-Jewish hate that aired during the same Super Bowl. I am not here to join the chorus of critics who have picked apart its aesthetics or its reach. I am interested in the psychology behind it.

On one hand, you had a vibrant, loud celebration of contribution. On the other, a polite, minimalist request for the world to be afraid on our behalf. One was a refusal to cower; the other was a plea for protection. One said, “Look at what we bring to the world,” while the other said, “Look at what the world is doing to us.”

This is precisely where we lose people.

Belonging is not a debt you pay or a favor you beg for. It is a reality you demonstrate. When any community — but particularly the Jewish community right now — builds its public identity around its fragility, it inadvertently reinforces the idea that we are perpetual outsiders looking in. When we lead with our victimhood, we are essentially asking for a shield. But when we lead with our confidence, we demand that the world meet us where we stand.

There is a profound difference between advocacy that asks for tolerance and advocacy that asserts presence. Tolerance is passive; it’s a neighbor deciding not to complain about your music. Presence is active; it’s the music itself. Bad Bunny’s brilliance lies in his refusal to be a “victim” of the American mainstream. By refusing to be “palatable,” he became undeniable.

As Jews, we should pay close attention. Our history in this country — and indeed, the history of almost every immigrant group — is not a series of apologies or a list of grievances. It is a saga of immense, disproportionate contribution. We have built industries, shaped the legal landscape, and defined the American cultural imagination. We are not a “problem” to be solved or a vulnerability to be managed. We are a vital, structural thread in the fabric of this society.

I saw this dynamic firsthand while developing my YouTube show, “And They’re Jewish.” Over the course of interviewing dozens of Jewish celebrities and creators, a striking pattern emerged. Almost every time I reached out to book a guest, they would ask — almost reflexively — if we were going to talk about antisemitism. They were prepared for it; they had their talking points ready. But as the name of the show suggests, my goal was the exact opposite. I wanted to focus on their craft, their vision, and their brilliance. I wanted to remind the world of how much this community has contributed to the culture, rather than how much the culture has taken from us.

When we focus our energy on showing the world how much we are suffering, we are playing a game of diminishing returns. Sympathy is a finite resource, and it rarely translates into genuine respect. Respect is earned through the manifestation of strength and the refusal to let others define the terms of your existence.

In the fight for a truly inclusive world, we don’t win by highlighting our fragility. We don’t win by convincing people that we are weak enough to deserve their protection. We win by affirming our humanity and our power. We win when we show that we are here to stay– not because we were let in, but because we are part of the foundation.

This is the shift in advocacy we need right now: a move from the “Blue Square” of anxiety to the “Bad Bunny” of pride. It is an assertion that our right to occupy space is not contingent on the headlines of the day or the shifting winds of public opinion. Our identity is an inheritance, not a political stance, and it carries a dignity that requires no apology.

The lesson is simple, yet revolutionary for those of us used to fighting for crumbs of acceptance: Stop asking for a seat. Own the room. Our presence is not a debate to be won; it is a reality to be lived. When we lead with our humanity and our strength, we stop being a target for pity and start being a force for inspiration. If you want to see what the future of inclusion looks like, be a little more like Bad Bunny.

--
The post Bad Bunny, not the Blue Square, offered the Super Bowl vision American Jews need to thrive appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

A version of this piece first ran as part of the New York Jewish Week’s daily newsletter, rounding up the latest on politics, culture, food and what’s new with Jews in the city. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Left-wing Jews oppose synagogue buffer zones

• A coalition of left-wing Jewish groups came out against a City Council bill to ban protests within 100 feet of synagogues on Monday.

• NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin, a centrist Jewish Democrat, proposed the buffer zone around houses of worship after Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a 25-foot buffer zone statewide. These moves followed two pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside synagogues that were hosting events promoting migration to Israel and real estate sales there.

• Jewish Voice for Peace, Jews for Economic and Racial Justice, Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, IfNotNow NYC and the American Council for Judaism said in a statement that such legislation “undermines the open society we cherish here in New York City, which has allowed Jews to thrive for centuries.” JFREJ had previously criticized the legislation to our reporter Joseph Strauss, but the letter represents an escalation.

• “As Jewish organizations, we know the image of people protesting outside a synagogue can spark discomfort and even real fear,” the left-wing groups said. “But when houses of worship host non-religious political events, they are making a choice with the knowledge that they might be protested for doing so.”

• Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a staunch critic of Israel, has said that he is awaiting a legal review of Menin’s proposal.

• Mamdani has allied with progressive Jewish organizations, lending them political influence previously afforded to mainstream groups like UJA-Federation of New York and Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, which have backed Menin’s bill. JFREJ, JVP-NYC and IfNowNow NYC endorsed Mamdani during the mayoral election.

• Buffer zone legislation has drawn opposition from pro-Israel conservatives in Canada who say it interferes with free speech.

Laura Loomer scrambles Bruce Blakeman’s ticket

• Bruce Blakeman, the Jewish Republican running for governor, has picked a new running mate amid revelations that his initial choice, an upstate sheriff, once filed papers to run against Donald Trump.

• Laura Loomer, the Jewish provocateur who is close with Trump, exposed the candidacy, which was never active, on social media on Monday.

• “Whoever told President Trump @POTUS to endorse Bruce Blakeman really screwed the pooch. Nobody in New York should vote for Bruce Blakeman,” tweeted Loomer, whose advocacy has led to firings from the Trump administration. “He is a sleeper cell pulling for the Democrats, clearly.”

• Blakeman has now announced a new pick: Todd Hood, a sheriff from another upstate town.

Backlash against health staffer group that accused Israel of genocide

• A chorus of NYC officials has condemned the “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group” formed by a group of NYC Department of Health employees, reports The Algemeiner.

• The group, which held its first meeting last week, said it sought to better understand the impact of global oppression on health outcomes. One member said the group was “developed in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.”

• Menin called for an investigation into the group’s “use of taxpayer resources.” She added, “Hosting a meeting that promotes inflammatory accusations while ignoring antisemitism entirely only deepens and alienates Jewish employees and residents.”

• Councilmember Joann Ariola accused the staffers of “thinly veiled antisemitic activism.” Councilmember Lynn Schulman, who is Jewish, said she was “deeply troubled” by the group’s focus on “foreign political issues” while “New Yorkers face serious and urgent public health challenges at home.”

• Yael Halaas, president of the American Jewish Medical Association, said the group promoted “libel against the Jewish people.”

Tisch praises new NYPD chaplains as ‘tzadik’

• Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, named Catholic and Black church leaders to helm the NYPD’s chaplains’ unit on Tuesday.

• “As I was thinking about who should fill this role, one Hebrew word kept coming to mind — “Tzadik,” a person of righteousness,” Tisch said to The New York Times.

--
The post Left-wing Jewish groups say they oppose NYC legislation that would limit protests outside synagogues appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, AIPAC just put a strident anti-Israel voice on the path to Congress. But hey, at least it alienated one of America’s two major political parties in the process.

Heckuva job, guys.

This hurts me to say. I’m a fervent Zionist. I’ve been writing in support of Israel for over 20 years. I started my career interning at AIPAC. I’d thought the organization was hated precisely because it was so effective. Yet after its performance in New Jersey’s 11th district — coming after years of making it harder for Democrats like me to keep the party on board with Israel — I have to wonder if AIPAC is still the right standard-bearer for pro-Israel Americans. At a minimum, it must dramatically rethink its strategy.

For those who don’t know, AIPAC decided it wanted to take down former Congressman and Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski (full disclosure: I’ve worked with Malinowski and consider him a friend). The rationale for doing so was that he’d said he would consider conditioning aid to Israel based on whether the Jewish state was following through on commitments to the United States So AIPAC spent $2 million through a subsidiary to release a torrent of grossly misleading ads implying Malinowski voted in favor of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s current abuses.

Malinowski, who appeared headed to a win, just conceded the primary race to Bernie Sanders-endorsed, hard-core progressive Analilia Mejia. The same Mejia who went to a CAIR event and said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

That’s right: AIPAC decided that the best way to support the U.S.-Israel relationship is to put someone in Congress who will try to drive the allies apart.

Worse yet, AIPAC has now forced Democrats to take one of two positions on Israel when they run for office. They can either support Israel in exactly the manner that AIPAC tells them, not daring to speak obvious truths like “sometimes allies have to tell each other when they’re making a mistake” or provide any nuance; or they can cast AIPAC (and by extension, Israel) as the enemy. In AIPAC’s rubric, then, they can only campaign as either “under the sway of a powerful lobbying organization” or “thinking for themselves.”

There’s no question which is a more compelling message, not to mention less humiliating. The likely outcome of AIPAC’s approach, then, will be more and more rabidly anti-Israel candidates winning Democratic primaries. Given the pervasiveness of gerrymandering, that means we’re likely to see more anti-Zionists in Congress.

As a diehard Zionist, I’m not eager for a Congress with fewer Ritchie Torreses and more Rashida Tlaibs. Yet that’s the likely outcome of AIPAC’s approach to Democratic politics.

What has me most concerned, however, was that this was all foreseeable. Advocates, myself included, repeatedly tried to warn AIPAC that what ended up happening was the most likely outcome of their actions.  Malinowski was the most moderate candidate in the race and had by far the most foreign policy experience. If he lost votes, who did AIPAC think was likely to benefit? Never mind that AIPAC spent $2 million — money that the pro-Israel movement will need to spend in, say, Michigan’s Senate race, where proud Israel advocate Rep. Haley Stevens is running against Abdul El-Sayed, an anti-Zionist who had the chutzpah to fundraise off of the Oct. 7 massacre — to “achieve” this outcome.

Given the magnitude — and, frankly, stupidity — of this blunder, I am concerned that AIPAC is no longer up to the task of generating support for Israel among the Democrats who are overwhelming favorites to win the House of Representatives in 2026. As JTA reports, AIPAC appears to be taking the Trumpian approach to this blunder and refusing to admit a mistake no matter how glaring — saying it will continue to “focus on stopping candidates . . . who want to put conditions on aid” — and that tone does not play well with Democrats. It appears to no longer understand the internal battles within the Democratic Party, how pro-Israel Democrats need to argue their case to appeal to primary voters, or the outright necessity for Democratic politicians to present themselves as not beholden to any pressure organization or donor.

AIPAC can only assuage fears that Democratic politics have passed them by through public introspection. The organization needs to start a “Democratic Future” project that studies how best to appeal to Democratic voters in a new era when “Jews in the Democratic Party will align the Party with Israel” is no longer a viable strategy. At a bare minimum, AIPAC needs to reassign — or outright fire — every political analyst and consultant on its team who advocated for and executed its strategy in NJ-11. It needs to let its supporters know that it’s doing so, too.

Crow isn’t kosher, but it’s time for AIPAC to eat some anyhow.

--
The post As a Zionist, I want Congress to have more Ritchie Torreses and fewer Rashida Tlaibs. Doesn’t AIPAC? appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

New York City’s only Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant has closed its doors for regular dining, citing the backlash it faced during the war in Gaza.

Beejhy Barhany, who opened Tsion Cafe in Harlem in 2014, recently announced that she is reimagining her restaurant as an event venue for culturally immersive experiences. That means no walk-ins, only group bookings made in advance.

Barhany sees the new model as a prime opportunity to educate New Yorkers about her culture. But she said the change represents a sad concession to the realities of Jewish life in the city since Oct. 7, 2023.

“Everything kind of changed — so much animosity,” she said. Things got even worse, she said, when she dropped meat from the menu in February 2024 to go fully vegan and kosher — a move that drew plaudits from Jews in the city but also raised Tsion’s profile among critics of Israel.

“I was proud to be Jewish. I wanted to illuminate that,” she said. “But from the moment we pivoted to be kosher, it became worse and worse.”

People would call the restaurant and harass whoever picked up the phone, Barhany said. One day, she recalled, a server at the restaurant was standing outside and “a bunch of Gen Z’s” passing through said, “Don’t ever come to this place. It’s owned by Israelis. By Zionists.”

While some Israeli restaurants that faced harassment drew public attention and support, Tsion, located off the beaten track in Harlem, did not. Barhany said she did not seek to publicize the incidents, hoping that they would recede in prominence. But they took a toll.

“It’s kind of tiring,” she said. “You’re here to nourish the community and it feels like you are perceived like the enemy.”

Hosting groups of Jewish visitors had offered a respite. So when Barhany recently took part in “StoryCourse: Diaspora,” in which she and three other Jewish chefs shared their recipes and their stories of how they made their way to New York, she realized it pointed toward a model of dining as a cultural experience, rather than a traditional restaurant.

In Tsion’s new model, guests will register in advance for “curated, culturally immersive and experiential events” that, at least at first, will focus on Barhany’s own culture.

“You will come and be immersed in the culture,” she said. “You will have a hand wash, Ethiopian-style, and we will bring frankincense. We will have a coffee ceremony and I will talk about Jewish Ethiopian cuisine, culture and history.”

Guests will be served Ethiopian foods like messer wot (red lentil stew), gomen hamli (braised collard greens) or qey sir (braised beets).

“I am calling it The Gursha Experience. Gursha is the Amharic word for nourishment, feeding, story telling,” said Barhany. It is also the name of her recently published cookbook, named by The New York Times as one of the best cookbooks of 2025, that showcases recipes in the context of her life story.

Chef Beejhy Berhany of Tsion Cafe attends the Grand Tasting: Daytime Edition hosted by Sofia and Manolo Vergara during Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Oct. 18, 2025. (Rob Kim/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

Born in Ethiopia, Barhany she spent three years in a refugee camp in Sudan, before moving to southern Israel and then Kibbutz Alumim, near the Gaza Strip, during her teen years. After serving in the Israel Defense Forces, she traveled the world and, in her early 20s, settled in New York City, where she has raised a teen daughter.

Tsion had hosted quite a few special events over the years, most of which were held at the same time that regular restaurant service was taking place.

“People were very engaged,” said Barhany. “We had time to talk to them about history. They could ask questions. It was very personalized. I felt like I was able to educate them and engage with them on a personal level. It’s a lot more fulfilling than the walk-in, the regular model of coming in and you don’t know who you are dealing with.”

When Bella Smorgonskaya, the cultural director of the JCC of Staten Island, learned about Tsion Cafe, she was determined to visit.

“I immigrated to Israel from Russia and I was in Israel during Operation Solomon, an Ethiopian aliyah,” she recalled. “Everytime I am coming to Israel, I go every year, I see Ethiopian people and I see how they flourished.”

As the cultural director of the JCC, Smorgonskaya tries to introduce different cultures to the people who attend the organization’s events, so she decided on a group trip to the restaurant. The group visited this past November, right before Thanksgiving.

She and 23 attendees, ranging in age from 58 to 85 years, took a two-hour bus ride to Harlem. The participants came from a panoply of backgrounds — Irish, Italian, children of Holocaust survivors. It was an experience unlike any other they had had in the past.

“Beejhy talked about her family and their trip to Israel from Ethiopia,” said Smorgonskaya. “She wasn’t just serving food. She was talking about the roots of this food. I learned about the story and the history of Ethiopian Jews.”

The members of the group were not familiar with Ethiopian food or the manner in which the Ethiopian flat bread called injera is used to scoop up salads and stews, eschewing silverware. “They ate with their hands. Nobody complained,” she said. “Beejhy was so warm. It felt like we came to her house, not her cafe.”

Erica Frankel, the co-founder of Tzibur Harlem, a neighborhood Jewish community group, has held a number of events at Tsion Cafe over the years, the first being a fireside chat held at the restaurant in February 2023 during Black History Month that was titled, “Blacks and Jews in Harlem: Lessons from the past, a vision for the future.”

In 2025, when Frankel and her husband and Tzibur co-founder, Rabbi Dimitry Ekshtut, decided to hold a series of events in Harlem celebrating Hanukkah, the first person they contacted was Barhany. She said she would be delighted to host an event in her space.

“We lit Hanukkah candles. Beejhy offered us a framing of her own experience of Hanukkah. Interestingly, in the Ethiopian Jewish community, Hanukkah is not a holiday that they have traditionally celebrated because they left the Middle East before the Hanukkah story took place,” Frankel recalled. “But she shared her own experience of Hanukkah and more powerfully the experience of light and darkness and so many of the themes that underlie this holiday.”

The Hanukkah celebration with Tzibur Harlem was a transformative moment for Barhany, too.

“We celebrated Hanukkah here at Tsion and we had our hanukkiah by the window and I could see the reaction,” she said. “‘Are you serious? You’re putting your menorah right there?’ Yes! This is what I have to do. I am true to myself.”

Barhany knows the new model could be an uphill climb in an unforgiving industry. But she imagines Tsion Cafe as ultimately expanding beyond the Ethiopian Jewish experience to showcase the history and culture and food of other Diaspora Jewish communities.

“If I find someone with a Yemenite or Polish community, we could do that, too, with a particular chef,” she said. “How can we enrich Jewish diversity through food and storytelling in one place and specifically in Harlem? We’ve been around for 11 years and we would like to continue.”

--
The post Citing anti-Israel backlash, NYC’s only Ethiopian-Israeli eatery ends regular dine-in hours appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

If AIPAC has any regrets about pouring more than $2 million into opposing a candidate who calls himself pro-Israel — and ultimately lost to an anti-Israel opponent — it isn’t saying so. In fact, the pro-Israel group’s affiliated super PAC suggests it would do it again.

“We are going to have a focus on stopping candidates who are detractors of Israel or who want to put conditions on aid,” Patrick Dorton, a spokesperson for the United Democracy Project, said in an interview.

The target of the UDP’s recent spending was Tom Malinowski, a former congressman who was running in a special election in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, which he conceded on Tuesday morning. Malinowski, who calls himself pro-Israel and has been endorsed by the liberal Zionist organization J Street, has said he’d be open to placing conditions on some U.S. aid to Israel.

AIPAC pummeled Malinowski with $2.3 million in negative ads — but not about Israel. Instead, the ads tarred him from a progressive angle — one emphasized his vote on a 2019 bill that included increased funding for ICE, the immigration enforcement agency.

In a statement, Malinowski congratulated the winning candidate, Analilia Mejia, and credited her for “running a positive campaign and inspiring so many voters on Election Day.”

“But the outcome of this race cannot be understood without also taking into account the massive flood of dark money that AIPAC spent on dishonest ads during the last three weeks,” Malinowski wrote.

He added, “I met several voters in the final days of the campaign who had seen the ads and asked me, sincerely, ‘Are you MAGA? Are you for ICE?'”

By one measure, AIPAC’s spend could be seen as a success: The candidate it opposed, seen as a favorite, did not score an easy win on Election Day. But in another crucial way, the effort appears to have backfired by throwing open the door for Mejia, a progressive grassroots organization leader who is far more critical of Israel.

Mejia, who was the national political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, was ahead of Malinowski by less than 1,000 votes when he conceded the race. Tahesha Way, the former lieutenant governor of New Jersey who is thought to have been AIPAC’s preferred candidate, finished in a distant third.

Critics, including AIPAC supporters, have slammed AIPAC’s strategy in the race.

“They could not have gotten a worse result than what they got,” said Alan Steinberg, a journalist in New Jersey who was an EPA administrator under George Bush. “I’m a very pro-AIPAC person, very supportive of AIPAC, but this is one of the worst strategic errors that they could’ve ever made.”

The UDP got into the race because of Malinowski’s comments on U.S. aid to Israel at a time when a large number of Democrats, and some Republicans, were expressing new openness to attaching conditions to the aid as they sought to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza and adopt different policies in Israel and the West Bank.

Asked last fall about the possibility of conditioning or suspending aid to Israel, Malinowski told Jewish Insider that he “would make case-by-case judgments given what’s happening on the ground.” He said he would similarly make case-by-case judgments for any U.S. ally receiving aid.

“We had very serious concerns about Tom Malinowski, who clearly was open to conditioning aid to Israel,” Dorton said. “He knew that he had moved to what is not a pro-Israel position.”

Dorton indicated that the UDP would likely go after other candidates who have expressed openness or interest in conditioning aid. “Adding conditions to aid to Israel, and undermining the U.S. relationship, is a top priority for us in assessing candidates,” he said.

In New Jersey, the result could be elevating a politician whose stance on Israel is much harsher. Mejia has accused Israel of committing a genocide in Gaza and pledged not to take any AIPAC-funded trips to the country. She also began calling for a ceasefire in Gaza within weeks of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel after tweeting on Oct. 10, “Every fiber of my being is horrified beyond words at what is furthering in Gaza. Yet again we see how oppression & dehumanization leads to despair & unthinkable destruction.”

Mejia’s campaign focused on affordability and she drew endorsements from progressives including Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna. If she holds her lead, she will become the Democratic nominee for April’s special election to fill the House seat vacated by now-governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill. 

Steinberg said he thought that AIPAC “never took seriously the possibility of her winning in this primary,” and that Malinowski would be far more aligned with AIPAC on Israel.

“I don’t think Malinowski is anti-Israel,” said Steinberg. “I know Tom, I disagree with him on Israel, but he is much preferable to Analilia Mejia. Much preferable.”

Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, which endorsed Malinowski, wrote in a Substack column that AIPAC was responding to criticism of the Israeli government’s policies as if it were hostility toward the country itself.

“AIPAC now treats even good-faith criticism from friends as a threat to be crushed,” he wrote.

Malinowski wrote that his “support for Israel as a Jewish and democratic state” would not waver “because of who supports or opposes me.”

“But our Democratic Party should have nothing to do with a pro-Trump-billionaire-funded organization that demands absolute fealty to positions that are outside the mainstream of the American pro-Israel community, and then smear those who don’t fall into line,” he wrote.

Dorton downplayed the impact of a Mejia primary victory because the upcoming special election decides only which candidate fills the seat until the end of 2026. A second primary, held in June 2026, will decide the Democratic nominee for the regular November election.

But others are viewing her potential win as a larger victory for progressives, and specifically the pro-Palestinian movement. 

“Analilia Mejia for New Jersey just set a new precedent in NJ and beyond,” wrote pro-Palestinian activist Linda Sarsour in a Facebook post on Monday featuring a photo of Mejia raising her hand as the lone candidate indicating that she believed Israel committed genocide, at a forum hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “She’s teaching us that it’s okay to stand alone so as [sic] long as you are on the right side of history.”

The UDP has spent millions on congressional races to mixed results since AIPAC began directly funding candidates in 2021; it had previously worked only to cultivate support for Israel among politicians. In 2024, it spent at least $14.5 million against the incumbent “Squad” member Jamaal Bowman in New York, and more than $8 million to take down Cori Bush in Missouri; both incumbents lost their primaries. But the $4.5 million it spent was not enough to beat Dave Min for Katie Porter’s House seat in California.

Now, the upcoming midterms will likely serve as a test of AIPAC’s strength as lawmakers and voters on both sides of the aisle distance themselves from Israel and its advocates. They will also answer the question of what dividends AIPAC — whose PAC opened the year with a nearly $100 million war chest — will draw if it focuses on punishing candidates who show insufficient support for Israel.

“If AIPAC backs a candidate — openly or surreptitiously — in the June NJ-11 Congressional primary, I will oppose that candidate and urge my supporters to do as well,” Malinowski wrote. “The threat unlimited dark money poses to our democracy is far more significant than the views of a single member of Congress on middle east policy.”

Dorton said he is not concerned about shifting sentiment toward Israel and AIPAC. The UDP is looking ahead to the June midterm primaries and will “continue to run ads that move the needle” in primary races about issues that mostly don’t involve Israel, he said. He added that the group is assessing polling data and “candidate viability” for dozens of races around the country — including in NJ-11.

“There is a strong bipartisan pro-Israel majority in Congress,” Dorton said. “And we intend to keep it that way.”

--
The post AIPAC defends $2.3M spend against ‘pro-Israel’ politician in NJ-11, where anti-Israel candidate prevails appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

A Jewish group is preparing to sue to overturn a ban on publicly funded religious charter schools in Oklahoma, after a state board unanimously rejected its proposal on Monday.

The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board’s decision blocked an application from the National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation to open a statewide virtual Jewish school serving grades K-12 beginning next school year.

Ben Gamla’s legal team, led by Becket, a prominent nonprofit religious liberty law firm, said the rejection violates the Constitution’s Free Exercise clause and announced plans to file suit in federal court. In a statement, Becket attorney Eric Baxter criticized Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who has argued that publicly funded religious charter schools are unconstitutional.

“Attorney General Drummond’s attack on religious schools contradicts the Constitution,” Baxter said. “His actions have hung a no-religious-need-apply sign on the state’s charter school program. We’ll soon ask a federal court to protect Ben Gamla’s freedom to serve Sooner families, a right that every other qualified charter school enjoys.”

A victory for Ben Gamla could redraw the line separating church and state, establishing the first school of its kind nationwide and opening the possibility for taxpayer-funded religious schools across the country.

Spearheaded by former Florida Democratic Rep. Peter Deutsch, the Ben Gamla proposal called for a blend of daily Jewish religious studies alongside secular coursework. Deutsch, who nearly two decades ago established a network of nonreligious “English-Hebrew” charter schools in Florida, has said he chose Oklahoma as a testing ground for what he views as a viable model of publicly funded religious education.

In a statement, Deutsch criticized the board’s decision.

“Parents across the Sooner State deserve more high-quality options for their children’s education, not fewer,” Deutsch said in a statement. “Yet Attorney General Drummond is robbing them of more choices by cutting schools like Ben Gamla out. We’re confident this exclusionary rule won’t stand for long.”

The rejection, delivered during the board’s monthly meeting, did not come as a surprise. The board’s 2023 approval of a similar application by a Christian group to establish St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School was ultimately overturned by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on constitutional grounds.

An attempt to challenge the state court decision at the federal level failed when the U.S. Supreme Court deadlocked on the case last year due to a recusal by Amy Coney Barrett, who has ties to the Catholic group.

Several board members cited the legal outcome in explaining their votes against Ben Gamla.

“I am troubled by the fact that our hands are tied by the state Supreme Court decision, but I think we have to honor it, and it’s a very clear directive,” board member Damon Gardenhire said at the meeting.

Board member David Rutkauskas said it was “very unfortunate” that the board was “bound” by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, adding that the decision was not because Ben Gamla is “not a good candidate or qualified.”

“If I could have voted for this school today without being bound, I would have voted yes,” Rutkauskas said. “I think it would be great for the Jewish community and the Jewish kids to have this option of a high quality school.”

Ahead of the board’s vote, during public comment, Jewish Oklahoma resident Dan Epstein argued that the “public should not be funding sectarian education.”

“My religious education was entirely private,” Epstein said. “My parents didn’t ask for anybody else to pay for it. They paid for it as part of dues to our congregation, and so I’m here today to express my opposition to the application of the Ben Gamla school.”

Epstein was not the only Jewish voice in Oklahoma to object to Ben Gamla.

Last month, the Tulsa Jewish Federation and several local Jewish leaders issued a joint statement in which they criticized Ben Gamla for failing to consult local Jewish leaders ahead of their application to open the school.

“We are deeply concerned that an external Jewish organization would pursue such an initiative in Oklahoma without first engaging in meaningful consultation with the established Oklahoma Jewish community,” the leaders wrote. “Had such a consultation occurred, the applicant would have been made aware that Oklahoma is already home to many Jewish educational opportunities.”

Oklahoma is home to fewer than 9,000 Jews, many of whom live in Tulsa.

During Monday’s deliberation, board member William Pearson cited opposition to the Ben Gamla proposal from Oklahoma Jewish congregations.

“My real concern is that I don’t see a grassroots effort from the Jewish community in the state of Oklahoma,” Pearson said. “Now maybe I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen it. What I have seen is the synagogues, both from Oklahoma City and Tulsa, come out in opposition to this, and I find that very interesting, that the Jewish community, the people that are involved daily in Jewish lifestyle, that they’re opposed to this.”

Immediately after voting to turn down Ben Gamla, the board approved hiring outside legal counsel in anticipation of a lawsuit.

“I can’t predict the future, but I would say, by all indicators, I would be shocked if there’s not a lawsuit filed by Friday,” board chair Brian Shellem said.

--
The post Oklahoma board denies proposal for Jewish charter school — and lawyers up ahead of expected legal battle appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

One-third of American Jews reported being the target of an antisemitic incident in 2025, according to a new survey published by the American Jewish Committee.

The finding marked no change over the previous year, suggesting that American Jews could be settling into a distressing new normal in the aftermath of Oct. 7.

“Things aren’t getting markedly better,” said Ted Deutch, the CEO of the AJC, in an interview. “I don’t think that we can afford to accept it as a baseline. We can’t accept that, and America shouldn’t accept that.”

Surveying 1,222 American Jewish adults from Sept. 26 to Oct. 9, the AJC found a plateau in several indicators of sentiment.

Overall, 55% of American Jews reported avoiding specific behaviors in 2025 due to fear of antisemitism, including steering clear of certain events and refraining from wearing or posting things online that would identify them as Jewish.

The finding also marked no change since 2024, when 56% of Jews reported changing their behavior for fear of antisemitism, but was up from 46% in 2023 and 38% in 2022.

This year’s respondents were also asked if they felt “less safe” as a result of several high-profile recent antisemitic attacks, including the arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home in April; the deadly shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., in May; and the firebombing of a demonstration for the Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado, in June.

About a quarter of respondents said the attacks had made them feel “a great deal” less safe, while 31% responded “a fair amount” and 32% responded “a little.”

Overall, according to the report, two-thirds of respondents said that they believed Jews in the United States were less secure than a year ago.

Deutch said the findings of the group’s latest report should serve not only as a warning for Jews, but as a “warning sign of the cracks in the foundation of our society” for the wider public.

“This is about more than just what’s happening to Jews,” he said. “We’ve always been first, the Jews have always been a canary in the coal mine, and we have to take this seriously. The broader community has to take this seriously for the benefit, not just of our Jewish community, but for our society and our democracy.”

For the first time, the AJC also asked American Jews whether they approved of the way President Donald Trump was responding to antisemitism in the country.

Roughly two-thirds of respondents said they disapproved of Trump’s actions, though views split sharply along partisan lines, with 84% of Jewish Democrats disapproving of Trump’s response at least somewhat compared to 9% of Jewish Republicans.

The survey comes as some Jewish leaders have lamented what they have described as the inefficacy of efforts to combat antisemitism.

Last month at the Second International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem, political theorist Yoram Hazony decried what he described as an “an extremely high level of incompetence by the entire anti-Semitism-industrial complex.” Bret Stephens, the right-leaning Jewish New York Times columnist, argued in an address last week that the Jewish community should abandon its efforts to combat antisemitism and instead invest in strengthening Jewish life.

For Deutch, the decision between combatting antisemitism and strengthening Jewish education and infrastructure was a false choice.

“It’s not a trade-off. We can’t afford to choose one or the other,” said Deutch. “We don’t have the luxury of deciding that we’re either going to invest in more education for our leaders and for ourselves and helping to create the next generation of well educated Jewish leaders, or engaging with the broader community and leaders across the broader community about the scourge of antisemitism.”

--
The post 1 in 3 American Jews were targeted by an antisemitic incident last year, AJC survey finds appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

One Sunday last year, as I stood at the weekly Israelis for Peace gathering in Union Square Park, a young couple stopped for a moment. The man caught my eye and pointed at his partner’s shirt, which read “Zionist” in the pink Barbie font. “See this? See this?” he called out. She flashed me a smile, and the two walked away before I could ask them why they thought the word “Zionist” somehow served as a rejoinder to a gathering of Israelis and American Jews mourning both Israeli and Palestinian dead, and calling for an end to the war for the good of everyone.

Of course it’s not just the Jewish right that can’t seem to reconcile caring about Israeli Jews with caring about Palestinians. Those on the left who justified Oct. 7, who tore down hostage posters and who dismiss all Israeli Jews as settler colonialists are similarly guilty of this zero sum thinking.

But most Jews have little trouble simultaneously affirming care and concern for Israel and Israelis and opposing Israeli policies, including the extended war in Gaza, the occupation of territories captured in 1967, and the expansion of settlements. Poll after poll, including the recent Washington Post study of American Jews, have demonstrated this to be true. Interestingly, in the Jewish Federations of North America survey released last week, respondents’ emotional attachment to the United States and willingness to criticize its government track closely with the responses regarding Israel. It turns out that most people understand that one can feel attached to a country and oppose its policies and government.

And yet, major Jewish legacy organizations continue to insist that support for Israel requires denying the realities of occupation, justifying violence against Palestinians and rejecting Palestinian self-determination even while affirming the same for Jews.

It’s no surprise then that the JFNA poll shows that a vast majority of Jews feel a strong connection to Israel and believe it should continue to exist as a Jewish state, but that only 37% consider themselves to be Zionists. Jewish legacy organizations have contributed to such a poisoning of the term Zionist that 80% of those who identify as anti-Zionist believe that Zionism means “supporting whatever actions Israel takes.”

Since the 1960s, Jewish legacy groups have made a concerted effort to sideline any Jewish organization that dares to criticize the Israeli government or to call for an end to occupation. Mainstream organizational pressure effectively destroyed Breira — an anti-occupation Zionist group — in the 1970s and its successor New Jewish Agenda, and has sought to do the same to groups like J Street, New Jewish Narrative, New Israel Fund and T’ruah (which I lead).

In the spring of 2002, when I was a fourth-year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary, the major Jewish organizations announced a mass rally in support of Israel on the National Mall. JTS, like virtually every Jewish organization on the East Coast, was shutting down for the day and sending buses to Washington. My classmates and I struggled about whether to join. Many of us, myself included, had spent the previous year in Jerusalem, terrified to ride buses or eat in restaurants during the wave of suicide bombings that characterized the second intifada. We worried about our friends now studying there. But we also expected that speakers at the rally would denigrate Palestinians and justify violence against civilian populations.

Together with peers from five other rabbinical schools, we formed a contingent that we called Rabbinical Students for a Just Peace. In the end, more than 100 students from these schools wrote to the leaders of major organizations calling for the “American Jewish community [to] acknowledge Israel’s mistakes and recognize the humanity and the pain of the Palestinians.” We joined the rally with signs calling for peace and justice for both peoples.

The response was swift. Recipients of the letter publicly questioned our attachment to Israel. Rally attendees surrounded our group, yelling, pushing and tearing at our signs. Classmates applying for jobs that year and the next were interrogated about their commitments to Israel.

Nearly 20 years later, in the midst of the 2021 Gaza war, a new generation of rabbinical students wrote yet another letter criticizing Israel’s excessive use of violence in that conflict. Again, powerful voices sought to push these up-and-coming Jewish leaders out of the community. Synagogue leaders announced that they would not hire rabbis who had signed the letter, or pushed for interns to be fired. To this day, every spring I get phone calls from rabbinical students and rabbis trying to negotiate the job process after signing that letter or otherwise expressing views critical of Israeli policy.

As the CEO of T’ruah, an organization that represents more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors, and that advocates for the human rights of both Israelis and Palestinians, I have been told more often than I can count that we are outside of the proverbial tent, or that we are too left to speak at a particular Jewish conference or to attend a meeting. Major Jewish foundations and federations have declined to fund or ceased funding our domestic work because of our opposition to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, or because we began calling for an end to the war, including the return of hostages and cessation of bombing, in December 2023. Groups like J Street have fared similarly, including being rejected from membership in the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

I personally don’t think the terms Zionism and anti-Zionism serve us any longer. The Zionist movement succeeded in establishing a state in 1948, just like other national movements of the 20th century have succeeded in establishing other states or continue to strive to do so. Today, Israel is a state like any other, and is subject to the same international laws as any other member of the United Nations. We need a new vocabulary to describe the conviction that most American Jews actually have: a deep connection to Israel and belief that it should be a Jewish and democratic state, and a willingness to fight for Palestinians’ rights and to criticize the Israeli government.

The JFNA poll demonstrates that the word Zionism today serves only to obscure real conversations about the future of Israel and Palestine. It also shows that the Jewish legacy organizations have succeeded in their efforts to define Zionism as support for even the worst Israeli government policies. If these organizations do not want to lose a generation of Jews from having any relationship with Israel, they would do well to reconsider the decades-old policy of pushing aside those who believe that real commitment to Israel’s future requires fighting also for the rights of Palestinians.

--
The post The JFNA survey proves it: ‘Zionism’ today only impedes the conversations that Jews, Israelis and Palestinians need appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Only about one-third of American Jews are Zionists, according to a recent survey conducted by the Jewish Federations of North America — the first major survey of American Jews in a long time to ask explicitly about Zionist or non-Zionist identity. Yet the same survey finds that nearly nine in 10 American Jews believe “Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state.”

To many observers — especially within organized Jewish and pro-Israel advocacy circles — this looks like a contradiction begging to be resolved. The most common resolution is tidy and reassuring: Most Jews are Zionists without realizing it. They support Israel’s existence as a Jewish state; therefore, they must be Zionists, even if they resist the label.

That conclusion is no doubt comforting for many pro-Israel Jewish groups, but it is wrong. What the survey actually reveals is not mass confusion, but a growing insistence on nuance. American Jews are not secretly Zionists who have forgotten the definition. They are Jews with varied, thoughtful and sometimes conflicted views about peoplehood, democracy, nationalism and power, views that no longer fit neatly under a single ideological banner.

The key mistake made by many advocacy groups today is to treat “Zionism” as a static synonym for believing Israel should exist. As a scholar and educator on European Jewish intellectual history, I know that the truth is far more complicated than that. When I study debates about the possibility of creating a Jewish state from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when “Zionism” first became a political label under which people organized, I find that some of their positions are so far afield from where this term has ended up that it hardly makes sense to speak of them under the same singular rubric. I see this range of meaning among my students, too, who learn about the history of the many different forms Zionism has taken, and often tell me they feel too conflicted to easily characterize their views.

Historically, Zionism has never been one single concept. It has been a family of arguments, not a single creed: political Zionism, cultural Zionism, religious Zionism, socialist Zionism, revisionist Zionism, and more. To say “Zionism” without adjectives is already to erase its internal diversity.

But in contemporary discourse, especially in the United States, the term has narrowed. For many Jews today, “Zionism” no longer means support for a Jewish homeland or even for Israel’s continued existence. It means endorsement of a specific political project as it is currently practiced and defended.

That project is often perceived, rightly or wrongly, as prioritizing the maintenance of a permanent Jewish voting majority over and above liberal democratic principles. When Zionism is publicly articulated as requiring territorial maximalism, permanent military rule over millions of Palestinians without citizenship, or the subordination of democratic equality to ethnonational identity, many Jews step back.

Of course, these American Jews may still believe deeply that Israel matters as a place of refuge, culture, language and memory. They may still affirm its right to exist as a state for all its citizens, but they seemingly do not recognize their own values in what the label of Zionism has come to signify.

This tension is sharpened by the assumptions that dominate Israeli politics today. Across the Israeli Jewish political spectrum — from the far-right to the center-left — the prevailing view is that a “Jewish state” necessarily requires a durable Jewish voting majority. Maintaining that majority is treated as a political axiom, even when it comes into direct conflict with democratic principles. Israeli governments have been willing, often openly, to sacrifice the democratic side of the “Jewish and democratic” equation rather than confront its implications. A state that is both Jewish and democratic, in any robust sense, would require either a Palestinian state alongside it, or full political equality for Palestinians under Israeli rule, even at the expense of maintaining a Jewish voting majority. Yet the Israeli government now openly opposes Palestinian statehood and has structured its politics to avoid equal citizenship. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that for most Israeli Jewish politicians today, Israel’s “right to exist” as a Jewish state is more important than its need to exist as a democratic state.

Thus, American Jews who say they support Israel as a Jewish and democratic state may mean that they hold both commitments as equally important. They may well conclude that Zionism, as it is currently articulated and enacted, sacrifices democracy for Jewishness, and reject the label on precisely those grounds.

The numbers in the survey make sense once we allow for that distinction. A Jew can believe that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state and still doubt whether contemporary Zionism advances both of those commitments. Some Jews resolve that tension by emphasizing “democratic” over “Jewish,” arguing that any state claiming Jewish legitimacy must guarantee full civic equality, even if it no longer maintains a Jewish voting majority. Others emphasize “Jewish” in cultural or civilizational terms rather than demographic ones: Israel as a homeland, not a fortress; a center of Jewish life, not an exclusionary nation-state. These positions are not evasions. They are nuanced and committed moral and political judgments.

A brief detour into the thought of Martin Buber helps illuminate how mutable these terms are. Buber, one of the 20th century’s most influential Jewish philosophers, was a committed Zionist. He emigrated to Palestine, supported Jewish national renewal, and believed passionately in Hebrew nationalist culture. Yet he also advocated for a binational state, shared by Jews and Arabs on egalitarian political terms, grounded in political equality and mutual recognition. In his own time, Buber was squarely within the Zionist tent, so much so that Theodor Herzl invited him to serve as editor of the Zionist newspaper Die Welt. Today, if you espouse Martin Buber’s views of a binational state without emphasis on maintaining a Jewish voting majority, you are labeled an anti-Zionist.

Martin Buber (left) and Judah Leon Magnes testify before the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry in Jerusalem in 1946. (Central Zionist Archives via Harvard University Library)

What changed? Not Buber’s political and cultural commitments, which remained remarkably consistent throughout his entire turbulent life, but rather the meaning of Zionism itself. Positions once understood as Zionist alternatives are now treated as negations. The label has hardened, while Jewish political imagination has not. When American Jews decline to call themselves Zionists, they may be signaling less about Israel and more about language: a refusal to accept a definition that has narrowed beyond recognition.

This is why the claim that most Jews are Zionists, even if they do not know it, rings hollow. It assumes that there is a single, authoritative definition of Zionism, and that Jews who dissent from that definition are merely mistaken. In reality, many Jews know exactly what they are doing. They are refusing a word that, in their view, no longer leaves room for moral disagreement, historical complexity, or political evolution.

The deeper finding of the JFNA survey, then, is not confusion but pluralism. American Jews hold a wide range of views about Israel’s purpose and future. Some are passionately Zionist in a traditional sense; others are post-Zionist, non-Zionist, or ambivalent. Many care deeply about Israel as a place with symbolic meaning for multiple religious traditions, without placing it at the heart of their Jewish identities. This diversity is not a problem to be explained away. It is a reality to be reckoned with and even embraced.

Clinging to the old assumption that American Jews are uniformly Zionist, if only they could be made to admit it, does real damage. It flattens internal debate, alienates younger generations, and turns political disagreement into accusations of bad faith. Most of all, it prevents the kind of honest conversation this moment demands.

If the survey teaches us anything, it is that this binary of “pro-Israel” versus “anti-Israel” no longer captures how Jews think or speak. The community is wrestling, openly and seriously, with what it means for Israel to be Jewish and democratic, and whether current political realities honor that aspiration. We would do far better to listen to that wrestling than to rename it.

At a time when four out of 10 American Jews believe the state of Israel is guilty of genocide — about the same as the percentage of American Jews who identify as Zionists — the era when American Jews could be assumed to march under a single ideological flag of “Zionism” is over. What comes next will require more humility, more historical awareness and a lot more nuance than our inherited labels allow.

The Jewish Federations of North America survey did us a great favor by finally telling us how many American Jews identify as Zionists. We can never again assume that political Zionism is the dominant ideology of the American Jewish community. And that frees us to finally embrace the pluralism of who we are.

--
The post Zionism was never a single concept. We should be grateful to JFNA’s survey for the reminder. appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Thousands of protesters demonstrated across Australia on Monday against Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who traveled to the country at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following the Bondi massacre.

Upon arrival, Herzog visited the site of the antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, where 15 people were killed while attending a Hanukkah event in December. There, he laid a wreath and met with the family members of the victims of the attack.

“Standing here at Bondi – an iconic symbol of Australian life, now scarred by the December 14th massacre – I embrace our Australian Jewish sisters and brothers still reeling from this trauma,” wrote Herzog in a post on X. “My visit to Australia, to all of you, is one of solidarity, strength, and sincere friendship from the State of Israel and the people of Israel.”

Israelli President Isaac Herzog (C) and his wife Michal (2nd R) are escorted by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns (L) as they lay a wreath for the victims of the Dec. 14, 2025 gun attack at the Bondi Pavilion, in Sydney on February 9, 2026. (David GRAY / AFP)

As Herzog commenced his four-day visit, dozens of protests organized by Palestine Action Sydney erupted across the country by activists who labeled him as a war criminal.

Calls to disinvite Herzog were also made by Jewish groups in Australia, including the progressive Jewish Council of Australia, which published a letter in the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday signed by roughly 1,000 Australian Jews who opposed the visit.

Ahead of the expected protests, The New South Wales government declared that Herzog’s visit was a “major event,” a distinction that expanded police powers to include directing the motion of demonstrators, closing specific locations and maintaining separation between opposing groups. Those who denied police directions were subject to fines of up to $3,862.

Alex Ryvchin, the co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, condemned the protest efforts in a post on X last week, writing that it is “shameful that so many resources are required to keep Australians safe from other Australians but that is the sad reality of our times.”

“There is no point appealing to them or reasoning with them because they are extremists driven by irrational motives,” wrote Ryvchin. “It is for the police and government to maintain order, keep Australians safe and protect us.”

On Monday, Palestine Action Group failed to legally challenge the restrictions in a Sydney court.

Pro-Palestinian protesters take part in a demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia in Sydney on February 9, 2026. (Saeed KHAN / AFP)

Despite the heavy restrictions on protests, large crowds of protesters gathered in Sydney on Monday, with many shouting pro-Palestinian slogans and carrying posters that read “Arrest Herzog” and “I’m not antisemitic, I am anti-genocide.”

Police used tear gas and pepper spray on some protesters in Sydney who attempted to continue their march after police intervened. New South Wales Police said that 27 people had been arrested during the protests, including 10 for assaulting police and 17 for failing to comply with directions and related offenses.

Palestine Action Group Sydney condemned the police actions in a post on Instagram, writing, “Tonight saw a sickening frenzy of police violence against 30,000 peaceful, anti-genocide protesters.”

In Brisbane, a city in Queensland, protesters were also heard shouting the common pro-Palestinian slogan “From the river to the sea” a day after the Queensland government announced it would propose a new law criminalizing public use of the slogan as well as the phrase “globalize the intifada.”

On Monday night, thousands of people gathered for a speech from Herzog at an event center in Sydney were barred from leaving as police worked to dispel the lingering protest presence outside.

--
The post Arrests and clashes with police as Australians protest Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Sydney visit appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In the years since school libraries became a culture-war flashpoint, Texas has been one of the most active states to pull books from shelves in response to parental complaints — sometimes including versions of Anne Frank’s diary and other Jewish books.

Now, Texas is pursuing a new approach: requiring that Frank’s diary, and several other Jewish texts, be taught throughout the state.

The Texas state education board recently discussed draft legislation that would create the nation’s first-ever statewide K-12 required reading list for public schools. Among the roughly 300 texts on the list: Elie Wiesel’s Holocaust memoir “Night”; Lois Lowry’s young-reader Holocaust novel “Number the Stars”; George Washington’s letter to a Rhode Island synagogue in 1790, and Frank’s diary — the “original edition.”

Each of the works could become mandatory reading for Texas’s 5.5 million schoolchildren as soon as the 2030-31 school year, as the state’s conservative education leaders seek to reverse a nationwide decline in the number of books read or assigned in class while also constraining the texts that activist parents tend to object to. Instead of letting individual teachers put together reading lists that might include “divisive” or progressive content, Republicans in Texas are trying to nudge the curriculum toward a “classical education” said to draw on the Western canon.

Supporters said the list would help ensure every student is on the same page.

“We want to create an opportunity for a shared body of knowledge for all the students across the state of Texas,” Shannon Trejo, deputy commissioner of programs for the Texas Education Agency, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency about why the group undertook the list project. 

While state lawmakers passed a law mandating at least one required book per grade, the board has decided to implement a full reading list. Trejo said the options had been whittled down from thousands of titles suggested in a statewide teachers survey. They were also cross-referenced with a variety of other sources, including books from “high-performing educational systems” in other states and reading lists from the high-IQ society Mensa. 

“We’re trying to help students love reading again,” LJ Francis, a Republican member of the state school board who supports the list, said during the Jan. 28 meeting. “I personally think schools should be teaching more than what we have on this list.”

The proposal underscores a complicated moment for Jewish literature in Texas schools, where books about the Holocaust and Jewish history have recently been pulled from shelves amid parental complaints but are now poised to become required reading statewide.  Jewish educators and free-speech advocates say the shift reflects both recognition of Holocaust education’s importance — and continuing tensions over who controls what students read and how those stories are taught.

The overall list largely centers the Western canon and deemphasizes modern works as well as most books about race and identity, although selections from Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass and other Black American authors made the cut. The Bible is also heavily represented, with selections from both the Old and New Testaments on the reading list.

The state’s Holocaust Remembrance Week education mandate means that Jews are one of the few ethnic groups whose stories are fairly well represented on the state’s required reading list. That doesn’t mean that Holocaust educators are unreservedly enthusiastic about the new approach.

A parent reads aloud from “Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation” at a board meeting for the Keller Independent School District in Keller, Texas, Aug. 22, 2022. The district had ordered the removal of the book from its schools the week prior. (Screenshot)

“Obviously I’m pleased that they’re including quality Holocaust materials,” Deborah Lauter, executive director of TOLI, the Olga Lenkyel Institute for Holocaust Studies, told JTA. Lauter noted that many teachers trained by TOLI on how to teach the Holocaust in their classrooms — including in Texas — already rely on books that made the list. 

But, Lauter said, teachers generally like to develop their own curricula to tailor to their classrooms. “Mandating certain books, I don’t know how teachers would feel about that,” she said.

Lauter also expressed concern about whether the state would be providing materials to help teachers decode the Holocaust texts for their students. Trejo told JTA that fell beyond the scope of the list and the statute.

“It is just the title that is going into the standards for the state of Texas,” Trejo said. “Beyond that, it would be up to publishers to look to, how can I support districts and teachers in teaching this title?” 

To literacy activists in the state, the approach was concerning.

“This is censorship as well,” Laney Hawes, co-director of the Texas Freedom to Read Project, told JTA. The overall list, she said, reflects “a very narrow worldview,” and the large number of books on the list would make it difficult for educators to find time for additional texts of their own choosing in class.

At the same time, Hawes said, “there are some really worthwhile books on this list. ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ is an incredible book.”

The Jewish titles, Trejo said, were selected with additional input from Holocaust museum experts, local rabbis and Jewish day schools in the state. They also sought input from the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission.

“We were invited to provide input regarding a few specific parts of these proposals,” Joy Nathan, the commission’s director, told JTA in an email. 

A poem by Hannah Senesh, shown here in Israel in 1943, has been recommended for a statewide approved reading list in Texas. (Wikimedia via Creative Commons)

She named “Blessed Is the Match,” a poem by the Hungarian-born poet and resistance fighter Hannah Senesh, as a reading that her commission recommended for the draft list. “We will continue these direct conversations throughout the process.” 

At the state education board meeting, a last-minute amendment proposed by the board’s GOP treasurer sought to remove dozens of works from the list, including Senesh’s poem and Washington’s letter. 

The amendment would replace those texts with a new crop of selections, including “Refugee,” a young-adult novel by Alan Gratz that partially follows a German Jewish World War II refugee; Biblical passages on Moses; Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are”; George Orwell’s “1984”; and a book about former Polish president Lech Walesa. The amendment also listed “Night” as required in two different grades. 

The story of Moses, the board member said, made the amendment’s cut because “there are a lot of parallels between Moses leading the people out of Egypt and the American Revolution.” Debate on the topic dragged into the night, with board members arguing whether requiring Bible passages would violate the Establishment clause and which Biblical translation had superior literary merit.

Following the amendment, the board agreed to postpone a vote on the required books until April to give members time to review both lists. Another board member, pushing for greater racial diversity in the list, submitted his own titles for review as well.

Once voted on, the legislation would enter a public comment period prior to being formally adopted at a later meeting. 

“Night” by Elie Wiesel, shown here in 1980 in New York, holds a prominent presence on high school reading lists. (Santi Visalli/Getty Images)

A long list of public commenters at the meeting opposed the law on various grounds, including that it was overly prescriptive, lacked proper balance between classical and modern literature, included more books than could realistically be taught, overly emphasized Christian texts over other religious works, and lacked racial and gender diversity. One teacher said that “Night” is traditionally taught at a different grade level than the law mandates. 

Among those who testified against the policy was Rebecca Bendheim, a middle-school teacher at an Austin private school and author of young-adult novels about Jewish and LGBTQ identity. “I believe the list underestimates what Texas students can do,” Bendheim said.

A handful of commenters voiced support for the measure. Matthew McCormick, education director at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, which backed the law, said that it covers “important historical eras such as the Great Depression and the Holocaust.” 

He added, “By approving this reading list, the board has the opportunity to enact a generational change by ensuring that every public school student has a strong foundation in literacy and literature.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, the board also voted on new required civics training for teachers and new required vocabulary lists, which would be extracted from the required books. 

The state’s embrace of Jewish curricula comes after one Texas school district recently pulled “The Devil’s Arithmetic,” another young-reader Holocaust novel, following a “DEI content” weeding process aided by artificial intelligence. A state law currently on the books in Texas places classroom restrictions on “instruction, diversity, equity and inclusion duties, and social transitioning.”

While Jewish texts are generously represented on Texas’s list, works by and about authors of other identities are not; the high school list, for example, features no Hispanic authors. An estimated 245,000 Jews live in Texas, or less than 1% of the population, according to Brandeis University demographics; Hispanics, by contrast, form 40% of the state population, more than the white share. 

The state offered lists of approved Holocaust materials teachers may select from when marking Holocaust Remembrance Week last month. Those approved materials, provided by the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission, include many of the texts now required in the legislation.

The proposed legislation concerns activists in the state who oppose book bans and restrictions on students’ “right to read.” Hawes, a Fort Worth mother of four children in the state education system, first became an activist after her district removed the “Graphic Adaptation” of Frank’s diary from its shelves in 2022. 

That district returned the book after public outcry. But other districts both in and outside of Texas followed suit by pulling the same edition, along with other Jewish books including “Maus” and “The Fixer,” over the last few years.

Seeing Frank’s diary on the state’s required reading list now, Hawes said, “feels weird to me.” 

She noted that the draft legislation specifies that the “original edition” must be taught. The 2018 illustrated adaptation, which includes a passage of Frank discussing a same-sex attraction that had been excised from the original published edition, has been opposed by conservative parents across the country.

In a slideshow by the Texas Educational Agency that outlines the proposed requirements, Frank’s diary is portrayed as an “anchor” text for the 7th grade. “Blessed Is the Match,” an ode to self-sacrifice for a higher cause, and Washington’s letter, a landmark statement of religious tolerance, are listed as supplemental texts for the diary.

The goals of the unit, the agency states, are “factual accounts of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust” and “foundational American ideals of religious liberty and tolerance.”

A letter exchange between Touro Synagogue president Moses Seixas and George Washington includes a classic statement on religious tolerance. (Jackie Hajdenberg)

The Biblical passages, the agency notes, are intended to fulfill a statewide requirement that school districts have “an enrichment curriculum that includes: religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature.” Christian activist groups within Texas, and several elected officials, have pushed for years to promote Evangelical Christian texts in public schools.

The inclusion of Washington’s letter, which assures the Newport congregation that Jews will find safe haven in the United States, also struck Hawes as suspicious. The list contains numerous texts promoting patriotism but does not include any material addressing ongoing antisemitism in America.

“This is making us think that George Washington solved antisemitism. And he didn’t,” she said.

Lauter said that if Texas’s policy of statewide Holocaust book requirements becomes a broader trend, she would welcome it — despite her concerns.

“I think it’s a positive. We support more Holocaust education in schools,” she said. “It’s certainly better than the opposite, which is banning books.”

--
The post Anne Frank and ‘Night’ may soon be required reading in Texas public schools. Is that good for the Jews? appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach to shake hands at a joint press conference in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President Donald Trump said after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday they reached no “definitive” agreement on how to move forward with Iran but he insisted negotiations with Tehran would continue to see if a deal can be achieved.

Netanyahu, who had been expected to press Trump to widen diplomacy with Iran beyond its nuclear program to include limits on its missile arsenal, stressed that Israel’s security interests must be taken into account but offered no sign that the president made the commitments he sought.

In their seventh meeting since Trump returned to office last year, Netanyahu – whose visit was more muted than usual and closed to the press – was looking to influence the next round of US discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday.

The two leaders spoke behind closed doors for more than two and a half hours in what Trump described as a “very good meeting” but said no major decisions were made and stopped short of publicly accepting Netanyahu’s entreaties.

Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war as the US amasses forces in the Middle East. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding US ally and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his blunt warning to Iran, while saying he believes Tehran wants a deal.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated,” Trump said in a social media post after the meeting with Netanyahu. “If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference.”

“If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be,” Trump added, noting that the last time Iran decided against an agreement the US struck its nuclear sites last June.

TRUMP SAYS NO TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES

Trump told Fox Business in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that a good deal with Iran would mean “no nuclear weapons, no missiles,” without elaborating. He also told Axios he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group as part of a major US buildup near Iran.

Israel fears that the US might pursue a narrow nuclear deal that does not include restrictions on Iran‘s ballistic missile program or an end to Iranian support for armed proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials have urged the US not to trust Iran‘s promises.

Iran has rejected such demands and says the Oman talks focused only on nuclear issues.

“The Prime Minister emphasized the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of the negotiations, and the two agreed to continue their close coordination and tight contact,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement after Wednesday’s talks.

The two leaders had also been expected to talk about potential military action if diplomacy with Iran fails, one source said.

Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.

“The Islamic Republic’s missile capabilities are non-negotiable,” Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran‘s supreme leader, said on Wednesday.

Netanyahu’s arrival at the White House was lower-key than usual. The two leaders were shown shaking hands in a photo released by the Israeli Embassy. But unlike previous Netanyahu visits with Trump, a press pool was not allowed into the Oval Office. It was not immediately known why he received such low-profile treatment.

GAZA ON THE AGENDA

Also on the agenda was Gaza, with Trump looking to push ahead with a ceasefire agreement he helped to broker. Progress on his 20-point plan to end the war and rebuild the shattered Palestinian enclave has stalled, with major gaps over steps such as Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw in phases.

“We discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general,” Trump said after the meeting.

Netanyahu’s visit, originally scheduled for Feb. 18, was brought forward amid renewed US engagement with Iran. Both sides at last week’s Oman meeting said the negotiations were positive and further talks were expected soon.

Trump has been vague about broadening the negotiations. He was quoted as telling Axios on Tuesday that it was a “no-brainer” for any deal to cover Iran‘s nuclear program, but that he also thought it possible to address its missile stockpiles.

Iran says its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, while the US and Israel have accused it of past efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

During a 12-day war last June, Israel heavily damaged Iran‘s air defenses and missile arsenal. Two Israeli officials say there are signs Iran is working to restore those capabilities.

Trump threatened last month to intervene militarily during a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, but ultimately held off.

ISRAEL WARY OF A WEAKENED IRAN REBUILDING

Tehran’s regional influence has been weakened by Israel’s June attack, losses suffered by its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and the ousting of its ally, former Syrian President Bashar al‑Assad.

But Israel is wary of its adversaries rebuilding after the multifront war triggered by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel.

While Trump and Netanyahu have mostly been in sync and the US remains Israel’s main arms supplier, they appear to be at odds on another key issue.

Part of Trump’s Gaza plan holds out the prospect for eventual Palestinian statehood – which Netanyahu and his coalition have resisted.

Netanyahu’s security cabinet on Sunday authorized steps that would make it easier for Israeli settlers in the West Bank to buy land while granting Israel broader powers in what the Palestinians see as part of a future state.

The decision drew international condemnation, and Trump on Tuesday reiterated his opposition to West Bank annexation.

Israeli military vehicles drive past destruction in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border in southern Israel, Jan. 21, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

The US-backed plan to end the war in Gaza appears to have hit major roadblocks, with Hamas reportedly being allowed to keep some small arms and Israel readying its military for a new offensive to disarm the Palestinian terrorist group.

According to a New York Times report, officials involved in the US-led Board of Peace have drafted a plan that would let Hamas retain small arms while giving up longer-range weapons, a move Israeli officials warn would let the terrorist group maintain its grip on Gaza.

The compromise could further strain the already fragile ceasefire, under which further Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza are tied to Hamas’s disarmament.

The draft plan reportedly calls for a “phased disarmament” of Hamas over several months, with heavy weapons “decommissioned immediately.” However, details remain unclear on where surrendered arms would go or how the plan would actually be enforced.

The initial framework would also require “personal arms” to be “registered and decommissioned” as a new Palestinian administration takes charge of security in the war-torn enclave.

Israel has previously warned that Hamas must fully disarm for the second phase of the ceasefire to move forward, pointing to tens of thousands of rifles and an active network of underground tunnels still under the Islamist group’s control.

If the Palestinian terrorist group does not give up its weapons, Israel has vowed not to withdraw troops from Gaza or approve any rebuilding efforts, effectively stalling the ceasefire agreement.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) currently occupy 53 percent of the Strip, with most of the Palestinian population living in the remaining portion of the enclave under Hamas control.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted the country will not accept anything less than the full demilitarization of Gaza, pledging to prevent Hamas from carrying out another attack like its Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel. The attack, in which Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists killed 1,200 people, kidnapped 251 hostages, and perpetrated rampant sexual violence, launched the war in Gaza, where Hamas had total governing control before Israel’s military campaign.

Under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, phase two would involve deploying an international stabilization force (ISF), beginning large-scale reconstruction, and establishing a Palestinian technocratic committee to oversee the territory’s administration.

According to media reports, the ISF could total around 20,000 troops, though it remains uncertain whether the multinational peacekeeping force will actually help disarm Hamas. Indonesia, one of the contributing members, announced this week that it could provide up to 8,000 soldiers.

Hamas has repeatedly rejected disarmament, with senior official Khaled Meshal most recently suggesting that the group has never agreed to surrender its weapons.

“As long as there’s an occupation, there’s resistance,” Meshal said during the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha on Sunday.

Amid rising tensions, Israel is planning to resume military operations in the Gaza Strip to forcibly disarm Hamas, with the Times of Israel reporting that the IDF is drawing up plans for a renewed major offensive.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Hamas will be disarmed by force if it continues to violate the ceasefire and pose a threat to Israel’s security.

“If Hamas does not disarm in accordance with the agreed framework, we will dismantle it and all of its capabilities,” the Israeli defense chief said this month.

Since the ceasefire took effect last year, both sides have accused each other of violations. This month, Israeli officials said that Hamas “has violated the agreement and focused its efforts on restoring its military capabilities.”

If Israel undertakes a renewed offensive, it could be far more intense than the IDF’s previous operations in Gaza over the past two years of conflict, which were constrained by efforts to protect the hostages.

Israeli officials have insisted that Hamas terrorists will continue fighting as long as they have access to weapons.

Last week, the IDF announced that a Hamas terrorist responsible for a deadly 2004 double suicide bombing, which killed 16 Israeli civilians and wounded over 100, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip.

The operation was part of a series of targeted strikes against terrorist operatives, carried out in response to an attack by gunmen on Israeli troops in the northern Gaza Strip, during which a reservist officer was seriously wounded.

Captured in 2004 and sentenced to prison, Basel Himouni was later released and exiled to Gaza in a 2011 deal, in which Israel exchanged 1,027 terror prisoners for captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

According to the IDF, since his release, Himouni “returned to recruiting attackers and directing terrorist activity.”

Containers are seen in the Port of Vigo, Spain, March 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Nacho Doce

Spanish authorities on Tuesday raided a steel factory near Bilbao, northern Spain, questioning staff over suspected violations of the country’s arms embargo on Israel – a move that has sparked outrage among local Jewish leaders and government officials, who denounced it as blatant intimidation.

According to the Spanish news outlet El Debate, police in Basauri – a town in Spain’s northern Basque Country – questioned staff at Sidenor Group, a steel manufacturer and trader, as part of a criminal investigation into alleged illegal arms sales to Israel.

José Antonio Jainaga, president of Sidenor, is accused of “smuggling and aiding in crimes against humanity or genocide by selling unauthorized batches of steel to Israel Military Industries,” according to the report.

However, Jainaga denied “any irregularity in the sales of steel to Israel” in testimony last year, asserting that the steel produced by Sidenor and exported to Israel was not “among the products subject to special control” by the Spanish government. 

The Action and Communication on the Middle East (ACOM) group, a leading pro-Israel organization in Spain, strongly condemned the government’s latest actions as part of a “pattern of political pressure on economic actors for ideological reasons” and an “authoritarian drift and threat to democratic standards.”

“What should have been an administrative compliance process is increasingly perceived as a show of force by a government that has strayed from the standards of transparency, proportionality, and legal certainty promoted by the European Union,” ACOM wrote in a post on X.

“The combination of state intervention with a political climate that tolerates — and sometimes encourages — aggressive activism against Israel and its partners creates a scenario in which civil liberties and the legal security of companies and citizens are steadily eroded,” the statement read.

Spain under Sanchez: authoritarian drift and the threat to democratic standards

Recently, Spain witnessed an event that should alarm any international observer: the National Police conducted a raid on the headquarters of @sidenoraceros in Basauri, in Spain’s Basque Country,… pic.twitter.com/jAmEvcdUGa

— Acción y Comunicación sobre Oriente Medio – ACOM (@ACOM_es) February 10, 2026

ACOM also accused Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of turning the country into one of Europe’s most hostile toward Israel, alleging the move was meant to divert attention from corruption scandals within his Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party and from recent electoral setbacks.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Spain has launched a fierce anti-Israel campaign aimed at undermining and isolating the Jewish state on the international stage.

In September, the Spanish government passed a law to take “urgent measures to stop the genocide in Gaza,” banning trade in defense material and dual-use products from Israel, as well as imports and advertising of products originating from Israeli settlements.

More recently, Spanish officials also announced a ban on imports from hundreds of Israeli communities in the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. 

Among all European Union members, Spain is the second country to take such action, following Slovenia — one of the bloc’s smallest economies — which became the first EU member to ban Israeli products in August, and potentially to be joined by Ireland, where parliament is currently working on a similar measure.

As a major trading partner, Israel exports roughly $850 million in goods to Spain each year — about half the value of Spanish exports to Israel — with products from the West Bank and the Golan making up only a small fraction of those shipments, according to the Israel Export Institute.

Last year, the Spanish government also announced it would bar entry to individuals involved in what it called a “genocide against Palestinians” and block Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from Spanish ports and airspace.

Spain has also canceled a €700 million ($825 million) deal for Israeli-designed rocket launchers, as the government conducts a broader review to systematically phase out Israeli weapons and technology from its armed forces.

Amid this increasingly hostile stance toward the Jewish state, the Sánchez administration is facing mounting pressure from the country’s political leaders and the Jewish community, who accuse the government of stoking antisemitic hostility.

In December, Spanish authorities granted Airbus, the European aerospace and defense company, exceptional permission to produce aircraft and drones using Israeli technology at its Spanish plants – a move that reflects growing pressure from companies and domestic interests against the government’s push for trade sanctions on Israel over the war in Gaza.

Police officers stand outside the Manchester synagogue, where multiple people were killed on Yom Kippur, in what police have declared a terrorist incident, in north Manchester, Britain, Oct. 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom spiked to their highest levels last year following the deadly attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, according to newly released data.

The Community Security Trust (CST), a nonprofit charity that advises Britain’s Jewish community on security matters, revealed in an annual report published on Tuesday that Oct. 2, the day of the car-ramming and stabbing attack that left two Jewish worshippers dead and three seriously wounded, saw 40 recorded antisemitic incidents. Another 40 such outrages occurred the next day.

These were the two highest daily totals for antisemitic incidents in 2025. More than half of the incidents included direct responses to the Manchester violence, with some celebrating what transpired.

Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, the Jews killed in the attack by Jihad Al-Shamie on Oct. 2, are the first victims of a lethal antisemitic terrorist attack in the UK since CST began tracking incidents in 1984.

In its latest report, the CST identified the surge in incidents as a perennial pattern following terrorist attacks targeting Jews.

Overall, CST recorded 3,700 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2025, the second-highest total ever in a single calendar year and an increase of 4 percent from the 3,556 in 2024.

This is the first report in which more than 200 incidents occurred in every month. The year averaged 308 antisemitic incidents each month — an exact doubling of the 154 monthly average in the year before the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel.

“The tensions that exist in our society have not abated and are both deeper and more long-standing than anything we have experienced in modern times,” said Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the UK’s national head for policing hate crimes, who called the figures “unacceptably high.”

Antisemitic incidents had fallen from the record high of 4,298 in 2023, which analysts say was fueled by Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack — the biggest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust — when Palestinian terrorists slaughtered 1,200 people, kidnapped 251 hostages, and engaged in sadistic acts of brutal barbarism that one Israeli NGO described in a 2025 report as the “tactical use of sexual violence.”

According to CST’s report, “the enduringly high incident levels and type of content reported since the initial Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, partly reflect the unprecedented length of the subsequent war, its geographical reach from Gaza to Lebanon and Iran, and its consequent continued foregrounding in media, politics and public debate. Anti-Israel protests have persisted, as did vigils for the hostages held in Hamas captivity and marches against antisemitism.”

Similar to the data observed in its latest report of increased antisemitic incidents following the Manchester synagogue attack on Yom Kippur, CST’s prior research also affirmed the trend in noting that 416 of 2023’s incidents took place in the week after the Oct. 7 massacre.

A surge of UK incidents also occurred on the day of and in the two days following the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia which left 15 dead. The alleged perpetrators are a father and son team. The father, Sajid Akram, has reportedly praised Islamic State and a top Al Qaeda propagandist.

“Two years of intense anti-Jewish hatred culminated in a jihadi terror attack at a synagogue on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar,” CST chief executive Mark Gardner said in a statement. “The terror attack then triggered even more antisemitism, showing the depths of extremism faced by Jews and all our British society.”

Gardner said the increase in violence and terrorism “makes CST even more determined to keep protecting our community, giving it strength and dignity so it can lead the life of its choice.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in response to the report that the government was “providing record funding for security at synagogues, Jewish schools, and community centers.” She vowed, “I will go further to strengthen police powers so they can crack down on intimidating protests.”

Anti-Israel sentiment fueled antisemitism, according to the CST’s data, which showed that 1,977 incidents involved references to Israel, Palestine, the Hamas attack, or the ensuing war in Gaza. “This was true of 52 percent of the incidents reported in 2024, 43 percent of those in 2023, and 15 percent of those in 2022: a year unaffected by a significant trigger event in the region,” CST noted.

According to the report, 170 incidents in 2025 involved an assault, which represents a drop of 16 percent from 2024’s 202.

Geographically, the CST identified the majority of incidents (61 percent) occurring in Greater London (1,844) and Greater Manchester (425) since “these hubs of Jewish life are where the majority of the UK’s Jewish community resides and remain the main targets of anti-Jewish prejudice.” Other hot spots for antisemitism in the UK included West Yorkshire (131), Hertfordshire (126), Scotland (101), Sussex (68), Essex (67), and West Midlands (67).

“In all walks of life, Jewish people have been attacked, targeted, ostracized and excluded,” said John Mann, who serves in the House of Lords and as the country’s independent adviser on antisemitism. “Anti-Jewish racism is present in every sector and every corner of society.”

A further trend that CST identified was the evolving nature of antisemitism in the UK, noting that far right and far left narratives have begun to blend together in an expression of what political scientists have described as the “horseshoe theory” wherein extremists from both sides of the ideological spectrum come to unite around recognizing their common enemy.

“The far-right discourses pervading Israel-related antisemitism showcase the mechanism of contemporary anti-Jewish hate, wherein traditional doctrines of extreme left-wing and extreme right-wing antisemitism overlap in their centralizing demonization of Israel, Zionism and, to varying degrees of unambiguity, Jews,” the report stated.

Carrie Prejean Boller speaks during a White House Religious Liberty Commission hearing on Feb. 9, 2026. Photo: Screenshot

Carrie Prejean Boller, a conservative activist appointed to the White House Religious Liberty Commission during the Trump administration, was removed from the panel following outrage over her repeated downplaying of antisemitism and defense of antisemitic podcaster Candace Owens.

Dan Patrick, lieutenant governor of Texas and chair of the US President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, announced the news on the social media platform X on Wednesday.

“Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. No member of the commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue,” Patrick posted. “This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America. This was my decision.”

The controversy arose during a public hearing intended to address rising antisemitism in the United States. Instead of focusing on the growing threats facing Jewish communities, Prejean Boller repeatedly pressed witnesses on Israel and Zionism, questioning whether opposition to the Jewish state should be considered antisemitic. 

Prejean Boller, a conservative activist and former Miss California, repeatedly pressed witnesses about Israel’s actions in Gaza and religious leaders on their views of Zionism, drawing audible boos from the audience and confusion from her colleagues. At one point she asked a Jewish activist if he would condemn Israel’s military response to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, despite the hearing’s official focus on domestic antisemitism. Prejean Boller also donned a Palestinian flag pin on the lapel of her suit, telegraphing her support for the anti-Israel ideological cause.

During the hearing, she also accused Rabbi Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, of Islamophobia after he declared that anti-Zionism — the belief that Israel does not have a right to exist —is an antisemitic ideology. Berman argued that attempts to delegitimize the existence of the world’s sole Jewish state, while showing ambivalence toward the existence of dozens of Muslim states, indicates anti-Jewish sentiment.

Members of the commission expressed visible surprise at Prejean Boller’s line of questioning and repeated downplaying of antisemitism. Jewish student activist Shabbos Kestenbaum took aim at Prejean Boller after she asserted that the young activist had conflated antisemitism with harboring anti-Israel sentiment.

“She decided that this should be a debate on Israel’s conduct in Gaza, which I’m not entirely sure how that affects American students being discriminated against,” Kestenbaum said, “given that there are hundreds of millions of Catholics, including some who are on this commission, speaking at this commission today, who would vehemently disagree with such a grandiose assertion.”

Additionally, Prejean Boller issued an impassioned defense of pundits Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens, asserting that neither are antisemitic.

Owens, one of the country’s most popular podcasters, has spent the past two years spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories on her platform. She has called Jews “pedophilic,” argued that they persecute and murder Christians, minimized the Holocaust, and asserted that they are responsible for the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Carlson, meanwhile, has platformed Holocaust deniers on his show and falsely accused Israel of wantonly killing Palestinian children. Last year, he appeared to blame the Jewish people for the deaths of both Jesus and conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Following Prejean Boller’s dismissal, Owens took to X to sing her praises and accused Israelis of being “occult Baal worshipers.”

“Zionists are naturally hostile to Catholics because we refuse to bend the knee to revisionist history and support the mass slaughter and rape of innocent children for occult Baal worshipers,” Owens posted.

A report from the Wall Street Journal later revealed that Sameerah Munshi, a Muslim community advocate and member of the commission’s advisory board, had been recording Prejean Boller during her performance. The outlet also said that she and Prejean Boller appeared to be texting during the hearing, implying that the firebrand was fed talking points.

Later that day, Prejean Boller posted a photo of herself smiling next to Munshi at an event hosted by Palestine House of Freedom, an NGO founded by anti-Israel activist Miko Peled. The organization has drawn criticism over its alleged ties to extremist groups. The organization hosted a fundraiser for Birzeit University, whose student council is reportedly dominated by the Hamas-affiliated Al-Wafaa bloc.

Multiple commissioners and Jewish advocacy groups expressed alarm over Prejean Boller’s behavior, accusing her of hijacking a hearing meant to confront domestic antisemitism and using it as a platform to direct criticism toward Israel. They argued her conduct reflected a broader trend of using anti-Zionism as a cover for antisemitic rhetoric.

The backlash was swift, with religious liberty advocates and Jewish leaders calling Prejean Boller’s stated beliefs incompatible with the commission’s purpose.

Still, Prejean Boller remained defiant.

“I will continue to stand against Zionist supremacy in America. I’m a proud Catholic. I, in no way will be forced to embrace Zionism as a fulfillment of biblical prophesy [sic]. I am a free American. Not a slave to a foreign nation,” she posted on X on Tuesday.

However, the activist faced a number of denunciations from fellow Catholics who accused her of misrepresenting their faith to launch antisemitic attacks against Israel. 

“From one Catholic to another: nobody is upset with you for your Catholic faith,” wrote Tim Chapman, president of the conservative think tank Americans Advancing Freedom. “Catholics can and should support Israel.”

“If Zionist means I think Israel has a right to exist, then I’m a Zionist, and so is the Catholic Church,” added conservative activist Lila Rose. 

Following the viral incident, Prejean Boller gained over 50,000 new followers on X and has continued to attack Israel and Zionists, those who believe the Jewish state has a right to exist.

“I will never bend the knee to the state of Israel. Ever. I am more determined than ever to speak plainly about political Zionism and the lies we’ve been sold to justify endless war, dead children, and blank checks,” she wrote on X.

The commission was established by Trump to examine religious freedom issues and was intended to focus on concrete challenges facing Jewish communities, including bias and harassment. It is supposed to produce a report for Trump on religious liberty later this year.

Joseph Hernandez, Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller, speaking with voters. Photo: Hernandez campaign

The plan of a Democratic candidate for New York comptroller to divest the state of its holdings in Israel bonds violates the fiduciary duties of an office which oversees the management of hundreds of billions of dollars in pension funds and other assets, his Republican opponent, Joseph Hernandez, told The Algemeiner during an exclusive interview on Monday.

Hernandez, a Cuban refugee whose family fled the Castro regime, explained that the proposal, promised by former Kansas state Rep. Raj Goyle (who moved to New York after a failed bid for US Congress in 2010), would amount to an endorsement of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel while alienating a country widely regarded as arguably the most reliable US ally.

Israel bonds, he added, are one of the safest assets a government could own. He has promised to invest $1 billion in them if he is elected.

“From a purely financial perspective, these are good investments. You would put your own money in this for sure, and you shouldn’t apply politics to the equation,” he said. “Imagine if we stopped investing the bonds of other foreign countries or vice versa because of disagreements over policy. That’s just bad decision making.”

“The economic rationale for investing in Israeli bonds is impeccable,” Hernandez continued. “Israel has an exploding technology sector producing giant leaps in artificial intelligence and the next generation of health care and biotech. We should be partnering with them in these areas, beyond the bonds. I think the relationship, from an investment perspective, should be broader. As the fiduciary and ultimately as the sole trustee of the New York State pension fund, I will seek ways not only to increase investment on the bonds side but also to collaborate on bringing the next generation of technologies to New York and promote a new era of job growth in the state.”

In New York City specifically, records show that Israel bonds, historically yielding approximately 5 percent annually, have outperformed many alternatives.

As for the state overall, Israeli firms pour billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs into the local economy, and business experts have warned that a push for divestment could lead Israeli-associated and Jewish-owned companies to leave.

A study released by the United States-Israel Business Alliance in October revealed that, based on 2024 data, 590 Israeli-founded companies directly created 27,471 jobs in New York City that year and indirectly created over 50,000 jobs when accounting for related factors, such as buying and shipping local products.

These firms generated $8.1 billion in total earnings, adding an estimated $12.4 billion in value to the city’s economy and $17.9 billion in total gross economic output.

As for the entire state, the report, titled the “2025 New York – Israel Economic Impact Report,” found that 648 Israeli-founded companies generated $8.6 billion in total earnings and $19.5 billion in gross economic output, contributing a striking $13.3 billion in added value to the economy. These businesses also directly created 28,524 jobs and a total of 57,145 when accounting for related factors.

From financial tech leaders like Fireblocks to cybersecurity powerhouse Wiz, Israeli entrepreneurs have become indispensable to the innovation ecosystem. The number of Israeli-founded “unicorns,” privately held companies with a valuation of at least $1 billion, operating in New York City has quadrupled since 2019, increasing from five to 20.

However, anti-Israel activists in the US have been pushing for state and local governments, in addition to businesses, universities, and various cultural forums to divest all assets from Israel-linked entities in accordance with the BDS movement.

The BDS movement seeks to isolate Israel on the international stage as the first step toward its elimination. Leaders of the movement have repeatedly stated their goal is to destroy the world’s only Jewish state.

Goyle’s plan would enact the divestment component of BDS by aiming to limit Israel’s capacity to issue bonds for the purpose of borrowing money, a core function of government which raises capital for expenditures such as roads and bridges while contributing to economic health, market stabilization, and a high credit rating.

The New York Post reported last month that Goyle wants to fully divest $338 million in foreign assets, including Israel bonds, from New York’s retirement fund.

“I’m here to tell you that when I am comptroller, we will not renew the foreign bond portfolio of the state comptroller’s office and that includes Israel bonds,” Goyle  told a gathering of supporters of the left-wing Working Families Party. “We will not send a blank check for [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu’s war crimes in Gaza.”

The state comptroller’s office manages pensions for state and municipal workers and runs the Common Retirement Fund, one of the largest pension funds in the country with a $291 billion investment portfolio. It currently holds about $337.5 million in Israel bonds.

Hernandez contrasted his view with Goyle’s, arguing that the US should continue to be a friend of both Israel and the Jewish people.

“I live in New York, the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. I see what this community contributes to America and to our society,” he said. “The relationship that we have is unbreakable and it is one we should continue to invest in both socially, politically, and financially.”

Across the political spectrum, Israel bonds are widely considered wise investments.

“They’re stable, they’re guaranteed, they’ve never had a problem, and it’s a good investment,” state Assemblyman David Weprin, a Democrat and former chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, told the Post.

Goyle is not the only New York Democrat advocating a rupture in the state’s financial relationship with Israel. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who entered office last month, has been an outspoken supporter of the BDS movement.

Mamdani, a far-left democratic socialist who has made anti-Israel activism a cornerstone of his political career, has repeatedly accused Israel of “apartheid” and refused to recognize its right to exist as a Jewish state.

Such positions have raised alarm bells among not only New York’s Jewish community but also Israeli business owners and investors, who fear a hostile climate under Mamdani’s leadership.

His election came after former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander refused last year to renew some Israel bonds in the city’s pension fund, which is a separate entity. The office of then-Mayor Eric Adams accused Lander of pushing a political agenda by moving to withdraw millions of dollars in city pension funds from bonds issued by the Jewish state.

On Monday, Hernandez pledged to be beholden to New York’s taxpayers and not fringe ideological groups.

“There’s a reason that this is an independent elected role,” he concluded. “It’s supposed to be a role that doesn’t take political filters or use politics for decision making. This is about fiduciary duty and what it is in the best interest of the taxpayers, and I intend to execute to that effect.”

Both Goyle and Hernandez are vying to unseat incumbent state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a Democrat.

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

May 1, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; A flag is waved during a sit-in outside of a pro-Palestinian encampment at the campus of UCLA. Violence broke out early in the morning at the encampment, hours after the university declared that the camp “is unlawful and violates university policy.” Photo: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The antisemitism crisis at the University of California was started and accelerated by anti-Zionist faculty, according to a new report which draws on hundreds of antisemitic incidents to paint a picture of a higher education system that has become unmoored from its educational mission.

The AMCHA Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting and combating antisemitism at US institutions of higher education, on Wednesday released its latest report, titled “When Faculty Take Sides: How Academic Infrastructure Drives Antisemitism at the University of California.”

Examining the “antisemitism crisis” across University of California (UC) campuses since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, the study exposes Oct 7 denialism; faculty calling for driving Jewish institutions off campus; the founding of pro-Hamas, Faculty for Justice in Palestine groups; and hundreds of endorsers of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

As AMCHA tells the story, the situation is not simply the work of students but also of willing, culpable adults who intentionally reprised the world’s oldest hatred while masking it as academic and intellectual freedom.

“While students are the most visible actors, faculty and academic departments are key institutional drivers of the hostile environment,” the AMCHA Initiative said on Wednesday in a press release shared with The Algemeiner. “Across three campuses, many faculty who promoted anti-Israel activism through university channels had previously endorsed an academic boycott of Israel (academic BDS). The boycott’s guidelines explicitly call on supporters to implement ‘anti-normalization’ in their professional roles. These include excluding Zionist perspectives, speakers, and programs from academic life.”

AMCHA Initiative executive director Tammi Rossman-Benjamin added, “This is far bigger than a discipline issue — it’s a faculty governance failure. Until UC enforces clear boundaries on faculty and academic-unit conduct, Jewish students will continue to face intimidation, exclusion, and harassment sanctioned by the institution itself.”

The report follows previous studies revealing the extent of faculty misconduct in higher education promoting anti-Israel animus and even outright antisemitism.

Just last week, The Algemeiner learned that, according to a lawsuit, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University assigned a Jewish student a project on “what Jews do to make themselves such a hated group.”

Similar incidents have come at a fast clip since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre: a Cornell University praised the terrorist group’s atrocities, which included mass sexual assaults; a Columbia University professor exalted Hamas terrorists who paraglided into a music festival to murder Israeli youth as the “air force of the Palestinian resistance”; and a Harvard University chapter of Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) shared an antisemitic cartoon which depicted Zionists as murderers of Blacks and Arabs.

The University of California system is a microcosm of faculty antisemitism, the AMCHA Initiative explains in the exhaustive 158-page report, which focuses on the Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz campuses.

“The report documents how concentrated networks of faculty activists on each campus, often operating through academic units and faculty-led advocacy formations, convert institutional platforms into vehicles for organized anti-Zionist advocacy and mobilization,” the report states. “It shows how those pathways are associated with recurring student harms and broader campus disruption. It then outlines concrete steps the UC Regents can take to restore institutional neutrality in academic units and set enforceable boundaries so UC resources and authority are not used to advance activist agendas inside the university’s core educational functions.”

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) alone holds at least 115 faculty endorsers of the BDS movement, according to the report. Meanwhile, dozens of its academic departments issued statements of support of the pro-Hamas encampments which struck college campuses during the 2023-2024 academic school year and became the hubs of antisemitic assault and discrimination.

Faculty for Justice in Palestine offered more than supportive words, the report says, “defending and helping orchestrate boycott-aligned activism (including encampment demands), seeking to deplatform Israeli speakers, and filing an amicus brief … that denied Zionism’s place within Jewish identity and defended exclusionary encampment conduct toward Zionist Jewish students, including expulsion from campus spaces.”

The federal government impounded, according to various reports, some $250 million to punish UCLA’s alleged exposing of Jewish students to discrimination by refusing to intervene when civil rights violations transpired or failing to correct a hostile environment after the fact. The move came only days after UCLA agreed to donate $2.33 million to a consortium of Jewish civil rights organizations to resolve an antisemitism complaint filed by three students and an employee.

Many antisemitic incidents occurred at UCLA before the institution was ultimately sued and placed in the crosshairs of the Trump administration.

Just five days after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, as previously reported by The Algemeiner, anti-Zionist protesters chanted “Itbah El Yahud” at Bruin Plaza, which means “slaughter the Jews” in Arabic. Other incidents included someone’s tearing a chapter page out of Philip Roth’s 2004 novel The Plot Against America, titled “Loudmouth Jew,” and leaving it outside the home of a UCLA faculty member, as well as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) staging a disturbing demonstration in which its members cudgeled a piñata, to which a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s face was glued, while shouting “beat the Jew.”

The US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has ruled that UCLA’s response to antisemitic incidents constituted violations of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

“Our investigation into the University of California system has found concerning evidence of systemic antisemitism at UCLA that demands severe accountability from the institution,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand: the [Department of Justice] will force UCLA to pay a heavy price for putting Jewish Americans at risk and continue our ongoing investigations into other campuses in the UC system.”

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

The t-shirt being sold on the Olympics website that commemorates the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Photo: Screenshot

The official website for the Olympics is selling a “heritage T-shirt” that commemorates the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, which took place under Adolf Hitler’s Nazi dictatorship.

The front of the garment features a replica of a poster for the 1936 Olympic Games that was created by artist Franz Wurbel. It shows a man wearing a laurel wreath below the five Olympic rings, and a quadriga chariot drawn by horses sitting above the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. On top of the chariot is a man holding a spear that features an eagle, resembling the Nazi eagle, that sits on top of a symbol.

The shirt also mentions the dates and location of the Summer Games that took place from Aug. 1-16, 1936, in the German capital. The garment, which is currently out of stock, is part of a collection of t-shirts being sold by the Olympics that honor each of the modern-era Olympic Games. It was first reported by Germany’s DW.

Germany hosted both the winter and summer Olympics in 1936. Jews were stripped of their voting rights in March of that year, a month after the Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Nazi mastermind Heinrich Himmler was appointed chief of German police in June, ahead of the Summer Games in Berlin.

Hitler’s regime temporarily removed anti-Jewish signs around Berlin ahead of the Olympic Games and authorized “a brief relaxation in anti-Jewish activities” in an effort to impress tourists visiting Germany for the sporting event and attract favor among the international community, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

“For two weeks in August 1936, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi dictatorship camouflaged its racist, militaristic character while hosting the Summer Olympics,” the museum states on its website. “Softpedaling its antisemitic agenda and plans for territorial expansion, the regime exploited the Games to bedazzle many foreign spectators and journalists with an image of a peaceful, tolerant Germany. … The games were a resounding propaganda success for the Nazis. They presented foreign spectators with the image of a peaceful and tolerant Germany.”

In 1931, the International Olympic Committee picked Germany to host the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. In April 1933, Jews were banned from all German athletic organizations, sports facilities, and associations. However, in an effort to appease the international community, the Nazi regime allowed fencer Helene Mayer, whose father was Jewish, to represent Germany at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. She won a silver medal in women’s individual fencing and was forced to perform the Nazi salute on the podium, according to the Holocaust museum. She was the only Jewish athlete to compete on behalf of Germany in the 1936 Summer Games.

A total of nine Jewish athletes won medals in the Berlin Summer Olympics, including Mayer and five Hungarians. The 1936 Games included the first Olympic torch relay.

Illustrative: Signs cover the fence at a pro-Palestinian encampment at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. on April 28, 2024. Photo: Max Herman via Reuters Connect

Northwestern University said on Monday that it has identified the non-student who graffitied Nazi insignia on the campus earlier this month, pledging to file criminal charges against the suspect through the local police department.

The Schutzstaffel (SS) symbol representing the notorious paramilitary group under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany was spray-painted on Northwestern’s campus in Evanston, Illinois. The SS played a central role in the Nazis’ systematic killing of 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.

After the symbol’s discovery, students reported others like it on the north side of campus even as university maintenance staff rushed to repair the first defacement.

“Despicable and hateful graffiti were found on several signs of our Evanston campus, and the university immediately removed or painted over them,” the university told a local outlet, The Evanston RoundTable, in a statement on Feb. 6. “Northwestern has launched an investigation to identify the individual responsible for this vandalism, utilizing camera footage, forensics, and other methods. Based on that investigation, we have identified a suspect who we belief is unaffiliated with Northwestern.”

It added, “The university is working with local law enforcement on next steps, including potential criminal charges.”

On Feb. 10, The Northwestern Daily reported that the Evanston Police Department is involved in the investigation. “The department takes reports of hate-based incidents seriously and continues to pursue investigative leads,” a spokesperson for the department said.

Northwestern University has been the site of dozens of antisemitic incidents and the center of the federal government’s efforts to combat campus antisemitism.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, former university president Michael Schill reached a shocking and unprecedented agreement with pro-Hamas organizers of an illegal encampment, agreeing to establish a new scholarship for Palestinian undergraduates, contact potential employers of students who caused recent campus disruptions to insist on their being hired, and create a segregated dormitory hall to be occupied exclusively by Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) and Muslim students. The university — where protesters shouted “Kill the Jews!” — also agreed to form a new investment committee that would consider adopting the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

In late November, Northwestern University agreed to pay $75 million and end the controversial agreement in exchange for the US federal government’s releasing $790 million in grants it impounded in April over accusations of antisemitism and reverse discrimination.

“As part of this agreement with the federal government, the university has terminated the Deering Meadow Agreement and will reverse all policies that have been implemented or are being implemented in adherence to it,” the university said in a statement which stressed that it also halted plans for the segregated dormitory. “The university remains committed to fostering inclusive spaces and will continue to support student belonging and engagement through existing campus facilities and organizations, while partnering with alumni to explore off-campus, privately owned locations that could further support community connection and programming.”

Northwestern had previously touted its progress on addressing the campus antisemitism crisis in April, saying that it had addressed alleged failures highlighted by lawmakers and Jewish civil rights activists.

“The university administration took this criticism to heart and spent much of last summer revising our rules and policies to make our university safe for all of our students, regardless of their religion, race, national origin, sexual orientation, or political viewpoint,” the university said at the time. “Among the updated policies is our Demonstration Policy, which includes new requirements and guidance on how, when, and where members of the community may protest or otherwise engage in expressive activity.”

The university added that it also adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, a reference tool which aids officials in determining what constitutes antisemitism, and begun holding “mandatory antisemitism training” sessions which “all students, faculty, and staff” must attend.

“This included a live training for all new students in September and a 17-minute training module for all enrolled students, produced in collaboration with the Jewish United Fund,” it continued. “Antisemitism trainings will continue as a permanent part of our broader training in civil rights and Title IX.”

Other initiatives rolled out by the university include an Advisory Council to the President on Jewish Life, dinners for Jewish students hosted by administrative officials, and educational events which raise awareness of rising antisemitism in the US and around the world. Additionally, Northwestern said that it imposed disciplinary sanctions against several students and one staff member whose conduct violated the new “Demonstration and/or Display Policies” which safeguard peaceful assembly on the campus.

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

US President Donald Trump talks with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset, Oct. 13, 2025, in Jerusalem. Photo: Evan Vucci/Pool via REUTERS

Iran‘s missile capabilities are its red line and are not a subject to be negotiated, an adviser to Iran‘s supreme leader said on Wednesday, as US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House amid diplomacy between Washington and Tehran.

“The Islamic Republic’s missile capabilities are non-negotiable,” Ali Shamkhani said according to state media while appearing in a march commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

Netanyahu was expected to press Trump to widen US talks with Iran to include limits on Tehran’s missile arsenal and other security threats beyond its nuclear program.

US and Iranian diplomats held indirect talks last Friday in Oman, amid a regional naval buildup by the US threatening Iran. Tehran and Washington are eyeing a new round of negotiations to avert conflict.

Washington has sought to extend talks on Iran‘s nuclear capabilities to cover its missile program as well. Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions, but has repeatedly ruled out linking the issue to other questions including missiles.

On Sunday, Iran‘s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran’s missile program had never been part of the talks’ agenda.

Both Israel and the US see Iran’s missile arsenal as an urgent threat.

In his seventh meeting with Trump since the president returned to office nearly 13 months ago, Netanyahu was looking to influence the next round of US discussions with Iran following the nuclear negotiations held in Oman.

Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding US ally and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warning, saying that while he believes Iran wants a deal, he would do “something very tough” if it refused.

TRUMP SAYS NO TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES

Trump told Fox Business that a good deal with Iran would mean “no nuclear weapons, no missiles,” without elaborating. He also told Axios he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group as part of a major US buildup near Iran.

Israel fears that the US might pursue a narrow nuclear deal that does not include restrictions on Iran‘s ballistic missile program or an end to Iranian support for armed proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials have urged the US not to trust Iran‘s promises.

“I will present to the president our perceptions of the principles in the negotiations,” Netanyahu told reporters before departing for the US. The two leaders could also discuss potential military action if diplomacy with Iran fails, one source said.

Netanyahu’s arrival at the White House was lower-key than usual. He entered the building away from the view of reporters and cameras, and a White House official then confirmed he was inside meeting with Trump.

GAZA ON THE AGENDA

Also on the agenda was Gaza, with Trump looking to push ahead with a ceasefire agreement he helped to broker. Progress on his 20-point plan to end the war and rebuild the shattered Palestinian enclave has stalled, with major gaps over steps such as Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw in phases.

Netanyahu’s visit, originally scheduled for Feb. 18, was brought forward amid renewed US engagement with Iran. Both sides at last week’s Oman meeting said the talks were positive and further talks were expected soon.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ahead of the Oman meeting that negotiations would need to address Iran‘s missiles, its proxy groups, and its treatment of its own population. Iran said Friday’s talks focused only on nuclear issues.

Trump has been vague about broadening the negotiations. He was quoted as telling Axios on Tuesday that it was a “no-brainer” for any deal to cover Iran‘s nuclear program, but that he also thought it possible to address its missile stockpiles.

Iran says its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, while the US and Israel have accused it of past efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

Last June, the US joined Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during a 12-day war.

Israel also heavily damaged Iran‘s air defenses and missile arsenal. Two Israeli officials say there are signs Iran is working to restore those capabilities.

Trump threatened last month to intervene militarily during a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, but ultimately held off.

ISRAEL WARY OF A WEAKENED IRAN REBUILDING

Tehran’s regional influence has been weakened by Israel’s June attack, losses suffered by its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and the ousting of its ally, former Syrian President Bashar al‑Assad.

But Israel is wary of its adversaries rebuilding after the multi‑front war triggered by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel.

While Trump and Netanyahu have mostly been in sync and the US remains Israel’s main arms supplier, Wednesday’s meeting could expose tensions.

Part of Trump’s Gaza plan holds out the prospect for eventual Palestinian statehood – which Netanyahu and his coalition have resisted.

Netanyahu’s security cabinet on Sunday authorized steps that would make it easier for Israeli settlers in the West Bank to buy land while granting Israel broader powers in what the Palestinians see as part of a future state. The decision drew international condemnation.

“I am against annexation,” Trump told Axios, reiterating his stance. “We have enough things to think about now.”

When the United States entered World War I, the Army lacked an official cryptographic service, and Riverbank’s Department of Codes and Ciphers, where the Friedmans worked, became the de facto center for American codebreaking.

The post How William Friedman, the Jewish Dean of Modern Cryptology, Enabled the Allies Victory in WWII appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Your job in this world is not to create yourself but rather to recreate yourself; to reattain your original state of perfection, as you were shown by the malach. This time, however, it must be done through free will, i.e., by choosing to become great.

The post A Lifelong Journey of Return appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

.

The post The Orthodox Union’s Savitsky Home Relocation Fair appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

In the real world, allowing a mentally ill person to sleep in a tent in sub-zero weather is not respecting their rights; it is abetting their deaths.

The post Mamdani Keeps Refusing to Acknowledge Reality appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

.

The post United Refuah HealthShare appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

At this point, describing the ensuing campaign as mere bias is no longer plausible. What has emerged over decades is an institutional war on Jewish sovereignty.

The post Let it Fall: The UN’s ‘Imminent Collapse’ And Long War on Israel appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Mishpatim-Sh’kalim-M’vorchim occurs in five of the seven Shana P’shuta year-types, with a frequency of 55.53% – by far, the most common situation for Parshat Mishpatim and Parshat Sh’kalim.

The post The Half-Shekel Vaccine, a Multi-Mitzvah Sedra, and Calendar Concurrences appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

.

The post Letters To The Editor – February 13, 2026 appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a Holocaust survivor said, I'm counting on every city and state official to establish the rule, not abolishing freedom of speech but protection of every house of worship. Every house of worship, be it a synagogue, be it a church, be it a mosque, whatever.

The post JCRC Celebrates 50 Years at Congressional Breakfast appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

What does it mean to see G-d’s back? In Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah (1:10), Rambam explains that even when one does not see a person’s face, one can still recognize them by seeing their back, provided one knows them well.

The post Root or Route? Finding Holiness in Foreign Words appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Many of us picture piety as passively throwing up our hands and allowing G-d to do the fighting on our behalf. The truth is that we are experiencing a deficiency of the chutzpah required to proudly advocate authentic Jewish values to the world (Kovetz Ma’amarim, vol. 1, p. 262).

The post Word Prompt – CHUTZPAH – Moshe Kurtz appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

There’s a classic definition, often attributed to Leo Rosten: chutzpah is the man who kills his parents and then pleads for mercy because he’s an orphan. Extreme, yes – but the structure holds.

The post Word Prompt – CHUTZPAH – Stephen Flatlow appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

As the world seems to fill more each day with truly heinous chutzpah (a “Globalize the Intifada” march right down the road from where Jews were just massacred!), we can take heart from the Gemara’s teaching in Sota 49b: In the lead-up to Moshiach, chutzpah will multiply.

The post Word Prompt – CHUTZPAH – Ziona Greenwald appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Chutzpah, by definition, is boldness bordering on nerve. So really, expecting this article now is not ironic; it’s a live demonstration. It’s the literary equivalent of asking someone to deliver a shiur while waiting on a Disney line.

The post Word Prompt – CHUTZPAH – Moish Warsawsky appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Diminishing your former spouse’s character in your children’s eyes will only diminish you in your children’s eyes. As hard as that reality may be, it’s the truth.

The post Word Prompt – CHUTZPAH – Sarah Pachter appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

.

The post Word Prompt – CHUTZPAH appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

There are many lessons and reflections to be gleaned from the surreal events that have taken hold of the world during the Coronavirus pandemic. One of those lessons is a reminder about the effect and influence of every single individual.

The post One and a Million appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

For Israel though, there is a special problem. By aligning with Turkey – a nation that has arguably become the primary champion of the Palestinian cause on the global scene – the Saudis are signaling that the Palestinian veto is back.

The post What to Do About the New Saudi-Turkish Axis Bombshell? appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

The speech sparked excitement and inspiration. It provided something rare: a vision of Jewish strength rather than just a lamentation about the hatred Jews face.

The post The Torah’s Model for Jewish Life appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

.

The post Parshas Mishpatim appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

Someone called my mother, the oak tree. If you needed someone to lean on, my mother was there for you. She knew that people were different, and she accepted them as they were.

The post My Mother appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

The wedding was beautiful, baruch Hashem, and the pictures came out nicely. Still, when the dust settled, the added expense lingered in Mr. Simcha’s mind.

The post Multiple Commitments appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

I still believed that if I sat with her long enough, in the right way, she would open up. That I just hadn’t found the right approach yet. I know now that this was wishful thinking.

The post Family Mental Illness in a Family – Chapter Ten appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

A Sefer Torah That Fell
“As Though Bitten by a Snake”
(Menachos 32b)

The post Daf Yomi appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

When we have watched one marriage unravel, especially that of our own child, the heart and amygdala become hyper-alert. What once might have registered as background noise now sounds like an alarm.

The post Dear Dr. Yael appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

The Jewish people did thank Hashem, but they waited. They waited for the sea to split, for the danger to pass, for the story to reach its resolution. And only then, in a powerful, collective, composed moment, they sang. It was magnificent. It was holy. It was exactly right.

The post The First Baruch Hashem appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

.

The post South Florida – February 6, 2026 appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

It is an important call for individuals and humanity as a whole to exercise self-control, restrain impulses, and manage a world that has boundaries and red lines.

The post A New Language of Am Yisrael appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

It’s important to point out that good financial planning primarily focuses on smart lifestyle planning. There is no savvy investment or tax strategy that will magically solve financial stress.

The post Financial Planning Advice for Frum Families Struggling to Make Ends Meet appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

So much hatred and evil, deception and lies –
Brainwashing…so many people fail to realize.

The post What’s Next appeared first on The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com.

President Donald Trump’s Wednesday meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took place with an air of urgency around Iran. Yet the men left their three-hour conclave without resolving a fundamental divergence: Israel is deeply suspicious of any agreement with the Islamic Republic, and Trump has a visible preference for keeping diplomacy alive.

So visible, in fact, that Trump announced on Truth Social after the meeting that negotiations with Iran will continue. Where does that leave Israel, which is deeply concerned that Trump, in search of a quick win, will go for a deal that eases sanctions — strengthening the Iranian regime at precisely the time when it seems brittle enough to fall? And what about Iranian critics of the regime, who have good reason to feel betrayed by an American president who encouraged them to protest, and now seems poised to pursue accommodation with the authorities who had protesters killed en masse?

Of course, nothing in the Trump era can be analyzed with absolute certainty. Strategic misdirection is a recognized feature of even normal statecraft, and Trump has elevated unpredictability into something close to doctrine. Yet even allowing for that ambiguity, the meeting made clear that Israel and the United States are not aligned on an absolutely key issue — a potentially perilous state of affairs.

What does Israel want?

Israel does not trust the Iranian regime, for myriad reasons. The Islamic Republic’s missile programs, its sponsorship of proxy militias, and its long record of hostility toward Israel are viewed as elements of a single strategic problem.

Because of that deep and deeply justified mistrust, Israel is wary of any deal that might stabilize or legitimize the regime — a risk raised by Trump’s interest in a new nuclear deal. Israeli leaders are concerned about long-term risk. A renewed agreement focused narrowly on nuclear restrictions would almost inevitably entail sanctions relief or broader economic normalization. Such measures, from Jerusalem’s perspective, would strengthen the very Iranian system that has spent decades spreading havoc across the region.

Related

• Netanyahu returns to Washington — this time to shape a deal with Iran, not fight one

That doesn’t mean Israel would prefer immediate military confrontation, or that it will speak out against any deal. An agreement that would dismantle Iran’s expanding missile range, including systems capable of reaching Europe, and cut funding from its network of allied armed groups — Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shiite militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and the Palestinian factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad — would possibly be of interest. Trump has so far not publicly stressed those demands.

Israel is politically divided, but when it comes to Iran, a broad consensus cuts across political lines. The regime must fall or radically change, for the sake of human rights within Iran’s borders, and that of a healthy regional future outside them.

What does Trump want?

The American position is less straightforward, largely because it is filtered through Trump’s distinctive political style, and his limited regional knowledge. Trump often appears unbothered by expert and public opinion; he seeks drama, through visible wins, deals, and dramatic reversals. He will present any outcome as an amazing achievement that no predecessor could have hoped for — even if he ends up signing an agreement that looks quite a lot like former President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal, which he walked away from in 2018.

Trump’s broader worldview might provide insight. Unlike earlier American administrations that explicitly championed democracy promotion, with mixed results, Trump’s national security posture has consistently downplayed ideological missions. His rhetoric and policy frameworks have reflected skepticism toward efforts to reshape other societies’ political systems, instead emphasizing transactional relationships and the avoidance of prolonged entanglements.

This orientation is reinforced by his political base. A significant segment of MAGA-aligned voters wants a more isolationist foreign policy. Within that framework, negotiations that promise de-escalation and risk reduction are politically attractive. Military confrontation, by contrast, carries unpredictable costs.

Trump’s posture, oscillating between threats of force and enthusiasm for negotiation, reflects the strange truth that American political alignments on Iran defy traditional expectations, with hawkishness losing favor on the right. He has preserved the military option while simultaneously projecting optimism about a deal. Meanwhile, a huge and growing armada is parked in the waters near Iran.

What does Iran want?

Assessing Iranian intentions is notoriously difficult. The regime’s history of opaque decision-making, tactical deception, and disciplined negotiation complicates any definitive reading.

Yet certain baseline assumptions are reasonable. First, the regime seeks survival. Whatever ideological ambitions authorities may harbor, self-preservation remains paramount. Sanctions relief, economic stabilization, and reduced risk of direct confrontation with the U.S. all serve that objective.

Second, Iran is unlikely to accept a permanent prohibition on uranium enrichment, particularly at civilian levels. Tehran has consistently framed demands for “zero enrichment” as infringements on sovereignty — a defensible position under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Third, the regime has strong incentives to resist constraints on its missiles and militias, even though the militias are completely indefensible. But the regime exists, essentially, to export jihad, and those groups have been a central pillar of Iran’s project for decades.

Could the Iranian regime be brought down?

This question lurks behind every discussion of Iran, though policymakers rarely address it directly. Regime change, while rhetorically invoked at times, presents immense practical challenges. Many observers doubt that aerial strikes alone could produce political collapse. Modern regimes, particularly those with entrenched security apparatuses, rarely disintegrate solely under external bombardment. Iran’s leadership has demonstrated resilience under severe economic and military pressure, maintaining internal control despite periodic unrest.

That means meaningful regime destabilization would almost certainly require fractures within the state’s military, intelligence, and security forces, or coordinated ground dynamics that external actors can neither easily predict nor control. Such scenarios introduce enormous risks, including civil conflict, regional spillover and severe disruptions to global energy markets.

The regime’s brutality may reinforce its durability. A leadership willing to impose extreme domestic repression is less vulnerable to popular pressure than one constrained by public accountability. Last month Trump suggested the U.S. would support the protesters; that pledge appears to no longer be on his radar. The protesters were not seeking a better nuclear deal — which is now his apparent sole focus — but better lives.

So what happens now?

All of this suggests that Israel will be unhappy with any outcome to this period of tensions. It is much less likely that pressure from Trump will bring real reform to the Iranian regime is than that Trump will sign off on a deal that seems counter to Israel’s long-term interests.

In the coming days, it may become clearer whether Netanyahu persuaded Trump to expand the scope of negotiations to include Iran’s missile program and its network of proxy militias. It is also possible that talks will collapse, and that military action will follow.

But this much is clear: If the regime survives intact and is strengthened in the process, that would be a profound tragedy. For 47 years, the Islamic Republic has oppressed its own people while exporting instability across the Middle East. That is roughly the same span of time that communism endured in Eastern Europe before popular unrest finally brought it down.

Only a month ago, there was a palpable sense that the Iranian people were courageously pressing for a similar reckoning. To reward a weakened and discredited regime at such a moment by helping it stabilize itself — in exchange for promises about uranium enrichment alone — would be a historic missed opportunity.

Related

• Map of Israeli targets goes up in Tehran as tensions simmer ahead of Netanyahu’s White House visit
• Opinion: Amid standoff with US, would Iran really attack Israel?

The post Trump is poised to reinforce Iran’s regime — despite Netanyahu’s pressure appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — Rep. Becca Balint stormed out of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday after Bondi deflected questions about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and instead criticized Balint’s record on antisemitism.

Lawmakers called the hearing to press Bondi on a range of issues, including Epstein and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

Balint, a Vermont progressive, asked Bondi during her questioning whether Trump had been aware of billionaire financier Howard Lutnick’s ties to Epstein when he was appointed as commerce secretary. The most recent files released last month showed that Lutnick had visited Epstein’s private island and dined with him years after he said he had cut off ties — and after Epstein pled guilty to sex crimes.

After Bondi refused to answer Balint’s question, the congresswoman replied, “I’m going to conclude that the president, in fact, did know about his ties.”

At the end of Balint’s questioning, which devolved into shouting as Bondi consistently interrupted Balint, Bondi then raised Balint’s record on antisemitism.

“With this antisemitic culture right now, she voted against a resolution condemning ‘from the river to the sea,’” said Bondi, appearing to refer to Balint’s April 2024 vote against a House resolution condemning the common pro-Palestinian slogan. (At the time, Balint said the resolution was “yet another way to sow division and demonize Palestinians.”)

Balint quickly shot back at Bondi’s remarks.

“Oh, do you want to go there, attorney general? Do you want to go there? Are you serious? Talking about antisemitism to a woman who lost her grandfather in the Holocaust? Really? Really?” said Balint, before rising from her seat and exiting the chambers.

During her 2022 campaign for Vermont’s single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Balint, who describes her family as “Jew-ish,” frequently invoked the story of her Jewish grandfather’s murder during the Holocaust.

“My grandfather was murdered in the Holocaust,” Balint said in a campaign video at the time. “My whole life I’ve known that beating the forces set on dividing us takes showing up every chance you get.”

Balint’s grandfather, Leopold Bálint, was killed by the Nazis on a forced march from Mauthausen Concentration Camp in 1945 after he stopped to assist a prisoner.

The hearing Wednesday featured scathing criticism from Democratic lawmakers of Bondi’s handling of the Epstein case, with Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin accusing her of “siding with the perpetrators” and “ignoring the victims.”

“If AG Bondi claims to care about Epstein survivors, why did she reveal their identities but redact the names of the rich pedophiles and sex abusers who hurt them?” Balint wrote in a post on X Wednesday. “She must take accountability for this cover-up and finally deliver the justice these victims deserve.”

Related

• What Carrie Prejean Boller tells us about Christian Zionism in the U.S.

var theUrl = document.URL;var theUrlArray = theUrl.split("//");var theUrlpre = theUrlArray[1];var theUrlpostArray = theUrlpre.split("/");var theUrlpost = theUrlpostArray[0];(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-2449829-1', theUrlpost, {'name':'uniqueTrackerName'});ga('uniqueTrackerName.send', 'pageview');

The post Jewish congresswoman storms out of Epstein hearing after Pam Bondi raises her record on antisemitism appeared first on The Forward.

Carrie Prejean Boller, a former Miss California and a recent Catholic convert, was removed Wednesday from the Religious Liberties Commission after she made some controversial remarks about Jews and Israel in a hearing on antisemitism.

“Catholics do not embrace Zionism,” she said. “So are all Catholics antisemites?”

Prejean Boller was responding to the idea, presented by a staunchly pro-Israel set of Jewish witnesses testifying at the hearing, that anti-Zionism is antisemitism.

This is a complex debate that has divided the Jewish community over the past several years, even before Oct. 7 shot the issue into the spotlight, with numerous debates over how antisemitism should be defined. But Prejean Boller was not, beyond a few mentions of Palestinian lives in Gaza, engaging with the usual questions that divide Jews on the question of whether anti-Zionism is antisemitism. Her issue was with whether or not Zionism is part of Christian biblical prophecy.

“As a Catholic, I don’t agree that the new, modern state of Israel has any biblical prophecy meaning at all,” she said in the hearing. Later, she doubled down on X. “I’m a proud Catholic. I, in no way will be forced to embrace Zionism as a fulfillment of biblical prophesy,” she wrote.

What she was referring to was the idea of Christian Zionism — the theological belief among some Christians that the Bible supports the existence of the modern state of Israel. Some forms of Christian Zionism support the Jewish state as a necessary, prophesied precursor to Jesus’ return; all Jews must return to Israel before the end of days. Others may simply support Israel because they believe it shares their “Judeo-Christian” biblical foundations. But whatever the reasons, there has historically been widespread political support for Israel among American Christians. And that support has been core to Israel’s relationship with the U.S.

The lobbying group Christians United for Israel boasts a membership of 10 million, not only larger than any Jewish pro-Israel group but larger than the population of Jews in the U.S.; its influence has been key to passing measures such as moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. The power of this support from evangelicals is perhaps why Dani Dayan, Israel’s former consul general in New York, said in 2021 that Israel “invested most of its energy in the relationship with conservatives, Republicans, evangelicals, and a certain type of Jews only.”

Prejean Boller’s comments are representative of a recent shift among American Christians, away from Christian Zionism.

“Where does my support for Israel come from? Number one, because biblically we are commanded to support Israel,” said Ted Cruz on Tucker Carlson’s show last year. “Hold on, hold on!” Carlson responded, acting as though he had never heard of this crazy idea that Christians support Israel based on the Bible.

That Carlson, an influential leader on the right and a devout Christian, would act as though Christian support for Israel was not only unbiblical but absurd, was a bellwether.

According to a survey commissioned by the University of North Carolina, support for Israel among young evangelicals, ages 18 to 29, fell from 75% to 34% between 2018 and 2021 — in fact, support for Israel dropped more precipitously among this evangelical group than it did in the general American population. And a 2024 version of the same survey found that Christians were less likely to consider their support for Israel on biblical grounds.

Prejean Boller, who converted to Catholicism from evangelical Christianity in April, called out these evangelical beliefs specifically in a post on X, saying that her conversion to Catholicism was predicated in part on repudiating evangelical Christian Zionism.

“My conversion to the fullness of the Catholic faith exposed what I was taught in American evangelicalism, a version of Christianity that fused Jesus with a political agenda and called it ‘God’s prophecy being fulfilled,’” she wrote. “It isn’t.”

Prejean Boller’s statements join those of Carlson, as well as more openly conspiratorial and antisemitic influencers like Nick Fuentes and Candace Owens — who Prejean Boller defended in the hearing as a Christian leader, saying she listens to the podcaster regularly and does not believe she is antisemitic.

These influencers and political leaders spread antisemitic conspiracy theories alongside sharp criticism of Israel, often on Christian grounds. All repudiate biblical justifications for Christian Zionism, and often frame antisemitic beliefs as core parts of Christianity.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a right-wing congresswoman from Georgia and a devout Christian, voted against an antisemitism bill in Congress on the grounds that it would persecute Christians for their religious belief that Jews killed Jesus; she has also invoked her Christianity when rejecting U.S. support for Israel. Greene tweeted her support for Prejean after the hearing on antisemitism.

To be clear, the vast majority of American Christians and particularly American evangelicals continue to support Zionism as part of their religious beliefs. But other forms of Christianity are gaining visibility and political power, shifting the dominant Christian views on Israel. If the current trends continue, support for Christian Zionism may continue to decline, whether or not Prejean Boller is on the Religious Liberties Council.

The post What Carrie Prejean Boller tells us about Christian Zionism in the U.S. appeared first on The Forward.

Elena remembers a moment when she fully disappeared. She describes it as “emerging into a wall or a transparent substance without any borders.” Adah feels she has disappeared from certain places and people when moving to a new place. Others, like Adi, wish to have more of a chance to disappear: to be less visible and to go about their daily life without anyone paying them much attention. And still others, like Moishy, have experienced disappearance through a moment of unconsciousness.

These are some of the voices you hear in the podcast “I Think I Saw You (Right When You Disappeared),” which explores individual experiences of disappearance. Launched in April 2025, the podcast releases one episode per week, each one based on an interview with one person.

This first season of “I Think I Saw You” features interviews with participants of the Yiddish youth camp Generation J, which took place in Germany in 2022. Generation J – which will have its next edition in April 2026 in Paris and Weimar – is a program that brings together young people from many different backgrounds to dive deeper into Yiddish language, culture and art. So, given the context in which these interviews took place, it’s not surprising that the podcast touches upon several topics connected to the Yiddish world.

One episode, for instance, addresses the history of Yiddish language and culture through the lens of disappearance: the ways in which Yiddish has disappeared in many places in Europe through destruction, most notably in the Holocaust and under the Soviet regime, but also through Jewish assimilation across time and countries, and the dominance of modern Hebrew in Israel.

At the same time, the episode stresses the continuation of Yiddish as well as its revival movement and resistance to disappearance. “The fact that Yiddish still exists is a constant proof of its dis-disappearance,” noted the podcast’s creator, designer and producer, Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist Eyal Davidovitch. Davidovitch was a member of Generation J’s teaching staff when he was inspired to create the podcast. The idea of engaging with the metaphor of disappearance had stayed with him ever since film school.

Another episode includes a reference to a different Yiddish-speaking community, when Yisroel, who comes from a Chassidic community, remembers his first solo backpacking trip as an act of both disappearance and liberation: “For those few weeks, I was nobody. I was free. No one knew me.” He partly traces this experience back to his community of origin, where “someone always sees you,” understanding his disappearance as “disappearing from my act of who I am.”

Some of the interviewees are Yiddish native speakers, like Yisroel and Moishy; others are prominent figures in the contemporary Yiddish cultural scene, like Yiddish dance instructor Avia Moore; fiddler-composer Craig Judelman, and Yiddish singer Sasha Lurje.

In her interview, Lurje says that she never feels she disappears in a crowd, which she chalks up to her longstanding experience with Yiddish cultural practice: she sees immersion in a community and “being with the space and being with the rhythm of what’s happening,” but at the same time “being a strong individual and representing what you are in this particular moment,” as an important aspect of Yiddish music and dancing, as well as of davening (Jewish prayer).

“I Think I Saw You,” which is funded by listeners’ donations as well as by Paideia, the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden, has so far been downloaded more than 13,000 times – a strikingly high number for a non-sponsored, self-published debut podcast. Apple recently featured the podcast on its Apple Podcasts app for users in the U.S.

Although it’s hard to say how many people have actually listened to the podcast, statistics show that it has listeners in the U.S., Germany and other countries in Europe; even in Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

“Most of the reactions I heard were how the podcast touches in such a gentle and unique way philosophical and psychological questions alongside complex topics, and how it creates a space where listeners are invited to constantly reflect on or rethink their own feeling of disappearance,” Davidovitch recounted.

Unlike other recent podcasts that feature Yiddish — for example,  the language learning podcast “Proste Yiddish;” the feminist Yiddish podcast “Vaybertaytsh” that ran from 2016-2021 and the Forward’s recent “Yiddish with Rukhl,” “I Think I Saw You” is not branded as a Yiddish podcast. In a world where Davidovitch feels Jews are often narrowed down to their Jewish identity, it was important for him that the podcast deals with Yiddish and Jewishness without limiting it to these labels.

Instead, he aims to introduce Yiddish culture as well as Jewish and non-Jewish voices as part of a mixed cultural space through the universal theme of disappearance. “It cannot be put into one box. In the end, it’s a podcast about life!” he said.

Nevertheless, Davidovitch said that the podcast has “nothing and everything to do with Yiddish.” He explained that the diversity of Yiddish cultural spaces – and especially of the Generation J community – facilitated his ideas for the podcast. As he puts it: “There is something about Yiddish that invites this energy.”

Related

• Why the Forward launched a Yiddish podcast
• ‘Faust’ author Goethe’s fascination with Yiddish

The post A podcast about disappearance – and Yiddish life appeared first on The Forward.

Kamryn Lute’s Olympic ritual doesn’t start on the ice. It begins with a text to her mom: “Dear God,” she types, “Please help me do my best.”

Kamryn, 21, is the only member of Team USA’s speedskating squad to have had a bat mitzvah — or a beloved pug who shared her Hebrew name, Elisheva.

The pre-race prayer with her mother is the final buffer against the chaos of what’s to come. The words themselves are a contract with uncertainty. “My parents instilled in me that all that we can do is our best,” Kamryn said. “I just repeat that in my head. And then it’s out of my hands.”

As she bides her time in the athletes’ village — she’ll be making her Olympic debut on Saturday — Kamryn scrolls through messages from her mom and newsletters from her synagogue back home, grounding herself in faith and family.

Routine is everything. She wakes early and eats in the cafeteria with competitors from around the world. “We’re training every day,” she said via Zoom on Wednesday, sitting on the edge of her twin bed in the dorm-style room she shares with a teammate.

Born at Manhattan’s Mount Sinai Hospital and named at Central Synagogue, Kamryn spent her early years shuttling between New York and Washington, D.C., as her parents followed careers in government and diplomacy. Her dad, Douglas, worked in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, and her mom, Jane, worked at the United Nations.

Her journey to Milan began in her living room. In winter 2010, short track speedskating phenom Apolo Ohno carved impossible lines across the TV during the Vancouver Olympics. Kamryn, then 5, pointed at the screen. “I want to do that,” she announced ambitiously to her parents. They assumed her interest would fade. It didn’t.

Kamryn, who is 5′ 10”, has not stopped since. She won her first medal on a broken ankle at the age of 7. By 8, she was a national champion. She has set 10 national records.

Kamryn Lute competes at the U.S. Short Track Speedskating Olympic Trials in Utah on Dec. 18, 2021. Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

At 17, she nearly made it onto the team for the Winter Olympics in Beijing. In Milan, Kamryn is competing in two events: the 3,000-meter relay and, individually, in the 1,500 meters.

Short track is a study in contradictions: grace pitched against danger, speeds nudging 35 miles an hour, each lap a negotiation with physics and fate. Kamryn has trained for 16 years to make the improbable look inevitable — a victory, if it comes, measured in centimeters and seconds.

“Actually,” she admitted, “I’m scared of heights, so I’m just happy we’re on the ground, compared to skiing and ski jumping.”

Kamryn’s pursuit of speedskating took her west, where she trains with the U.S. team. She’s a junior at the University of Utah, majoring in economics with a minor in French. When not training or competing, she’s focused on coursework and her long-term goal: to become a lawyer, a path inspired in part by her mother’s career in public service. “I’ve known for 10 years now that I want to go to law school,” Kamryn said.

The importance of faith

Kamryn is the youngest of four girls, and part of a blended, interfaith family. The family’s Jewishness is foundational: lighting Shabbat candles, memberships at both Central Synagogue in Manhattan, which is Reform, and the Conservative congregation Etz Hayim in Arlington, Virginia, just outside D.C.

“Being Jewish is a big part of our identity,” Jane Lute, Kamryn’s mother, said in an interview with the Forward. “It’s grounding. I tell my girls, courage is contagious in a crowd. You were born to a crowd. Never fear doing the right thing.”

Kamryn Lute, center, with her mom Jane and dad Douglas at a speedskating tournament in 2012. Courtesy of Jane Lute

Before the games began in Milan, Jane told Kamryn to recite the Shehecheyanu — the blessing for new experiences — during the opening ceremony, which Kamryn did. “I listen to my mom,” she said with a laugh.

On race day, Kamryn’s rituals are methodical: 90 minutes of warm-up, bike and stretches, hip-hop and rap in her ears. “I always get nervous when I race,” she said. “But once the race starts, everything else disappears.”

Jane’s expectations are as precise as her daughter’s routines. “It’s impossible for you to disappoint anyone in your life at this stage,” she told her daughter. “Don’t put that pressure on yourself. Do pay attention to your character. Pay attention to how you conduct yourself.”

Whether the Olympics end in a blur of medals or missed turns, the duo will likely send the same post-race text they always do.

“God is good,” Jane usually types.

Kamryn’s reply is always the same: “Baruch Hashem.”

Related

• 16 Jewish and Israeli athletes to watch in the 2026 Winter Olympics, from the ice rink to the alpine slopes

The post This Jewish Olympian prays with her mom before every race appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday in an effort to push the U.S. leader to widen negotiation with Iran to include Israeli security priorities.

“Nothing definitive” came out of the highly anticipated meeting between the leaders, which lasted roughly three hours, Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social immediately afterwards. But he signaled that he had resisted a push to end direct talks with Iran.

“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be,” wrote Trump.

Prior to boarding a flight on his way to Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Netanyahu told reporters that his meeting with Trump would center “first and foremost” on negotiations with Iran.

“I will present to the president our views on the principles in the negotiations, the important principles, and in my opinion they are important not only to Israel — but to everyone in the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East,” Netanyahu told reporters.

During Wednesday’s meeting, which was closed to the press, Netanyahu was expected to push Trump to widen negotiations with Iran beyond its nuclear program, including imposing restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program and ending Iranian support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

The talks Wednesday were also expected to center on developments in the ceasefire in Gaza, with Netanyahu officially joining the Board of Peace during a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the day.

Met with U.S. Secretary of State @marcorubio at Blair House in Washington.

Ahead of my meeting at the White House with President Trump, I signed Israel’s accession as a member of the “Board of Peace.”

We will continue strengthening the unbreakable alliance between Israel and… pic.twitter.com/CJ4Lw92WdX

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 11, 2026

Netanyahu’s visit Wednesday was his sixth to the United States since the beginning of Trump’s term. Trump surprised him at an earlier meeting by announcing that he planned to open direct talks with Iran, which has vowed to destroy Israel.

The visit shortly followed talks in Oman on Friday between Iran’s foreign minister and Trump administration officials on reaching a potential nuclear deal. Those talks came a month after Iranian leaders ordered a crackdown on civil protesters in which an estimated 30,000 Iranians or more were murdered.

On Tuesday, Trump told Axios that he was “thinking” about sending another aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf where he has already assembled a large military buildup, adding, “Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time.”

Iran has said it will retaliate if the United States strikes to curb its nuclear program, sparking concern of a war. Last June, the United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran amid the country’s 12-day war with Israel, damaging but not destroying them.

In an interview Tuesday with Fox Business Network’s Larry Kudlow, Trump said that a good deal with Iran would mean “no nuclear weapons, no missiles.”

“We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal,” said Trump. “I think they’d be foolish if they didn’t. We took out their nuclear power last time, and we’ll have to see if we take out more this time.”

var theUrl = document.URL;var theUrlArray = theUrl.split("//");var theUrlpre = theUrlArray[1];var theUrlpostArray = theUrlpre.split("/");var theUrlpost = theUrlpostArray[0];(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-2449829-1', theUrlpost, {'name':'uniqueTrackerName'});ga('uniqueTrackerName.send', 'pageview');

The post After 3-hour White House meeting, Trump says he ‘insisted’ to Netanyahu that Iran talks should continue appeared first on The Forward.

For years, leaders of the nation’s largest Jewish organizations have insisted that the overwhelming majority of Jews — often as high as 95% — are Zionists, powerful evidence that anti-Zionism was a form of antisemitism.

But there was a glaring lack of data to back this up.

Despite the absolute deluge of surveys polling American Jews, it seemed as though nobody wanted to ask whether they actually considered themselves to be Zionists.

The standard explanation was that there wasn’t a common enough understanding of the term to ask the question and that, therefore, it was better to rely on ostensible proxies for “Zionism” like whether Jews believed Israel had a “right to exist.”

That logic made some sense, and yet I had a sneaking suspicion that the major Jewish advocacy organizations sponsoring most of these polls were also afraid of unfavorable results: The share of Jews who considered themselves Zionists was bound to be less than 95%, and if the share of “Zionist” Jews turned out to be especially low, it would undermine claims that anti-Zionism was a fringe view.

Jewish Federations of North America, to their credit, finally bit the bullet and released the results of a survey conducted last spring. It found that only 37% of American Jews identify with the term “Zionist,” even as 88% believe that “Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state.” Meanwhile, a plurality — nearly half — don’t identify themselves in relation to the term at all, rejecting the labels “Zionist,” “non-Zionist” and “anti-Zionist” to describe their views on Israel.

Mimi Kravetz, chief impact officer at the organization, argued these results demonstrated a misunderstanding of the term.

Zionism should properly mean “the right of the Jewish people to have a Jewish state,” Kravetz wrote in an op-ed announcing the study. The Jews who don’t consider themselves Zionists, then, “are reacting to an understanding of Zionism that includes policies, ideologies, and actions that they oppose, and do not want to be associated with.”

Related

• It’s hard to craft guidelines against antisemitism — here’s why people keep trying

Kravetz goes beyond this explanation, however, to answer why the Jewish federations network and most of the organized community “continue to proudly call ourselves Zionists” despite most American Jews saying the term does not describe them.

“We adhere to the historic definition,” she wrote. “For us, Zionism means supporting the State of Israel and the Israeli people and uniting the Jewish people behind this shared commitment.”

But supporting “the right of the Jewish people to have a Jewish state” (and, notably, one that is also democratic) is not the same thing as “supporting the State of Israel.”

If you dig into the federation network’s survey results, the widespread belief that Israel has a right to be Jewish and democratic does not mesh with the policy positions held by the largest Jewish advocacy organizations.

For example, nearly half of the Jews who don’t identify as either Zionist or anti-Zionist — representing 56% of the total population — think that Israel committed genocide against the Palestinians and that the country is an apartheid state. More than a quarter of this group thinks that Israel should give Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank Israeli citizenship “even if Jews become a minority.” (JFNA did not release the exact totals for these views.)

These distinctions matter in part because leading Jewish organizations often treat allegations of apartheid and genocide as expressions of anti-Zionism, which are in turn antisemitic because they reject near-universal Jewish support for the existence of a Jewish and democratic state.

One way to understand the survey results is that most American Jews maintain a high degree of emotional attachment to Israel (71%) and sympathy for its geopolitical situation (around 90% believe it’s under “constant threat from hostile neighbors who seek its destruction” and that “Palestinian leadership has been corrupt and unwilling to negotiate in good faith”) but they aren’t precious about the relationship — many are willing to brook not just criticism of specific government policies but also beliefs that call into question the country’s legitimacy and ability to maintain a Jewish majority.

Data like this can obscure as much as it clarifies, undermining right-wing efforts to neatly equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism while simultaneously dispelling claims from the left that the American Jewish connection to Israel is fabricated by a small elite.

I’m hopeful that this survey will open the door to more studies examining how Jews understand their identity in relation to Israel — even if the results are inconvenient for those who want to codify a universal definition of antisemitism that includes opposition to a Jewish state in Israel.

GO DEEPER:

• JFNA 2025 Survey of Jewish Life (Berman Jewish DataBank)
• OPINION | What JFNA data really shows about Jews, Israel and Zionism today (JTA)
• OPINION | The JFNA survey proves ‘Zionism’ only impedes the conversations that Jews, Israelis and Palestinians need (JTA)

The post Most American Jews aren’t ‘Zionist’ — so what are they? appeared first on The Forward.

On a frosty February day in 1933, Adolf Hitler summoned 24 of Germany’s leading industrialists to a government palace in Berlin to enlist them in dismantling the last vestiges of democracy. When it was over, the high priests of commerce and industry had donated a total of 2.1 million Reichsmarks to the Nazi Party.

Last September, at the White House in Washington, D.C., 15 American tech executives sat down for dinner with Donald Trump. For eight months, Trump had been steering the country closer to authoritarianism. Yet instead of challenging him, the executives praised him. Google co-founder Sergey Brin lauded Trump for “supporting our companies instead of fighting with them.” Sam Altman, the OpenAI CEO, thanked him for being a “pro-business, pro-innovation president,” calling him “a very refreshing change.”

German industrialists’ money helped Hitler win enough support in the Reichstag to pass an Enabling Act granting him dictatorial power. American corporate executives’ silence about the path Trump has taken the country down has functioned as a different kind of currency — one that signals to the public that democratic backsliding is tolerable so long as the markets stay calm and the profits keep flowing.

While the political, economic and social circumstances surrounding Hitler’s meeting with industrialists and Trump’s with tech leaders are quite different, moments like these reveal the enduring symbiosis between political power and private capital — and the democratic vulnerabilities that emerge when corporate flattery eclipses civic responsibility.

After arriving at the imposing Reichstag Presidential Palace, the 24 industrialists were ushered into one of its heavily ornamented grand salons. When Hitler entered, he spent 90 minutes promising to smash the left, protect private enterprise, end lawlessness, lead Germany out of its economic crisis, and — most enticing of all — reward German companies with lucrative contracts as he rebuilt the military. The titans of industry were impressed.

Hitler then left the room, leaving Hermann Göring to pass the proverbial hat. The captains of industry had come prepared. Before they walked out of the palace, the Nazi Party had collected 2.1 million Reichsmarks to fuel its Reichstag campaign. The Nazis’ victory in that election gave Hitler the backing he needed to pass the Enabling Act. The Reichstag Fire Decree of February 28 had already gutted democracy by suspending civil liberties and unleashing mass arrests of political opponents. The March 23 Enabling Act supplied the final shovels of dirt, burying parliamentary democracy for the next 12 years.

Hitler came through with all of his promises, and in the process German companies became deeply complicit in his crimes against other countries and against civilians — setting up slave labor camps outside places of mass murder like Auschwitz, and feeding a war machine that killed tens of millions across Europe. These companies were the same ones represented at that fundraising meeting in February 1933. After the Nazis’ defeat, only a handful of German corporate executives were held to account. Most were able to resume powerful positions in postwar Germany.

Related

• Opinion: Should we be comparing ICE agents to Hitler’s ‘Brownshirts?’
• Opinion: Long before Trump’s second-hand Nobel, a laureate sought to curry favor with Nazis by regifting a prize
• Opinion: In Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine,’ echoes of Nazi justifications for aggression

America’s 21st-century tech titans are not war criminals, nor are they anything like the industrialists who built Hitler’s arsenal. They have thrived in a democracy that has rewarded their ingenuity, protected their freedoms, and made many of them fabulously wealthy. But that is precisely why their reluctance to call Trump to account for the damage he has done to democratic norms is so disconcerting — and so dangerous.

The video of their dinner at the White House makes that reluctance painfully clear. The executives sit around a long table in the State Dining Room, leaning forward, smiling, nodding eagerly as Trump speaks. They offer him compliments. They laugh at his jokes. No one raises a concern about democratic institutions, the rule of law, or the direction of the country.

The killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti appear to have jolted at least some tech leaders out of that posture of deference. Yann LeCun, Meta’s former chief AI scientist, reposted the video of Alex Pretti’s killing with a single, furious caption: “M U R D E R E R S.” Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst, warned that “what we are seeing in Minnesota is a threat to those core tenets and to the promise of America.” Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla condemned the federal agents as “macho ICE vigilantes running amuck,” while Google DeepMind’s Jeff Dean called on “every person regardless of political affiliation” to denounce the escalation of violence. James Dyett, a senior executive at OpenAI, noted that “there is far more outrage from tech leaders over a wealth tax than masked ICE agents terrorizing communities.”

Sam Altman and Apple CEO Tim Cook, both of whom had lavishly praised Trump at the tech titans’ dinner, also said ICE had gone too far.

This must be said about Corporate America: its leaders, unlike the industrialists of Nazi Germany, have not been actively complicit in any effort to topple democracy. In the American system, doing so would amount to corporate suicide. But they have weakened democratic culture in quieter ways — such as treating free expression as expendable if it threatens profits. You can see it in the major-network settlements that chilled political reporting at ABC and CBS, and in the efforts to sideline late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.

Jeff Bezos’ $40 million contract with the Trumps for the documentary Melania is another example of this instinct. In the same week that the Bezos-owned Washington Post announced it was laying off more than 300 journalists, the Amazon founder was photographed on the red carpet at the premiere of Melania, attending at the Trumps’ invitation.

One of the gravest threats to American democracy today is the fusion of state authority with the private empires of tech tycoons like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, whose control of critical communications and data-analytics infrastructure gives politically aligned capitalists the capacity to assist an administration intent on expanding executive power.

Civil-liberties activists and several members of Congress have warned that concentrating federal data systems — especially when augmented by advanced AI — creates a structural vulnerability for democracy. Such an architecture, they argue, could be turned toward political ends: monitoring critics, chilling dissent, or enabling forms of surveillance that become far harder to detect or challenge once they are woven into the machinery of government.

The German industrialists who helped Hitler consolidate power largely escaped accountability, their complicity swept under the carpet as Soviet Communism replaced fascism as the perceived greater threat to the West. Will our own era face a reckoning? When future generations look back, they may well ask what America’s most powerful corporate leaders did when democracy was faltering — and whether their silence helped steady the republic, or hastened its decline.

 

The post For the titans of industry in Nazi Germany and Trump’s America, silence and complicity enable authoritarianism appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — Catholic right-wing activist Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from the White House Religious Liberty Commission over what the chair called her “political agenda” during a public hearing on antisemitism this week.

The announcement of Prejean Boller’s removal by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, an evangelical Christian, on Wednesday came after Prejean Boller spurned calls to resign from her post amid mounting backlash over her remarks on Monday.

“Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission,” Patrick wrote in a post on X. “No member of the Commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue. This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America. This was my decision.”

During Monday’s hearing, Prejean Boller, who was named to the commission in June, argued that anti-Zionism is not antisemitic and said her Catholic faith prohibits her from supporting Israel.

“I’m a Catholic, and Catholics do not embrace Zionism, just so you know, so are all Catholics antisemites?” said Prejean Boller, who wore a pin depicting the American and Palestinian flags.

She also defended conservative influencers Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson against antisemitism allegations, later receiving praise from Owens on social media for her defense.

Following Patrick’s announcement of Prejean Boller’s removal, Owens decried the decision in a post on X, which featured a host of antisemitic conspiracy theories.

“Carrie didn’t hijack anything. You hosted a performative Zionist hearing meant to neuter the Christian faith. Carrie spoke truth, as a Catholic, and Christians, the Truth cannot be defeated. Zionists are naturally hostile to Catholics because we refuse to bend the knee to revisionist history and support the mass slaughter and rape of innocent children for occult Baal worshipers. Your decision will only further the Christian enlightenment which is taking place in this country. And for that, we thank you. ✝️,” wrote Owens in the post, which was reposted by Prejean Boller. “@CarriePrejean1 said no to selling her soul.”

Prejean Boller’s removal drew praise from Shabbos Kestenbaum, an antisemitism activist who was invited to speak on Monday’s panel and had previously called for Prejean Boller’s removal.

“We spoke about Christian Americans and Jewish Americans being under assault. She was interested in discussing the Middle East and non advancing American religious liberties. THANK YOU,” tweeted Kestenbaum.

var theUrl = document.URL;var theUrlArray = theUrl.split("//");var theUrlpre = theUrlArray[1];var theUrlpostArray = theUrlpre.split("/");var theUrlpost = theUrlpostArray[0];(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-2449829-1', theUrlpost, {'name':'uniqueTrackerName'});ga('uniqueTrackerName.send', 'pageview');

The post Carrie Prejean Boller ousted from White House Religious Liberty Commission following antisemitism row appeared first on The Forward.

The Tavern At The End of History
Morris Collins
Dzanc Books, 326 pages, $27.95

In Morris Collins’ novel about two directionless adults on the hunt for a famous work of art presumed to have been stolen during the Holocaust, one character theorizes that “the only way towards a moral life” is to let go of the past. But The Tavern At the End of History, a follow-up to Collins’ debut novel — the postcolonial thriller Horse Latitudes — is all about remembering, even that which is painful, and reckoning with it.

When readers are first introduced to Jacob, his inappropriate remarks to a student have cost him his professorship and his marriage, and he’s become an alcoholic. At a park in Brooklyn, he meets Baer, an impoverished Orthodox man living in a ramshackle apartment with only a fat orange cat to keep him company. As it turns out, they are both connected to the disgraced Kabbalah scholar Alex Baruch.

After meeting Baruch at a conference in Berlin, Jacob became a devoted follower. Even after Baruch was exposed for lying about being a German Holocaust survivor, Jacob remained loyal and has agreed to meet with Baruch at his sanitarium in Maine the same weekend Baruch plans to auction off a sketch by the deceased Jewish artist Alexander Lurio.

Baer reveals that the sketch had belonged to his family before the war, but, he says, it was confiscated by the Nazis. Jacob agrees go to Maine and look for the sketch with Baer’s cousin Rachel, an art historian still reeling from her husband’s suicide after she helped him leave the Orthodox community. But art isn’t the only interesting thing on Baruch’s private island. There are neo-Nazis, an erotic statue garden, otherworldly entities, and an eccentric group of Jews, although it’s unclear if they are fellow visitors of the sanitarium or patients.

Related

• For the first time since Hitler, a Hebrew publisher sets up shop in Germany

Jacob, Rachel and the other Jews at the sanitarium are incessantly haunted by the past — for Baruch, this becomes literal, when a friend he presumed had died in the Holocaust appears at his doorstep. The oddball group spends their five days in Maine, primarily telling stories about their trauma, all linked to the Holocaust through either their own experiences or those of their parents. It may be doubtful that there is any sense to be derived from tragedy, but they try their very best.

For Baruch, this means trying to justify lying about his past and doing unspeakable things to make his life easier. Jacob funnels his confusion into philosophical debates about how — or even if — the Holocaust and Israel should be understood in relation to one another. Rachel seems to believe misfortune can be rectified as she hunts for the stolen Lurio sketch.

The book often veers into unsettling territory, sometimes painting overwhelmingly disturbing scenes from the Holocaust, but Collins’ illustrative writing keeps the story engaging, even in its bleakest moments. His world-building is so convincing it’s almost incomprehensible that the Lurio works are fictionalized. Even the enigmatic Alex Baruch and the fake writings Collins “quotes” from feel real.

Because the book takes place in 2017, some of its musings on Israel and antisemitism feel less jarring than they could be. The characters watch the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally on the television, scenes that could now easily be substituted with more alarming images of government officials cozying up to neo-Nazis. The discussions about the Holocaust and Zionism feel less edgy than they may have almost a decade ago, as so much new scholarship questioning the role of memory and trauma in the creation of Israel has come out.

The book ends with some ambiguity about what exactly transpires on the island and how our characters will be able to move on. Still, Collins crafts a compelling art mystery, buttressed by a tale of a group of lost souls trying to find meaning in a world that sometimes feels hopeless.

Related

• He could have avoided persecution in Nazi Germany — he got bar mitzvahed instead

The post Art theft, angels and neo-Nazis force a reckoning with the past in ‘The Tavern at the End of History’ appeared first on The Forward.

When President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the White House today — their sixth meeting in the U.S. in the last year — their discussion will focus on a shared commitment to confronting the Iranian nuclear threat, but the stakes are different for each of them.

For Trump, a nuclear agreement could cement his legacy as a peacemaker, perhaps even earn him a long-coveted Nobel Peace Prize. For Netanyahu, a deal could bolster his political standing back home in a difficult election year.

Related

• 5 things to know ahead of the Trump-Netanyahu meeting

In 2015, when President Obama was on the verge of signing a nuclear deal with Iran, Netanyahu cast himself as the indispensable interpreter of the Iranian threat to Washington, as he has again. But back then, Netanyahu came to publicly oppose what he called “a very bad” Iran deal, pushing back against the U.S. president. Now, he is visiting the White House with the hope of shaping U.S. policy on Iran, not challenging the president.

Trump has described the first round of discussions with Iran as “very good,” even as U.S. aircraft carriers and other military assets build up in the region. He has insisted that Tehran is “wanting to make a deal very badly.” Israel, for its part, has made clear that any agreement must go beyond limits on uranium enrichment and also address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its network of regional proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis — that have been attacking Israel.

Netanyahu has said he plans to present the president with Israel’s approach to the nuclear talks led by Trump’s close advisers, son-in-law Jared Kushner and Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.

Related

• ‘I trust his judgment completely’: Netanyahu praises Trump while urging tougher U.S. stance on Iran

Netanyahu is betting that intimacy equals influence. That being the leader who shows up in person — again and again — ensures Israel is not outflanked as decisions are made. Last June, that strategy appeared to pay off. Netanyahu launched a charm offensive aimed at drawing Trump into a more active role in dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. If talks fail, Trump could act again. “Either we will make a deal, or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump told Axios.

But the frequency of these meetings also reflects some vulnerability. It showcases a prime minister who cannot afford distance and disagreement with the White House.

The domestic clock is ticking

The longest-serving Israeli leader is facing a real risk that Israel’s legislature, the Knesset, will dissolve in the coming weeks if his coalition fails to resolve the explosive issue of military conscription for Haredi yeshiva students. The Haredi parties have threatened to vote against the budget ahead of the March 31 deadline — a move that would trigger elections as early as June.

If Netanyahu emerges from the White House visit with rhetorical alignment or symbolic support, he could buy himself time and political oxygen.

These gestures matter for Israel, where the education minister, Yoav Kisch, has formally invited Trump to attend the Israel Prize ceremony on Independence Day in Jerusalem to receive the prestigious award for a “Unique Contribution to the Jewish People.” Israeli officials have also invited him to participate in the annual torch-lighting ceremony, one of the most emotionally charged moments on the Israeli civic calendar.

If Trump accepts the invitation and travels to Israel again, it would be a political gift of the highest order. For Netanyahu’s supporters, that imagery could energize turnout and blunt opposition momentum. For undecided voters, it reinforces a familiar argument: Whatever Netanyahu’s flaws at home, replacing him would risk destabilizing Israel’s most important relationship abroad and its closest ally in any confrontation with Iran.

But Trump’s current position on Iran may still cross Netanyahu’s red lines. And Trump has shown before that he is willing to act unilaterally, even without backing from allies.

Still, he is very popular in Israel, and that benefits Netanyahu. A new survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute showed that 73% of Israelis rate Trump as a better-than-average U.S. president for Israel’s interests and 54% of Jews in Israel view Trump as one of the best presidents in U.S. history.

The post Netanyahu returns to Washington — this time to shape a deal with Iran, not fight one appeared first on The Forward.

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet at the White House Wednesday in a highly anticipated discussion. The primary focus of the meeting is expected to be the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran, particularly regarding Tehran’s treatment of protesters and the possibility of a renewed agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

But it also comes amid intensifying debates over U.S. military assistance to Israel, eroding bipartisan support for that aid, and recent controversial Israeli moves in the West Bank, all of which could shape the conversation.

How US military aid to Israel works

U.S. military aid to Israel has long been governed by a 2016 memorandum of understanding under which Washington pledged $38 billion in assistance over a decade — $33 billion in military grants and $5 billion for joint missile defense programs. Israel receives roughly $3.8 billion annually, including approximately $500 million earmarked for missile defense. The agreement is scheduled to be renegotiated in 2028.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on Oct. 7, 2023, Congress has authorized at least $16.3 billion in additional aid. The flow of funds is subject to congressional review and measures such as the Leahy Law, which bars assistance to foreign security forces implicated in gross human rights violations.

US aid to Israel no longer enjoys the bipartisan support it once did

Amid the Gaza war and the rise of a U.S. anti-war, pro-Palestinian movement, American public support for Israel has declined significantly across both major parties.

A 2025 Pew Research Center study found that only 24% of Americans under 30 view the Israeli government favorably, compared with roughly half of those over 60. Among Republicans, negative views of Israel increased from 27% in 2022 to 37%, while among Democrats the rise was steeper — from 53% to 69%. Nearly 4 in 10 adults under 30 believe the U.S. provides “too much” aid to Israel, compared with one-third of adults overall.

Related

• AIPAC defends $2.3M spend against ‘pro-Israel’ politician in NJ-11, where anti-Israel candidate is prevailing

The debate over U.S. aid to Israel played a significant role in last week’s Democratic congressional primary in New Jersey. A super PAC associated with the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC spent more than $2 million on negative ads that helped fuel the defeat of former Rep. Tom Malinowski, who describes himself as pro-Israel but who drew AIPAC’s fire because he is opposed to unconditional aid.

Why Netanyahu wants to reduce U.S. military aid

In recent weeks, Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have publicly expressed a desire to reduce Israel’s dependence on U.S. military assistance. Netanyahu has said he hopes to “taper off” U.S. aid over the next decade and has indicated that he does not intend to seek a full renewal of the 2016 agreement.

This push is rooted in frustrations during the Gaza war, when several allies, including the Biden administration, temporarily halted or delayed certain arms transfers over concerns that specific munitions could be used in ways that might cause excessive harm to Palestinian civilians. Israeli officials argue that these restrictions constrained Israel’s ability to fight at critical moments.

Israeli leaders also see strategic and economic value in redirecting the billions of dollars currently spent on U.S. weapons toward Israel’s own defense industry. At the same time, declining support for U.S. aid to Israel among both “America First” Republicans and Democrats concerned about Gaza casualties has made the Israeli government increasingly wary of relying on Washington for its long-term defense needs.

On Jan. 28, Netanyahu claimed that what he called an arms “embargo” under former President Joe Biden cost Israeli soldiers their lives — a statement former U.S. officials quickly condemned.

Related

• Netanyahu alleges that Israeli soldiers died because Biden-era arms ‘embargo’ meant they ‘didn’t have enough ammunition’

“Netanyahu is both not telling the truth and ungrateful to a president that literally saved Israel at its most vulnerable moment,” said Amos Hochstein, a former U.S. diplomat under Biden. Brett McGurk, who served in senior national security roles under presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Trump, as well as Biden, said the claim was “categorically false.” Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides added: “He is wrong. Biden’s support for Israel has been rock solid, and he provided it at enormous political cost.”

For its part, the Trump administration published its 2026 National Defense Strategy at the end of January, which states, “Israel is a model ally, and we have an opportunity now to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests.”

The meeting’s focus: Iran

Discussions regarding Iran are expected to dominate the meeting. Iran and Israel have long been adversaries, with Tehran openly committed to Israel’s destruction. The meeting comes ahead of months of increased tension between the two nations. During the 12-Day War in June 2025, Israel struck key Iranian military assets, and the U.S., buoyed by prior Israeli military successes, attacked major Iranian nuclear facilities. The present condition of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs after the strikes is unclear, and Israel remains determined to eliminate the security threat posed by Iran.

Following the outbreak of anti-regime protests in Iran in mid-January, Trump encouraged demonstrators in a Jan. 13 Truth Social post, writing: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING—TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! … HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”

Shortly after the post, Netanyahu reportedly urged Trump not to strike Iran, citing fears of a major Iranian retaliation against Israel — an outcome Iranian officials have explicitly threatened. While Trump has repeatedly warned Iran of potential military action over Iran’s treatment of protesters, and moved a fleet of aircraft carrier strike groups to the Middle East, he has emphasized his preference for reaching a diplomatic solution with Iran, particularly focused on the country’s nuclear program.

The Trump administration met with Iranian officials in Oman over the weekend in the hopes that a deal might be struck. With talks expected to continue next week, Netanyahu is now seeking to broaden the scope of any potential agreement between the U.S. and Iran. According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu hopes the Trump administration will push for provisions addressing Iran’s ballistic missile program and Iran’s support for regional militant groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, as well as ensuring Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

On the sidelines, Israel makes controversial moves in the West Bank

Recent Israeli decisions regarding the West Bank may also surface during the meeting, following announcements on Sunday by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz of new measures expanding Israeli control over territory in the West Bank presently controlled by the Palestinian Authority. The steps will make it easier for Jewish Israelis to purchase land in the West Bank and could allow Israeli police to demolish homes in areas under PA jurisdiction — moves that would violate the Oslo Accords.

The recent Israeli decisions run counter to explicit Trump administration requests that Israel avoid controversial actions in the West Bank, particularly as Arab states have warned that steps toward annexation could jeopardize their willingness to help manage postwar Gaza or normalize relations with Israel.

Trump told Axios on Tuesday, “We have enough things to think about now. We don’t need to be dealing with the West Bank.” U.S. officials also reiterated Trump’s opposition to Israeli annexation of the territory, stating, “A stable West Bank keeps Israel secure and is in line with this administration’s goal to achieve peace in the region.”

With a potential deal with Iran on the table, U.S. military aid to Israel under growing scrutiny, and Israeli actions in the West Bank complicating regional diplomacy, Wednesday’s meeting comes at a unique moment for the U.S.-Israel relationship. But as past meetings between Trump and Netanyahu have shown, there is a very real chance the meeting could veer off script.

The post 5 things to know ahead of the Trump-Netanyahu meeting appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — At a campus campaign stop last week, Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate James Fishback dropped some unusual verbiage while inveighing against junk food in school cafeterias.

“I’m not saying that the test scores are the result of the Pop-Tarts,” Fishback told a crowd at the University of Central Florida, in remarks boosting locally grown produce over convenience foods. “But if you wanted kids to fail, if you wanted to set our kids up for failure, you would feed them the absolute goyslop in our cafeterias.”

Goyslop?! What was Fishback talking about?

The term has skyrocketed in use in recent months among the very online far right, the ecosystem that gave rise to the candidacy of the 31-year-old investment banker and political outsider. It’s a portmanteau of “goy,” the Yiddish word meaning non-Jew that white nationalist groups have increasingly repurposed into an antisemitic badge of honor, and “slop” — a popular way to refer to low-quality content, especially digital content.

The term is making the rounds among the largest white nationalist and antisemitic influencers. Clavicular, a popular manosphere influencer recently seen dancing and singing to Ye’s “Heil Hitler” at a Miami nightclub, appeared on a recent livestream with white nationalist Nick Fuentes to lament how “the entire grocery store is filled with goyslop.”

One popular X account known for spewing antisemitism recently defined the term “goyslop” as “fast food”; it has also been used by accounts to describe everything from the Super Bowl to the Epstein files.

It’s the sort of trolling language that Fishback has used frequently since entering the race last year. He has repeatedly praised followers of Fuentes and indicated familiarity with the antisemitic podcaster Myron Gaines. He has called U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, his opponent and the leading candidate in the GOP primary, a “slave to donors.” (Donalds is Black.)

Fishback has also embraced anti-Israel talking points. He opposed Florida’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism because — as he recently claimed to Tucker Carlson — it would make it “against the law to criticize Israel.” He has said he would “divest every penny from Israel on day one,” setting up an ideological battle in a state with a substantial Jewish population where lawmakers are on the verge of forcing the term “West Bank” to be replaced in educational materials with “Judea and Samaria.”

During the same UCF campaign event in which he uttered “goyslop,” Fishback also inveighed against politicians who “visit another country” and wind up “kissing a stupid wall,” a clear reference to Israel’s Western Wall.

Fishback’s goyslop comments came as he was responding to a question about whether he planned to remove fluoride from the state’s tap water system and replace it with creatine — the amino-acid compound beloved among health influencers for purportedly boosting athletic performance.

Fishback later winkingly professed ignorance about the word.

“I used a term recently this week that I got a lot of flak for, about referring to the food in our public cafeterias,” he told a crowd while eating a fried Oreo at the Florida State Fair. “I don’t know what that term was.”

But Jews in Florida knew. “Just last night, at a local event, he mocked efforts to bring quality education to Florida schools, using the slang ‘GOYSLOP’ in a context clearly meant to belittle,” Joseph Feldman, an Orthodox Jewish Miami resident, wrote about Fishback in the Hasidic publication VINNews. “These remarks are not accidental gaffes; they are calculated, designed to play on prejudice for political gain.”

Searches for “goyslop” have spiked over the last three months after being essentially dormant prior to that, according to Google Trends.

“Consume less goyslop, piggy,” the right-wing influencer Ian Miles Cheong posted on X last month, mocking heavy-set anti-ICE protester in Minneapolis. Cheong frequently engages on the platform with the site’s owner and multi-billionaire Elon Musk, and his account commands a following of 1.2 million on its own.

The term and a variant, “zogchow,” originated on message boards like 4Chan as early as 2019, and user-submitted definitions of the term appear on Urban Dictionary date back to 2021. In its original usage, “goyslop” refers to corporate fast food or other low-quality food, including school lunches, which antisemites believe is promoted by Jews to keep “goyim” unhealthy and dissatisfied. (“ZOG,” short for “Zionist-occupied government,” is an acronym that emerged in white supremacist circles in the 1970s and is now widely used in antisemitic rhetoric.)

Some who have employed the term “goyslop,” including leftists who have absorbed and adapted far-right talking points on Israel and Zionism, may not understand its origins. “Ever since I saw someone say they thought the goy part of goyslop was a combo of gay and soy, I’ve been wondering how many other people have no idea what the f–k they’re saying half the time,” the progressive author Ashley Reese tweeted last week.

But others are fully aware. The Anti-Defamation League’s online glossary of hate terms notes that antisemites have increasingly used “goy” in reference to antisemitic conspiracy theories.

For example, the phrase “The goyim know” — as in “shut it down, the goyim know!” — has circulated on antisemitic forums for years. It imagines the speaker as a Jew whose villainy has been exposed, and depicts Jews as “malevolent puppet-masters, manipulating the media, banks, and even entire governments to the benefit of themselves but to the detriment of other peoples,” according to the ADL.

“Slop,” meanwhile, is online slang that has caught on with the mainstream in a big way, most notably as a reference to junky or untrustworthy content generated by artificial intelligence. The dictionary publisher Miriam-Webster declared “slop” its 2025 Word of the Year, defining it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.”

From AI, “slop” has spread to the real world as a catchall term for degrading quality control in all manner of institutions. The New York Times this week, in a trend piece about one-bowl, no-fuss meals called “boy kibble,” referred to the meal as “slop.” A conspiratorial fixation on “slop” foods also dovetails with the popularity of  Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement and various influencer podcasts.

Fishback’s inversion of Jewish terminology didn’t end with “goyslop.” At the UCF event, following a round of laughter and applause from the gathered crowd after he employed the word, the candidate added, “And that is on gentile, OK?”

That term — a seeming riff on “on fleek” — is even harder to parse. Most X users who noted the phrase seemed to be encountering it for the first time, and there is no online record of it being circulated by other figures or on other platforms.

Fishback is polling in the low single digits in the GOP primary, according to most current pollsters. The heavily favored, and Trump-endorsed, candidate is Donalds (whom Fishback, borrowing an insult once leveled by the left at Hakeem Jeffries, has also dubbed “AIPAC Shakur”). The state’s lieutenant governor and former House speaker are also in the race, with Casey DeSantis, Florida’s current First Lady, also reportedly mulling a run.

If Fishback’s meme-heavy campaign gains traction outside of the antisemitic fringe, he may prove a new political axiom: Slop sells.

var theUrl = document.URL;var theUrlArray = theUrl.split("//");var theUrlpre = theUrlArray[1];var theUrlpostArray = theUrlpre.split("/");var theUrlpost = theUrlpostArray[0];(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-2449829-1', theUrlpost, {'name':'uniqueTrackerName'});ga('uniqueTrackerName.send', 'pageview');

The post Florida’s anti-Israel GOP candidate James Fishback is railing against ‘goyslop.’ What is he talking about? appeared first on The Forward.

אינעם קומעדיקן ווינטער־זמן פֿון די ייִדיש־קלאַסן בײַם „אַרבעטער רינג“ וועט מען הײַיאָר פֿירן דורך „זום“ אַן אייגנאַרטיקן מיני־קורס אויף ייִדיש: וועגן די אידיאָמען און שפּריכווערטער, וואָס דער סאָוועטישער פֿאָלקלאָריסט אַבא לעוו האָט געזאַמלט בעת זײַנע עקספּעדיציעס מיט ש. אַנ־סקין איבער מערבֿ־אוקראַיִנע פֿון 1912 ביז 1914.

דעם קורס וועט לערנען דער ייִדישער שרײַבער און רעדאַקטאָר פֿונעם אָנלײַן־זשורנאַל „ייִדיש בראַנזשע“ — באָריס סאַנדלער, און וועט זײַן געבויט אויפֿן יסוד פֿון יענע וועלטסווערטלעך און סאַנדלערס קאָמענטאַרן וועגן זיי.

דער קלאַס וועט זיך טרעפֿן יעדן דינסטיק פֿון 2:30 ביז 4:00, ניו־יאָרקער צײַט, אָנהייבנדיק פֿונעם 24סטן פֿעברואַר.

דאָס וועט זײַן צום ערשטן מאָל וואָס דער ברייטער עולם וועט האָבן צוטריט צו אַבא לעווס מאַטעריאַלן. דורך בליצפּאָסט האָט סאַנדלער דערציילט ווי אַזוי ער האָט באַקומען די זאַמלונג: נאָך דעם ווי אבא לעוו איז געשטאָרבן אין 1959 האָבן די העפֿטן מיט די ייִדישע אידיאָמען און ווערטלעך זיך געפֿונען אין דער רעדאַקציע פֿון „סאָוועטיש היימלאַנד“, און שפּעטער — אינעם אַרכיוו פֿונעם ייִדישן פּאָעט און פֿאָרשער חיים ביידער. נאָך ביידערס טויט אין 2003 האָט זײַן אַלמנה, יעווע ביידער, איבערגעגעבן די העפֿטן סאַנדלערן אין אַ קאָנווערט, וווּ ס׳איז מיט ביידערס האַנט געווען אָנגעשריבן „פֿאַר באָריס סאַנדלערן“.

ווי אַ צאָל אַנדערע זאַמלער אין אייראָפּע און אַמעריקע, איז אַנ־סקיס און אַבא לעווס אינטערעס צום ייִדישן פֿאָלקלאָר געווען פֿאַרבונדן מיט זייער איבערגעגעבנקייט צום „פֿאָלקיזם‟: זיי האָבן באַטראַכט די ייִדיש־רעדנדיקע פֿאָלקסמענטשן אין די שטעטלעך און דערפֿער ווי אַ שליסל צו שאַפֿן אַ נײַע וועלטלעכע אידענטיטעט, צוגעמאָסטן צו די שטאָטישע רוסישע ייִדן, אַזוי ווי זיי זענען אַליין געווען.

כּדי זיך צו פֿאַרשרײַבן אויפֿן קורס גיט אַ קוועטש דאָ.

דער אַרבעטער רינג וועט אויך פֿירן לענגערע קורסן אויף ייִדיש אינעם ווינטער־זמן. אָט איז דער אויסקלײַב:

• די ייִדישע קולטור־אינפֿראַסטרוקטור פֿונעם אַמעריקאַנער קאָמוניזם
• אונגעריש־ייִדיש צווישן די וועלט־מלחמות
• דער לשון־קודש־קאָמפּאָנענט אין מרדכי שעכטערס לערנבוך „ייִדיש צוויי“
• די דערציילונגען פֿון יצחק באַשעוויס
• דער אָנהייב פֿון מאָדערנעם ייִדישן טעאַטער: אַבֿרהם גאָלדפֿאַדען און די ערשטע אַקטריסעס אויף דער בינע
• שלום אַשעס ראָמאַן „אויף קידוש השם“
• מאַני לייבס סאָנעטן
• ש. אַנ־סקי, דער „בעל־תּשובֿה“ וואָס האָט פּראָוואָצירט אַ רעוואָלוציע אין פֿאָלקלאָר
• דאָס קול פֿונעם ייִדישן שרײַבער — רעקאָרדירונגען פֿון דערציילונגען און לידער פֿאָרגעלייענט פֿון די שרײַבער אַליין
• די קולטור־ירושה פֿון די ייִדישע שרײַבער אין אוקראַיִנע (1950ער ביז די 1980ער)

נאָך מער פּרטים אָדער זיך צו פֿאַרשרײַבן אויף איינעם אָדער מער פֿון די קורסן, גיט אַ קוועטש דאָ.

The post A course on the Yiddish proverbs collected through the An-Ski expeditions appeared first on The Forward.

When is it most essential to speak truth to power: when power is amenable to listening, or when power, confronted, digs in further?

The Bible has a powerful parable about that question in the story of Nathan the Prophet and King David. And as President Donald Trump’s administration showcases a tendency to punish those they’ve already wronged — like pro-Palestinian Columbia University protest leader Mahmoud Khalil and Renée Good’s widow — it’s of fresh relevance in the United States today.

After King David sleeps with Bathsheba and has her husband killed, God is displeased, and sends Nathan to confront the king.

Nathan tells the king the story of two men. One is rich, with large flocks and herds, and one poor, with just one small lamb who “used to share his morsel of bread, drink from his cup, and nestle in his bosom; it was like a daughter to him.” When a traveler came, the rich man served him not one of his own flock, but the poor man’s one little lamb.

This story enrages the king, who vows, “As God lives, the man who did this deserves to die!”

Bad news, Nathan tells him: King David is that man. What has he done with all his power and riches? Taken another man’s wife, and had him killed.

The king, hearing this, admits his guilt. The act of admitting shame sets a crucial precedent for the Jewish people. Because David takes stock of himself and what he has done, and accepts his punishment — the death of his first child with Bathsheba — he is allowed to move forward.

In our modern U.S., we must ask: What would have happened if David had responded to Nathan’s story by digging his heels in? If he had tried to blame Bathsheba’s dead husband or desecrate his memory, would that make what Nathan did futile or unimportant?

Related

• Evangelicals love to compare Trump to King David — but just how similar are they?

Since the beginning of Trump’s second term one year ago, we have repeatedly seen his administration fail to live up to King David’s example. Time and again, the public has served the role of Nathan, beseeching Trump to look at how he deploys his wealth and power, and do better. And time and again, we’ve been met with not just defiance, but with an insistence on pursuing the original course of action with more vehemence.

We have seen that with Khalil, whom the Trump administration continues to try to deport, despite the fact that he holds a green card and has no criminal record.

We have seen it in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom the administration mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Instead of apologizing profusely to Garcia and his family for the trauma they suffered due to the government’s ineptitude, the administration responded by making retroactively building a criminal case against him a top priority.

We’ve seen it in the administration’s efforts to investigate the widow of Renée Good after Good’s killing by an ICE agent set off national protests. To put a finer point on it: They shot and killed a woman and then reportedly decided to try to prove it was she who was guilty.

Most recently, we’ve seen it in the federal government’s motion to end asylum claims for 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his family. A picture of Ramos being detained, wearing a blue bunny hat and looking terrified, sent shockwaves through the country. He and his father recently returned to Minnesota after being arrested and sent to a detention center in Texas.

The administration’s response to the righting of this grievous wrong — the detention of a tiny, traumatized child — was not to, say, change its policy of arresting, detaining, and trying to deport children, but to try to further punish that little boy’s family.

It’s as if, on hearing, “that man is you!,” King David decided to open an inquiry into the crimes of Bathsheba’s late husband — with no evidence that any such crimes existed. Over and over again, Trump and his team respond to our efforts to speak truth to their power by finding some other poor man’s lamb to slaughter.

Which brings us back to Nathan.

If King David had rejected Nathan’s message, I don’t think that would have made the message itself less important. I think it would have simply meant Nathan must continue to try, that he must keep insisting that the king should recognize his abuse of power, and do his best to make it right.

That might have felt pointless to Nathan. I think it can feel pointless to all of us today. It can feel that, for every good thing that happens — like the release of a 5-year-old from the horrors of detention — the administration seems determined to be doubly cruel. For every horrific act they commit by mistake, they seem determined to carry out a more horrific one on purpose.

But it isn’t pointless. Our would-be king may not heed the call, but others do. Prosecutors keep resigning instead of trying to punish the innocent. Judges continue to name the administration’s abuses, and work to undo them. Jewish organizations continue to reject the idea that the detention of pro-Palestinian students for exercising free speech is a matter of national security.

Trump may never admit, in Nathan’s words, that he is that man. But the rest of us can keep insisting: not only on the innocence of those being hurt in this country, but on the guilt of all of those who are hurting them.

Related

• Opinion: Hannah Arendt could have anticipated the Trump administration’s lies in Minnesota — and elsewhere
• Opinion: There’s a vicious antisemitic precedent for Trump’s demonization of Renée Nicole Good

The post In Trump’s instinct to punish and desecrate, a rejection of the values of King David appeared first on The Forward.

Since last month, a TikTok has been floating around, showing arthritic Latino grandmas and grandpas hearing Bad Bunny for the first time, courtesy their bemused grandchildren. On the reel, he samples “Un Verano en Nueva York,” a 50-year-old salsa song about New York City — or “Nueva Yol,” as Bad Bunny calls his update in his echt Puerto Rican accent. He sang “Nueva Yol” at the Super Bowl halftime show. The original dates from the 1970s, when the old folks were young and lithe and out on the town. On TikTok, when they listen to the new version, they perk up, and then they dance, as the kids look on, delighted.

I imagine that something similar happened to countless aging Jewish salsa music freaks like myself when they saw the halftime show. I’m 75 now, and I got up and danced, remembering those years during Jimmy Carter’s presidency when I donned high heels and tight skirts to dance away my Saturdays nights at venues like Casino 14 — catorce, it was pronounced — on 14th Street right by Union Square. I’d had a Jewish boyfriend whose mom, a Bell telephone operator, had danced mambo in the 1950s and taught her son the moves. He taught me the cha-cha and rhumba; other friends my age, many of them Jews, loved the music too and knew the steps and clubbed along with me. All this seemed no more remarkable to us than knowing how to say the prayer over the bread on Friday nights.

As Bad Bunny was hoisted up and tossed into the area, some were reminded of a Jewish wedding reception. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The Jewish love affair with Latin music began back in the 1950s and, since then, Jews have played it as musicians, produced it as record company owners, and DJed it in clubs and on the radio. Scholars have tried to explain the affinity, and why it has been such a comfortable fit for both ethnic groups. Some speculate that the music of both cultures tends to minor scales. Others point out that, as Jewish neighborhoods such as East Harlem were transitioning in the 1950s to Puerto Rican enclaves, the two groups lived side by side. (Working-class Jews even shared factory spaces with Puerto Rican laborers, especially in the garment industry.)

And there was the Borscht Belt. Starting in the 1950s, the big hotels typically maintained two house bands: one for mainstream pop, and the other for all Latin — the tummlers taught mambo lessons around the swimming pool. By the 1930s, Puerto Rico had been thoroughly colonized by the U.S. and was thoroughly poverty stricken. A vast exit began to the mainland: Puerto Ricans, after all, were American citizens. Many moved to the Bronx. By the 1960s, many of the kids had grown up to be musicians. Some had big bands and a big-band sound. They played regular gigs at places like Kutscher’s in the Catskills. You can still hear Tito Puente in 1959 playing “Grossinger’s Cha Cha Cha.”

Some of the musicians were Jews — for example, Larry Harlow, a classically trained pianist whose grandfather was a cantor and father a Latin music bandleader in the Catskills. Harlow’s actual family name was Kahn; his nickname among musicians and audiences was “El Judio Maravilloso,” the Marvelous Jew. His friend Lewis Kahn was a salsa violinist and trombonist who’d studied at Julliard; he was “El Segundo Judio Maravilloso.” Once, I gave Lewis a lift back to his hotel post-concert, after I saw him shambling down the street alone. Painfully shy and bespectacled, he seemed more like a member of the Frankfurt School than someone in a band with matching suits and screaming brass.

Puerto Rican musician Tito Puente whose repertoire included the “Grossinger’s Cha Cha Cha.” Photo by Raph GATTI / AFP via Getty Images

My foreign language in high school had been Spanish. My conversational skills were good but still stilted. I didn’t get better — didn’t pick up the rhythms and slang and everyday spoken beauty of the language until the 1970s. I began listening then, over and over and over, to my growing collection of LPs from the salsa label Fania, copying the words and learning how they mashed together. Based in New York City, Fania even had a fan magazine. New York also had the annual Puerto Rican parade, and I vividly recall running into impromptu conga circles on street corners, where young people sang not just in Spanish but also in Lucumi, the deeply spiritual language of the Afro-Caribbean Yoruba and Santeria religions. They’d picked up the words from the same records I listened to. Their devotion to the musical aspects of their heritage reminded me of my fascination with cantorial music, which was also available on vintage LPs and even on low-watt radio in Brooklyn.

Twenty-five years ago I went to Columbia one summer to study Yiddish. In class I learned that Molly Picon had sung in Yiddish in the 1940s on the Forward-owned radio station WEVD. Her show was followed by one in Spanish with mambo bands like La Sonora Matancera. How many Jews kept listening after the Picon program signed off? Were Sholem Aleichem and Uriel Weinreich the salseros of their own culture? I got bat mitzvahed at age 71 at a shul in Brooklyn. I had kosher food at the after-party. And we danced to a mambo band, led by Benjamin Lapidus, a fellow synagogue member.

Willie Colon performing at the Copacabana club. 2024. Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images

Bad Bunny’s “Nueva Yol” couldn’t be more New York. It talks about going to Bear Mountain in the summer. About the Yankees and the Mets. The 4th of July. About Willie Colon, the beloved salsa trumpeter from the Bronx who ran (unsuccessfully) for Congress in 1994 and for Public Advocate in 2001.

Bad Bunny’s halftime performance of “Nueva Yol” also celebrated a Brooklyn matriarch named Maria Antonia Cay, aka Toñita. She runs an intimate social club for Puerto Ricans in Williamsburg where she cooks traditional food, serves it, and tends bar at age 85. She made a cameo appearance at halftime, as Bad Bunny sang lyrics about conflict and anxiety, featuring his signature tic, the phrase “Uuy, uuy!” Go forward in the mouth just a bit and you’re at Yiddish “Oy oy!” At one point he jumped into a joyful mosh pit of dancers. They hoisted him up and paraded him around. It could have been the reception, in any borough, of any Jewish wedding.

There’s a lot of talk these days about Diaspora Jews versus Israel Jews. It’s a topic that’s been fraught for years and inspires endless discussion. There’s not so much talk about Diaspora Puerto Ricans: the people who settled and struggled here decades ago and whose lives became cultural cross-over when Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein — all Jews — created West Side Story. Today, the New York boroughs, with about a million Jews, constitute the biggest Jewish city in the world after Tel Aviv. And New York City has more Puerto Ricans than San Juan. Bad Bunny’s halftime show reminded us of our shared diaspora. It did so as our bodies grooved, even if they were geriatric bodies grooving slower than before.

Related

• Forward Shortlist: 7 American Jews who fascinated us in 2021

The post Why Bad Bunny’s halftime show delighted New York Jews of a certain age appeared first on The Forward.

How do you tell a story that everyone knows? Oren Rudavsky, in the opening scenes of his recently released documentary Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire, makes the wise decision to begin his film not through the known facts about Wiesel or the Holocaust, but through a more internal logic of art and dreams.

As Wiesel narrates a dream, we see Joel Orloff’s hand-painted animation of dark figures succumbing to a rising river of blood, leaving the dreamer alone to try to rescue his drowning father. Fingers grasp at bodies as they slip under.

“I don’t know what power aided me,” we hear Wiesel say. “All I know is that I managed to save him all by myself.” As anyone who has read Night knows, Wiesel’s father succumbed to dysentery in Buchenwald. That Elie could not save his father, his wife Marion tells us, was the abiding wound he always carried.

Dreams, in Freud’s view, are wish fulfillments. But this dream-act of (temporary) reanimation also expresses Wiesel’s conviction that the dead are not entirely gone if they are remembered. That may be the redemptive vision that drives Rudavsky, as well. The implicit hope that the dead may be saved opens the film and breaks into full voice at its ending, with Wiesel beautifully singing the messianic anthem “Ani Ma’amin” from the stage of the 92nd Street Y.

As he sings, his face gives way to a lush, grassy landscape rushing by as if we’re passengers on a train, while his voice fades into a choral arrangement. In moving past Wiesel’s face and voice, the film embodies and fulfills Wiesel’s belief that the Jewish story will continue, on PBS as in his family line.

For all its focus on European catastrophe and Jewish longings, the documentary casts Elie Wiesel as an “American Master,” the title of the larger PBS series. Wiesel is an American phenomenon, read in classrooms around the country and, for a time, in the White House. Full disclosure: I appear briefly in the film, discussing the reception of Wiesel’s work and the difference between the Yiddish title of his best-known work, Un di velt hot geshvign (And the world kept silent) and the French/English title of its translation, La Nuit (Night).

One of the film’s extended sequences captures a moment that saw Wiesel at the center of American politics and the global stage, when he passionately implored President Reagan to cancel a planned visit to the German military cemetery in Bitburg, once it had become known that Waffen-SS soldiers were buried there. “That place is not your place,” Wiesel says on national TV, with Reagan looking on. “Your place is with the victims of the SS.”

Details less engraved on collective memory emerge from Rudavsky’s film: the shared friendship both men describe, the attempts behind the scenes to ameliorate the clash, Wiesel’s insistence that he was making no claims about German collective guilt. “Only the killers were guilty,” he said.

This episode establishes Wiesel’s courage and role as a preeminent moral voice of his time. Less clear is the trajectory from the solitary writer in postwar Paris to the man who came to represent the Holocaust experience, when his novel/memoir Night became required reading.

One of the brilliant 13-year-old students who discuss the novel in their Newark classroom suggests such an analysis, in distinguishing between the Eliezer of the story and Elie Wiesel, its famous author. In America and elsewhere, Wiesel became so closely associated with Holocaust memory that the Eliezer/Elie distinction, or alternatives to his distinctive voice, are hardly imaginable.

Not one but two stories drive Rudavsky’s documentary: one of unimaginable catastrophe and loss; and another of privilege and success — both Wiesel’s own stature and the broader rise of the American Jewish community in which this story is embedded. How these two narratives are related is a tale that remains to be told.

And yet, alternatives to Wiesel’s powerful voice are heard in the film. Remarkably enough, they emerge from Wiesel’s own family. Marion Wiesel, who married the war-haunted bachelor when he was 40, recounts that her husband had insisted “from the beginning that he didn’t want children.” And then she adds: “I convinced him.”

Photographs of her during those years as a bride and new mother radiate, and we see the hint of a smile on her husband’s mournful visage. As an old woman, she commands attention. Against the widespread veneration of  Wiesel’s pronouncements, she shows herself at least occasionally unpersuaded. Describing Wiesel’s growing religiosity, she comments drily, “I was the pagan in the family.” Served a latke at a family Hanukkah celebration that could easily be played for sentimentality (“the Jewish people live!”), she sniffs: “Doesn’t look like a latke.”

Marion Wiesel’s acerbic tone is particularly welcome as commentary on a topic of increasingly pressing concern. Elie Wiesel, in his Nobel Peace Prize lecture, asserts that he is sensitive to the plight of the Palestinians, “but whose methods I deplore when they lead to violence.” Marion comments: “He didn’t want to criticize Israel under any circumstance. He didn’t want to criticize the occupation. He didn’t want to criticize the settlers. He may not have agreed with them, but he didn’t want to criticize them. Ever.”

In contrast with the moral clarity of his words about Bitburg, what the film presents us with on this issue is a muddle, and if I am reading Marion right, a bit of a family dispute. In this way, the Wiesel family was no different from so many others.

So, too, does Rudavsky complicate Wiesel’s devotion to Jewish survival in focusing on the discomfort of Elisha Wiesel, the couple’s only son, in the role of living symbol of Jewish continuity. Cuddled on Jimmy Carter’s lap, called to the stage at Oslo, Elisha remembers chafing at being “just an appendage” to his famous father.

And yet, as the film ends, he, too, has embraced Judaism anew, laying tefillin on camera. Elisha’s son, Elijah, also takes up the imperative and burden of Holocaust memory, traveling to Sighet to visit his grandfather’s childhood home, now turned into a museum.

In a stirring scene, the Hebrew letters on the gravestone of his namesake — his great-grandfather — appear with growing clarity, illuminated by the trick of scraping shaving cream off the inscription (not recommended by conservators) and the magic of documentary film.

And yet, Elijah Wiesel with the waist-long hair is not the Eliyahu Vizel of the gravestone, just as Eliezer Vizel of Sighet is not quite the same as Elie Wiesel of Oslo and Boston. “Jewish continuity” is a bridge we narrate over the shifting sands of loss and change. The present, past, and future connect for a fleeting moment, only to drift apart like a dream, a film.

The post Elie Wiesel as an American phenomenon and a family man appeared first on The Forward.

When Matt Lieb started Bad Hasbara, his comedy podcast about so-called Israeli and US propaganda, he had a specific audience in mind: himself.

“A Jewish anti-Zionist podcast that made jokes at the expense of the Israeli government was not something that, as far as I knew, existed,” said Lieb, 41, who in addition to podcasting is a comedian, writer and actor. “I wanted to listen to something like that.”

Lieb also wanted an outlet for his anguish over Israel’s conduct in Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks — not least because he felt the comedy industry at large had failed to meet the moment. “By December 2023,” he told me, “I realized the mainstream comedic sphere was going to be completely silent about this, and was going to move on to other subjects, because it was too politically charged.”

So Bad Hasbara, which has just released its 176th episode, began as an experiment to see if there were others like Lieb: those who regarded the Israeli and American governments as deceitful and propagandistic, and who, no less importantly, saw Israeli ‘Hasbara’ — loosely defined as the Israeli government’s myriad efforts to advertise its country — as funny and sinister.

As it turned out, there were plenty of adherents to Lieb’s worldview. (The podcast, whose full title is Bad Hasbara: The World’s Most Moral Podcast, first aired in late 2023, and has just surpassed 50,ooo YouTube subscribers.)

“What shocked me was the amount of people who related to the podcast, and who wanted to laugh at the same things I was laughing at.” Lieb said. “And the number one comment that we get from people, other than saying that they like the jokes, is ‘Thank you for keeping us sane.’”

One admirer was 50-year-old Daniel Maté, a Canadian-born, Brooklyn-based lyricist, composer and playwright for musical theater, whose plays included a reimagining of Kafka’s Metamorphosis, entitled The Trouble With Doug, and a sequel to Hansel & Gretl set in modern-day Chicago. Maté also had a fairly sizable social media following, and a disdain for Zionism that rivaled Lieb’s.

After a brief Instagram courtship (more on that later), Maté appeared as a guest on one of Bad Hasbara’s first episodes. Lieb enjoyed the experience so much that he invited Maté to co-host permanently. “People loved our vibe,” Maté told me. “We’re a rare pair, with our combination of experience, sensibility, and our places of overlap. Not to be too self-fluffing,” he added.

And though Bad Hasbara has certainly broadened its focus since Maté came aboard, at its heart it’s about the ways people interact with Zionism — a show about the rhetoric that has accompanied the Israel-Hamas war, rather than an analysis of the war itself.

Early adopters

The podcast’s popularity partly reflects the demand for anti-Zionist perspectives in the media and elsewhere after Oct. 7. It’s hardly the only podcast geared towards Israel’s critics: Medhi Hasan’s left-leaning news outlet Zeteo, for example, recently launched Beyond Israelism, an anti-Israel podcast hosted by If Not Now founder Simone Zimmerman.

Still, neither Lieb nor Maté is a recent convert to the cause. Lieb grew up in a secular, Jewish home in Los Angeles that saw Israel as “an absolute moral good,” but he began to have doubts about Zionism in the mid-2000s, when he was an undergraduate at UC Santa Cruz. “The Marxists and Islamists indoctrinated me into self-hatred,” he joked.

His embrace of anti-Zionism was sealed on his college Birthright trip, he told me, in part thanks to a guest appearance by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who spoke at an event for Lieb’s and several other Birthright groups.

“It was a very, very hard sell,” Lieb recalled. “And it felt unfair that as someone with, you know, Jewish ancestry, I was being told I had more of a right to this land than someone who was born there, and whose family was born there, who was ethnically cleansed.” (Lieb discussed his Birthright experience at length on Bad Hasbara’s inaugural episode.)

Maté’s opposition to Zionism, by contrast, was more of an inherited condition. His father, the well-known Canadian psychotherapist Dr. Gabor Maté, is a vocal critic of Israel, and in the mid-1980’s, when the younger Maté was coming of age, had become a “pariah in the Canadian Jewish community,” Maté said. He remembers his father being interviewed on Canadian radio, while on a medical trip to the West Bank, and hearing him say that he’d been crying every day since he had arrived because of what he’d seen in the hospitals.

The younger Maté took after his father, politically. Daniel went every summer to the left-leaning Habonim Dror Jewish summer camp, where he says he argued ferociously with his Israeli counselors, some of whom were just out of the army. “I never could get them to see the contradiction between liberalism and Zionism,” he said.

October 7 and beyond

On the evening of Oct. 8, 2023, Maté — who had not yet joined the podcast — went for a walk around his Brooklyn neighborhood. For about an hour, he went live on Instagram with a kind of stream-of-consciousness of despair and frustration, in which he urged his then-20,000 or so followers to properly contextualize the Hamas-led attacks of the previous day; to sympathize no less with Palestinian suffering than Israeli.

“I’d never done an Instagram Live before,” Maté said. “But I had a sense that I needed to un-crazy myself. And I was in a position to help people orient themselves, because I knew what was coming, right? A lot of lies. So I wanted to provide antioxidants.”

Lieb, for his part, had begun uploading sketch videos to Instagram after Oct. 7, in which he played what he saw as a representative liberal Zionist character: that is, someone increasingly unwilling to accept criticism of Israel post Oct. 7. Maté found the character amusing, and told Lieb as much over Instagram. “The videos would always start off with about 45 seconds of decent-sounding politics,” Maté said, “and then would devolve.” Eventually, they set a date for Maté to appear on Lieb’s new podcast. So were the seeds of Bad Hasbara planted.

Both Maté and Lieb agree that the podcast has been buoyed by the procession of news and people coming out of the Middle East. For its first six months, Maté was amazed they never ran out of characters to lampoon. “Hen Mazzig, Eylon Levy, Rabbi Shmuley: It was like the Wu-Tang Clan of propaganda,” he said.

Lieb and Maté, at leisure Courtesy of Daniel Maté

But its blend of levity, righteous indignation and social media fluency has helped Bad Hasbara stand out in an increasingly crowded left-wing media ecosystem. Episodes can be blunt, funny and sarcastic, often quite crude and sometimes willfully provocative. They’re called things like ‘The Greatest Shoahman’ — an episode about Nick Fuentes’ Holocaust denial, naturally — or, on Nov. 8 last year, after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City, ‘The Zionist Freakout over Zohran’s win.’ Either host is liable to, in the same breath, give eloquent expression to some important, overlooked morsel of Palestinian history, and then refer to Birthright as an “11-day handjob.”

“I think the combination of moral earnestness and complete lack of decorum is compelling,” said Maté.

And despite its mostly easygoing vibe, they’ve thought carefully about the podcast’s message. “We’ve worked really hard to diversify our guests,” said Maté. “Not for the sake of diversity, but for the sake of completion and for the sake of insight.” The only through line, then, between the academics and musicians and actors and politicians and comics who’ve been guests on the show — Rashid Khalidi, Debra Winger, Peter Beinart, Miko Peled, to name just a few — is that “they all see what’s happening as an unjustifiable moral abomination, and they’re willing, with us, to take apart all of the various ways that it gets justified,” said Maté.

This specific entry requirement means the podcast has hosted some not-uncontroversial guests. Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, who has frequently compared Israel to Nazi Germany, and in Nov. 2023 suggested the Oct. 7 attacks could have been a “false flag operation”, talked to Lieb and Maté in Feb. 2025. Three months later, so did Mohammed El-Kurd, a Palestinian poet, writer and activist whom several mainstream Jewish groups have accused of demonizing Zionism and Jewish Israelis. (El-Kurd is a regular on the college campus circuit; in March 2025, more than 200 Harvard College affiliates and alumni published an open letter arguing that El-Kurd’s appearance at Harvard violated the university’s policies against antisemitism.)

Yet Maté doubts the podcast has reached those who might find such conversations troubling: more passionate defenders of Israel, say, or anyone especially worried that the line between antisemitism and anti-Zionism can sometimes be blurry. “I don’t know how many Zionists listen to our show long enough to stay pissed off,” he said. “It tends to have a certain kind of repellent to it.” It’s also not entirely clear who Maté means by “Zionists.” When asked, he defined Zionism, a little enigmatically, as “the refusal to heal Jewish trauma.”

Much clearer is the podcast’s particular irritation with the idea that Zionism is compatible with liberal values. After all, it’s the doctrine each was raised on, Lieb at home and Maté in his Jewish community more broadly. So if Bad Hasbara has an overarching aim, beyond ridiculing government officials, it’s probably to emphasize what they see as the impossibility of left-wing Zionism. “You can’t be a liberal and Zionist forever,” Maté told me. “You’re fighting yourself.”

Related

• The Ancient Art Of Jewish Storytelling Gets A Reboot, In Podcasts And Classes

The post These two anti-Zionist Jews think the Israeli government is so bad, it’s funny appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — If AIPAC has any regrets about pouring more than $2 million into opposing a candidate who calls himself pro-Israel — and is set to lose to an anti-Israel opponent — it isn’t saying so. In fact, the pro-Israel group’s affiliated super PAC suggests it would do it again.

“We are going to have a focus on stopping candidates who are detractors of Israel or who want to put conditions on aid,” Patrick Dorton, a spokesperson for the United Democracy Project, said in an interview.

The target of the UDP’s recent spending was Tom Malinowski, a former congressman running in a special election in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. Malinowski, who calls himself pro-Israel and has been endorsed by the liberal Zionist organization J Street, has said he’d be open to placing conditions on some U.S. aid to Israel.

AIPAC pummeled Malinowski with $2.3 million in negative ads — but not about Israel. Instead, the ads tarred him from a progressive angle — one emphasized his vote on a 2019 bill that included increased funding for ICE, the immigration enforcement agency.

By one measure, AIPAC’s spend could be seen as a success: The candidate it opposed, seen as a favorite, did not score an easy win on Election Day. But in another crucial way, the effort appears to have backfired by throwing open the door for Analilia Mejia, a progressive grassroots organization leader who is far more critical of Israel.

The race is too close to call, but Mejia, who was the national political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, is ahead by nearly 900 votes with 4,800 left to count. Tahesha Way, the former lieutenant governor of New Jersey who is thought to have been AIPAC’s preferred candidate, finished in a distant third.

Critics, including AIPAC supporters, have slammed AIPAC’s strategy in the race.

“They could not have gotten a worse result than what they got,” said Alan Steinberg, a journalist in New Jersey who was an EPA administrator under George Bush. “I’m a very pro-AIPAC person, very supportive of AIPAC, but this is one of the worst strategic errors that they could’ve ever made.”

The UDP got into the race because of Malinowski’s comments on U.S. aid to Israel at a time when a large number of Democrats, and some Republicans, were expressing new openness to attaching conditions to the aid as they sought to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza and adopt different policies in Israel and the West Bank.

Asked last fall about the possibility of conditioning or suspending aid to Israel, Malinowski told Jewish Insider that he “would make case-by-case judgments given what’s happening on the ground.” He said he would similarly make case-by-case judgments for any U.S. ally receiving aid.

“We had very serious concerns about Tom Malinowski, who clearly was open to conditioning aid to Israel,” Dorton said. “He knew that he had moved to what is not a pro-Israel position.”

Dorton indicated that the UDP would likely go after other candidates who have expressed openness or interest in conditioning aid. “Adding conditions to aid to Israel, and undermining the U.S. relationship, is a top priority for us in assessing candidates,” he said.

In New Jersey, the result could be elevating a politician whose stance on Israel is much harsher. Mejia has accused Israel of committing a genocide in Gaza and pledged not to take any AIPAC-funded trips to the country. She also began calling for a ceasefire in Gaza within weeks of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel after tweeting on Oct. 10, “Every fiber of my being is horrified beyond words at what is furthering in Gaza. Yet again we see how oppression & dehumanization leads to despair & unthinkable destruction.”

Mejia’s campaign focused on affordability and she drew endorsements from progressives including Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna. If she holds her lead, she will become the Democratic nominee for April’s special election to fill the House seat vacated by now-governor of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill.

Steinberg said he thought that AIPAC “never took seriously the possibility of her winning in this primary,” and that Malinowski would be far more aligned with AIPAC on Israel.

“I don’t think Malinowski is anti-Israel,” said Steinberg. “I know Tom, I disagree with him on Israel, but he is much preferable to Analilia Mejia. Much preferable.”

Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, which endorsed Malinowski, wrote in a Substack column that AIPAC was responding to criticism of the Israeli government’s policies as if it were hostility toward the country itself.

“AIPAC now treats even good-faith criticism from friends as a threat to be crushed,” he wrote.

Dorton downplayed the impact of a Mejia primary victory because the upcoming special election decides only which candidate fills the seat until the end of 2026. A second primary, held in June 2026, will decide the Democratic nominee for the regular November election.

But others are viewing her potential win as a larger victory for progressives, and specifically the pro-Palestinian movement.

“Analilia Mejia for New Jersey just set a new precedent in NJ and beyond,” wrote pro-Palestinian activist Linda Sarsour in a Facebook post on Monday featuring a photo of Mejia raising her hand as the lone candidate indicating that she believed Israel committed genocide, at a forum hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “She’s teaching us that it’s okay to stand alone so as [sic] long as you are on the right side of history.”

The UDP has spent millions on congressional races to mixed results since AIPAC began directly funding candidates in 2021; it had previously worked only to cultivate support for Israel among politicians. In 2024, it spent at least $14.5 million against the incumbent “Squad” member Jamaal Bowman in New York, and more than $8 million to take down Cori Bush in Missouri; both incumbents lost their primaries. But the $4.5 million it spent was not enough to beat Dave Min for Katie Porter’s House seat in California.

Now, the upcoming midterms will likely serve as a test of AIPAC’s strength as lawmakers and voters on both sides of the aisle distance themselves from Israel and its advocates. They will also answer the question of what dividends AIPAC — whose PAC opened the year with a nearly $100 million war chest — will draw if it focuses on punishing candidates who show insufficient support for Israel.

Dorton said he is not concerned. The UDP is looking ahead to the June midterm primaries and will “continue to run ads that move the needle” in primary races about issues that mostly don’t involve Israel, he said. He added that the group is assessing polling data and “candidate viability” for dozens of races around the country — including in NJ-11.

“There is a strong bipartisan pro-Israel majority in Congress,” Dorton said. “And we intend to keep it that way.”

var theUrl = document.URL;var theUrlArray = theUrl.split("//");var theUrlpre = theUrlArray[1];var theUrlpostArray = theUrlpre.split("/");var theUrlpost = theUrlpostArray[0];(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-2449829-1', theUrlpost, {'name':'uniqueTrackerName'});ga('uniqueTrackerName.send', 'pageview');

The post AIPAC defends $2.3M spend against ‘pro-Israel’ politician in NJ-11, where anti-Israel candidate is prevailing appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — A Jewish group is preparing to sue to overturn a ban on publicly funded religious charter schools in Oklahoma, after a state board unanimously rejected its proposal on Monday.

The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board’s decision blocked an application from the National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation to open a statewide virtual Jewish school serving grades K-12 beginning next school year.

Ben Gamla’s legal team, led by Becket, a prominent nonprofit religious liberty law firm, said the rejection violates the Constitution’s Free Exercise clause and announced plans to file suit in federal court. In a statement, Becket attorney Eric Baxter criticized Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who has argued that publicly funded religious charter schools are unconstitutional.

“Attorney General Drummond’s attack on religious schools contradicts the Constitution,” Baxter said. “His actions have hung a no-religious-need-apply sign on the state’s charter school program. We’ll soon ask a federal court to protect Ben Gamla’s freedom to serve Sooner families, a right that every other qualified charter school enjoys.”

A victory for Ben Gamla could redraw the line separating church and state, establishing the first school of its kind nationwide and opening the possibility for taxpayer-funded religious schools across the country.

Spearheaded by former Florida Democratic Rep. Peter Deutsch, the Ben Gamla proposal called for a blend of daily Jewish religious studies alongside secular coursework. Deutsch, who nearly two decades ago established a network of nonreligious “English-Hebrew” charter schools in Florida, has said he chose Oklahoma as a testing ground for what he views as a viable model of publicly funded religious education.

In a statement, Deutsch criticized the board’s decision.

“Parents across the Sooner State deserve more high-quality options for their children’s education, not fewer,” Deutsch said in a statement. “Yet Attorney General Drummond is robbing them of more choices by cutting schools like Ben Gamla out. We’re confident this exclusionary rule won’t stand for long.”

The rejection, delivered during the board’s monthly meeting, did not come as a surprise. The board’s 2023 approval of a similar application by a Christian group to establish St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School was ultimately overturned by the Oklahoma Supreme Court on constitutional grounds.

An attempt to challenge the state court decision at the federal level failed when the U.S. Supreme Court deadlocked on the case last year due to a recusal by Amy Coney Barrett, who has ties to the Catholic group.

Several board members cited the legal outcome in explaining their votes against Ben Gamla.

“I am troubled by the fact that our hands are tied by the state Supreme Court decision, but I think we have to honor it, and it’s a very clear directive,” board member Damon Gardenhire said at the meeting.

Board member David Rutkauskas said it was “very unfortunate” that the board was “bound” by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, adding that the decision was not because Ben Gamla is “not a good candidate or qualified.”

“If I could have voted for this school today without being bound, I would have voted yes,” Rutkauskas said. “I think it would be great for the Jewish community and the Jewish kids to have this option of a high quality school.”

Ahead of the board’s vote, during public comment, Jewish Oklahoma resident Dan Epstein argued that the “public should not be funding sectarian education.”

“My religious education was entirely private,” Epstein said. “My parents didn’t ask for anybody else to pay for it. They paid for it as part of dues to our congregation, and so I’m here today to express my opposition to the application of the Ben Gamla school.”

Epstein was not the only Jewish voice in Oklahoma to object to Ben Gamla.

Last month, the Tulsa Jewish Federation and several local Jewish leaders issued a joint statement in which they criticized Ben Gamla for failing to consult local Jewish leaders ahead of their application to open the school.

“We are deeply concerned that an external Jewish organization would pursue such an initiative in Oklahoma without first engaging in meaningful consultation with the established Oklahoma Jewish community,” the leaders wrote. “Had such a consultation occurred, the applicant would have been made aware that Oklahoma is already home to many Jewish educational opportunities.”

Oklahoma is home to fewer than 9,000 Jews, many of whom live in Tulsa.

During Monday’s deliberation, board member William Pearson cited opposition to the Ben Gamla proposal from Oklahoma Jewish congregations.

“My real concern is that I don’t see a grassroots effort from the Jewish community in the state of Oklahoma,” Pearson said. “Now maybe I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen it. What I have seen is the synagogues, both from Oklahoma City and Tulsa, come out in opposition to this, and I find that very interesting, that the Jewish community, the people that are involved daily in Jewish lifestyle, that they’re opposed to this.”

Immediately after voting to turn down Ben Gamla, the board approved hiring outside legal counsel in anticipation of a lawsuit.

“I can’t predict the future, but I would say, by all indicators, I would be shocked if there’s not a lawsuit filed by Friday,” board chair Brian Shellem said.

var theUrl = document.URL;var theUrlArray = theUrl.split("//");var theUrlpre = theUrlArray[1];var theUrlpostArray = theUrlpre.split("/");var theUrlpost = theUrlpostArray[0];(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-2449829-1', theUrlpost, {'name':'uniqueTrackerName'});ga('uniqueTrackerName.send', 'pageview');

The post Oklahoma board denies proposal for Jewish charter school — and lawyers up ahead of expected legal battle appeared first on The Forward.

Israel used weapons in Gaza that made thousands of Palestinians evaporate  Al Jazeera

Updates: Trump ‘insists’ on more Iran talks in Netanyahu meeting  Al Jazeera

Trump says no 'definitive' agreement with Netanyahu, US talks with Iran to continue  Reuters

‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ Co-Founder Floated Conspiracy Theories About Israel  The New York Times

Mideast experts on what Israel wants from U.S.-Iran nuclear discussions  PBS

Trump tells Netanyahu Iran nuclear talks must continue  BBC

Compliant aid: Who are the Israel-approved NGOs scaling up in Gaza?  The New Humanitarian

Israel joins Board of Peace ahead of Netanyahu-Trump meeting  Fox News

France urges removal of UN rapporteur over remarks on Israel  Le Monde.fr

‘A step in the wrong direction’: Israel’s West Bank plans prompt global backlash  The Guardian

Israel has joined Trump's 'Board of Peace,' Netanyahu says  Reuters

Trump 'insisted' to Netanyahu that Iran talks continue as Israel pushes for tougher limits  PBS

UN chief warns Israel’s new measures in West Bank violate international law  Jurist.org

Trump says he ‘insisted’ to Netanyahu that Iran talks go on, as PM stresses ‘security needs’  The Times of Israel

Venezuela: Oil Production Recedes Under US Blockade, Gov’t Denies Israel Shipment  Venezuelanalysis

Israel Is Quietly Annexing the West Bank  Foreign Affairs

Iran’s Missile Program Tops Israel’s Concerns as Netanyahu Meets Trump  The New York Times

Israel’s Quiet Legal Revolution in the West Bank Becomes a Test of Competing Visions for the Territory’s Future  The Media Line

I traveled from Israel to Spain to convert new Jews  The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

Protests expected on Israeli President Herzog's last day in Australia  Reuters

Israel Gives Itself More Control Over Occupied West Bank  The New York Times

More Palestinians return to Gaza via Rafah as Israeli attacks continue  Al Jazeera

‘Nothing definitive’ reached about Iran during Netanyahu’s visit with Trump  Al Jazeera

Iran says missile programme non-negotiable as Tehran, Washington eye talks  Al Jazeera

Palestinians fear West Bank annexation after Israel approves new rules  Al Jazeera

Tucker Carlson reportedly to interview Huckabee in Israel after public disputes  The Times of Israel

Trump one of best US presidents for Israel, majority of Israelis say - poll  The Jerusalem Post

Venezuela makes first crude oil shipment to Israel since 2009, says report  Middle East Eye

Israel's Netanyahu signs agreement to join 'Board of Peace' as Iran talks continue  KOMO

France calls on anti-Israel UN rights rapporteur Francesca Albanese to resign  The Times of Israel

Israel’s ‘generous’ burial policy to become unsustainable as population ages, study warns  The Times of Israel

Archaeologists Discovered Hidden Messages in the Likely Room of Jesus’s Last Supper  Popular Mechanics

Suspected terror plot near Jerusalem leads to two arrests  The Jerusalem Post

Israeli Judge Halts Demolition Operation in East Jerusalem's Silwan in Last Minute  Haaretz

Their Sentences End, Their Exile Begins — The Two Men Behind Israel’s New Deportation Policy  Palestine Chronicle

'No one to back us': Arab bus drivers in Israel grapple with racist attacks  Yahoo

Prisoners' Affairs Authority: Deportation of Two Prisoners Warning of Targeting Thousands of Prisoners  www.saba.ye

Hapoel Tel Aviv owner receives two-month ban and fine in Israel  BasketNews.com

Oscar Collazo and Melvin Jerusalem set for rematch on March 14  Boxing Scene

Beersheba widens gap on Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv blanks Maccabi Bnei Reineh for third  The Jerusalem Post

Araghchi slams Adelson before Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump talks  The Jerusalem Post

West Bank: New Israeli measures further erode prospects for two-State solution  UN News

Caracas Fuels Jerusalem. Let That Sink In.  The Times of Israel

KCL hosts screening of raw Oct. 7 footage  The Jerusalem Post

Columbia University to expand and refocus Middle East studies instruction on Israel  Jewish Insider

From Jerusalem to Campus: How Lindenbaum Alumnae Are Carrying Chessed Home  The Jewish Link

'No One To Back Us': Arab Bus Drivers In Israel Grapple With Racist Attacks  Barron's

In East Jerusalem, 'The Israelis are advancing everywhere at once, they are suffocating us because there is no longer any international pressure'  Le Monde.fr

Brazil’s Bolsonaro sons visit Israel, vow embassy move to Jerusalem  Ynetnews

The Writing on Jerusalem’s Walls: A Sober Glimpse at Israel’s Future  Jewish Journal

Information to the enemy: Jerusalem brothers accused of passing info to Iranian intelligence  Yahoo

Journalist In Jerusalem Detained Over Alleged Iranian Contacts  i24NEWS

Thousands of Women Gather in Jerusalem to Mark Chof Beis Shevat  COLlive

MDA expands Jerusalem emergency response with 22 new haredi female medics  The Jerusalem Post

Pigeon smuggling attempt foiled at Jordanian border  The Jerusalem Post

Russia prohibits Meta-owned Whatsapp  The Jerusalem Post

Alleged Hamas-linked millionaire nearly built Jerusalem hotel  The Jerusalem Post

Iran's regime kills protesters in hospitals, doctor says  The Jerusalem Post

Pentagon seeks to implement AI in military  The Jerusalem Post

Lindsey Graham expresses support for Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu  The Jerusalem Post

Can this museum near Tel Aviv reveal more about Mossad spy Eli Cohen than a Netflix show?  Haaretz

Palo Alto Networks to become Israel’s largest public company, reshaping Tel Aviv Stock Exchange  CTech

Fact Check: Jeffrey Epstein Was NOT Photographed Recently In Tel Aviv, Israel -- A Gemini AI Watermark Shows On The Uncropped Image  Yahoo

Ex-hostage Alon Ohel gives Tel Aviv concert amid the stars  The Times of Israel

Deni Avdija’s Last Game-Worn Maccabi Uniform Hits the Auction Block  מכבי Rapyd תל אביב

Reyer survives sloppy finale to set up home date with Trento  Euroleague Basketball

Maccabi Tel Aviv to auction Deni Avdija’s final jersey  The Jerusalem Post

Change of ambassador: Lambsdorff replaces Seibert in Tel Aviv, von Goetze goes to Moscow  Table.Briefings

🇮🇱🇺🇸🇮🇷 Netanyahu: "Iran negotiations are priority number one" Iran's sitting there thinking they're in bilateral negotiations with Washington. Washington and Tel Aviv are in the same room planning the next move. Iran's about to get the memo.  x.com

Minister Assaf Establishes Media Partnership with the Representative of South Korea  شبكة يافا الإخبارية

Jewish Atlanta Celebrates Delta’s ATL-TLV Restart  Atlanta Jewish Times

Radcom: Q4 Earnings Snapshot  NewsTimes

Condor’s Return to Tel Aviv Could Signal a Turning Point for Tourism Recovery  Travel And Tour World

As I Lay Dying Announce Show In Tel Aviv, Israel  Theprp.com

Tehran banner warns of ballistic missile attack on Israel  The Jerusalem Post

Wizz Air London to Tel Aviv Flight Escorted By Israeli Fighter Jets Over Threat  Aviation A2Z

‘Rain of missiles’ threat: Iran unveils Tel Aviv map as it warns Israel amid nuclear standoff  Ynetnews

Palo Alto Networks completes CyberArk acquisition, plans Tel Aviv listing  CTech

Palo Alto completes $25b deal for CyberArk, plans Tel Aviv listing  The Times of Israel

Why a Palestinian protest in Tel Aviv exposed the limits of Israeli solidarity  +972 Magazine

West Midlands Police admits overstating evidence in Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban  BBC

Decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from Aston Villa match challenged by Dutch police  The Guardian

Maccabi football fans and the ousting of a UK police chief – why it matters  Al Jazeera

UK government urges police chief to quit over ban of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans  ESPN

Police chief apologises for 'erroneous' Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban evidence, blaming AI  Sky News

Mosque helped appoint police chief who banned Maccabi Tel Aviv fans  The Times

Iranian leader warns of Tel Aviv strikes if US attacks  The Jerusalem Post

KLM cancels weekend flights to Tel Aviv, amid Iran tensions  The Times of Israel

West Midlands police chief apologises after AI error used to justify Maccabi Tel Aviv ban  The Guardian

Jewish groups warned ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending match could be seen as ‘antisemitic’  The Guardian

‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ Co-Founder Floated Conspiracy Theories About Israel  The New York Times

AIPAC defends spending $2.3m to thwart ‘pro-Israel’ NJ congressional candidate  The Times of Israel

Israel joins Board of Peace ahead of Netanyahu-Trump meeting  Fox News

Yoseph Haddad mulls new political party ahead of elections  The Jerusalem Post

AIPAC Has a New Opponent: PAL PAC  Zeteo | Substack

What Trump Can Demand From Netanyahu in Exchange for Removing the Iranian Threat  Haaretz

Will Trump adopt Israel’s ‘red lines’ on Iran?  Al Jazeera

Wes Streeting has utterly exposed the UK's complicity in Israel's crimes  Middle East Eye

How Israel Controls the West  Black Agenda Report

Lawmakers from Greece, Cyprus, Israel and US say Turkey is key source of instability  eKathimerini.com

Mideast experts on what Israel wants from U.S.-Iran nuclear discussions  PBS

Trump one of best US presidents for Israel, majority of Israelis say - poll  The Jerusalem Post

Israel’s Quiet Legal Revolution in the West Bank Becomes a Test of Competing Visions for the Territory’s Future  The Media Line

Italian Journalist Barred From Entering Israel Over 'One-sided' Coverage  Haaretz

Israel's Netanyahu signs agreement to join 'Board of Peace' as Iran talks continue  KOMO

AIPAC Has a New Opponent: PAL PAC  Zeteo | Substack

Israel president says antisemitism in Australia 'frightening'  News-Graphic.com

Trump Says ‘Nothing Definitive’ Came Out of Meeting With Netanyahu on Iran  The New York Times

Israel's Netanyahu pushes Trump on Iran  Nonstop Local News

Israel president says antisemitism in Australia 'frightening'  Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

Israel to Join Trump's 'Board of Peace', Netanyahu Says  GV Wire

Israel’s election may come soon and could change the country forever  The Hill

Prime Minister's Office seeks to remove 'massacre' from title of Oct. 7 commemoration bill  Haaretz

Israel's Netanyahu at White House to push Trump on Iran  Nonstop Local News

Iran’s Missile Program Tops Israel’s Concerns as Netanyahu Meets Trump  The New York Times

Knesset debates political Oct. 7 probe as legal advisor warns of integrity risks  The Jerusalem Post

Tucker Carlson Said to Be Visiting Israel for Mike Huckabee Interview After Clash on X  Haaretz

Legal aide warns politicized October 7 probe would obstruct truth  Haaretz

Opinion: Fiji: A Pacific Ally Israel Can Trust  Philadelphia Jewish Exponent

Center for Expanding Viewpoints hosts Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur to discuss war in Gaza, Israeli politics  The Tufts Daily

Is Israel’s genocide economy on the brink?  +972 Magazine

Israel’s Economic Crossroads: UAE or France?  The Times of Israel

Backlash over Gaza war hits parts of Israel’s economy. Will it last?  The Christian Science Monitor

Israel economy powered to 12.4% gain in Q3 after end of Iran conflict  Reuters

How Israel’s War Economy Defied Economic Predictions  Jacobin

Watch Israel’s Wartime Tech Economy  Bloomberg.com

Israel’s economy over past 20 years: not a collapse, not a miracle — stagnation  Ynetnews

Two years after Hamas attack, Israel's economy weakened by international isolation  RFI

Israel’s Zombie Economy (Part 1): The War Currency  Jadaliyya

Made-for-Israel Wars: America’s Dangerous Habit of Forgetting  Palestine Chronicle

Haredim in Israel 2050: Demographic Projections and Economic and Security Scenarios  The Israel Democracy Institute

Israel’s economy set for strong rebound, OECD says  CTech

How Israel's economy will recover after wartime resilience  The Jerusalem Post

How the War with Hamas Has Impacted the Israeli Economy  American Jewish Committee (AJC)

Another Iran War Could Prove Much More Dangerous for Israel's Economy – And Israelis' Lives  Haaretz

IMF: Israel's economy expected to strengthen following Gaza truce, but regional conflicts a concern  The Times of Israel

Why Israel-US economic ties matter more than ever  Ynetnews

Breakingviews - Israel’s economy faces an uncertain truce dividend  Reuters

Buoyant stock market lifts Israel to 3rd in Economist ranking of 2025’s best economies  The Times of Israel

OECD sees Israel economy rebound following Gaza ceasefire, but warns of risks  The Times of Israel

The $15 billion windfall: How 2025 quietly made thousands of Israeli tech workers rich  CTech

Israel's economy nears collapse under weight of Gaza war  Yeni Safak English

How Israel's Economy Will Weather Persistent Political and Security Concerns in 2026  Stratfor

Chinese Communist Party Funds Labeled ‘No Longer Needed’ By Israel  Vision Times

Israel's Zombie Economy Part 4: Is Israel's Economy on the Verge of Collapse?  Jadaliyya

Boycotts, Downgrades, and Protests Test Israel’s Economy as War Nears 2 Years  The Media Line

Israel on the path to $1 trillion: Strong economy, weak infrastructure - opinion  The Jerusalem Post

Opinion | Israel’s Surprising Economic Resilience  The Wall Street Journal

Israel’s Zombie Economy (Part 2): The Counter-Revolution of the Israeli Arms Industry  Jadaliyya

Can Israel's economy withstand multiple conflicts?  dw.com

EU okays Google’s $32 billion Wiz deal, in largest-ever buyout of Israeli-founded tech co  The Times of Israel

Israel’s battle‑tested tech sees demand in Asia amid tensions with China - analysis  The Jerusalem Post

The innovation narrative: how Israel is rewriting its global story through technology  Ynetnews

“It’s hard to find an Apple product without an Israeli touch”  CTech

Astera Labs opens Israel R&D hub to tap into local talent, develop AI connectivity tech  The Times of Israel

While the world burns electricity, Israel drives the AI ​​revolution  Ynetnews

Israeli defense official: “We are working on using the brain to communicate with drones”  CTech

After record year, some in Israeli tech fear its future won’t be in Israel  The Times of Israel

Israel’s tech diplomacy reshapes Middle East alliances  The Jerusalem Post

Decoding the Israeli miracle: Can startup DNA be replicated?  CTech

GoforIsrael Investment Conference Comes to Miami  PR Newswire

Innoviz Technologies Announces the Deployment of InnovizSMART in Critical Security Infrastructure Locations in Israel  Yahoo Finance

Israel’s tech bet on minority communities moves from policy to practice  JNS.org

CEO of Israeli firm ASIO talks tactical tech after Gaza conflict  Breaking Defense

Biniam Girmay on the (former) Israel-Premier Tech: 'We’re here to ride bikes, not to be politicians'  Canadian Cycling Magazine

Teaching-Support Robot Joins Classrooms at Israel Sci-Tech School in Kiryat Bialik  The Media Line

How to Apply for Israel’s High-Tech Visa (HIT) in 2026: Requirements, Costs, Eligibility  Techloy

“Israel has yet to prove that it can build defense-tech startups into a sustainable industry”  CTech

Israel’s tech sector soars to $111 billion in 2025 deals  JNS.org

Deep-tech nation: Israel’s strategic imperative - opinion  The Jerusalem Post

“Deep tech, defense, and industrial applications are Israel’s next major export engine”  CTech

“Israel has no big-budget games industry. The goal is to resemble Poland and France.”  CTech

What Happens When the Startup Nation Meets the Self-Made Nation?  The Times of Israel

Israel’s World-Leading Cybersecurity Sector is Scaling at an Unprecedented Pace  The Times of Israel

Watch Israel’s Wartime Tech Economy  Bloomberg.com

From Recovery to Dominance: Israel’s Fintech Revival Isn’t Slowing Down  The Times of Israel

Montreal–Israel tech ties strengthen at cyber event  The Jerusalem Post

‘Normalization Already Happened. The Only Question Is Formalization’: How Israel and the Gulf Are Building a Tech Partnership Beneath the Surface  The Media Line

Israel Emerges As Global Cybersecurity Leader As Defense Experts Gather In Tel Aviv  i24NEWS

Fintech mafia: How Israel’s veteran founders are shaping the sector’s future  CTech

In first, Israel to revoke citizenship of 2 Israeli terror convicts and deport them  The Times of Israel

Israel’s security cabinet approves measures to strengthen control over the West Bank  AP News

Netanyahu Drags Israel's Security Establishment Into Political Trenches to Fight for Him  Haaretz

Israeli security cabinet approves rules to increase control over West Bank  Al Jazeera

Netanyahu’s office: PM stressed Israel’s security needs during Trump meeting  The Times of Israel

Bezalel Zini, brother of Israel’s security chief, arrested in bust of alleged Gaza smuggling ring  CNN

Israel to seek new security deal with the US, FT reports  Reuters

How Israel’s West Bank security realities are reshaping the two-state debate  Fox News

Syria and Israel Revive Security Talks Mediated by the U.S.  The New York Times

Flight escorted by IAF into Ben Gurion after ‘security incident’; concerns unfounded  The Times of Israel

Innoviz Technologies Announces the Deployment of InnovizSMART in Critical Security Infrastructure Locations in Israel  PR Newswire

Ex-IDF leaders warn PM: West Bank annexation harms security  The Jerusalem Post

Israel Gives Itself More Control Over Occupied West Bank  The New York Times

42 Homicides in 42 Days: 48-year-old Man Shot Dead in Northern Israel  Haaretz

Statement on Israel’s security cabinet’s decision to expand Israeli control over the West Bank  canada.ca

West Bank: New Israeli measures further erode prospects for two-State solution  UN News

Israel’s Security Cabinet Expands Control Over Illegal West Bank Settlements  Democracy Now!

Palestinians say new Israeli measures in West Bank amount to de facto annexation  BBC

Trump says he ‘insisted’ to Netanyahu that Iran talks go on, as PM stresses ‘security needs’  The Times of Israel

Updates: Israel approves moves to expand its powers in occupied West Bank  Al Jazeera

Shin Bet warns: increased Iranian cyberattacks on Israelis  The Jerusalem Post

Security cabinet okays deepened Israeli control of West Bank; Hamas urges ‘escalation’  The Times of Israel

Israel Won't Return Arab Israeli's Body, Despite Doubting 'Whether He Was a Terrorist'  Haaretz

I traveled from Israel to Spain to convert new Jews  The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle

Shin Bet: Iranian hackers carried out hundreds of cyber attacks against Israeli officials  Haaretz

Despite High Court ruling, Palestinian security prisoners say they’re still going hungry  The Times of Israel

Netanyahu presses Israel's security demands in White House Iran talks with Trump  Yeni Safak English

Hamas delegation discusses Gaza, regional developments with Iran's top security official  Anadolu Ajansı

Israeli Security Cabinet Approves New Rules to Tighten Control Over Occupied West Bank  Democracy Now!

Not Blocking Aid, Securing It – Israel’s Security Restrictions on Several Humanitarian Aid Organizations in Gaza  idf.il

Israel’s “David’s Sling” Air Defense System Passes Advanced Tests  i24NEWS

Israel upgrades David’s Sling air defense system following trials  www.israelhayom.com

U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts  Council on Foreign Relations

How Israel's defense-tech ecosystem reshapes the battlefield - and the Start-Up Nation  The Jerusalem Post

Former Israeli Defense Minister: Israel’s ideology of ‘Jewish supremacy’ resembles Nazi race theory  Mondoweiss

Opinion: Why the Debate Over Military Service Matters to Jews Everywhere  Baltimore Jewish Times

IDF’s first ultra-Orthodox standing battalion becomes operational  JNS.org

Ex-IDF leaders warn PM: West Bank annexation harms security  The Jerusalem Post

IDF arrests Palestinians in West Bank affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad  The Times of Israel

Gaza Peace Plan Stalls Amid Reports of US Allowing Hamas to Keep Some Arms, Israel Readying New Offensive  Algemeiner.com

Israel sharpens air defenses with David’s Sling upgrade as Iran tensions mount  CTech

IDF Preparing New Gaza Offensive to Disarm Hamas  IFCJ

For 1st time in decades IDF announces new combat division, composed of Ground Forces training units  The Times of Israel

Israel’s battle‑tested tech sees demand in Asia amid tensions with China - analysis  The Jerusalem Post

IDF Eliminates Hamas Sniper Leader Responsible For Deadly Attacks On Israeli Forces  i24NEWS

IDF sends troops, aircraft to Egyptian border after pickup trucks approach  The Times of Israel

IDF deploys forces against trucks seen along Egyptian border for second time in 24 hours - report  The Jerusalem Post

Ben Gurion Airport Conducts Massive Emergency Drill  i24NEWS

IDF chief says war underlined need to vastly expand number of combat troops  The Times of Israel

'I never had a bar mitzvah,' lone soldiers from Ethiopia to celebrate at the Western Wall  The Jerusalem Post

IDF says cutting back superfluous reservists, will reduce duty time  The Times of Israel

IDF kills Hamas terrorists who tried to cross Gaza border  The Jerusalem Post

IDF readying new Gaza offensive to disarm Hamas by force  The Times of Israel

After a year, IDF declares Haredi brigade’s first battalion operational  The Times of Israel

IDF kills Hamas sniper in northern Gaza  The Jerusalem Post

New Synagogue in Palm Beach to host Torah dedication Feb. 13  Palm Beach Daily News

Elbit to develop AI, digital systems for IDF  The Jerusalem Post

Israel tested the updated David's Sling air defense system based on combat experience  Оборонка

A Military Analysis of Israel's War in Gaza (with Andrew Fox)  The Library of Economics and Liberty

Elbit Systems wins $100 million contract to develop next-gen of IDF's Digital Ground Army  Haaretz

Israel's Netanyahu expected to press Trump over Iran diplomacy  The Detroit News

Israel’s tech diplomacy reshapes Middle East alliances  The Jerusalem Post

From Visibility to Credibility: Uncanny Valley of Contested Diplomacy  The Times of Israel

⁠Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions : Does Diplomacy Stand a Chance? - Jerusalem Studio 999  TV7 Israel News

Trump says no 'definitive' agreement with Netanyahu, US talks with Iran to continue  Reuters

Israel's Netanyahu expected to press Trump over Iran diplomacy  AL-Monitor

Trump Defends Iran Diplomacy After Netanyahu Presents Concerns  Newsweek

The Disappearance of Palestine?  Foreign Policy in Focus

Iran Talks: What We Know So Far After a Week of Regional Diplomacy  Palestine Chronicle

Iranian diplomats ferrying millions in cash to Hezbollah | Iran International  ایران اینترنشنال

Why Israel's recognition of Somaliland risks further destabilising the Red Sea  Middle East Eye

Diplomatic Negotiation in the Face of Oriental Bargaining  Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs

Well-Reasoned Scenarios: Israel, Iran and Nuclear War  Modern Diplomacy

Israeli President Herzog begins Australia trip at site of Bondi Beach attack  NBC News

Trump presses for Iran diplomacy in meeting with Netanyahu  Washington Examiner

Israel considered barring Tucker Carlson from Israel  The Jerusalem Post

Iran warns of Israel’s ‘destructive’ influence on diplomacy as Netanyahu set to fly to US  The Times of Israel

Netanyahu to Press Trump on Broader Iran Deal  Modern Diplomacy

Iran warns US against Israel’s ‘destructive’ influence on negotiations  The Times of Israel

The diplomat who greets the world on Israel’s behalf  The Jerusalem Post

Trump, Iran and Israel: The perils of a narrow nuclear deal  JNS.org

Netanyahu Meets Kushner And Witkoff In Washington Ahead Of Trump Talks  i24NEWS

Iran resumes nuclear talks with U.S. as Larijani warns Netanyahu against undermining diplomacy  AnewZ

Israel, Western countries can't trust Iran  The Jerusalem Post

'A Special Contribution To The Jewish People': Trump Invited To Israel Prize Ceremony  i24NEWS

The future of the US–Israel alliance is no longer assured  The Jerusalem Post

Iran Warns of “Widespread War” if Attacked, Keeps Nuclear Talks Limited to Atomic File  kurdistan24.net

Trump-Netanyahu Summit: Nuclear Diplomacy vs. Israel Security  Deccan Herald

US-Israel Diplomacy: Netanyahu Arrives in US Ahead of High-Stakes Trump Meeting  WION

Netanyahu and Trump signal a harder US–Israel strategy toward Iran  JNS.org

Yoseph Haddad mulls new political party ahead of elections  The Jerusalem Post

Baltimore Jewish Council Hosts Educational Series on Israeli Elections  Baltimore Jewish Times

Israel hails Takaichi’s landslide win in Japan  JNS.org

Yoseph Haddad considers establishing a new party  Israel National News

Bereaved family members to lead Reservist Party  The Jerusalem Post

Israel’s election may come soon and could change the country forever  The Hill

All the big elections to look out for in 2026  Al Jazeera

New political action committee launches to back pro-Palestine candidates in 2026 US midterm elections  Anadolu Ajansı

Tom Malinowski concedes to Analilia Mejia in NJ special election  New Jersey Monitor

To confront Israeli fascism, we need a new Jewish-Arab party  +972 Magazine

Israel in 2026: Elections will be a referendum on the legacy of 7 October – and the future of the social contract  Chatham House

Election Currents  The Times of Israel

As elections loom, can Netanyahu balance Trump, Mohammed bin Salman, and his political future?  Atlantic Council

Israeli lawmakers to hold initial vote on draft budget as elections loom  Reuters

Israel’s Upcoming Elections Will Be a Referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu and the War  Tikvah Ideas

Hezbollah chief rejects US-Israeli ‘hegemony’ and backs timely Lebanese elections  Middle East Monitor

Donald Trump Gaza progress may stymie Gaza ground invasion  The Jerusalem Post

Israel is approaching elections in a new era. There aren’t many new faces  The Times of Israel

Iran tops Netanyahu's many challenges as Israeli elections loom  Reuters

Israel’s post-October 7 political election map takes shape  The Jerusalem Post

AIPAC defends spending $2.3m to thwart ‘pro-Israel’ NJ congressional candidate  The Times of Israel

Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ Takaichi cements grip with landslide win in snap election  The Times of Israel

Netanyahu holds urgent talks as Smotrich calls for elections over budget vote delay  The Times of Israel

Israel’s new national consensus: Returning to October 6  +972 Magazine

Rifts deepens as coalition pushed towards early elections  www.israelhayom.com

Early 2026 Election Looms in Israel's Political Landscape  The Jewish Independent

Center-left candidate heavily defeats hard-right rival in Portugal’s presidential elections  The Times of Israel

Spain condemns Israel's move to tighten control in occupied West Bank  Anadolu Ajansı

Israel's Netanyahu Says It Would Be "Mistake' To Hold Elections Now  NDTV

Israeli premier asks aides to prepare for possible Knesset dissolution, early elections: Media  Anadolu Ajansı

Why the world wants to learn from Israel’s healthcare, but not our schools - opinion  The Jerusalem Post

More Palestinians return to Gaza via Rafah as Israeli attacks continue  Al Jazeera

UN agency begins clearing huge Gaza City waste dump as health risks mount  The Times of Israel

'You sent us to battle, now rehabilitate us': One therapist for 850 veterans with PTSD  Haaretz

Israel/OPT: Older people in Gaza suffering overlooked health crisis amid Israel’s ongoing blockade of aid and medicines – new research  Amnesty International

“The War Hasn’t Ended”: Palestinians in Gaza Still Face Israeli Attacks, Disease, Medical Neglect  Democracy Now!

Semaglutide Improves Cardiovascular Health but Price Reductions Are Needed To Make It Cost-Effective, Study Finds  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Wes Streeting privately said Israel committing war crimes, backed sanctions on 'rogue state'  Middle East Eye

IDF brings Syrian child across border into Israel for emergency medical care  Yahoo

Israeli court blocks life-saving cancer care for boy, 5, due to his Gaza address  The Guardian

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Vascular Non-Invasive Laboratory Receives 30 Year Milestone Gold Recognition from the IOC  rwjbh.org

Israel’s war on Gaza’s healthcare continues in full force under ‘ceasefire’  Al Jazeera

Mental health crisis grows amid Israeli-Arabs  The Jerusalem Post

We Are Our Brothers’ Keepers: Israel’s Mental Health Crisis  The Times of Israel

Community Benefits & Health Needs  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Health Ministry warns Israeli suicide rates rising  The Jerusalem Post

How Israel destroyed Gaza’s health system ‘deliberately and methodically’  Al Jazeera

Israeli researchers uncover key to why breast cancer spreads to brain and turns deadly  The Times of Israel

Israel denies Gazan child access to cancer care  The Jerusalem Post

When crisis became a catalyst: Two medical students build a mission for Israel  The Times of Israel

Press Release | Sep 15, 2025 — Israel’s Health Ministry Gives Top Marks to Hadassah’s Medical Center  Hadassah | The Women's Zionist Organization of America

Gender-Affirming Care  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

New York City Officials Condemn Formation of Anti-Israel ‘Global Oppression’ Group in Mamdani Admin  Algemeiner.com

Primary Care  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Pappas, Weber Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen U.S.-Israel Medical Innovation  Congressman Chris Pappas | (.gov)

Israel’s Health Ministry Ranks Hadassah’s Hospitals #1 in Jerusalem for Internal Medicine  Hadassah | The Women's Zionist Organization of America

Israeli medical experts: far-right push to leave WHO risks health crises, global isolation  Haaretz

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Hosts Its 13th Annual Ray Murphy Men’s Health Night  rwjbh.org

Far-right Knesset Health Committee chair renews push for Israel's withdrawal from the WHO  Haaretz

Israel’s health ministry plans controversial genetic mega-database  CTech

Where Israel’s Women Scientists Go Missing  The Media Line

In world first, Israeli researchers use blood cancer treatment for Alzheimer’s in mice  The Times of Israel

China, Israel continue to collaborate in science and tech despite unrest in Gaza  South China Morning Post

Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities degrading  The Jerusalem Post

Press Release | Jan 05, 2026 — Nature Names Hadassah’s Hospitals #1 in Israel for Scientific Output  Hadassah | The Women's Zionist Organization of America

Not a Hypothesis: Boycott Against Israeli Science Spreads 'Like a Virus' - Israel News  Haaretz

Levin: Science endures at Israel’s missile-damaged Weizmann Research Institute  The Detroit News

Iranian missile strike devastates two buildings at Israel’s Weizmann Institute  Science | AAAS

Israeli researchers uncover key to why breast cancer spreads to brain and turns deadly  The Times of Israel

Escalating Israel–Iran conflict damages science labs  Nature

Horizon Europe expulsion ‘almost a death sentence for Israeli science’  Science|Business

Israel’s Symbol of Science Will ‘Build Back Better’ After Iranian Attack  Washington Jewish Week

Israel's science teams conclude olympiad season with record 26 medals  The Jerusalem Post

How we’re rebuilding the Weizmann Institute — and our hopes for a better future  Nature

Deflated: Israeli scientists find Jupiter, though huge, is smaller than previously thought  The Times of Israel

Israeli team pioneers bacteria ‘factories’ to produce medicine inside the body  The Times of Israel

Israeli academia is in a maelstrom. This is how we can move forward  The Times of Israel

Israeli Science’s Historic Post-War Opportunity: Health Tech Valley  The Times of Israel

Scientists create ‘immune-activating’ molecule to help the body fight cancer  The Times of Israel

Bringing Israeli physicians and scientists back home  The Jerusalem Post

'We Were Targeted': Iran Put Israel's Scientific Research High on Their Kill List  Haaretz

2 new initiatives strengthen Harvard’s academic engagement with Israel  Harvard Gazette

Iran missiles severely damage Weizmann Institute labs, 'irreplaceable' samples destroyed  The Jerusalem Post

Red skies over Israel spark online buzz: Experts reveal science behind striking sunset  Ynetnews

European Commission Proposes Suspension of Israel From $110 Billion Science Research Program  Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Story | Hadassah Hospitals Ranked No. 1 in Israel for Scientific Output  Hadassah | The Women's Zionist Organization of America

Israel signs NASA deal, aims for woman in space  The Jerusalem Post

As Israel scrimps on academic research funding, researchers face BDS alone  Haaretz

Israeli scientists say tiny organisms can revamp their own RNA to survive extreme heat  The Times of Israel

From heart tissue to DNA samples, Weizmann scientists mourn work vaporized in Iran attack  The Times of Israel

Israel counts on pilgrimages to revive post-war tourism  The Jerusalem Post

No Tourists: The Figures Behind Israel's Half-empty Hotels  Haaretz

With 1.3 Million Visitors, Tourism To Israel Began Recovery In 2025  Forbes

Israel Draws Nearer to Tourism Recovery  TravelPulse

Winds of war begin to calm, but tourists unlikely to rush back immediately  The Times of Israel

War in Gaza Took a Big Toll on Israel Tourism: 'Where Are All the People?'  cbn.com

Israel’s Tourism Drive Gains Momentum at OTM 2026 with Strong Engagement and Future Growth Plans for India  Travel And Tour World

Israel’s Tourism and Hospitality Outlook – From Recovery to Reinvention  Hospitality Net

Israel tourism industry prepares for possible Iran strikes  The Jerusalem Post

While war takes toll on Israel tourism, faith-based travel adapts  Travel Weekly

This Is How Tourists to Israel Can Get Out of the Country  TravelAge West

1.3 million tourists visited Israel in 2025  JNS.org

Israel Tourism global directors meet in Jerusalem, underscore PH as key market  The Manila Times

Tourism ministry develops plan to evacuate some 42,000 tourists in event of new Iran war  The Times of Israel

Philippines And Israel Unite To Open Direct Flights Creating New Travel Opportunities And Strengthening Bilateral Relations  Travel And Tour World

Israel banks on Christian pilgrims and faith-based travel to drive tourism recovery  The Times of Israel

Tourists return as Israelis head abroad, CBS data shows  The Jerusalem Post

The fate of the Israeli tourism industry  The Jerusalem Post

Airlines return as Israel tourism revives  The Jerusalem Post

Israel’s tourism industry remains on brink of collapse despite ceasefire, sector chief warns  Ynetnews

Tourism in Israel suffers even after Iran ceasefire, long recovery ahead  The Jerusalem Post

Filipinos reject Israeli tourism amid the Gaza genocide  Mondoweiss

Israel Tourism Ticks Up in 2025, Still Far Below Prewar Peak  Haaretz

Israel, Vietnam, South Korea, Philippines, Switzerland, Croatia, and Denmark Now Connected via EL AL’s New Global Routes  Travel And Tour World

Israel Says it is ‘Open, Safe and Ready to Welcome Tourists’  Travel Market Report

Not predicting trouble, but want to be ready: Israels Tourism Ministry Director on tourists evacuation plan amidst conflict  Tribune India

With Israeli Tourism Industry in Crisis, ‘Can We Salvage Christmas?’ Expert Asks  The Media Line

Israel’s Tourist Comeback Stalls After June War Shock  The Media Line

Israel Needs Our Support as Tourists  The Jewish Link

Israel Reports Tourist Arrivals Increase to Start 2025  TravelPulse

'I never had a bar mitzvah,' lone soldiers from Ethiopia to celebrate at the Western Wall  The Jerusalem Post

Matti Caspi, singer and composer who helped mold Israeli culture, dead at 76  The Times of Israel

She Reopens the Mystery of Israel's Yemenite Children – Starting With Her Own Family's Story  Haaretz

Israeli Music Legend Matti Caspi Dies At 76  i24NEWS

Citing anti-Israel backlash, NYC’s only Ethiopian-Israeli eatery ends regular dine-in hours  Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Emily in Paris' Lucas Bravo seen in Tel Aviv for photoshoot with fashion label Renuar  The Jerusalem Post

Israel’s culture minister vows to defund ‘Israeli Oscars’ after film about Palestinian boy wins big  CNN

How Israeli Football Culture Became a Weapon of Genocide  THE HIND RAJAB FOUNDATION

Israel’s culture minister threatens national film awards after Palestinian story takes top prize  The Guardian

Hundreds of Artists Demand Legal Review of 2025 Culture Award Cuts  Haaretz

Solidarity with Israel’s Film Industry  The Times of Israel

Israeli singer, composer Matti Caspi dies at 76  The Jerusalem Post

Israel’s isolation deepens as backlash and international sanctions mount  CNN

Israel's culture minister's war on Israeli culture | Editorial  Haaretz

Culture minister says Gaza belongs to Israel, Palestinians merely ‘there as guests’  The Times of Israel

A farewell to Matti Caspi  The Jerusalem Post

Israel's Culture Ministry Scraps 2026 Arts Prizes, Ending Decades-long Tradition  Haaretz

Two movies about Jewish cultural icons now streaming  The Jerusalem Post

Israeli Foundation Creates New Literary Award After Gov't Scraps State-sponsored Prizes  Haaretz

Israeli Culture Has Become a German Colony - Israel News  Haaretz

Drama about Palestinian boy is Israel's Oscar entry amid Hollywood boycott of Israeli film institutions  Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Israel Says It Will Defund Film Awards After Palestinian Win  The New York Times

Israeli Culture Minister Threatens Tel Aviv Cinema Budget Over Human Rights Film Festival  Haaretz

Artists protest after culture minister cancels dozens of awards including cash prizes  The Times of Israel

Hollywood stars back boycott as Israel's minister targets film academy  NPR

Culture minister says ‘Gaza is ours,’ Palestinians are ‘guests until a certain point’  The Times of Israel

Hamas Is Winning the Culture War  Tablet Magazine

Secret Harvard archive preserves Israeli publications ‘in case Israel ceases to exist’: Report  Anadolu Ajansı

Israel threatens national film awards after Palestinian story wins top prize  BBC

Efforts to punish Israel over Gaza war intensify in sports and cultural arenas  The Times of Israel

Bethlehem soccor pitch sparks international debate  The Jerusalem Post

What To Know About 'Shul Runnings,' the Bobsled Team Representing Israel in the Winter Olympics  Kveller

Israel’s first ever Olympic bobsled team heads to Milan in bid dubbed ‘Shul runnings’  ABC News

Maccabi Tel Aviv to auction Deni Avdija’s final jersey  The Jerusalem Post

Pep Guardiola Delivered a Humane Speech. For Israelis, It Was anti-Israeli  Haaretz

Spain's prime minister wants international sports ban for Israel  ESPN

International sports federations refuse to suspend Israel despite destruction of sports in Gaza and killing of hundreds of athletes  Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor

OPINION - Ban Israel from global sports now, before it is too late  Anadolu Ajansı

US to fight efforts to ban Israel’s football team from World Cup 2026  Al Jazeera

Deni Avdija’s unexpected rise to NBA’s new breakout star — and Israel’s greatest player ever - The Athletic  The New York Times

Efforts to punish Israel over Gaza war intensify in sports and cultural arenas  The Times of Israel

Hope and Rehabilitation Through Strength: How Sports Empower Israel’s Wounded Heroes  Combat Antisemitism Movement

Efforts to punish Israel over Gaza grow in sports and cultural arenas  AP News

All’s Fair in Love and Sport: Why Israel Is Not Russia  HonestReporting

Padel boom reaches northern Israel  The Jerusalem Post

Report: UEFA set to vote to suspend Israel over war in Gaza  ESPN

Spanish minister calls for Israel to be banned from sport  Al Jazeera

UEFA held meetings with pro-Palestinian campaign over possible Israel suspension after ceasefire - The Athletic  The New York Times

Spanish PM calls for Israel’s ban from sporting events over Gaza genocide  Al Jazeera

Israelis face danger, risks in sport contests abroad  The Jerusalem Post

Turning Israel into a sporting pariah is misguided, harmful  The Jerusalem Post

Boycott Israeli Sports!  CODEPINK - Women for Peace

Norway vs Israel was months in the planning for authorities, but politics seeped through  The New York Times

Israel is committing genocide. Why is it still welcome in global sports?  Sports Politika

United Nations experts ask FIFA, UEFA to suspend Israel as 'necessary response' to conflict in Palestine  CBS Sports

The growing global momentum for a sports boycott of Israel  The New Arab

Iowa football offers 2027 four-star QB Israel Abrams  Yahoo Sports

Israel facing growing backlash from sports world over its genocide in Gaza  Anadolu Ajansı

How Israeli Football Culture Became a Weapon of Genocide  THE HIND RAJAB FOUNDATION

Indonesia will bar Israeli athletes from World Gymnastics Championships  The New York Times