Gabe Friedman
By Gabe Friedman
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Fast Forward Patti Smith and Julian Casablancas among over 600 musicians to call for boycott of Israel
(JTA) — Patti Smith and Julian Casablancas of The Strokes are among the more than 600 musicians who have signed a letter calling for artists to avoid playing concerts in Israel. “We call on you to join us with your name in refusing to perform at Israel’s complicit cultural institutions,” says the letter, which began…
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Fast Forward Mark Ruffalo apologizes for calling Israel’s actions in Gaza a ‘genocide’
(JTA) — Film star Mark Ruffalo apologized on Twitter for using the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza in the recent military conflict there, saying it is now being “used to justify antisemitism” around the world. His tweet Monday did not specify when or where he used the term. Ruffalo had publicly tweeted…
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Fast Forward Dua Lipa responds to full-page NY Times ad that blasts her Israel criticism
(JTA) — Prominent Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s World Values Network took out a full-page New York Times ad on Saturday denouncing the British pop star Dua Lipa’s criticism of Israel on social media, and the singer responded, saying the ad was full of “falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations.” The Grammy-winning megastar had reposted several messages on Instagram…
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Fast Forward Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire after 11 days of bloodshed
(JTA) — After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas agreed to a “mutual and simultaneous” ceasefire on Thursday that will begin at 2 a.m. Friday Israel time. Israel’s security cabinet unanimously approved the move, according to reports, after military officials presented what they deemed the successful outcomes of their campaign. “Hamas is deterred and…
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Fast Forward Nets star Kyrie Irving says he’s more focused on the Israel-Gaza conflict than basketball right now
(JTA) — The Brooklyn Nets are about to embark on a playoff run that their fans hope can bring the team its first championship trophy in over 40 years. But one of their key star players says his focus is elsewhere: the Israeli-Palestinian violence that is raging right now. “I’m not going to lie to…
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Fast Forward Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls Israel an apartheid state
(JTA) — Influential progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Israel an apartheid state in a tweet on Saturday that marked an inflection point in her increasing criticism of Israel. “Apartheid states aren’t democracies,” she wrote in a tweet that garnered 275,000 likes. Ocasio-Cortez has been unabashedly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies since joining Congress…
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Fast Forward Idaho and West Virginia pass anti-Israel boycott laws
(JTA) — Idaho and West Virginia have joined the growing list of states that over the past several years have passed anti-Israel boycott legislation aimed at outlawing businesses that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The bills passed this week bring the number of states with similar laws to 33. Idaho’s Anti-Boycott Against Israel…
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Fast Forward Steven Spielberg launches foundation to fund Jewish-themed documentaries
(JTA) — Steven Spielberg has launched a film foundation called Jewish Story Partners to fund documentaries that “tell stories about a diverse spectrum of Jewish experiences, histories, and cultures.” It’s funded by the Righteous Persons Foundation, which Spielberg and his actress wife Kate Capshaw founded after Spielberg’s experience making “Schindler’s List” in 1993. Two Jewish…
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