Israel News Today

Clemence Mtenga, 22-year-old Tanzanian agricultural student, murdered by terrorists at Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, just weeks after arriving in Israel for training program; Hebrew verse from Book of Deuteronomy inscribed on his gravestone in his home village from ynet - News https://ift.tt/eoi1hbw

Telling my 8-year-old daughter that the Bibas children are dead was one of the most devastating moments for me since the Oct. 7 attack. For more than 500 days we have been living in the first stage of grief — denial. I never gave up hope. I prayed every day. When Hamas announced that Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Kfir and Ariel, had died in November of 2023, I believed it was a lie — part of the terrorist group’s campaign of psychological torture. When the recent ceasefire was announced, and Yarden Bibas, Shiri’s husband and the children’s father, came home shortly after, I envisioned the family together again in Israel, perhaps gathering around a Passover table to celebrate our upcoming holiday of liberation. Now that the final glimmer of hope has been crushed, denial can no longer keep us safe. And so we are collectively entering the second stage of grief: anger. As the mother of two young Jewish children, I am enraged that 80 years after the Holocaust, the world is sti...

נישט אָפֿט טרעפֿט מען זיך אָן אויף אַ מוזיי וואָס שפּיגלט אָפּ די אייגענע געשיכטע. אָבער אַזוי איז לעצטנס טאַקע געשען ווען מײַן מאַן, סענדי קעסלער, און איך זײַנען געפֿאָרן ממש אין עק וועלט —  קיין צורוגאַ, יאַפּאַן, אַ קליינע שטאָט פֿון אַ 67,000 מענטשן, צו זען דעם מוזיי „פּאָרט אָוו היומאַניטי“ (פּאָרט פֿון מענטשלעכקייט ). דער מוזיי גיט זיך אָפּ מיט צוויי גרופּעס פּליטים: די ערשטע באַשטייט פֿון 763 פּוילישע יתומים וועמענס עלטערן, ס׳רובֿ פֿון זיי — פּאָליטישע אַרעסטאַנטן, וואָס זײַנען פֿאַרשיקט געוואָרן קיין סיביר אין דער צײַט פֿון דער ערשטער וועלט־מלחמה און דעם רוסישן ציווילן קריג און דאָרטן אומגעקומען. די יתומים זײַנען געבראַכט געוואָרן קיין יאַפּאַן דורך צורוגאַ, און פֿאַרשיידענע אָרגאַניזאַציעס, ס׳רובֿ קריסטלעכע, האָבן זיי געהאָלפֿן, ביז מע האָט די קינדער געקענט צוריקשיקן קיין פּוילן. די צווייטע גרופּע איז באַשטאַנען פֿון די ייִדישע פּליטים פֿון מיזרח־אייראָפּע, וואָס האָבן געקראָגן טראַנזיט־וויזעס פֿון דעם יאַפּאַנישן קאָנסול טשיונע סוגיהאַראַ אין קאָוונע, ליטע אין 1940. ווי...

( JTA ) — The New York State Education Department is cutting off public funding to two Brooklyn yeshivas and ordering parents to find alternative educational arrangements for their children next year, citing the schools’ failure to meet secular education standards. It’s the most significant set of consequences faced by any school in the ongoing fight between education officials and Hasidic institutions in New York over laws requiring that yeshivas, like all schools, meet standards in core subjects like English and math. After years of battles in court, the halls of government and the public square, this is the first time the state has effectively closed a Hasidic school. The two yeshivas are in Williamsburg, the center of the city’s Satmar Hasidic community. They are Yeshiva Bnei Shimon Yisroel of Sopron, which runs schools in two locations for different age groups, and Talmud Torah of Kasho. They were notified of the enforcement decisions on Feb. 11 after ignoring final warnings is...

Israel confirms the names of the dead hostages whose bodies will be repatriated on Thursday morning;  from ynet - News https://ift.tt/6Arbu1E

He will replace the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, according to a political source; Hamas will free 6 living hostages on Saturday as Israel opens negotiations on the next phase, which will end the war; 'We have raised demands based on the goals of the war - if Hamas refuses we will return to fighting in a forceful and deadly manner, and with full backing from Trump' from ynet - News https://ift.tt/ahN53pj

New Yorkers may not know Jumaane Williams, New York City’s public advocate, but with growing calls for Mayor Eric Adams’ resignation — and intensifying efforts to remove him from office — Williams would assume leadership of the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. In Brooklyn, where he has built his political career for more than two decades, the progressive Democrat and a self-described Democratic Socialist — known for his signature backpack — has developed working relationships with Jewish leaders, particularly in the Orthodox community. He frequently opens remarks to Jewish audiences with Hebrew greetings like “ Shalom Aleichem, Ma Nishma.” Adams, 64, who was elected in 2021 with support from Orthodox voting blocs , is facing growing calls for his resignation for allegedly striking a quid pro quo deal with the Justice Department to drop federal corruption charges against him in exchange for helping implement Trump’s immigration crackdown. In the event A...

Proposal to relocate Gaza’s population fuels regional tensions, delaying Red Sea shipping recovery; Houthi threat persists, forcing ships to bypass Suez Canal, dealing major economic blow to Egypt’s vital waterway revenues from ynet - News https://ift.tt/obhlYEx

Despite claims his wife and children killed, ex-hostage clings to hope, inspiring those around him; other freed hostages, like Eli Sharabi, face devastating realities, while families demand urgent action to bring all remaining hostages home without delay from ynet - News https://ift.tt/wHzdTSI

Cunio, 33, of Kibbutz Nir Oz, is alive, recently released hostage tells his wife; Cunio kidnapped after holding his family’s shelter door shut for 5 hours to protect them; his wife and daughters freed in November 2023 hostage deal from ynet - News https://ift.tt/XUYjvKe

Military says it attacked terror group's sites in the Bekka Valley in response to violations of the ceasefire agreement; Qassem says Lebanese people have the right to confront the Israeli enemy  from ynet - News https://ift.tt/er7fzZw

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday defended Vice President JD Vance’s decision to meet with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, dismissing criticism that its nationalist rhetoric echoes Nazi ideology . Vance, who spoke at the annual Munich Security Conference on Friday sparked backlash for meeting with AfD leader Alice Weidel after scolding European leaders for boycotting the party. In an interview with CBS’ Face the Nation , Rubio dismissed comparisons between the AfD and the Nazi regime. “There was no free speech in Nazi Germany,” he said. “There was also no opposition in Nazi Germany, they were a sole and only party that governed that country. So that’s not an accurate reflection of history.” Jewish groups condemned the meeting, pointing to AfD’s record of downplaying the Holocaust and promoting anti-immigrant policies. The American Jewish Committee highlighted the party’s “clear record of antisemitism and hostility to America.” They noted that Björn Höcke, one of t...

Security forces warn people mistakenly detailed on document could be ostracization and even murdered; as murders continues to rise in Arab society  from ynet - News https://ift.tt/PCf2S9J

Earrings for Sagui Dekel-Chen wife and an hourglass for Einav Zangauker with a photo of her son, Matan, who still remains a hostage; Released hostages begin to describe their captivity; Sasha Troufanov was held alone by Islamic Jihad from ynet - News https://ift.tt/aMdlqot

( JTA ) — On June 15, 1942, days after receiving a diary for her 13th birthday, Anne Frank wrote that a classmate she had only recently met “is now my best friend.” She and that friend, Jacqueline van Maarsen, promised to write each other goodbye letters if they were forced apart — which came to pass just weeks later. Frank went into hiding in Amsterdam in July, and wrote van Maarsen her farewell letter in the diary in September, wishing that “until we see each other again, we will always remain ‘best’ friends.” That meeting never took place, as Frank was murdered by the Nazis in 1945. But beginning in 1986, van Maarsen began lecturing on the Holocaust and hate, and writing about her friendship with Frank. On Friday, the Anne Frank House announced that van Maarsen had died on Feb. 13, at age 96. “Jacqueline was a classmate of Anne Frank at the Jewish Lyceum and shared her memories of their friendship throughout her life,” the institution, which is the official custodian of Frank’s ...

The British couple were arrested in Iran for 'security offenses'; Their family says they are 'in distress'; Lindsay wrote before the visit: 'Yes, we're aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear' from ynet - News https://ift.tt/09cu16e

After 498 Days in Hamas captivity, Sagui Dekel-Hen to be freed—meeting his baby daughter Shachar for the first time         from ynet - News https://ift.tt/GfTV9Cv

( JTA ) — In a speech in Munich, Vice President J.D. Vance scolded European leaders for boycotting populist parties, and said German politicians should abandon their policy of maintaining a “firewall” against the far-right. Vance’s speech to the Munich Security Conference on Friday was greeted with murmurs from the audience and backlash from German officials. It comes as the country’s far-right party, Alternative for Germany, is polling second ahead of national elections next week. The country’s center-right and center-left parties have long refused to work with the party, known as AfD. “What German democracy — what no democracy — American, German or European — will survive is telling millions of voters that their thoughts and concerns, their aspirations, their pleas for relief, are invalid or unworthy of even being considered,” Vance said. “Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters. There’s no room for firewalls.” Vance never directly mentioned...

Hostages, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Yair Horn, and Sasha Trupanov will be released from Gaza’s Khan Younis as part of the sixth prisoner exchange; They will be transferred to Israeli authorities, with medical care and reunions with their families planned afterward       from ynet - News https://ift.tt/Llo1wcD

Launch during cease-fire is first since January and comes amid tensions ahead of sixth hostage handover set for Saturday; IDF sees incident as infringement on agreement from ynet - News https://ift.tt/FcIS0nB

Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that he was “very moved” after visiting the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, describing it as a powerful reminder of the unspeakable atrocities committed against the Jewish people during the Holocaust. “I’ve read a lot about the Holocaust in books, but being here and seeing it up close in person really drives home what unspeakable evil was committed,” Vance told reporters after touring the memorial with his wife, Usha, and laying a wreath before a sculpture of emaciated bodies entangled in barbed wire. “And it’s very important that those of us who are lucky enough to be alive can walk around, can know what happened here and commit ourselves to prevent it from happening again,” Vance added. Vance, 40, visited the site on his first international trip since assuming office and ahead of his attendance at the Munich Security Conference, an annual national security summit. He followed the tradition of his predecessors who visited Dachau, including...

Former defense minister Yoav Gallant breaks his silence, accusing politicians of leaking classified details to derail hostage deal talks with Hamas. He defends his handling of the war in the face of an international arrest warrant against him. 'I am proud to be accused of defending the State of Israel': part two of the full interview from ynet - News https://ift.tt/KvYRUsj

Since his dismissal as defense minister, Yoav Gallant stayed silent—until now. In an extensive interview with Nadav Eyal, he shares his version of how the war unfolded for the first time. From the devastating early-morning phone call with the IDF chief to the grim faces in the command bunker and the realization that the war rested on his shoulders. From his plan to detonate Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies and assassinate Nasrallah at the outset, to the political maneuvering that delayed the northern offensive by a year. From his warnings to Netanyahu during the judicial overhaul crisis to the leak to Smotrich that torpedoed a hostage deal back in Passover. Read the full interview from ynet - News https://ift.tt/XZva7Y9

A Travesty of a Mockery of a Sham: Woody Allen By Patrick McGilligan Harper Books, 736 pages, $50 Come December, God willing, Woody Allen will celebrate his 90th birthday with his wife, Soon-Yi, and their two adult daughters. As a gag writer, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and filmmaker, over 75 years the man born Allan Stewart Konigsberg has entertained, tickled, edified, and, more recently, divided, America. At 17, while a student at Brooklyn’s Midwood High in 1952, he adopted his professional name,  typed wisecracks on postcards, and mailed them to columnists like Earl Wilson. Before long, Allen earned 75 cents for every joke that appeared in print. Soon, writes Patrick McGilligan in his 736-page biography of Allen: “Word spread about the kid from Brooklyn with the inexhaustible supply of energy and jokes.” Despite its title (a line from Allen’s Bananas ), A Travesty of a Mockery of a Sham views both his work and the man himself in a mostly favorable light. As far as All...

( JTA ) — Three major Jewish religious denominations are suing the Department of Homeland Security to stop immigration raids at houses of worship. The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington, D.C., was brought by dozens of religious groups including the governing bodies of the Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist movements. The other groups represent a range of Christian denominations. They are challenging the Trump administration’s reversal of an order that prohibited Immigration and Customs Enforcement from operating in “sensitive locations” such as churches and synagogues. The order means that undocumented immigrants fearing arrest can no longer seek sanctuary at houses of worship. Tuesday’s lawsuit hopes to restore the “sensitive locations” policy. “The new policy thus greenlights enforcement actions that could interrupt religious services in furtherance of the Administration’s mass deportation plans,” reads a press release about the lawsuit, which was filed by ...

Palestinians in Gaza reject Donald Trump’s plan to resettle Gaza’s population and redevelop it under US control; Critics call it an attempt to erase Palestinian identity from ynet - News https://ift.tt/dsAZkP2

Reports by international outlets spark backlash against security forces in Jerusalem after arrest of bookstore owners accused of selling terror-inciting materials from ynet - News https://ift.tt/Q9PoORS

Marking 46th anniversary of Islamic Revolution, Iranian regime supporters parade effigies of US, Israeli leaders in cages through capital; amid 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to America' chants, officials denounce Western sanctions and vow resistance from ynet - News https://ift.tt/nA4Vrwc

( JTA ) — Hamas announced that it will delay its next release of Israeli hostages, claiming that Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement. The announcement came two days after the last hostage release sparked outrage in Israel and beyond, as the three released captives came out of Gaza looking emaciated. It also came as President Donald Trump doubled down on his plan for Gaza to be permanently depopulated and for the United States to take control of the territory. “We’ll build safe communities a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is,” he said in a recent interview on Fox News . “In the meantime, I would own this.” He added that Palestinians would not have a right to return to Gaza. “No, they wouldn’t, because they’re going to have much better housing,” he said. “I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.” The next release is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15, and there have been snags in the agreement in the past that have later been resolv...

( JTA ) — The actor who played Rabbi Noah Roklov on Netflix’s hit interfaith romcom “Nobody Wants This” has taken home the Critics Choice Award for best actor in a comedy series. Adam Brody, who himself is Jewish, won the prize at an awards ceremony in Santa Monica, California, on Friday. The prize was presented by Rachel Brosnahan, who is best known for playing the Jewish lead in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” In his acceptance speech, Brody nodded at the show’s premise while addressing costar Kristen Bell. “Thank you for your talent, thank you for your kindness, thank you for your belief in me,” He said. “This is a Hanukkah present for you.” “Nobody Wants This” was an immediate hit when it launched in September, drawing viewership that transcended demographics and spurring a wide array of reactions, including criticism of its portrayal of Jewish women and praise for its positive portrayal of Jewish life . The show is set to begin filming a second season early this year. Brody’s a...

Victims claim in lawsuits PA encourages terrorism against Israel; District Court rules each entitled to millions in compensation from ynet - News https://ift.tt/6fSh0O4

'Nothing is certain until he’s home,' says father of Hisham al-Sayed, set for release after decade in Gaza; 'We’ll hope only when we reunite'; His family last saw proof of life in 2022; now, he is included in the first phase of the hostage deal from ynet - News https://ift.tt/rOTt902

The Philadelphia Eagles have plowed their way to Super Bowl 2025 behind the “tush push,” a play as straightforward as football gets: when the Eagles need a yard — whether on third-and-short, fourth-and-inches, or at the goal line — quarterback Jalen Hurts crouches and a human avalanche of teammates shoves him forward. There is no finesse, no deception, no nuance — just momentum, mass and an unshakable belief that physics will do the rest. What started as a quirk of strategy has become the most debated play in football. Critics call it ugly and say it should be banned . Defenders call it unstoppable . The Eagles just call it first down. The play itself is a modern update, and its name carries a legacy as well that stretches back much further — to Yiddish, to Jewish comedy and to one of the most gloriously ridiculous musical numbers in cinema. The Yiddish origins of ‘tush’ It’s hard to imagine the NFL’s most polarizing play being named after a bubbe ’s favorite word for your rear end...