SAN DIEGO (SDJW)– Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, in a meeting in Philadelphia with Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, said “When it comes to antisemitism, it is incredibly important for everyone to understand that there is no nuance. Everyone in a position of public trust—and everyone in our communities—has a responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity and speak out against it.”
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Shrapnel from the interception of a Houthi missile hit a school building in the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Gan. It caused damage but no injuries as the school was not yet in session. Simultaneously, Israel sent 14 missile-toting jets, refuelers, and spy planes in two waves to Yemen to retaliate against known Houthi sites in the capital of Sanaa, the ports of Hodeidah and Salif, and the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea, it was reported by the Jewish News Syndicate. IDF’s spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, commented, “As we have shown against other enemies in other arenas, we will continue to act against anyone – anyone in the Middle East that threatens the State of Israel – and we will defend the people of Israel.”
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Adam Boehler, President-elect Donald Trump’s designee as special envoy for hostage affairs, met earlier this week with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. Meanwhile, negotiators in Doha, Qatar, have been discussing a three-phased agreement with hostages over 50, sick hostages, and “humanitarian cases” could be released first during a six-week ceasefire, according to Israfan.
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Hostage family members are keeping the issue of the release of their loved ones very much in the public eye. Michael Levy, the brother of hostage Or Levy, testified before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday. Hamas terrorists kidnapped Or, 33, from the Nova Music Festival after murdering his wife, Einav, 32. Also on Wednesday, the U.S. House Bipartisan Women’s Caucus held a press conference at the Capitol featuring emotional appeals from former American-Israeli hostage Aviva Siegel, whose husband Keith Siegel remains in captivity, and Yarden Gonen, sister of hostage Romi Gonen. “I just want to remind everybody that the hostages are underneath the ground, trying to keep themselves alive,” said Siegel.
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In Canada, a firebomb was thrown early Wednesday morning through the glass door of Congregation Bath Tikvah in the Dollard-des-Ormeaux suburb of Montreal. Mordecai Zeitz, the rabbi emeritus of the modern Orthodox congregation, told the Jewish Telegraph Agency that no one was injured and despite some damage, synagogue services were able to be held. Jewish Insider reported that two smashed windows were discovered at the nearby Jewish community center that houses the Jewish Federation offices and the Hebrew Foundation School.
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Compiled by SDJW staff