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Wednesday, August 28, 2024

08/28 Links Pt2: Tears of a Clown; Scenes from the massacres; The trouble with Candace; WaPo Outright Lies About BDS

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: Tears of a Clown
The plot of the movie was rather straightforward. A clown is arrested by the Nazis for making fun of Adolf Hitler. He’s sent to a concentration camp where he is required to lead children to the gas chambers.

We may still see the script filmed in some format: Producer Kia Jam says he has acquired rights to the original, pre-Lewis screenplay. But Lewis is the real draw: the legendary Jewish funnyman directing a Holocaust drama about a clown, combined with the fact that it was filmed and then buried, is the reason for the almost mythical stature of The Day the Clown Cried.

“The original story was a tale of horror, conceit, and finally, enlightenment and self-sacrifice,” script co-writer Charles Denton told JTA. Lewis apparently renamed the clown Helmut Doork. “Jerry had turned it into a sentimental, Chaplinesque representation of his own confused sense of himself, his art, his charity work, and his persecution at the hands of critics.”

According to Denton and his co-writer Joan O’Brien, the decision to keep it buried isn’t actually Lewis’s. By the time he shot the film, it’s not clear his producer still had rights to the script. Plus, O’Brien and Denton “were so horrified by the footage Lewis showed them that they refused to ever grant him, or any entities associated with him, the right to release it — a provision that still holds true today, despite all three parties having died.”

Which means the Library of Congress has limits on what it can release to the public. It does not have the full movie and it will not hold screenings or public exhibitions of what it does have. The materials Lewis gave the library can be viewed with permission by researchers.

The movie’s apparent terribleness is also part of the draw. Holocaust movies are about as rare as Abe Lincoln biographies: Though they can be very different from each other, the genre itself is always producing something. Even oddball takes on it break through. Just consider Quentin Tarantino’s vengeful revisionist bloodbath Inglourious Basterds (2009) and Taika Waititi’s satirical farce JoJo Rabbit (2019).

But a secret flop from a Jewish comedy megastar? There’s a reason it’s among the most famous movies never made. (Or, in this case, never released.) There’s been a ton of theorizing about what actually went wrong, but the writer Devorah Baum probably got it right when she told the BBC that Lewis may have just looked at the raw film he shot and thought, “actually, this wasn’t such a great idea.”
Scenes from the massacres
Sunday marked the 200th anniversary of the unveiling of Eugène Delacroix’s Scenes from the Massacres at Chios, a fourteen-by-twelve-foot oil painting now housed in the Louvre. To Martin Kramer, this painting, with its images of huddled survivors and scattered corpses, “cannot but evoke the primal brutality of October 7.” He explains its historical background:
In 1822, the prosperous Ottoman-ruled island of Chios, in the Aegean Sea, was seized by Greek insurgents. The Ottomans recaptured the Greek-populated island with a ferocity that shocked Europe. Estimates vary, but the Ottomans massacred, enslaved, and starved as many as 100,000 Greek Christians, leaving the island depopulated. Graphic accounts of savage torture spread across the continent, fueling the philhellene movement with rage and resolve. In composing his painting, Delacroix relied on such reports, as well as conversations with a French eyewitness.

In Kramer’s view, the connection to the depredations of Hamas is more than just visual:
The foremost French specialist on Islam and politics, Gilles Kepel, in his new book Holocaustes: Israël, Gaza et la guerre contre l’Occident, has presented October 7 through the lens of its perpetrators, as a ghazwa (razzia in European parlance): a raid deliberately intended to subjugate and dehumanize a non-Muslim adversary. The prophet Mohammad conducted such a raid against the Jewish tribes of the Khaybar oasis in Arabia in the year 628.

The line that connects the years 628 and 2023 (with 1824 along the way) is one of traditionally Muslim and now Islamist supremacism. It not only promises victory but seeks to inscribe it upon the bodies of the vanquished.
France has become the antisemitic capital of Europe
In 2018 I claimed that France is the most “dangerous European country for Jews,” noting that antisemitic attacks had increased that year by 74 percent on 2017. I returned to the theme in January 2020 in an article entitled “How long until there are no Jews left in France.”

Since Hamas unleashed it barbarous attack on Israel ten months ago, antisemitic acts have rocketed by 200 percent, according to figures announced this week by Gérald Darmanin, the interior minister. Included in the figures are two attempts to burn down synagogues.

The first was in May when police shot dead an Algerian man as he attempted to set fire to a synagogue in Rouen. The second happened on Saturday when a man wearing a keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag carried out a similar act in a suburb of Montpellier, igniting the building and blowing up two cars on the street outside.

There was the customary condemnation from all political parties, including President Emmanuel Macron and the man who is still filling in as prime minister, Gabriel Attal.

Their words did not go down well with many of the country’s Jewish community. Chief Rabbi Haïm Korsia bemoaned “tears that look more like crocodile tears than tears of compassion.”

He accused Jean-Luc Melenchon’s far-left La France Insoumise of fanning the flames of antisemitism, as did Simone Rodan Benzaquen, director of the American Jewish Committee in France and Europe. “I consider today that La France Insoumise [LFI] has structurally become an antisemitic party,” she said.

Similar accusations were leveled at the party in June by Serge Klarsfeld, France’s most venerable Nazi hunter, who has dedicated his life to bringing to justice those responsible for the Holocaust.

A rising star in La France Insoumise is Rima Hassan. “Outside Western hegemonic thinking, no one considers October 7 an act of terrorism,” she said recently, not long after allegedly attending a rally in Jordan which paid tribute to Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas assassinated last month in Tehran.

Asked who he would vote for if he had to choose between Melenchon and Marine Le Pen, Klarsfeld said the latter because in his opinion she has purged her party of her father’s antisemitism.

Days after that interview, Macron and his government were given a similar choice before the second lround of the parliamentary election. In their case, however, they had a third option: to remain neutral. Instead, the government sided with LFI and the left, telling voters it was their “moral duty” to prevent Le Pen’s party coming to power. Their alliance stretched to grubby agreements in which candidates dropped out in close contests to boost their chances of defeating the Rassemblement National. Gérald Darmanin, for instance, might have lost his seat to the Rassemblement National had not the LFI candidate stood down.

No wonder French Jews are frightened about the future. Do they even have a future in France given that a large swath of the political class is aiding and abetting the terrifying resurgence of antisemitism? I’ll repeat the question I asked four years ago: how long until there are no Jews left in France?


David Singer: Has Harris heard Israel?
Kamala Harris - in her acceptance speech on 22 August as Democratic Party nominee for President– signalled she had now abandoned pursuing the creation of a Palestinian Arab state between Israel and Jordan proposed by President Biden on 10 June.

Biden’s proposal was contained in draft Security Council Resolution S/2024/448 prepared by the United States of America: Unifying Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority (Biden’s Solution) – adopted 14-0 by the Security Council in Resolution 2735.

Harris made no mention of Biden’s Solution in her acceptance speech – only this declaration:

“President Biden and I are working to end this war such that - Israel is secure - the hostages are released - the suffering in Gaza ends - and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity. Security. Freedom. And self-determination“

Missing was Biden’s identification of the defined area in which such self-determination should be exercised and under whose authority it should function.

Biden’s Solution was on the slippery slide to self-destruction well before Harris ditched it - after Israel’s Knesset and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made it clear on 17 July and 4 August respectively that Israel would not agree to any new state between Israel and Jordan (two-state solution).

Biden’s Solution bordered on the farcical when China announced on 23 July that Hamas and Fatah as well as 12 other Palestinian Arab groups had laid the groundwork for an interim national reconciliation government – which was promptly rejected by America and Israel.

Harris’s non-reaffirmation of Biden’s Solution in her acceptance speech has opened up the prospect that Harris may be contemplating endorsing other ideas. Perhaps it is time to familiarize her with the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine Solution (HKOPS) - first published on 8 June 2022: Unifying Jordan, Gaza and part of the West Bank under the Hashemites – the ruling authority in Jordan for more than 100 years comprising 77% of former Palestine - enjoying a signed peace treaty with Israel since 1994.

HKOPS has never been raised or discussed by Biden or the Security Council as a possible solution - as both continue to unsuccessfully pursue a two-state solution sought in Security Council Resolution 2334 which was adopted on 23 December 2016 - after Obama and Biden failed to veto its passage as they were vacating the White House to make way for a victorious Donald Trump.
The trouble with Candace
I have never been more disappointed by a celebrity than I am with Candace Owens. I don’t relish that. She used to be the reason that I, a College Republican at the University of Virginia, spoke up about my unpopular political views. She once stood up for her beliefs and didn’t care what anyone thought about her. I am a people-pleaser by nature and I learned many lessons from her.

But Owens has taken the political rebel “thing” too far, into the utterly repugnant and indefensible.

The right needs to take a good look in the mirror and make sure we are proud of who represents us. Many young conservatives think of themselves as the counterculture of our generation. But we need to remember that just because a person speaks at conservative conferences and shares controversial ideas, it does not mean the individual or idea has merit.

Conservatives should continue to seek truth and speak up for freedom of speech. But we need to remember that a controversial opinion does not equate to a noble one. We can defend free speech without agreeing with that speech. We can be on the side of open-mindedness and kindness, civility and respect.

So, young conservatives: Candace Owens is no longer “it.” There are plenty of conservative superstars out there to follow, learn from and support. Be selective.

There is a split in the conservative movement, with a sector of isolationists straying from the Republican Party’s traditional ironclad support for Israel. We must correct this course and support Israel unequivocally. There is a difference between “America first” and “America only.” Israel is one of our greatest allies and a strong Israel means a strong United States both economically and defensively.

The world is an increasingly dangerous and hostile place. As America’s enemies like China, Russia and Iran grow stronger, our long-standing relationships with our allies are more vital to the survival of our nation than ever. Conservatives must continue to support Israel and be a friend to the Jewish people.
Why several leading labor unions abandoned their long-standing support for Israel
“Who’s got the power?” Brandon Mancilla, a union leader with United Auto Workers, shouted at a political rally in Washington in July. “We got the power!” the audience roared back.

Mancilla is not an auto worker, and the rally was not about workers’ rights. He was delivering a fiery address at a rally organized by anti-Israel groups to protest the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington. A Harvard doctoral student and the director of a United Auto Workers region that includes New York City, New England and Puerto Rico, Mancilla has been at the forefront of the historic union’s increasingly strident criticism of Israel. A promotional document posted online by the UAW-led “labor contingent” at the anti-Netanyahu rally called the Israeli premier a “wanted war criminal” and accused the U.S. of aiding “his ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.”

In December, the UAW — which, of course, includes auto workers and other industrial laborers, but has in recent decades expanded to include more college-educated workers such as graduate students and public defenders — became the first major union to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. It also created a group to consider divestment from Israel. Among the locals that had previously signed onto the cease-fire statement adopted by the UAW were a diverse contingent of workers, including teachers, legal aid workers and nonprofit employees.

By July, the UAW led a contingent of seven unions, including the National Education Association, Service Employees International Union, flight attendants and postal workers, to throw their support behind a U.S. arms embargo on Israel. The group represents more than 6 million workers.

All told, UAW president Shawn Fain has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of Israel on the left since Oct. 7. The pugilistic activist was elected in 2023 to the union’s top post in its first-ever direct vote by union members, a concession the union agreed to after facing corruption scandals. In a runoff vote, Fain won by fewer than 500 votes — and since leading a major strike last fall, he has become a well-known national figure popular on the progressive left.

The UAW’s public statements, including its call for an arms embargo, have always included a call for the release of the hostages held by Hamas. But Fain didn’t mention the hostages on a Labor for Cease-fire video call in February. Neither did Mancilla at his recent speech in Washington. Nor did they mention Hamas.

The decision by the UAW and other leading labor organizations to call for an end to American military aid to Israel represents a stunning reversal of many unions’ long-standing support for Israel, dating back nearly a century, when American unions donated money to the Histadrut, Israel’s national labor union.

“The fact that those seven unions last month, like UAW and SEIU, issued that statement is pretty remarkable, given how much reluctance there’s been, traditionally, to to have any criticism of Israel,” said Jeff Schuhrke, a labor historian at Empire State University.

Labor unions’ calls for an arms embargo puts Democrats in an awkward position. Unions have long been a core constituency for Democrats, and the UAW endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris days after President Joe Biden dropped out of this year’s presidential race in July. Then Fain received a prominent speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention last week. But neither he nor any of the other union leaders who spoke on stage in Chicago addressed the war in Gaza. (Later in the week, the UAW called on the DNC to have a Palestinian-American speak at the convention after the parents of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin gave a primetime address.)
From 'Israel Has a Right To Defend Itself' to 'Immediate Ceasefire': Rep. Susan Wild Caught Sending Contradictory Letters to Constituents, Stating Dueling Views on War
When two of Rep. Susan Wild’s constituents, a mother-daughter pair, wrote the Pennsylvania Democrat urging her to support Israel in its fight against Hamas, they received not one but two letters in response. One declared support for Israel and its "right to defend itself." The other called for international pressure on the Jewish state and an "immediate ceasefire."

The dueling letters, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, were both sent on May 21 and signed by Rep. Wild herself. They appear to be stock letters drafted by Wild's office. While pushing out such letters to constituents is standard for a member of Congress, Wild's letters provide drastically different assessments of the war that are now public after Wild inadvertently sent one version to the mother and the other to the daughter.

In the pro-Israel missive, the congresswoman said she was "outraged, devastated, and heartbroken" over the "vicious" Hamas attack. She expressed support for "the Israeli people and all fellow Jews" and reiterated Israel’s "right to defend itself." She also pledged to "do everything I can as your representative to ensure Israel has the ability and capacity to restore and maintain its security and safety of all its citizens."

In a contradictory letter sent to the daughter, the congresswoman also said she was "outraged, devastated, and heartbroken." But this time, she was devastated about the "unspeakable tragedy continuing to unfold in Gaza," adding that the Israeli military "has inflicted devastation on staggering numbers of innocent Palestinian children, families, and civilians in Gaza." She called for an "immediate ceasefire" and pledged to "always listen and fully consider" the perspective of Israel's enemies.

The two letters are an embarrassing mixup for Wild, who is running for reelection in one of the country's tightest House races. It comes as she works to moderate her policy positions on immigration, energy, crime, and other hot-button issues in the wake of a redistricting cycle that added Trump-loving Carbon County to her swing district. (Earlier this year, Wild was caught on a Zoom call deriding the county's residents as bigots who "drank the Trump Kool-Aid." In 2022, she was also caught on tape saying she needed to "school" Carbon County residents for their support of Trump.)

Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, which Wild represents, has a substantial Arab population in addition to an engaged Jewish community. For the constituents who wrote to Wild, the conflicting letters raise questions about the congresswoman’s authenticity.

"She tells one group one thing and tells another group another thing," said one of Wild’s constituents, who spoke to the Free Beacon on condition of anonymity over concerns about retribution from anti-Israel activists.

"I’ve never believed when she spoke about Israel that she was being authentic," this person said. "She has definitely favored the pro-Palestinian voters."
On white nationalist’s show, Georgia state official Kandiss Taylor said Jews are ‘controlling everything’
A Republican state party official in Georgia appeared to agree with the host of a white nationalist TV show who said Jews run the government, responding, “They’re controlling everything.”

Kandiss Taylor, who chairs the Republican Party in her southeast Georgia congressional district, appeared on a mid-February episode of “The Stew Peters Show,” whose namesake host lives in Florida and has a history of promoting antisemitic rhetoric and Holocaust denial. Peters and Taylor discussed the arrest of a man accused of vandalizing a rainbow crosswalk mural in south Florida honoring the LGBTQ+ community.

In the episode, which the liberal media watchdog Media Matters for America reported Monday, Peters said, “No more funding our own demise — bioweapons and forever wars from the Jewish lobby that basically runs our entire government. And they run this as well, don’t they?”

Taylor responded, “Yeah they run this. 100%. They’re controlling everything.”

The comments were condemned by Georgia’s only Jewish state representative, Democrat Esther Panitch, who called on the state Republican Party to condemn the exchange.

“Ok, @GaRepublicans, it’s time to show the Jewish community of Georgia that you reject antisemites. Let me know if I can be of assistance,” she wrote on X.

“We always knew she was extreme,” Panitch told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I just didn’t realize her extremism went after Jews. I mean, I’m not surprised, but I was not aware of these specific comments.”

Panitch also told JTA that nobody from the Georgia Republican Party had reached out to her about Taylor’s comments.

“You can’t pretend to be a friend to the Jews, or to support us, and allow your officials to make these statements without any remarks,” she added.

This is not the first time this month that Taylor has been in the public eye for comments about religious discrimination. In an Aug. 17 episode of her podcast, “Jesus, Guns and Babies,” Taylor said that only Christians should be permitted to run for elected office.
IDF: Extremists attack on Jit was worst Jewish terror event ever
On Wednesday, IDF Central Commander Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth called the attack by around 100 Jewish extremists on the Palestinian West Bank village of Jit on August 15 the worst Jewish terror event ever.

In issuing his probe of the event, which resulted in the burning of numerous homes and cars, the death of one Palestinian, and attacks on others, Bluth said that he and all those involved from Israel, including the IDF, failed to properly defend the Palestinian village properly.

The military said that the investigation revealed there had been a regional warning before the attack when the Shin Bet noticed that extremists were gathering in cars and that this warning led the security forces to deploy around main junctions and routes.

However, at this stage, the IDF did not block the entrance to Jit. The probe does not provide an explanation, but it conveys the importance of learning lessons for the future.

Sources told The Jerusalem Post that the Shin Bet warning was general and that the agency had not followed the physical movements of the attackers – as it sometimes does – using drones.

Sources also told the Post that the IDF and Shin Bet were surprised because there had been no Palestinian terror event that day. Similar incidents in the past occurred in much closer proximity to a Palestinian terror event as a direct retaliation, they explained.

Finally, sources suggested that the Jewish attackers might have deliberately chosen Jit, a village not previously attacked, to surprise the IDF.
US sanctions Israeli security coordinator, NGO for ‘extremist settler violence’
The U.S. State Department announced new sanctions on Wednesday on an Israeli nonprofit and civilian security coordinator that it alleges are engaged in “extremist settler violence” in Judea and Samaria.

“Extremist settler violence in the West Bank causes intense human suffering, harms Israel’s security, and undermines the prospect for peace and stability in the region,” Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, stated.

“As part of the United States’ efforts to address the extreme levels of instability and violence against civilians in the West Bank, we are taking additional actions today against those who engage in or provide material support for violent activities there,” he said.

The new measures include sanctions against the Hashomer Yosh organization, which allegedly supports the already sanctioned Meitarim Farm as well as other individuals, and prevented 250 Palestinians from returning to their village in January.

The department also placed sanctions on Yitzhak Levi Filant, the civilian ‘security coordinator of the Yitzhar settlement in Samaria.

“Israel views with utmost severity the imposition of sanctions on citizens of Israel,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated on Wednesday. “The issue is in a pointed discussion with the United States.”

The U.S. announcement describes Filant as “akin to a security or law enforcement officer,” but says he has also “engaged in malign activities outside the scope of his authority.”


Namibia blocks vessel suspected of carrying 'explosive material destined for Israel'
The vessel MV Kathrin, en route from Vietnam, was blocked from docking in Namibia on suspicion of carrying military cargo for Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the BBC reported on Tuesday night.

The ship was stopped due to “explosive material destined for Israel,” Namibian Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab claimed. The ship, which left from Vietnam, had requested to dock at Walvis Bay before continuing north towards the Mediterranean.

Walvis Bay, Namibia's largest commercial port, is located on the western side of the African continent. It handles nearly 900 vessels and about eight million tonnes of cargo each year, the BBC cited the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport). The MV Kathrin was set to dock there on Monday but was stopped.

Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab said this was in line with Namibia's support for the Palestinian people and its call to end the violence in Gaza, as reported by the state-run New Era news website.

The report noted that the reason for the MV Kathrin's request to dock was initially uncertain, as ships on long voyages often stop for supplies, rest, or cargo exchanges. Commitment to avoid alleged war crimes

Citing a police investigation, Dausab later confirmed that the MV Kathrin was "indeed carrying explosive material destined for Israel" and was thus barred from entering Namibian waters. She stressed that Namibia is committed to avoiding involvement in "Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, as well as its unlawful occupation of Palestine."

The BBC noted that the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) welcomed the decision, with Herbert Jauch saying they are "pleased that our government has decided to respect international law and not be complicit in genocide."
UKLFI: Barbican’s Palestinian event may breach its charitable objects and equality law
The Barbican is staging a Palestinian event describing “signs of genocide” in Gaza, which may breach charity and equality law.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has written to the CEO and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Barbican Centre, regarding a forthcoming show at the Barbican called “Voices of Resistance”. It is described as “a performance of testimonies from people experiencing what Amnesty International has called ‘alarming signs of genocide’.”

UKLFI has been approached by members of the public who are concerned that this performance will be promoting a political viewpoint, and talking about a so-called “genocide” in Gaza, when no genocide has actually occurred.

UKLFI pointed out to the Barbican that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) earlier this year did not make any finding that there was a genocide or a plausible case of genocide, despite misreporting of this matter, as clarified by the ICJ former president Joan Donaghue.

UKLFI also suggested that the Barbican would be breaching the Charity Commission Guidance on Political Activities as “Voices of Resistance” appears to be political propaganda, aimed at influencing public opinion as well as policies or decisions taken by government.

According to Charity Commission guidance, charities can take part in political activity that supports their purpose and is in their best interests. However, promoting the false claim that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza appears to be political activity outside the Barbican’s charitable objects, which are to support arts and cultural activities.

A show promoting the idea that Israel has committed a genocide is also likely to stir up religious hatred against Jews and Israelis, contrary to Section 18 of the Public Order Act 1986.

Furthermore, by presenting this show, the Barbican could breach Section 29 of the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act”). It is likely to discriminate against Jews and Israelis, who have protected characteristics of race, religion and belief under section 4 of Act. Any Jewish or Israeli person attending the event is likely to feel that there is an intimidating, hostile and offensive environment, given the content of the show. This would amount to harassment under the Act.
The Dangerous Evolution of Cancel Culture
Academic boycotts targeting ideas, individuals, and institutions deemed problematic are no longer just in vogue for faculty. This illiberal and anti-intellectual tactic has now been adopted by students—presumably taking a cue from faculty and administrators—to cancel faculty who hold views they disagree with.

I encountered this personally during the most recent course interview week at Sarah Lawrence College, during which I learned that several groups—like the Sarah Lawrence Socialist Coalition and the Sarah Lawrence Review—decided that because I support Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself, my lectures will be corrupted and therefore should be boycotted.

During interview week, professors hold Zoom sessions to discuss their course plans and engage with prospective students—a course-shopping practice that started during the pandemic. This year, several leftist students, intent on canceling me and boycotting my courses—I’m teaching classes on Polarization and Presidential Leadership—resorted to privately messaging many of the prospective students in my Zoom room. These factually inaccurate and deliberately provocative messages went unnoticed by me during the session, as I was focused on sharing syllabi and other course-related information. It wasn’t until after the session that one of the students who received a message showed it to me, and I became aware of the situation. The next day, my classes, which are typically oversubscribed with waitlists, were not full—a stark contrast, especially during an election year. The message—posted below—which falsely stated that I tweeted a comment conflating “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) advocates with Nazis, read:

Cancel culture, as we know it, mostly occurs through social media, which anyone with an internet connection can view. While that’s bad enough, this tactic of directly messaging students is a chilling evolution of cancel culture that threatens speech, expression, learning, and open inquiry.

The culture of vocal, organized, and illiberal forces is now driving students away from courses these groups find objectionable. Unlike larger, more diffuse schools like Pace University or New York University, smaller residential schools like Sarah Lawrence College—where everyone knows everyone and reputations are critical—face amplified risks. When students are directly messaged about a boycott, it clearly signals that enrolling in my class could be risky. Such a culture is the antithesis of a true collegiate education. It is nearly impossible to stand against a mob that has declared someone persona non grata. While protesting a professor in the public sphere is one thing, directly targeting and approaching students through multiple channels raises the stakes, significantly increasing the intimidation for those who refuse to fall in line.
Author Whose Talk Was Canceled Over ‘Zionist’ Panelist Sees Sales Surge, Packed Crowds
The author of a book on Jewish American identity enjoyed a sellout crowd at a rescheduled event after the original discussion was canceled over the presence of a Zionist panelist.

Joshua Leifer, author of Tablets Shattered: The End of an American Jewish Century and the Future of Jewish Life, spoke alongside Rabbi Andy Bachman at the Center for New Jewish Culture in Brooklyn on Monday. The original discussion, which was scheduled at Powerhouse Books in Brooklyn last Tuesday, was canceled at the last minute by an employee who did not want the bookstore to platform a “Zionist” rabbi.

During Monday’s discussion, Leifer lambasted the cancellation as both “wrong and antisemitic” as well as “the dumbest strategic thing you can do.”

The bookstore’s owner, Daniel Power, later clarified in an interview that Powerhouse Books does not maintain an official ban on Zionist authors and that the employee acted on her own. He revealed that the employee responsible for canceling the event quit on her own accord before he could fire her.

The bookstore issued an apology soon after the incident, writing, “litmus tests as a precondition for participation in public life are wrong. Rejections of dialogue, debate, and nuance are wrong.”

Despite the inconvenience, the backlash over the viral incident seems to have benefited Leifer. Roughly 300 people attended the rescheduled discussion, as opposed to the estimated two dozen that showed up for the original event. Leifer’s book currently holds the number one spot in the “History of Judaism” section on Amazon.

“In large part, this sanctuary is filled because of what happened,” Bachman stated at the event.

Leifer, a political progressive and writer, has issued blistering criticisms of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. He has called for a change in the “status quo” of Israeli policy and has encouraged the American Jewish community to reexamine its relationship with Israel.

In an essay published in The Atlantic, Leifer reflected on the decision to snub Bachman for being a Zionist, saying that it “exemplified the bind that many progressive American Jews face.”
Lawsuit: Santa Ana schools hid ethnic studies creation from Jewish residents
The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) concealed the development of ethnic studies courses because its members did not want Jewish community members to know or interfere in the process, the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, and Covington & Burling charged on Monday in a motion to add supporting evidence of a key committee’s disdain for California’s Jewish residents.

Evidence uncovered during discovery in the ongoing September lawsuit over SAUSD allegedly violating public access law detailed how members of the SAUSD Board of Education’s Ethnic Studies Steering Committee reportedly operated since it was created in 2020.

“Discovery in this case has revealed a persistent pattern of antisemitism in the steering committee,” American Jewish Committee Chief Legal Officer Marc Stern said in a statement.

Jewish groups had repeatedly contacted the steering committee over the years to provide input on the course development due to community concerns about the portrayal of Jews and Israel in the controversial 2019 Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, which California Governor Gavin Newsom had rejected.

The Jewish groups were reportedly ignored because “the Jewish community was seen simply as a roadblock to their vision.” The filing further alleged that in October 2022, a meeting was held to discuss how to “address the Jewish question – do we have to create a response?”

“We may need to use Passover to get all new courses approved,” a committee official allegedly texted to another, suggesting to use the distraction and unavailability of the Jewish holiday to avoid public comment.

Other texts by SAUSD employees referred to the Jewish Federation of Orange County, one of the Jewish organizations that attempted to provide input, as “racist Zionists.” One employee reportedly repeated this statement and stood by it in her deposition.
Pro-Israel students, others rally near Columbia for bans on masked protesting
About 120 protesters gathered near Columbia University in New York City on Tuesday evening to call on American college campuses to ban people from protesting with face coverings hiding their identities.

Columbia was one of many sites of anti-Israel student encampments that spread across North American campuses this spring. In April, school’s president Minouche Shafik, who has since resigned, called police to campus to remove anti-Israel vandals who occupied the school’s Hamilton Hall. Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, largely dropped charges against the alleged offenders.

The grassroots civil-rights group End Jew Hatred organized the rally. The group recently launched an “unmask the hate” initiative pushing for legislation to bar face coverings at protests on and off campus.

“We all witnessed the disaster that happened at Columbia University last spring,” Michelle Ahdoot, director of strategy and programming at End Jew Hatred, told JNS. “Masked pro-Hamas agitators were disruptive and scared students as they were walking to their classes on campus.”

Supporting a mask ban is a “true” civil-rights issue, because it upholds democratic values, according to Ahdoot. “There is no value for civil rights when we see lawless pro-Hamas students create havoc with impunity,” she said at the Tuesday rally.

Columbia students who attended the hour-long rally told JNS that they expect campus protests to “escalate” with the start of the new semester.

Maya Zuckerman, a Columbia freshman from New York, told JNS that groups like Students for Justice in Palestine had already disturbed the university’s convocation.

“After everything that happened last year, it is definitely a concern that protests could grow again,” she said. “Even though there are all these people who are trying to drive us off campus, Jewish students here just don’t want to leave and give up on a great education.”


Antisemitic flyers distributed at homes of Berkeley residents
Antisemitic flyers were placed on the doorsteps of Berkeley residents over the weekend, the Berkeley Unified School District said in a statement on Monday.

Local media outlet KRON 4 reported that the Berkeley Police Department was investigating the flyers after around 13 residents contacted them.

BUSD Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel said that the organization stood against "antisemitism, bigotry and all forms of hate, intimidation, discrimination, bullying and harassment" and that she was disturbed that the "incident has resurfaced in our community."

In February a civil rights complaint filed by the Brandeis Center and the Anti-Defamation League alleged that there was a failure to address antisemitic bullying of students and teachers. In early August, other San Francisco Bay Area towns, Napa and Petaluma, also saw the distribution of antisemitic flyers.
NYU faculty to withdraw labor on Labor Day, demand campus reforms
New York University Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (NYUFJ4P) will begin refusing various forms of labor starting Monday, Labor Day in the US, unless the university meets the group’s demands relating to campus protests and free speech and assembly.

The “We Refuse” campaign is not described as a strike but as a “withdrawal” of some work activities that serve the administration and not students, according to an FAQ page from the group.

NYUFJ4P said it’s not asking faculty to withhold from teaching, grading, or holding office hours or research consultations with students. The group said faculty can refuse to participate in departmental committee assignments, service on school- or university-wide committees, appointments to task forces, listening sessions, or other representational work for the university.

Also included can be the refusal of “explicit or implicit participation in surveillance or policing of students or colleagues” and participation in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives that attempt to “advertise or bolster NYU’s supposed commitment to inclusion or social justice, while failing to acknowledge the university’s complicity in genocide and collaboration with the NYPD.”

NYUFJ4P listed three conditions for the administration to adhere to: permanently remove NYPD from campus and reopen campus spaces, including for protest; grant full amnesty for students, staff, and faculty who faced disciplinary action for engaging in protests over Palestine; and publicly and consistently commit to protecting campus speech and protest, including speech and actions critical of any state, including Israel.


The Washington Post Outright Lies About BDS and Anti-Israel Boycott Movements
The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions effort — known as BDS — singles out Israel for opprobrium. BDS portrays the Jewish State as both uniquely evil and solely responsible for the lack of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. BDS has been endorsed by Hamas and other US-designated terrorist groups, and prominent BDS supporters have called for Israel’s destruction.

These are well-established facts. And they’re entirely missing in a recent Washington Post report.

Post correspondent John Hudson’s Aug. 12, 2024, dispatch is about Coca-Cola’s efforts to fend off a boycott based on the company’s links to Israel (“How Coca-Cola Tried and Failed to Suppress a Boycott Over Gaza”). Yet the article is littered with misleading omissions and, in some cases, outright falsehoods.

Hudson writes that “sales of Coca-Coa began to plummet in parts of the Middle East and Asia this summer in response to boycotts of corporations with alleged ties to Israel.” This led to the soda company’s franchise in Bangladesh launching an advertising campaign to blunt boycott efforts. The campaign starred actor Sharaf Ahmed Jibon, known for roles in South Asian soap operas, as a shopkeeper who assured viewers that Coca-Cola was not an Israeli product, and said that “even Palestine has a coke factor.”

But “there was a problem,” Hudson tells readers. “The so-called Palestinian factory is an Israeli-owned bottling company that operates on an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem considered illegal under international law.”

Hudson adds that there’s “widespread anger over Washington’s military and political support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza,” resulting in backlash against American companies like Coca-Cola. Hudson argues that that anger has fueled the BDS movement, which he calls merely a “nonviolent activist movement opposed to Israel’s occupation.”

For good measure, the Post reporter even uncritically quotes Omar Barghouti, a self-described “co-founder” of BDS.

But the Post’s description of BDS is completely — and verifiably — false. BDS isn’t nonviolent. And it is not simply opposed to an “occupation.” Indeed, what exactly is being “occupied” is left unsaid by Hudson. Rather, BDS is opposed to Israel’s very existence — and its founders, including Barghouti, have admitted as much.

As CAMERA has noted, terrorist organizations like Hamas, whose charter calls for the genocide of Jews and the destruction of Israel, have stated, “We salute and support the influential BDS movement.” And according to sworn US Congressional testimony, some BDS groups have links to terror groups like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).


MEMRI: Bisan Owda, A Gaza-Based Filmmaker And Journalist Nominated For An Emmy Award, Supports PFLP Terrorism And Violence
Gaza-based Palestinian journalist, activist and filmmaker Bisan Owda, who has been nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy award for her show "It's Bisan from Gaza and I'm Still Alive" on Qatar's Al-Jazeera Network, has long been known to be an activist for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terrorist organization. For several consecutive years, Owda hosted PFLP public events in the Gaza Strip which were also attended by armed members of the group's military wing. Owda herself appeared at these events wearing PFLP insignia and a military uniform.

At events hosted by Owda, senior PFLP officials delivered speeches praising terrorists, the "resistance" and the "intifada," and made statements underlining the PFLP's dedication to terrorism and to armed conflict with the goal of destroying Israel and establishing a Palestinian state "from the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea" while implementing the Palestinians' "right of return."

The PFLP is a designated terrorist organization in Israel, the U.S., Canada, the European Union and Japan.[1] Since its inception it has carried out many terrorist operations, including several attacks and hijackings involving airliners, such as the 1968 hijacking of El Al Flight 426, the 1969 attack on El Al Flight 432 in Zurich, the 1975 Orly Airport attacks in Paris, during which RPGs were fired at El Al airliners, and more. The PFLP also carried out the October 2001 assassination of Israeli Knesset member Rehavam Ze'evi in a hotel in Jerusalem, and has perpetrated several other attacks in Israeli territory, such as the December 2003 Geha Interchange bus stop suicide bombing, the November 2004 Carmel Market suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, and a shooting attack in Jerusalem in October 2023.

Below are several examples of Bisan Owda's activity with the PFLP terrorist organization:
"Comrade Bisan Owda" Has Been Hosting PFLP Mass Events For Years

Posts on the PFLP website indicate that Bisan Owda has been involved in organizing and hosting the organization's events since 2014, and include pictures of her at these events. The following is a review of these reports:

Owda Hosted PFLP's 2014 Anniversary Event, At Which Key Speaker Said: Armed Struggle Is Our Strategic Option; Palestine Is Ours From The River To The Sea

According to a December 10, 2014 post on the PFLP website, "comrade Bisan Atef Owda" opened that year's event in Gaza marking the anniversary of the organization's founding and invited the participants to observe a moment of silence in memory of the fallen martyrs.

In his speech at the event, PFLP official Jamil Mezher congratulated "every resistance fighter whose finger is on the trigger," and stressed that the organization "will not abandon the path of struggle" and that "the option of resistance, especially armed struggle, is a strategic choice" of the PFLP. He concluded by promising that the organization would continue on this path "until all our strategic goals are achieved: [the right of] return, an [independent Palestinian] state, and [the right to] self-determination on every inch of Palestine, from the river to the sea."[2]


PMW: Senior Palestinian Authority officials promote terror, calling for intifada and Islamic war
Why did the IDF launch a major offensive into several cities in Judea and Samaria last night?
Perhaps it is because senior members of the PA have been calling for an all-out intifada there, and terrorists from all Palestinian factions have been actively seeking to carry out attacks in Israeli cities. The attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last week was just the latest in a series of major attacks that failed at a late stage before their execution.

PA officials have been at the forefront of the calls for systematic violence.

Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadura Fares: “The time has come to express our anger… I ask Almighty Allah to give us inspiration on the correct path and the correct choice, and that we will set out on an intifada against criminal [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu and all his gangs.”

[PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, Facebook page, July 18, 2024]

The PA-led terror campaign from 2000-2005 that the PA calls an “intifada” left more than 1,100 Israelis murdered and tens of thousands injured. Calling for “intifada” is calling for a terror war.

In addition, at a conference attended by senior PA officials, including Fares and Fatah Central Committee Deputy Secretary Sabri Saidam, the host made similar inflammatory remarks ahead of August 3, 2024, “the international day to support Gaza and the Palestinian prisoners”:
Conference host: “Allah willing, Aug. 3, [2024] will be a spark for the Palestinian people and this spark will continue consecutively until we will be liberated from the yoke of the occupation (i.e., Israel). It is not foreign to this people to lead an intifada like this... The [first] Intifada spread out throughout the homeland. This is a great honor that is to be credited to our entire Palestinian people. In 2002 (sic., 2000) [then PM] Sharon entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque and then the [second] Intifada broke out and continued. It is not foreign to our people that an intifada like this will set out from Aug. 3.”

[Official PA TV, July 30, 2024]

These calls for an “intifada” have been coupled with statements by other senior PA officials, such as Abbas’ advisor Mahmoud Al-Habbash, inciting to terrorism throughout Israel – a “jihad”:


Austria Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Pro-Hezbollah Post
The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Iran's ambassador after he posted a message in support of Lebanon's Hezbollah online.

Abbas Bagherpour posted content supporting Hezbollah's airstrikes on Israel last weekend.

The post included the flag of Hezbollah, a group banned in Austria, along with the statement "Hezbollah will win."

“We strongly condemn the use of the image of the Hezbollah flag in the Iranian ambassador's message,” the foreign ministry said.

In 2021, Austria, in line with many EU countries, designated the entirety of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, making no distinction between its military and political branches.

Following widespread criticism from Austrian political parties, Bagherpour removed the post.


Israeli player abused online after signing for Leeds United
Leeds United has signed Israeli winger Manor Solomon on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur and the decision has been met with mixed reactions from LUFC fans.

The signing was announced Tuesday, eliciting many congratulatory messages on social media as well as a flurry of anti-Israel and antisemitic abuse directed at the 25-year-old international player from Kfar Saba in central Israel.

A since-disabled account replied to the announcement on X by saying, “No k**e is welcome at my club.” At the same time, another wrote, “Anyone who is supporting a genocide perpetrator in Manor Solomon transfer to Leeds United, has no morals and we don't want you or him at Elland Rd, you are not worthy of supporting LUFC.”

Solomon, who recently recovered from a knee injury that prevented him from playing competitively with the Spurs since September 2023, made his football debut at 17 for the Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Petah Tikva. He had a loan spell with Fulham from Ukrainian FC Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022-23 and scored four goals in 19 Premier League games.

But Solomon has been attacked online for his Israeli background and service in the IDF, even while signed for Tottenham. The news of his signing for LUFC has reignited anti-Israel abuse towards Solomon, with one X user writing that they’d rather the team be “relegated” than sign “that Zionist Manor Solomon.”
Antisemite pulls down NYC man’s mask before spitting in his face, cops say: ‘Hitler was right’
An antisemitic stranger snarled “Hitler was right” before spitting in a man’s face on the Upper East Side in broad daylight, cops said.

The hateful attacker approached the 65-year-old victim as he walked at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and East 68th Street around 4:10 p.m. July 27, authorities said.

“Should I slap you or punch you?” the bigot threatened the victim, callously adding, “Hitler was right,” police said.

He then pulled down the victim’s face mask and spat in his face, cops said.

The assailant fled toward Madison Avenue, authorities said.

Video released by the NYPD late Tuesday shows the still-at-large menace — described as having a medium complexion, last seen wearing black pants, a black hat and a multicolored shirt — strolling down the street.

The victim did not report any physical injuries.

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident, cops said.

In July alone, the task force investigated 30 anti-Jewish offenses, compared to only 10 during the same period last year, according to data released in early August.
Months on, police yet to identify London man with ‘Hamas 7’ jersey
British police have still not identified a man who was pictured in May wearing a Manchester United soccer jersey with ‘Hamas 7’ printed on the back.

The Telegraph reported in May that authorities were searching for the man, who was photographed by a Jewish passerby near the Oxford Circus tube station in central London.

“Police received a call from a member of the public reporting that a man was walking in Oxford Street, W1 wearing a football shirt with an offensive message on it,” said a Metropolitan Police spokesperson at the time. “Enquiries are underway to try and identify the man.”

The “Hamas 7” tag is a reference to the Palestinian terror group’s Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction to Gaza of more than 250 people, 108 of whom remain in captivity.
New Hampshire man faces charges for smashing synagogue lamps
A New Hampshire man is facing two civil rights violations for smashing the lanterns at a Portsmouth synagogue, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced.

Kevin O’Leary, 31, is accused of smashing two Star of David glass decorative lanterns at the entrance of the Temple Israel synagogue on April 8.

Formella’s office alleged that O’Leary came ready with a hammer to destroy the objects, which contained the symbols of the Jewish community, and that he was motivated by a combination of religious, national origin, and ancestry discrimination.

Interfering with the right to worship
“These acts interfered with the rights and lawful activities of the victims, Temple Israel, and its congregants because the acts interfered with their right to worship freely and display symbols of their faith,” said the New Hampshire Justice Department.

If convicted, O’Leary could face a maximum penalty of $5,000 for each violation and a court restraint from committing civil rights violating or hate-motivated conduct for three years. Formella’s office also asked the court to implement a preliminary restraining order to protect the Temple Israel congregants.

O’Leary turned himself in to law enforcement on April 19 after an arrest warrant for criminal mischief and hate-motivated criminal mischief was issued on April 9, according to the Portsmouth Police Department.

In March, the Formella announced a consent decree with Loren Faulkner for the vandalization of Temple Israel and other businesses, residences, and houses of worship in the city in recent years.

Faulkner had allegedly spray-painted swastikas on other symbols on Temple Israel, a church, a cafe, a tattoo parlor, and 14 other sites in February 2023. He was said to have vandalized signs and murals expressing support for minority groups and destroyed a church’s LGBTQ flag.
Torah scroll stolen from New York City yeshivah returned to owners
A Torah scroll, locked in a safe, stolen months ago from a yeshivah in Queens, N.Y., has been returned to the family that donated it.

Documents provided by the New York City Police Department stated that officers arrested Saul Colon, 37, on Aug. 2. He was charged with burglary in the third degree. An unnamed accomplice remains at large.

Colon confessed to the crime and led investigators to the location of the safe, with the Torah inside, in a wooded area in the New York City borough. The religious item suffered some water damage.

Additional charges Colon received include grand larceny in the second degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree. He faces between seven-and-a-half to 15 years in prison.

The New York Post reported the value of the scroll at more than $50,000.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said that her office and the NYPD “never gave up on this case and, several months later, we arrested one of the suspects and were able to recover the Torah.”
Slovakia set to buy six air defense systems from Israel, as NATO boosts defenses
Slovakia’s government approved plans on Wednesday to buy six mobile air defense systems from Israel for 554.3 million euros ($616.88 million), it said on its website, as the NATO member state strengthens protection of its airspace.

The government also approved the purchase of more than 1,300 6×6 and 8×8 heavy terrain vehicles in a joint acquisition with the Czech Republic, at an expected cost of 708.3 million euros ($788 million), which will replace aging trucks.

Slovakia, whose neighbor Ukraine has fought against a Russian invasion since 2022, has sought to boost air defense capabilities.

It has been part of NATO efforts to bolster the military alliance’s eastern flank. Defense Minister Robert Kalinak has said priorities should be on defense capabilities, especially air defense.

Last month, it received delivery of the first two of 14 new F-16 fighter jets.

The government did not name the defense system to be bought from Israel in a government-to-government deal.

Slovakia operates the medium-range 2K12 KUB system, which was at the end of its life cycle, the defense ministry said in a document released on Wednesday.

Under a previous government, Slovakia donated its aging S-300 air defense system to Ukraine, a decision criticized by the current administration for lowering the country’s air defense capabilities.
Chabad of Poland hosts summer retreat for 200 Ukrainian Jewish refugees
As the war in Ukraine continues into its third summer, Chabad of Poland hosted more than 200 Jewish Ukrainians, hailing from five communities, for a two-week summer experience focused on allowing children and their parents a break from life in a warzone.

The retreat began on Aug. 15 and runs through Aug. 27.

The camp includes specialized activities and psycho-trauma counseling designed to support attendees as they navigate their challenging circumstances. Daily activities range from field trips and arts-and-crafts projects to music and baking classes, all within a spiritually enriching environment. The program is staffed by educational and recreational staff all fluent in Ukrainian.

Participants came from Kamianske, Sumy, Kremenchuk, Dniproand and Kyiv.

“Growing up, summer was our chance to escape the routine of the rest of the year, and dive into sports, fun and lasting friendships. For our children, summer offers a special opportunity to engage in informal education that emphasizes Jewish identity, heritage, values and customs in a more engaging and comprehensive way,” said Rabbi Sholom Ber Stambler, director of Chabad of Poland.

One-third of this year’s program is funded by Mosaic United, a global nonprofit that supports initiatives to strengthen the connections of young Jews to their identities and Israel, in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. Chabad of Poland is covering the remaining two-thirds of the costs through its network of partners.
Unique Roman-era tombs with intricate wall paintings to be open to public in Ashkelon
Two unique, 1,700-year-old Roman-era tombs with intricate, unique wall paintings, discovered decades ago in the coastal city of Ashkelon, have been restored and will be soon open for viewing by the general public for the first time, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Tuesday.

The large vaulted tombs, dating from the 2nd to 4th centuries CE, were used by generations of wealthy families and contain rare depictions of “Greek mythological characters, people, plants and animals,” the IAA said in a statement.

“There aren’t a lot of Roman graves like this” in Israel built for the “aristocratic population… Both graves are family graves, and were in use for a long time, over hundreds of years,” said Dr. Elena Kogan-Zehavi, an IAA senior archaeologist, speaking to The Times of Israel by phone.

“Ashkelon at the time was a full Roman city, very advanced. What is special about these [finds] is the art. There is a lot of personal imagination from the artists. Each artist worked differently and therefore, each tomb is totally different from the other,” she said.

The tombs, to be opened around the upcoming Jewish holidays in October, are part of a new “inviting public garden,” located near the Ashkelon marina in a “previously neglected area” between two residential buildings, the IAA statement said.

One tomb was discovered, filled with sand, in the 1930s by a British expedition during the British Mandate period and dated to the 4th century CE. The structure contains a hall or passageway with “four adjacent burial troughs… decorated by a range of paintings, impressive in quality and skill,” the IAA said.
Unpacked: Who was the Accidental Revolutionary that Fought the USSR?
Once a loyal Soviet citizen and economist, Ida Nudel was inspired by a plane hijacking and transformed into a fierce advocate for Jewish freedom.

Turned into an international symbol of Jewish resilience, Nudel’s fight against the KGB wasn't just for herself but for all Jews trapped behind the Iron Curtain.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:59 Stalin's relationship with Zionism and Russian Jewry
02:36 Ida Nudel and antisemitism
03:30 Soviet Jewish response to the 6 Day War
04:12 Soviet response to the 6 Day War
04:44 The Refuseniks
06:42 The Jewish plane hijacking
08:10 Ida Nudel's becomes a Refusenik
10:39 Ida Nudel becomes a Refusenik leader
11:56 Global Jewish and Western support
13:53 Exile in Siberia
15:26 Life in Moldova and world fame
16:19 Immigration to Israel
17:37 Inspiration and heroism


Documentary About Oct. 7 Nova Music Festival Attack Gets Released in Select Theaters Nationwide
A documentary that features first-hand videos and eyewitness accounts from the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack at the Nova Music Festival will be screened in select theaters across the country from Thursday through Sunday.

A week-long, Oscar-qualifying run of “We Will Dance Again” that began on Aug. 23 is also currently taking place at the Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles and the documentary will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in September. Tickets for all screenings are available online and the showings were organized by Paramount+ in partnership with the platform Iconic Events Releasing.

In order for the documentary to qualify for the Academy Awards, it must meet the eligibility requirements set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which include completing a week-long theatrical run in a commercial theater in a qualifying area.

The award-winning film “We Will Dance Again” includes interviews with more than a dozen young festival-goers who tell the harrowing stories of how they survived the deadly massacre at the music festival in Re’im, Israel, where Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists killed nearly 400 people and kidnapped approximately 40 others. Their testimonies are combined with footage they filmed themselves on their cellphones as well as videos recovered from body cameras worn by the terrorists. The documentary was directed by Yariv Moser, whose award-winning credits include “The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes,” “Ben Gurion: Epilogue” and “My First War.”

“We Will Dance Again” is a See It Now Studios original documentary. It is a co-production with the global entertainment studio Sipur and producer Bitachon 365 in collaboration with MGM Television, a division of Amazon MGM Studios, and the Israeli television content company HSCC. BBC Storyville will broadcast the documentary in the United Kingdom and Israel’s Hot Channel 8 will air it in Israel.

“The human cost of the Hamas attack in Israel and the war that followed in Gaza has been catastrophic for both Israelis and Palestinians.” said Susan Zirinsky, president of See It Now Studios. “It is a painful story of unfathomable tragedy, but also of bravery, sacrifice, and heroism. This film is a document of history, of one of the attacks that began on October 7th at 6:29 in the morning.”






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