In lieu of 3 million Jews murdered there, Poland takes its place on the map as a mass grave and, increasingly in films, a transformative locale for those hoping to eat, pray, cry their way into a sense of self-understanding. “Treasure,” directed by Julia von Heinz and adapted from Lily Brett’s 2001 novel “Too Many Men,” is one of three new movies where heritage tours form the backdrop for fraught relationships, grief and Jewish people’s search for meaning.
Read MoreThe Israeli government and the Biden administration on Sunday lost a key moderating and unifying figure with the resignation of senior war cabinet minister Benny Gantz. This development could complicate the Biden administration’s efforts to broker a possible hostage-and-ceasefire deal, and might also lead to early elections in Israel later this year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Approximately 42% of married Jews have a spouse who is not Jewish. Among American Jews who have gotten married since 2010, that percentage rises to 61%. Most spouses come from Christian backgrounds, but others marry Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists or people from any number of other religious traditions. In my research on interfaith families, I’ve seen ceremonies combine traditions in a wide array of ways.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Some U.S. Jews’ involvement in Palestinian solidarity movements began years before the current war. In my research, which included in-depth interviews and participant observation work, activists emphasized that they were inspired to act because of their Jewish identity and values, not in spite of them.
Read MoreClaudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won a landslide victory on Sunday to become Mexico's first female president. Sheinbaum, won the presidency with nearly 60% of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Xochitl Galvez. She is also Jewish in a country that is majority Catholic.
Read More(OPINION) After his victorious bout in a major combat sports event this past Saturday night, UFC fighter Bassil Hafez said, “There is something I wanna say. I have been having it in my heart for a long time. I don’t support genocide. I don’t support innocent women and children being killed for war and for money and power. We are all God’s children and we all deserve a fair chance in life. Free Palestine.” While Hafez didn’t mention Israel by name, his message was clear. Israel is committing genocide.
Read MoreIsraelis are split along religious lines when it comes to the ongoing war in Gaza, according to a new study. In fact, the Pew Research Center survey found that Israelis “perceive the war in vastly different ways” — and much of it depends on their religious backgrounds. One of the “starkest divides,” according to Pew, is between Jewish and Arab Israelis as well as observant and secular Jews.
Read MoreCollege students across the country are graduating this month. As is custom, famous people are invited to speak to students about the future. Sometimes, religion and faith comes up — especially at Christian colleges — and it’s not always something that resonates with the U.S.’s broader, more secular culture. Here are five that stood out this spring.
Read MoreAs spring semesters around the country end, pro-Palestinian encampments — at least 10 in the past few weeks — are coming down, sometimes as a result of agreements between protesters and administrators, sometimes as a result of forceful action by police. Most agreements have involved amnesty for protesters and given them an opportunity to have input in university investment decisions.
Read More(OPINION) It is important to remember that many of those protesting Israel’s war in Gaza are not simply advocating for a ceasefire or for a two-state solution. They are advocating for the end of Israel. This, of course, is the obvious meaning of the “river to the sea” chant. But what is implied in the chant is now being stated explicitly by anti-Israel protesters and their allies. They, in turn, are simply articulating what has always been the fundamental position of Hamas.
Read More(OPINION) Israel was chosen because of the sovereignty of God, not because of Israel’s own merit. He set His love on Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and determined to bless the world through their offspring, meaning through the people of Israel and, ultimately, through the seed of Abraham par excellence, Jesus the Messiah. And because He made unconditional promises to the patriarchs, He has kept His word through the generations, preserving the people of Israel, disciplining them, scattering them and regathering them.
Read MoreAn estimated 25 percent to half of the 900 to 1,000 Christians who lived in Gaza before the war have fled, and that an additional 25 percent are applying to leave. Israel’s occupation of the Rafah border crossing threatens safe passage to Egypt. Thousands of displaced Palestinians are fleeing Rafah for Deir el-Balah about 12 miles north and were straining a scant supply of fresh water.
Read MorePassover ended a little over a week ago. The big question now is what do you do with all the leftover matzo? That’s what many Jews are asking themselves now that the eight-day holiday — in commemoration of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt — has passed.
Read MoreA new survey found 47 percent of U.S. voters believe colleges should ban pro-Palestinian protests, compared to 30 percent who say the demonstrations should be permitted. A slightly smaller number — 41 percent — would ban pro-Israel protests. The vast majority of voters — 76 percent — also said they support colleges asking police to protect campuses from violence.
Read MoreNo doubt about it. Quite a few students up north are taking their talents, and tuition dollars, to Southern states. For a conservative take on the statistics, see this Daily Mail piece: “Why college kids are abandoning Ivy Leagues to go to Southern schools.”
Read MoreA quiet weeknight at UCLA descended into mayhem after hundreds of pro-Israel protesters descended on the campus and began trying to dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment. Violence raged outside the encampment for nearly three hours — from around 11 p.m. Tuesday to a little before 2 a.m. Wednesday — before police officers arrived at the scene and began dispersing them.
Read MoreSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the recent bipartisan passage of a $14.3 billion military aid bill to Israel, without imposing any conditions, a “great victory” for the Jewish state. In an exclusive interview, Schumer said he dedicated significant time to discussions with House Speaker Johnson, emphasizing the importance of passing the comprehensive foreign aid package, crucial for Israel’s defense.
Read MoreNews about the demonstrations spreading at colleges in the United States has been dominating the headlines here. All of the 21 Israeli Jews we spoke with perceive protesters’ rally cries as attacks on Jews writ large. Most also said, without evidence, that American college kids are being manipulated, if not also paid, by Hamas, Qatar, Iraq or China to undermine Israel and Jews.
Read MoreAs pro-Palestinian protests spread to college campuses across America and around the world, three conservative Christian activists staged a “United for Israel March” at Columbia University on Friday night. The group of a few dozen people carrying American and Israel flags gathering before marching to Columbia’s gate, accompanied by a snare drum.
Read MoreThe Jewish festival of Passover recalls the biblical story of the Israelites enslaved by Egypt and their miraculous escape. During a ritual feast known as a Seder, families celebrate this ancient story of deliverance, with each new generation reminded to never take freedom for granted. Every year, a written guide known as a “Haggadah” is read at the Seder table.
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