for Friday, May 8, 2026

Welcome, visitor! Here's a digest of what's been published in Jewish media over the last day. JL;DR members have access to summaries of everything plus our full archive. Donate & start reading »

Torah ›

0 Torah Jewish Law

Shoftim 11: Vows, Leadership, and Sacrifice

Ori Bach in Lehrhaus

Ori Bach offers a nuanced analysis of the eleventh chapter of Sefer Shoftim, where Yiftah's vow and its aftermath overshadow the military victory over Ammon.

Jewish Law ›

0 Jewish Law Israel

Shutting Down Anti-Zionism At JTS

Jewdicious

Rabbi Menachem Creditor defends the Jewish Theological Seminary's (JTS) decision to honor Israeli President Isaac Herzog as a commencement speaker amid limited student protest.

Science ›

0 Science Politics

The Mask of Certainty

Beny Spira in Tablet

Beny Spira's article "The Mask of Certainty" challenges the perceived efficacy of mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Communities ›

0 Communities Ethics

LA Orthodox school's former guidance counselor will avoid jail time in sex abuse case

Louis Keene in Forward

Julie Tichon, a former guidance counselor at YULA Boys High School in Los Angeles, will avoid jail after pleading no contest to charges of sexual abuse involving a minor student.

0 Communities Politics

Israel's most dangerous war is with itself

Dan Perry in Forward

Israel today grapples with internal tensions as the rapidly growing Haredi community clashes with secular society over economics, education, and military service.

0 Communities Culture

At Bookhaus in Tel Aviv, English Is Not Lost in Translation

Jessica Steinberg in Hadassah

Michal Goldschmidt, a British art historian who recently moved to Tel Aviv, opened Bookhaus, an English-language bookstore in north Tel Aviv.

0 Communities Ethics

Awareness isn’t access: Jewish mental health since Oct. 7

eJewishPhilanthropy

The article discusses the heightened focus on Jewish mental health following the events of October 7, 2023, emphasizing the need for expanded mental health infrastructure capable of addressing specific identity-related traumas, such as antisemitism.

Israel ›

0 Israel Leadership

5 Lessons I Learned as the IDF International Spokesperson

LTC Nadav Shoshani in Future of Jewish

Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani reflects on his tenure as the IDF's International Spokesperson, detailing five key lessons learned during this challenging period.

Television/Film ›

0 Television/Film Culture

In Max and Richard Fleischer, was father like son?

PJ Grisar in Forward

The article explores the filmic legacy of Max and Richard Fleischer, particularly focusing on their Jewish identities and influences in their work.

Politics ›

0 Politics Israel

Netanyahu deploys AI videos as political weapon, aimed at voter fears of Arab power

Simone Saidmehr in Forward

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is employing AI-generated videos to target political rivals Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett in the lead-up to the fall elections.

0 Politics Antisemitism

At Jewish forum, NY-12 candidates wrestle with anti-Zionism and antisemitism

Joseph Strauss in JTA

In a heated forum held at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, Democratic candidates for New York's 12th Congressional District debated the intertwined issues of anti-Zionism and antisemitism.

0 Politics Antisemitism

British Greens battle antisemitism scandal as Jewish leader Zack Polanski targets historic gains in local elections

Shira Li Bartov in JTA

British local elections spotlight the Green Party's rise amid controversies over antisemitism and its Jewish leader, Zack Polanski.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Casey Putsch, candidate who asked Grok to praise Hitler, loses in Ohio GOP primary

Joseph Strauss in JTA

Ohio gubernatorial candidate Casey Putsch, known for his antisemitic rhetoric, lost the Republican primary but garnered 17.5% of the vote, reflecting a stronger than expected performance for a fringe candidate.

0 Politics Education

Rutgers disinvites commencement speaker over tweet claiming Israelis 'train dogs to sexually assault prisoners'

Jackie Hajdenberg in Forward

Rutgers University has rescinded the invitation for Rami Elghandour, an alumnus and producer of an Oscar-nominated docudrama, to speak at the School of Engineering's commencement.

0 Politics Philosophy

The Lies People Tell Themselves About the Middle East

Lucy in Future of Jewish

Lucy Tabrizi's essay critiques the Western perception of the Iranian regime and the broader Middle East conflict, emphasizing the religious underpinnings of Iran's actions and their impact on geopolitics.

0 Politics History

Princelings of Persia

Peter Theroux in Tablet

The article explores allegations surrounding certain Iranian nationals receiving favorable immigration treatment to the United States during the Obama administration, amidst the Iran nuclear deal negotiations.

Art ›

0 Art Culture

A Jewish Expressionist artist's life, preserved in a brownstone

Cathryn J. Prince in Forward

Ben-Zion, a Ukrainian-born artist and member of the expressionist group The Ten, finds his legacy preserved in a brownstone in Chelsea, Manhattan.

Antisemitism ›

0 Antisemitism Politics

Jewish leaders lament ‘woefully inadequate’ sentence after California man pleads guilty in death of pro-Israel protester

Grace Gilson in JTA

Jewish leaders express strong disapproval of a plea deal granted to Loay Abdel Fattah Alnaji, the man guilty of causing the death of Jewish protester Paul Kessler during 2023 demonstrations in California.

0 Antisemitism Politics

California man pleads guilty in 2023 death of pro-Israel protester

Louis Keene in Forward

In a tragic case that has affected the Jewish community, Loay Alnaji pleaded guilty to the 2023 death of pro-Israel protester Paul Kessler, avoiding a prison sentence through a plea deal that offers up to one year in jail and three years on probation.

0 Antisemitism History

Brussels cathedral installs plaques apologizing for medieval antisemitic persecution depicted in stained glass

Grace Gilson in Forward

The Cathedral of St. Michael in Brussels has installed plaques apologizing for the antisemitic persecution depicted in its stained glass windows, which illustrate the 1370 accusation against Jews for desecrating the Eucharist, leading to executions and expulsions.

0 Antisemitism Education

Maryland school district urged to adopt ‘zero-tolerance policy’ on antisemitism amid wave of incidents

Grace Gilson in Forward

In response to a surge in antisemitic incidents within Montgomery County Public Schools, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington is urging the Maryland school district to implement a zero-tolerance policy against antisemitism.

Holocaust ›

0 Holocaust Education

AI Holocaust content is booming. Is it all ‘slop’ — or a solution for fading firsthand memory?

Toby Axelrod in JTA

The article explores the burgeoning use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Holocaust education and remembrance, illustrating both its potential and pitfalls.

Culture ›

0 Culture Antisemitism

Do Jews have a future in Europe? A historian of antisemitism has her doubts.

Andrew Silow-Carroll in JTA

Historian Flora Cassen explores the precarious future of Jewish life in Europe amidst a resurgence of antisemitism in her new book, "Stained Glass: A Reflective History of Antisemitism."

0 Culture Ethics

Yes, I’m worried that giving to Gaza could benefit Hamas. But Zionism today demands hope.

Rabbi Daniel Greyber in JTA

Rabbi Daniel Greyber expresses his nuanced perspective on supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza without compromising his Zionist principles.

Education ›

0 Education Politics

Georgetown Law graduation speaker backs out after students protest his ‘controversial, Zionist and harmful opinions’

Jackie Hajdenberg in Forward

Morton Schapiro, a Jewish economist and former Northwestern University president, withdrew as Georgetown University Law School's commencement speaker following protests by students criticizing his pro-Israel views.

Ethics ›

0 Ethics Jewish Law

Matthew Feinberg in Future of Jewish

Tikkun olam, often understood as "repairing the world," has been co-opted by modern liberal Judaism as a broad slogan for various social causes.

JL;DR

for Friday, May 8, 2026

Torah ›

Jewish Law ›

Science ›

Communities ›

Israel ›

Television/Film ›

Politics ›

Art ›

Antisemitism ›

Holocaust ›

Culture ›

Education ›

Ethics ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

May 8's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

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Torah ›

Jewish Law ›

Science ›

Communities ›

Israel ›

Television/Film ›

Politics ›

Art ›

Antisemitism ›

Holocaust ›

Culture ›

Education ›

Ethics ›

Editors' Note

Top Topics in Jewish Media

May 8's Short Reads

Recent podcast episodes

for Friday, May 8, 2026