Israel News Today

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...

As part of hostage deal, Israel to complete pullback from strategic corridor—symbol of both IDF operations and settler aspirations; troops to remain only in buffer zone and Philadelphi Corridor from ynet - News https://ift.tt/4N0zFvn

'Starvation and humiliation can’t be hidden': Despite Hamas’ attempts to improve conditions before release, frail, starved hostages tell different story; Or Levy and Eli Sharabi unaware families murdered, while Ohad Ben Ami spent most of his captivity underground from ynet - News https://ift.tt/R0hDFfO

After 491 days in captivity, freed hostage reunites with his wife Raz and daughters, joking about his drastic weight loss: 'I left XXL and came back a medium'; stunned by his daughter Natalie’s enlistment in the IDF, he also reflects on his ordeal from ynet - News https://ift.tt/gLs3Ezc

Yarden Bibas, in first statement since release, asks the Israeli people to stay united and push for the return of all remaining captives including his family members whose fate remains uncertain from ynet - News https://ift.tt/pXdznea

Trieste is a harbor city tucked into the northeastern corner of Italy, where hilly streets drop to piazzas along the Adriatic Sea.  It’s where Winston Churchill marked one end of the Iron Curtain in his famous speech about the Cold War; where the Nazis placed Italy’s only concentration camp; where the Habsburg Empire ambitiously built up its only port before the empire collapsed in World War I; where Mussolini’s Fascism sank violent early roots. It’s also where a bookshop on the Via San Nicolo has the one-time owner’s name painted above the door in bold, gold-colored letters: Libreria Antiquaria Umberto Saba . Saba, a Jewish poet and novelist, didn’t have a marquee name when he bought the bookstore in 1919, but he became one of Italy’s leading writers during the decades he ran it, and he immortalized it in a poem:     A curious antiquarian shop is open on an obscure street in Trieste Various golden hues of antique bindings Delight the eye that wanders across its sh...

After being abducted from the Nova party where his wife was murdered, Levy is set to reunite with his son on Saturday for the first time in 491 days from ynet - News https://ift.tt/AYFT2DQ

Defense minister, in talks with top security officials, including IDF chief Herzi Halevi and successor Eyal Zamir, discusses allowing Gazans to leave via Ashdod Port and Ramon Airport—pending voluntary requests and strict security checks from ynet - News https://ift.tt/s4Ex95P

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a series of sweeping faith-based initiatives, including a new presidential commission on religious liberty and an executive order targeting perceived anti-Christian bias. Speaking at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., Trump also said he would reestablish a White House faith office led by Paula White, a controversial celebrity televangelist and his longtime spiritual adviser . “It was faith that led the pilgrims to cross an ocean and settle this majestic continent, and we’re going to keep it majestic,” Trump said in his remarks. “Here in America, we are, once again, a nation that believes in ourselves. We believe in our destiny and trust in the providence of Almighty God.” Trump said the new task force – headed by Attorney General Pam Bondi – would “immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government” and “fully prosecute anti-Christian violence and vandalism in our ...

Security officials warn construction near security barrier poses significant risk; activists call for stricter enforcement to prevent violations reminiscent of those that preceded the October 7 attack from ynet - News https://ift.tt/0DVgpHP

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt made it clear that the Republican president does not plan to use American tax dollars for his ambitious plan for the Gaza Strip; 'It's an outside-the-box idea,' she said, stressing: 'He is the best dealmaker in the universe' from ynet - News https://ift.tt/MYFjr5p