Jews

Israel clears proposal to bring remaining 5,800 Jews from India's northeast

Israel's government has approved a proposal to bring all the remaining 5,800 Jews from India's north-eastern region, commonly referred to as Bnei Menashe, over the next five years. The Government of Israel on Sunday approved a "significant, wide-scale initiative" to complete the Aliyah (immigration) of the Bnei Menashe community from northeastern India, the Jewish Agency for Israel said. "This historic decision will bring approximately 5,800 members of the community to Israel by 2030, including 1,200 already approved in 2026," it said. It will be the first time that the Jewish Agency will be leading the entire pre-immigration process - eligibility interviews together with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Conversion Authority, and the Population and Immigration Authority - organising the flights for eligible candidates and managing their absorption in Israel. The plan is estimated to require a special budget of 90 million shekels (USD 27 million) to cover the costs of the flights

NYC's Jewish community divided as city faces potential 1st Muslim mayor

New York City's Jewish community -- the largest in the United States -- abounds with anxiety and friction ahead of Tuesday's election that could give the city its first Muslim mayor. That candidate, Zohran Mamdani, has won over many progressive Jewish voters with vows to make the city more affordable and equitable. Yet, he has alarmed many other Jews -- in New York and across the US -- with harsh criticism of Israel, including saying its military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide. The tensions within the politically diverse community were illustrated on Friday in a sermon by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, who leads the Central Synagogue in Manhattan, one of the country's most prominent Reform synagogues. She pointedly criticised Mamdani's words about Israel, yet declined to endorse either of his opponents, Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, and pleaded for New York's Jews to minimise virulent political infighting. It endangers all of us: It's the way we are trying to impose a lit

UK confronts rising long-term terror threat linked to ongoing Gaza conflict

The fatal Manchester attack by Jihad Al-Shamie has heightened UK security concerns since Oct. 7, 2023, though his motives and path to the standoff remain unclear

Weakness brings more terrorism: Netanyahu on Manchester synagogue attack

The attack took place in Manchester's Crumpsall, where a car struck pedestrians and a man was stabbed, killing at least two and leaving three others critically injured

US criticism of India over Ukraine 'deeply troubling', says Jewish group

American Jewish Committee defends India over Russian oil purchases, urging Washington to reset ties after Trump's tariffs and Peter Navarro's "Modi's war" remarks

Fight against antisemitism must not be weaponised: Macron tells Netanyahu

The tensions come after Netanyahu, in mid-August, accused Macron of fuelling antisemitism in France by announcing that the country would recognise a Palestinian state during a UN meeting in September

Australia expels Iranian ambassador over alleged antisemitic attacks

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Iran of directing at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia and said the country is expelling the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday. Albanese said that Australian intelligence services had connected Iran to attacks on a Sydney restaurant and a Melbourne mosque. There has been a steep rise in antisemitic events in the two cities since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023. ASIO has gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion. The Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks. Iran has sought to disguise its involvement but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks, Albanese told reporters, referring to the main domestic spy agency.

Pakistani man extradited to US for plotting attack at Jewish centre in NYC

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan allegedly conspired to carry out a mass shooting at a Brooklyn Jewish centre on the Hamas attack anniversary, in support of Islamic State

Man charged with hate crime in Boulder attack on 'Zionists' to face court

A man who told investigators he was driven by a desire to kill all Zionist people when he threw Molotov cocktails at demonstrators raising awareness of Israeli hostages is set to make his first appearance in federal court on Friday to face a hate crime charge. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused in Sunday's attack on the weekly event in Boulder, which investigators say he planned for a year. The federal case is being adjudicated in Denver, but Soliman was also charged in state court in Boulder Thursday with attempted murder and assault counts as well as counts related to the 18 Molotov cocktails police say he carried to the demonstration. Federal authorities say Soliman, an Egyptian national, has been living in the US illegally. Soliman is represented by state and federal public defenders, who do not comment on their cases to the media. Investigators say Soliman told them he had intended to kill all of the roughly 20 participants at the weekly demonstration on Boulder's popular .

US judge halts deportation of family of Boulder firebombing suspect

A federal judge issued an order Wednesday to prevent the deportation of the wife and five children of an Egyptian man charged in the firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado. US District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher granted a request from the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman to halt deportation proceedings of his wife and five children who were taken into federal custody Tuesday by US immigration officials. The family members have not been charged in the attack on a group demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Soliman faces federal hate crime charges and state charges of attempted murder in the Sunday attack in downtown Boulder. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Wednesday that they are being processed for removal proceedings. It's rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation. Soliman's wife, 18-year-old daughter, two minor sons and two minor daughters all are Egyptian citizens, the Department of

Boulder community to hold vigil after 12 injured in firebombing attack

As members of the Boulder community reeled from a firebombing attack that injured 12 people demonstrating for the release of Israeli hostages, residents prepared to come together for a vigil Wednesday. Mohamed Sabry Soliman had planned to kill all of the roughly 20 participants in Sunday's demonstration at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall, but he threw just two of his 18 Molotov cocktails while yelling Free Palestine, police said. Soliman, an Egyptian man who federal authorities say has been living in the US illegally, didn't carry out his full plan because he got scared and had never hurt anyone before, police wrote in an affidavit. His wife and five children were taken into custody Tuesday by US immigration officials, and the White House said they could be swiftly deported. It's rare that family members of a person accused of a crime are detained and threatened with deportation in this way. Soliman told authorities that no one, including his family, knew about his plans

Colorado attack is result of Biden's 'open border' policy, says Trump

The six victims, aged between 67 and 88, suffered varying degrees of burns. Soliman was also injured and taken to a hospital under police custody

70% of Jewish Holocaust survivors will be gone in next 10 yrs: Report

Eighty years after the Holocaust, more than 2,00,000 Jewish survivors are still alive but 70 per cent of them will be gone within the next 10 years meaning time is running out to hear the voices of the last generation who suffered through one of the worst atrocities in history. Currently, the survivors' median age is 87, and more than 1,400 of them are over 100 years old, a new report said Tuesday. We have known that this population of survivors would be the last, our final opportunity to hear their first-hand testimonies, to spend time with them, our last chance to meet a survivor, said Greg Schneider, the executive vice president of the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also referred to as the Claims Conference, which published the study. The report's analysis of population projections and mortality rates provides details through 2040. It is based on the extensive data collected since 1952 by the Claims Conference, which includes survivors who .

Trump admin cancels $400 mn in grants, contracts with Columbia University

The Trump administration said Friday that it's pulling $400 million from Columbia University, cancelling grants and contracts because of what the government describes as the Ivy League school's failure to squelch antisemitism on campus. The notice came five days after federal agencies announced they were considering orders to stop work on $51 million in contracts with the New York City university and reviewing its eligibility for over $5 billion in federal grants going forward. And it came after Columbia set up a new disciplinary committee and ramped up its own investigations into students critical of Israel, alarming free speech advocates. But Columbia's efforts evidently didn't go far enough for the federal government. Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement ...

UN announces new plan to counter surge in antisemitism, hate crimes

The United Nations announced new actions Friday to counter the surge in antisemitism, including encouraging governments to enforce laws against hate crimes and discrimination. The UN, created in the aftermath of the World War II Holocaust in 6 six million Jews were killed, has worked to counter antisemitism. But the 193-member global organisation has been accused of being antisemitic, including by US President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for UN ambassador, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik. She is pro-Israel and has called the UN a den of antisemitism that she intends to confront. The UN Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism is mainly focused on strengthening and coordinating work throughout the United Nations, but it also includes recommendations for governments and organisations. Miguel Moratinos, the head of the UN Alliance of Civilisations, which developed the plan, said he was alarmed at the surge in antisemitic incidents online and offline, citing attacks

US settles with Johns Hopkins over 'discrimination' against Arabs, Jews

The university has agreed to review its anti-harassment policies and to provide training to staff and students

Australian state mulling protest ban at worship sites to check antisemitism

An Australian state government on Tuesday proposed new restrictions on protesters in response to rising antisemitism, including a ban on demonstrations outside places of worship. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan proposed the new laws after arsonists damaged a Melbourne synagogue this month and protestors kept fearful worshippers trapped inside a Sydney synagogue for three hours a week earlier. That's not peaceful protest. It's menacing behaviour, Allan said. Antisemitism is a cancer and we must leave no stone unturned to fight the evil of antisemitism, to fight the evil of this racism in all of its forms and also to continue to work to help heal our multicultural community, to help build on that social cohesion and continue to support our strong, united Victoria, she added. The new laws would protect the right of people to gather and pray free from fear, harassment and intimidation, her office said in a statement. The proposed laws, which will be voted on by the state legislature ea

Australian police launch operation, probe increased antisemitic attacks

Australian federal police launched a special operation to investigate an increase in antisemitic threats and violence since the war between Israel and Hamas began last year. Jewish leaders say prejudice against their community has reached unprecedented levels, with most incidents reported in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's largest cities where 85 per cent of the nation's Jewish population live. Almost 1,17,000 Jewish people live in Australia, according to the last census in 2021, or 0.46 per cent of the 25.4 million residents. The government says only Israel is home to more Holocaust survivors than Australia on a per capita basis. Here's a look at some of the main cases investigated by Special Operation Avalite: Dec. 11: Antisemitic graffiti attacks in the eastern Sydney suburb of Woollahra Police are looking for two male suspects, estimated to be aged between 15 and 20, seen running from Magney St in Woollahra when a car fire was reported at 1 am. Two cars including the one th

VIDEO: Israeli fans attacked in Amsterdam after football match; 10 injured

Amsterdam police detained several individuals for rioting. However, officials did not confirm whether those arrested were football fans or associated with pro-Palestinian protests

Throughout history, Jews found refuge in India: Israeli envoy Reuven Azar

Azar said that Indians and Jews have been oppressed historically, but now as they are free, they have the opportunity to flourish together