By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
We encourage our readers to follow the links below to the stories that attract their interest.
INTERNATIONAL
Press Release – The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous is distributing $380,000 to economically challenged Righteous Gentiles in nine European countries and Australia who risked their lives saving Jews from the Nazis. Stanlee Stahl, JFR executive vice president, commented: “As they continue to age and many face hardship and isolation, we hope that this special award allows them to make this holiday season memorable for them and their families while the ongoing financial support we provide helps them to pay for their critical needs, including food, medicine, and pay the heating bills. Our support is just one of the many ways we can repay our boundless gratitude for all that they did in risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. [Source: Jewish Foundation for the Righteous]
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The Jerusalem Post – The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution on Friday demanding that Israel cooperate with the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. There were 139 countries voting in favor, 12 countries opposed, and 19 abstentions. Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, posted on social media, “We will not forget that UNRWA employees kidnapped the late Yonatan Samerano to Gaza. UNRWA should hand over the keys and go home.”
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Israel Hayom – The Trump administration is pondering levying terrorism-related sanctions on UNRWA based on its assertion that the agency has ties to Hamas.
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The Times of Israel – Israeli security officials have passed on to mediators the names of Islamic Jihad operatives who allegedly know the location of the body of Ran Gvili, the last dead hostage still held in Gaza.
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Jewish Insider — Elliott Abrams, who served as an envoy to Iran in the first Trump administration, says the Trump administration has yet to “seriously address the question of who would maintain security in Gaza and prevent a Hamas recovery.”
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World Jewish Congress – WJC and the Alfred Landecker Foundation took a cohort of Germany’s legislators and ministry officials to various sites associated with the Holocaust that are not so well known as Auschwitz. Said WJC President Ronald S. Lauder: “By bringing senior German parliamentary and government staff to these sites, we are restoring historical truth, confronting distortion, and ensuring that the people who help shape democratic societies today understand exactly how quickly hatred becomes policy and how indifference becomes complicity. This history must never be forgotten.”
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Haaretz – The bid by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be pardoned by Israel’s President Isaac Herzog received support from U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) who wrote in a letter to Herzog that democracies can’t afford to have their leaders spending time in court and not addressing global crises.
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Mexico News Daily – Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday urged all 31 state governors to implement a federal anti-extortion law.
NATIONAL
Jewish Telegraphic Agency – Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, spiritual leader of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, said Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani was a “good listener” in a meeting with approximately a dozen rabbis on Thursday. “My impression was that the mayor-elect is focused now on governing, and I think that influences his demeanor, but also his decision-making,” Hirsch said.
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American Zionist Movement – At the American Zionist Movement’s Biennial National Assembly Dec. 7-8 in New York City, Mark Levenson of West Orange, N.J (from the Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi), was elected as President of AZM, succeeding Deborah Isaac. Shoshana Dweck of Westchester, N.Y. (from the Association of Reform Zionists of America – ARZA) succeeds Michael Laufer as National Board Chair.
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Press Release – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), Adam Schiff (D-California) and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Alex Padilla (D-California) and seven other Democratic senators have sponsored legislation to nullify the Trump administration’s proposed rule cancelling automatic extensions of previously granted work permits for non-citizens. Said Padilla: “Donald Trump and Stephen Miller’s campaign to marginalize noncitizens working here legally is disrupting our entire national economy and devastating employers who rely on their contributions. The Administration’s self-defeating rule to deny automatic work permit extensions would force people who have already been vetted to lose their ability to keep working, causing unnecessary strain for immigrants and employers alike…” Rosen commented “Immigrants who work and contribute to our economy are central to Nevada’s prosperity, and they’re the backbone of the U.S. economy. This unfair rule change by the Trump Administration will cause chaos — forcing thousands of immigrants with legal authorization to stop working or be fired by their employer. This will hurt our economy and harm thousands of families, so I’m urging my colleagues to join me in overturning this rule.” [Source: Senator Alex Padilla}
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Press Release — Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-California) is alarmed over an executive order issued by the Trump Administration that prohibits the 50 states from enacting their own laws regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI). “The administration claims this EO is to allow for a federal standard — but that doesn’t exist! Congress has (so far) failed to pass any comprehensive AI legislation, so without state laws, the American people are left with no protection against AI-related harm. And there is serious harm being done — deepfakes, election disinformation, AI-generated child porn, unsafe chatbots, and more,” said the congresswoman who represents San Diego. (Source: Sara Jacobs)
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StandWithUs – The National Jewish Advocacy Center and StandWithUs announced an amicable settlement with Northern Arizona University by which parties to the agreement will implement “antisemitism awareness training, the creation of a detailed FAQ section addressing the many ways antisemitism can manifest—including antisemitism based on race, religion, ethnicity, and/or national origin—and other related steps designed to help prevent antisemitism on campus.”
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Press Release — American Jewish Committee’s executive director Ted Deutch, in a letter to Harmeet Dhillon, the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, wrote “While we do not deny the right of protesters to spew even vile hatred, their rights cross a line when they restrict the ability to worship freely. Given this troubling pattern we strongly hope the Department of Justice will investigate whether the perpetrators of the New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles synagogue-related incidents are conspiring in coordination, and whether malign foreign actors may be providing support, direction or encouragement.” (Source: American Jewish Committee)
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STATE & LOCAL
Press Release — San Diego City Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera on Friday wrapped up the final meeting of the Council’s Select Committee on Addressing the Cost of Living. He pointed to three ordinances adopted within the past year: one that required grocery chains to be honest about pricing and provide equal access to the best price; a minimum hourly wage for hospitality workers that goes up each year to $25 per hour on July 1, 2030; and an ordinance protecting renter from price gouging and junk fees and banning exploitative practices that drive displacement. (Source: Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera)
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.