JTA | JLDR

JTA ‘We are not made of wood and paper’: Jackson synagogue marks first Shabbat after arson 18 Jan

After an arson attack targeted Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, the Jewish community gathered for a resilient Shabbat service at Northminste...

18 Jan

JTA Jewish caricature in Ukrainian Christmas tradition resurfaces at New Jersey church, drawing criticism 16 Jan

A Ukrainian Christmas pageant in New Jersey drew criticism for including a Hasidic Jewish caricature that perpetuates antisemitic stereotypes. The pageant, p...

16 Jan

JTA Alex Bregman, who drew a Jewish star on his cap after Oct. 7, inks $175M deal with the Cubs 16 Jan

Jewish baseball star Alex Bregman has signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, making it the second-largest contract for a Jewish pla...

16 Jan

JTA Kathy Hochul proposed a 25-foot buffer zone around synagogues. Julie Menin wants to quadruple that. 16 Jan

New York City Council leader Julie Menin is proposing a significant measure to protect synagogues and Jewish schools from antisemitism by advocating for a 10...

16 Jan

JTA Rejecting Kahanists and rebuffing anti-Zionists, a new leader of the New Israel Fund makes its case for liberal democracy 16 Jan

Mickey Gitzin, the newly appointed interim president of the New Israel Fund (NIF), steps into his role amid increasing polarization over Israel’s democratic ...

16 Jan

JTA After synagogue arson, Jackson’s Jews find solidarity, and complexity, at interfaith prayer service 16 Jan

In the aftermath of a devastating arson attack on Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, the local Jewish community found solidarity through an in...

16 Jan

JTA Jerry Lippman was a Jewish newspaperman who refused to play by the rules 15 Jan

Jerry Lippman, late publisher of the Long Island Jewish World and the Manhattan Jewish Sentinel, is remembered for transforming Jewish journalism with his re...

15 Jan

JTA Hochul challenger (and lieutenant) says US should halt arms sales to Israel 15 Jan

New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul, has stirred debate with his call for the U.S. to stop arms sales to Israel, labeling...

15 Jan

JTA King David is having a moment in Christian pop culture. We would do well to join in. 15 Jan

Rabbi David Wolpe discusses the renewed interest in King David within Christian pop culture, marked by several new productions, including an animated film an...

15 Jan

JTA Circumcision could be ‘child abuse’ if done wrong, UK prosectors warn after deaths 15 Jan

British authorities are considering labeling poorly conducted circumcisions as child abuse following instances where the procedure led to fatalities. This le...

15 Jan

JTA Tulsa’s Jewish community pushes back on Oklahoma Jewish charter school proposal 15 Jan

The Jewish community leaders in Tulsa are opposing a proposal for a publicly funded Jewish charter school in Oklahoma, expressing concerns over the lack of l...

15 Jan

JTA Travel disrupted, fears elevated as Israel weathers uncertainty over potential US strike on Iran 15 Jan

Amid escalating tensions surrounding a potential U.S. military strike on Iran, triggered by President Donald Trump's threats in response to Iran's crackdown ...

15 Jan

JTA Trump administration says 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire is underway, despite Israeli hostage remaining 15 Jan

The Trump administration has announced the initiation of the second phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, introducing a transitional t...

15 Jan

JTA Conservative Judaism’s new line on intermarriage is a great start. What comes next is key. 14 Jan

The Conservative/Masorti movement's recent report signifies a significant shift in its approach to interfaith relationships, moving from disapproval to engag...

14 Jan

JTA Cameron Kasky, Gen-Z Israel critic, quits congressional race to focus on West Bank activism 14 Jan

Cameron Kasky, a notable Gen-Z Jewish progressive and survivor of the Parkland school shooting, has exited the congressional race for New York's 12th Distric...

14 Jan

JTA The hottest hangout for Jewish teens on the Upper East Side is — a kosher grocery store? 14 Jan

Ouris Market on New York's Upper East Side has become an unexpected hotspot for Jewish teens, thanks to its enticing array of kosher food items and savvy soc...

14 Jan

JTA Militant pro-Israel group Betar US to halt NY operations after settlement with state attorney general 14 Jan

Betar US, a militant pro-Israel group, has agreed to cease operations in New York after a settlement with New York's Attorney General, Letitia James, who fou...

14 Jan

JTA Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair wears ‘stop the genocide’ eye black 13 Jan

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair made headlines by wearing eye black inscribed with "STOP THE GENOCIDE" during a postgame interview, signaling his p...

13 Jan

JTA Rubble of Pasadena synagogue destroyed in wildfire is vandalized with anti-Zionist graffiti 13 Jan

The remains of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center in Southern California, which were destroyed in last year's Eaton wildfire, were vandalized with anti-Zi...

13 Jan

JTA Australian writers’ festival collapses — and apologizes — after boycott over disinvited Palestinian activist 13 Jan

The Adelaide Writers Week in Australia was canceled after nearly 200 authors, including prominent figures like Zadie Smith and Jacinda Ardern, boycotted the ...

13 Jan

JTA Mezuzah stays on Gracie Mansion as Zohran Mamdani moves in 13 Jan

Zohran Mamdani has recently moved into Gracie Mansion after his mayoral election, marking a significant shift as he transitions from a one-bedroom in Astoria...

13 Jan

JTA New York’s governor is introducing a bill to curb synagogue protests. Now comes the hard part. 13 Jan

Amid rising antisemitic and Islamophobic protests, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed legislation to establish a 25-foot buffer zone around houses o...

13 Jan

JTA Oklahoma board to vote on application for religious Jewish charter school, teeing up potential battle 13 Jan

A new proposal by the National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation seeks to establish the first publicly funded religious Jewish charter school in Okl...

13 Jan

JTA A century before Trump targeted Somalis, Jews faced the politics of blame 13 Jan

The article draws a parallel between President Trump's targeting of Somali immigrants in Minnesota and historical instances of Jews being scapegoated for the...

13 Jan

JTA Jersey City’s outgoing Jewish mayor Steven Fulop signs antisemitism orders as ‘guardrails’ for his successor 13 Jan

Steven Fulop, the outgoing Jewish mayor of Jersey City, took decisive action before leaving office by signing two executive orders aimed at protecting the lo...

13 Jan

JTA For 250 years, American Jews have answered prejudice with defiance 13 Jan

For over 250 years, American Jews have met antisemitism with resolute defiance, simultaneously asserting their Jewish identity and their American patriotism....

13 Jan

JTA The destroyed library at Jackson’s Beth Israel was a sanctuary for me. I have faith it will be one for all again. 12 Jan

Rabbi Lex Rofeberg reflects on his profound connection to the Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, where he lived and served for two years. The ...

12 Jan

JTA Man charged with setting fire to Mississippi synagogue targeted it due to its ‘Jewish ties,’ FBI says 12 Jan

A man named Stephen Spencer Pittman has been charged with arson for allegedly setting fire to Beth Israel Congregation, the only synagogue in Jackson, Missis...

12 Jan

JTA Fundraiser for ICE agent who killed Renee Good includes antisemitic attack on Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey 12 Jan

In the aftermath of the tragic shooting of U.S. citizen Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, a controversial fundraiser has emerged, drawing attention ...

12 Jan

JTA Democrats compare ICE with the Gestapo as they push to curb agency’s power 12 Jan

Democratic lawmakers in the United States are drawing stark parallels between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Gestapo as they propose ...

12 Jan

JTA Mamdani’s campaign strategist wants him to back Micah Lasher in UWS congressional race: Report 12 Jan

Council member Zohran Mamdani faced criticism for his delayed response to pro-Palestinian protesters who chanted in support of Hamas outside a Queens synagog...

12 Jan

JTA Lindsey Graham quickly embraces Netanyahu’s desire to ‘taper’ off US military aid over next decade 12 Jan

In an unprecedented move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to gradually reduce and eventually eliminate U.S. military aid ov...

12 Jan

JTA A Jewish baby became the face of Nazi Aryan propaganda. Her life story outlasted the lie. 12 Jan

Hessy Levinsons Taft, whose baby photograph was ironically chosen by Nazi Germany to represent the ideal Aryan child, has passed away at the age of 91. Born ...

12 Jan

JTA As we mark shloshim for Bondi Beach, we also ask: Can Australia’s multicultural project survive? 12 Jan

Marked by collective mourning, the shloshim for the Bondi Beach massacre highlights the fragility of Australia’s once-celebrated multiculturalism, which face...

12 Jan

JTA Trump comments directly on antisemites in the Republican party: ‘I think we don’t like them’ 12 Jan

In a recent interview with The New York Times, former President Donald Trump addressed the issue of antisemitism within the Republican Party, asserting that ...

12 Jan

JTA After facing backlash, California congressional hopeful Scott Wiener says Israel is committing ‘genocide’ 12 Jan

Scott Wiener, a California congressional candidate, has publicly stated that he believes Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide, a position he was init...

12 Jan

JTA Iran threatens to attack Israel if Trump strikes Tehran over crackdown on protesters 12 Jan

Iranian leaders threaten to target Israel if the United States launches a military strike against Iran in response to Iran's crackdown on anti-government pro...

12 Jan

JTA Mamdani, AOC denounce pro-Hamas chants outside Queens synagogue, with mayor using ‘terrorist’ label for first time 12 Jan

Progressive New York City officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have condemned a recent protest where pro-Palestinian ...

12 Jan

JTA Mississippi synagogue that was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 is heavily damaged in arson 11 Jan

Beth Israel Congregation, the only synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, was deliberately set on fire in what authorities are investigating as a potential hate ...

11 Jan

JTA After Australian literary festival drops Palestinian activist, citing Bondi massacre, dozens boycott in solidarity 9 Jan

The Adelaide Writers Week in Australia disinvited Randa Abdel-Fattah, an Australian-Palestinian author and activist, from its event due to concerns of cultur...

9 Jan

JTA Can Breads Bakery workers really demand that the Israeli owners cut ties with Israel? Labor experts weigh in. 9 Jan

Amid rising anti-Israel sentiment, employees of Breads Bakery in New York City are demanding the company end its support for Israel as part of their unioniza...

9 Jan

JTA From pop stars to tefillin pop-ups, Oct. 7 changed how Israel’s ‘somewhat observant’ practice Judaism 9 Jan

In the aftermath of Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, a notable shift towards greater religious observance occurred among Israelis, particularly those of ma...

9 Jan

JTA Hochul condemns protesters at Queens synagogue; Mamdani yet to respond 9 Jan

Governor Kathy Hochul has condemned a protest outside a Queens synagogue where demonstrators voiced support for Hamas, labeling it as a dangerous rhetoric wi...

9 Jan

JTA American Jewish leaders have given up on a two-state solution. Younger Jews are hanging onto the audacity of hope. 9 Jan

In the face of rising cynicism among older American Jewish leaders about the feasibility of a two-state solution, younger Jews are clinging to hope for peace...

9 Jan

JTA Police maintain buffer zone as pro-Palestinian protesters rally outside NYC Israel real estate event 9 Jan

Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel activists faced off outside a synagogue in Queens, New York, which was hosting an event promoting real estate in a West Bank J...

9 Jan

JTA Longtime pro-Israel Democrat Steny Hoyer announces retirement from Congress 9 Jan

Steny Hoyer, a long-serving Democratic member of the U.S. Congress known for his strong pro-Israel stance, has announced his retirement. Serving since 1981, ...

9 Jan

JTA Cameron Kasky embodies rising Gen Z Jewish criticism of Israel. Can it get him to Congress? 8 Jan

Cameron Kasky, a 25-year-old progressive Jewish congressional candidate, is making headlines for his critical stance on Israel, a platform that may resonate ...

8 Jan

JTA It’s official: Julie Menin, who has raised concerns with Mamdani, elected first Jewish NYC Council speaker 8 Jan

Julie Menin has been unanimously elected as the first Jewish Speaker of the New York City Council, marking a significant presence in a city with diverse lead...

8 Jan

JTA Trans screenwriter Our Lady J condemns anti-Zionism in LGBTQ spaces: ‘Zionism is not a dirty word’ 8 Jan

Our Lady J, a prominent transgender screenwriter and activist, has sparked debate within LGBTQ spaces by condemning anti-Zionist sentiments and urging the co...

8 Jan

JTA What a Phish concert taught me about being a better rabbi 8 Jan

Rabbi Jonathan Leener reflects on attending a Phish concert and the insights it provided for enhancing the synagogue experience. The concert's dynamic setlis...

8 Jan