(JTA) — As the old saying sort of goes, two Jews, three opinions. Add one headache for the Taliban. Meet Zabulon Simentov, 66, who is believed to be the last remaining Jew in Afghanistan. Emran Feroz recently profiled Simentov for Foreign Policy and uncovered some incredible stories about the feisty Afghan — including that the…
Public schools from San Francisco to Philadelphia are cancelling their Halloween celebrations, citing concerns that because not everyone celebrates the fall festival, some students might feel excluded. “As part of our school and district-wide commitment to equity, we are focused on building community and creating inclusive, welcoming environments for all,” said the Evanston/Skokie, Illinois school…
Two sons of Holocaust survivors who both happen to be running for the Democratic presidential nomination took different tacks about their Jewish identities in visits Monday to the J Street convention, perhaps the largest annual gathering of leftist American Jews. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has often been criticized for playing down his Judaism,…
This story has been updated with J Street’s statement. Democratic presidential candidates diverged on Monday over the question of whether to condition United States military aid on Israeli policy toward the Palestinians, which activists at the annual J Street conference here in Washington seem to be trying to make something of a wedge issue in…
After a day of community service, Torah study and community gathering, Pittsburgh residents say they are closing a chapter in their healing after last year’s deadly synagogue shooting. Sunday was the one-year mark, a date loaded with significance. There was a long roster of activities and ceremonies that, amid tears and unanswered questions, enabled the…
In Terre Haute, Indiana, a man named Marvin Gabrion has been in prison awaiting death for 17 years, seven months and 11 days. He committed his crimes in 1996 and 1997, then was tried, convicted of murder and sentenced in 2002. Gabrion is currently the longest-serving inmate on federal death row, and though he terrorized…
Sometimes, when he has a spare moment, Eric Lidji ducks into a storage room, takes a box off a shelf, sits on the floor and reads letters sent to Pittsburgh after last year’s synagogue shooting. “I find it cathartic to go through the stuff, to be honest,” he said. “This is part of the hope…
Beto O’Rourke seems to think he’s running for president in 1930s Europe. O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman trying to turn around dwindling poll numbers and back-of-the-pack fundraising reports, this week repeatedly compared President Trump’s rhetoric and policies to those employed by Adolf Hitler, a trope he has used off and on since at least April….
This Sunday marks one year since the shooting at the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue in Pittsburgh, in which 11 people were killed. Anniversaries of deaths have great significance in Judaism. They are commonly called the _yahrzeit,_ a Yiddish word which simply means “the time of the year.” Jewish organizations across the country have organized…
A new survey of American Jews by the American Jewish Committee showed respondents’ serious concern for their safety as Jews. One of four Jews in the survey, said that they “avoid certain places, events or situations out of fear” for their “safety or comfort as a Jew.” In a separate question, 31 percent said they…
For the first time, we have comprehensive national survey data about how American Jews feel about anti-Semitism. The American Jewish Committee, a nonprofit Jewish advocacy group, has polled Jewish opinion for decades. On the subject of anti-Semitism, they’ve traditionally just asked American Jews whether they are concerned, or whether it’s an important issue for the…
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