Trump identified one area still awaiting resolution as whether Russia or Ukraine would keep the land in the Donbas region in Eastern Ukraine that Russia now occupies. Another is the fate of a Ukrainian nuclear power reactor, which Russian troops captured and now occupy. [Donald H. Harrison]
In the fictional film ending, the Israelites hear of David and Batsheva’s adultery and murder of her husband, and huge crowds gather to stone Batsheva. David tells God he is entirely to blame (as if he could fool God) and tries to commit suicide to save the woman he loves. God accepts his plea, and he is forgiven. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Beware of Movies about the Bible Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
I appreciate you stating clearly in a recent interview that antisemitism has no place in your political movement. However, the notion that our concerns about this bigotry on the right are “overstated by people who want to avoid having a foreign policy conversation about Israel” does not align with facts. [Roz Rothstein, StandWithUs]
StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein Sends ‘Open Letter’ to Vice President JD Vance Read More »
Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Eli Cohen (December 26, 1924 – May 18, 1965) was an Egyptian-born Israeli spy. He is best known for his espionage work in Syria between 1961 and 1965, where he developed close relationships with the Syrian political and military hierarchy. [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Eli Cohen Read More »
Jewish History, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
Avraham Mordechai Alter (December 25, 1865 – June 13, 1948), was also known as the Imrei Emes after the works he authored. He was fourth Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Ger. [Wikipedia]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Avraham Mordechai Alter Read More »
Jewish History, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia
The museum began as a one-room display inside the El Paso Jewish Community Center, featuring a small collection of books, posters, and personal memorabilia. Today, the El Paso Holocaust Museum encompasses more than 4,000 square feet of permanent exhibition space. It is one of only 13 free-standing Holocaust museums in the United States and one of just two presented in a fully bilingual format. [Cailin Acosta]
An Emotional Tour of the El Paso Holocaust Museum Read More »
Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA
Many Jewish fathers and mothers take their children to sit on Santa Claus’s lap—just like the author Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut did, when he was only seven years old. I laughed at the picture because I remember my father, Leo Israel Samuel—a Holocaust survivor from Auschwitz—did the same for me when I was about the same age [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Book Traces History and Humor of Jews and Christmas Read More »
Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
In an opinion piece headlined “The Movie I Was Afraid To See,” Gessen recalls his experience of watching the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which chronicles the frantic efforts of rescue-center workers at their office in Ramallah to obtain clearance for an ambulance in Gaza to pick up Hind for an eight-minute drive. [Bruce S. Ticker]
OpEd: What If a Film is Made about the Voice of Matilda? Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
You won’t find many of these in travel books, and if you do, they’re usually wedged between the “best hummus in Jaffa” and a review of a hotel that doesn’t deserve its fourth star. What I’m offering here is a bit of a swap: famous attractions traded in for quieter, stranger, or more soulful corners of the country. Think of it as Israel off the record. [Ari Melnik]
Israeli Sightseeing: Off the Beaten Path Read More »
Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Travel and Food
French citizen Ivan Beltrami saw a tree planted in his honor at Yad Vashem’s Avenue of the Righteous. He commented in wonder: “I don’t think I really deserve this.” The director of Israel’s Holocaust memorial responded: “All the Righteous say the same thing but why didn’t everyone do ‘this ordinary thing?’” [Donald H. Harrison]
‘This Ordinary Thing,’ Helping Fellow Humans, was Extraordinary During the Holocaust Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
The forces of hatred and cruelty are once again being indoctrinated to a young generation, a legacy of antisemitism that seeks to finish what Hitler and the Nazis only started. [Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel]
A Modern-Day Chanukah Miracle Read More »
Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Obituaries & memorials, Opinion, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, told viewers the program had been recorded before the tragic events in Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, and added: “With horror and heartbreak, we mourn with the Jewish community of Australia.” The speaker then pivoted to the evening’s central message of perseverance: “When faced with tragedy, the Jewish people always choose life,” a lesson the speaker said the world learns “especially from Holocaust survivors.” [Shor M. Masori]
Claims Conference Webcast Focus: Resilience of Holocaust Survivors Read More »
Holocaust, International, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Shor M. Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) reported on Wednesday that it and the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism sent a team that arrived in Sydney on Tuesday that included “Israeli experts in trauma response, mass-casualty events, and community recovery, with extensive experience supporting communities following extreme incidents and in developing long-term resilience strategies. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish Political Briefing: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, News Media, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USAModern anti-Zionism often veers into antisemitism: recycling tropes of Jewish control over media and power, baseless “genocide” accusations, or “Zionist lobby” conspiracies. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
OpEd: Anti-Zionism Indistinguishable from Antisemitism Read More »
Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors