Jewish scene
כוחות ביטחון בבית הכנסת "מקדש ישראל"
Antisemitic incidents surge 34% globally since start of war
Attack at Michigan synagogue, shootings targeting Toronto synagogues and a terror operation in Rotterdam are among dozens of incidents reported worldwide this week, according to the Combat Antisemitism Movement
Itamar Eichner | 20:44 | 03.13.26
Torah portion Vayakhel-Pekudei: how Exodus turns slaves into a free nation
The Book of Exodus traces Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom, covenant and national identity
Michael Eisenberg | 14:12 | 03.13.26
A meaningful presence: Midreshet Torat Chessed students
'Important to be here': Foreign volunteers stay in Israel despite war
Students from the Midreshet Torat Chessed in the US, UK and Canada chose to remain in Israel despite the war, continuing their educational work at the AMIT Bet Sabah Elazraki Children's Home in Netanya; 'It feels deeply meaningful to be here in these historic days,' said Florida native Rebecca Shemaa
Eitan Glickman | 11:27 | 03.13.26
אזור בית הכנסת במישיגן
Michigan synagogue attacker identified as naturalized citizen born in Lebanon
According to DHS, 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali entered US in 2011 on an IR1 immigrant visa as the spouse of a US citizen and was granted citizenship in 2016
Associated Press | 03:34 | 03.13.26
Entire Oppenheim family
Resilience under fire: How two Anglo-Israelis keep building life in Israel amid war
When missiles struck near their homes and businesses, a journalist and a restaurant owner chose the same response many Israelis do: keep working, rebuilding and creating community despite the war
ynet Global | 21:03 | 03.12.26
סידני אוסטרליה מכונית הוצתה וכתובות אנטישמיות רוססו על מבנים בפרבר וולארה
Sydney man sentenced to 5 years in prison for arson attacks on Jews
Nicholas James Alexander pleads guilty to seven arson and hate crime counts; judge says he knew the attacks would spread fear through Sydney’s Jewish community 'and beyond'
Itamar Eichner | 17:58 | 03.11.26
Henry Garfinkle
Despite Iran war and canceled flights, two North Americans still make aliyah
Two new immigrants from Canada and the United States landed in Israel this week despite the ongoing war with Iran and flight disruptions, underscoring continued Aliyah and a determination among Jews abroad to build their futures in Israel.
ynet Global | 13:42 | 03.11.26
ד"ר הומיון שמח
Jews in Iran cancel weddings, large gatherings and lay low during war: 'Silence is the wisest course'
About 15,000 Jews currently live in Iran and they are trying not to stand out; 'It wouldn’t look good for celebrations to take place while Iran is under attack';  Jewish leaders warn that contacting Jews inside Iran could put their lives at risk
Itamar Eichner | 02:59 | 03.11.26
ראמבוייה ליד פריז צרפת אדם דקר שוטרת ב תחנת משטרה
Jewish teen attacked in Paris suburb by three youths in antisemitic assault, police launch search
Fourteen-year-old hospitalized after being beaten and threatened with death in Sarcelles; attackers allegedly shouted antisemitic slurs as French authorities arrest two suspects and search for a third
Itamar Eichner | 19:35 | 03.10.26
עולים צעירים במרכז הקליטה בכרמיאל
'We’re not afraid': New olim say they have no regrets
New arrivals in absorption centers across Israel learn Hebrew and the difference between early alerts and real rocket sirens; despite the war, they say immigrating to Israel fulfilled a lifelong dream
Yair Kraus | 13:57 | 03.09.26
בית הכנסת בליאז' שנפגע מהפיצוץ
Explosion outside synagogue in Belgium shatters windows; mayor condemns 'antisemitic act'
An explosive device detonated before dawn outside a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège, damaging the building and nearby homes; officials condemned the blast as a serious antisemitic incident, as police launched an investigation
ynet Global | 12:00 | 03.09.26
הכספת הענקית שהובאה מאתיופיה
Jerusalem’s bomb shelters reveal hidden histories, from Western Wall cave to Ethiopian emperor’s vault
From an ancient cave near the Western Wall to a boxing club and children’s theater, Jerusalem residents fleeing sirens discover unusual underground spaces that offer both protection and a brief escape from the strain of war
Shilo Freid, Gilad Cohen | 11:17 | 03.09.26
Jewish Agency CEO Yehuda Setton and Chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog
Jewish Agency launches relief fund for victims of Iran attacks
Roaring Lion Fund will give emergency grants and counseling to Israelis wounded, displaced or who have lost loved ones to Iranian missile strikes, with support from global Jewish organizations
ynet Global | 19:10 | 03.05.26
קבר הנביא חבקוק ליד העיר טוסרקאן באיראן
Pilgrimage on hold? The Jewish tombs in Iran that remain out of reach
According to local tradition, Esther and Mordechai are not the only biblical figures buried in Iran, where Israel is currently at war; Daniel, the prophet Habakkuk and Serach bat Asher are also said to be laid to rest there
Shilo Freid | 00:42 | 03.05.26
קריאת מגילה בחניון תת-קרקעי בתל אביב
In shelters and safe rooms, Israelis across country read Book of Esther amid sirens
With synagogues closed due to the war with Iran, communities held Purim megillah readings in bomb shelters and protected spaces nationwide; French Jewish youths stranded without proper shelter joined a boarding school in northern Israel in what organizers called 'a living picture of one people'
Shilo Freid, Yair Kraus | 01:06 | 03.04.26
משפחת ריזמוביץ. מתגעגעים לאבא | צילום: באדיבות המשפחה
‘Dad left with the siren’: families mark Purim under fire as parents called up to reserves
Parades and parties canceled nationwide as more than 100,000 Israelis called up to reserve duty; families across the country juggle sirens and separation, determined to preserve the holiday spirit for their children
Gal Ganot | 14:15 | 03.03.26
אִשתר – מתוך פרויקט הגמר של הדסה מאשקאוויץ
‘Reconnecting Iranians to their heritage’: Book of Esther reimagined in Persian-style Hebrew amid war
Hadassah Mashkowitz, a visual communication student, blends Hebrew scripture with Persian calligraphy in her graduation project; as fighting with Iran intensifies, she says the work has taken on unexpected depth and meaning
Yogev Israeli | 13:20 | 03.03.26
מסיבת תחפושות של דיירי בניין, בצל המצב הביטחוני
Purim, Persia and precision strikes: From Holocaust memory and Oct. 7 to reckoning with Iran
An Israeli mother reflects on growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust, raising children under Iran’s threats and watching history echo from ancient Persia to October 7 as old stories of annihilation and survival take on urgent new meaning.
Hadar Galron | 16:12 | 03.02.26
ד"ר הומיון שמח (משמאל) וחכם חמאמי לזר
Iranian Jewish lawmaker calls Khamenei's assassination 'barbaric act by the American-Zionist enemy'
Dr. Homayoun Sameh issued an official letter of condolence, praising the Supreme Leader as 'a personality who dedicated his life to the path of the country’s independence, honor and pride' and claiming that anger in Iran will turn into a 'storm'
Itamar Eichner | 14:10 | 03.02.26
קריאת מגילת אסתר בבני ברק, ארכיון
This is how to observe Purim during war
How do you read Megillah in the middle of sirens? Can you fulfill the mitzvah of reading the Megillah alone? Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon answers halachic questions, recommends being more careful than ever not to get too drunk, and suggests: 'Give gifts of food to to those who need reinforcement'
Shilo Freid, Shmuel Munitz | 08:54 | 03.02.26
דגם של בית המקדש, בתוך דגם ירושלים בסוף ימי בית שני
Stamped for the future: what the High Priest’s garments teach about identity and AI
From sunken tribal engravings to the raised 'Holy to Hashem' on the Tzitz, Parashat Tetzaveh offers a model of responsibility, individuality and purpose — and a surprising lens on artificial intelligence and human uniqueness
Michael Eisenberg | 12:27 | 02.27.26
מרקוס גארבי (מימין) ומשפיענית הטיקטוק שהותקפה האלי קייט מקגוקין
New York man who shouted 'Die, Jews' and attacked influencer convicted of hate crimes
Skiboky Stora was convicted of multiple hate crimes, including against Jews, after a string of assaults that included attacking a Jewish couple who filmed him tearing down hostage posters; he faces up to 12 years in prison
AP, Yogev Israeli | 21:45 | 02.26.26
כוחות של בעלות הברית מחלצים אמנות גנובה באוסטריה, מאי 1945
Heirs of Dutch Jewish art dealers seek reopening of Nazi-era restitution denials
Katz family appeals 4 rulings that rejected claims for 222 artworks sold under Nazi occupation, arguing the Netherlands Restitutions Committee applied harsher standards than in comparable cases and ignored post-2021 reforms favoring Jewish claimants
ynet Global | 21:37 | 02.26.26
אחת התפילות בכותל המערבי
'You have no place at the Western Wall': Knesset vote sparks fierce backlash
Women of the Wall Vice Chair Tami Gottlieb says a bill granting the Chief Rabbinate full authority over the Western Wall would effectively end the mixed plaza, insisting 'the Wall is a public space,' while attorney Doron Taubman says protesters 'come to provoke, not to pray'
Sharon Kidon | 17:32 | 02.26.26
מזוזה
Paris building orders Jewish family to remove mezuzah
Management company cites condominium rules and 'aesthetics' of shared areas, warning of legal action if religious doorpost item is not taken down within 15 days
Itamar Eichner | 05:09 | 02.26.26
Israeli paytanim from the Center for Andalusian Culture and Piyyut perform alongside Moroccan musicians and a children’s choir during the Three Religions Festival in Essaouira, Morocco, February 2026
On one stage in Morocco: Israeli, Muslim and Christian piyyut singers perform together
Israeli paytanim join Muslim and Christian artists in rare post-war performance, culminating in a historic joint rendition of Rabbi David Buzaglo’s Ach Bekh Moladeti
ynet Global | 16:29 | 02.25.26
אדם איים לפוצץ עצמו בקונסוליית איראן בפריז
Elderly Jewish woman verbally abused by far-left activists in Paris
LFI party activists allegedly hurled antisemitic insults and threats after spotting a mezuzah at her apartment door in the 19th arrondissement; police reviewing security footage as France sees spike in anti-Jewish incidents since Oct. 7
Itamar Eichner | 22:23 | 02.24.26
ב' מניף את דגל ישראל בטקס שנערך על רחבת הכותל המערבי
Lone soldier from Ethiopia marks first bar mitzvah at Western Wall after IDF conversion
Lone soldiers who converted during their military service celebrated bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies at the Western Wall alongside volunteers from the Big Brother for Lone Soldiers nonprofit; B., a Nahal Brigade soldier, said the ceremony gave him 'a sense of closure'
Yogev Israeli | 08:48 | 02.24.26
פסל הריקוד בחצר מוזיאון גאורג קולבה בברלין
Berlin museum to return Nazi-looted sculpture to heirs of Holocaust victim
The sculpture 'Dancing Girls Fountain,' valued at about $1.2 million, will be transferred from a Berlin museum to the heirs of Heinrich Stahl, with the museum recognizing it as cultural property looted due to Nazi persecution
Itamar Eichner | 19:44 | 02.23.26
חתונה
Utah Zoom weddings used by thousands of Israelis face new legislative threat
Proposed Utah bill would require physical presence for marriage ceremonies, potentially ending a remote option embraced by roughly 3,000 Israeli couples in 2024 seeking an alternative to Israel’s Chief Rabbinate monopoly
Shilo Freid | 15:18 | 02.23.26
אוסטרליה טקס סידני בונדיי ביץ' שבוע ל טבח פיגוע
Teen assaulted for wearing kippa and Israeli flag pin at Scouts camp in Australia
Boy was attacked during a Scouts Victoria camp attended by about 1,500 campers; The suspect, who also said that Israel is 'killing children', was removed from the scene. Police: 'There is no place in our society for antisemitic, racist or hate-based behavior'
ynet | 08:29 | 02.23.26
ג'וש שפירו מושל פנסילבניה ארכיון ארה"ב
Josh Shapiro leans into Jewish faith as antisemitism rises and 2026 race nears
Pennsylvania governor confronts campus protests, Gaza divisions and a firebombing at the governor’s mansion as he positions himself for a likely reelection and potential White House bid
AP | 07:20 | 02.23.26
היטלר לצד גרינג, בימים אחרים. המברק השפיע עליו מאוד
How paper restorers aided the Nazi hunt for Jewish ancestry during the Holocaust
Oxford research reveals how book restorers and binders were recruited in the 1930s and 1940s to make church records legible, enabling Nazis to trace Jews by ancestry, including Christians married to Jews and descendants of converts to Christianity
ynet | 16:48 | 02.22.26
זירת הפיגוע במנצ'סטר, דקירה ודריסה ליד בית כנסת
Two Manchester men planned to disguise as ultra-Orthodox Jews and behead victims
Walid Saadaoui and Ammar Hussein were sentenced to 37 and 26 years after plotting a mass shooting at a Manchester Jewish march, scouting synagogues and a Jewish school, and planning to livestream the attack in the name of ISIS
Itamar Eichner | 12:56 | 02.22.26
מחנה הריכוז לשעבר בוכנוולד גרמניה
Pro-Palestinians plan protest at Nazi concentration camp during liberation anniversary
Planned demonstration at Buchenwald follows a dispute over a visitor barred for wearing a keffiyeh and will coincide with events marking the 1945 liberation of the camp, where about 56,000 prisoners were killed
Ze'ev Abrahami, Berlin | 17:10 | 02.21.26
גבר התנגש בבית כנסת
Van rams Australia synagogue gate during Shabbat prayers; police say incident not terrorism | Watch
A 32-year-old man was arrested after security footage showed him reversing a van into the gates of a major Brisbane synagogue as worshippers prayed inside; no injuries were reported; police cite mental health and intoxication
ynet Global | 15:28 | 02.21.26
הרולד טרנס. מצפה לבר מצווה בפנטגון
American WWII veteran who married at 100 celebrates bar mitzvah at 102
During the Aleph Institute’s annual military symposium in the United States, Harold Terens was called to the Torah and put on tefillin for the first time in his life; in August 2024 he married in Normandy
Itamar Eichner | 15:41 | 02.20.26
נוף המדבר בקרבת ערד. מה שרואים בסיור בשטח
Parshat Terumah: from servitude to creative contribution
This week's Torah portion recounts how Exodus traces a fundamental shift in the concept of labor: the transformation of labor from the curse of servitude into the dignity of meaningful creation
Michael Eisenberg | 09:19 | 02.20.26
קבוצת 'נשות הכותל' בכותל המערבי
Coalition erupts in anger after High Court orders equal prayer access at Western Wall
Judges gave the government three months to advance construction linking the egalitarian plaza to the Wall stones, prompting calls from coalition leaders to pass legislation placing the site solely under the Chief Rabbinate
Shilo Freid, Netael Bandel, Tova Zimuky, Yaron Drukman | 03:15 | 02.20.26
Charlotte Roth
‘I won’: 96-year-old Holocaust survivor makes aliyah, joins 5 generations in Israel
Decades after surviving Auschwitz and building a life in America, Charlotte makes aliyah with Nefesh B’Nefesh, receives Israeli citizenship in Tel Aviv and reunites with five generations of descendants now living in Israel
ynet Global | 14:43 | 02.19.26
מחאות פרו-פלסטיניות "קץ לרצח העם" בכיכר הרפובליקה פריז צרפת
France is legislating against modern antisemitism, but will the law have teeth?
The French Parliament has adopted a bill that seeks to combat resurgent forms of antisemitism and the glorification of terrorism, but the law that takes on modern hate speech could be unenforceable due to press freedom
Attorney Julie Daniel | 13:53 | 02.19.26
ילדיו של פרס ליד השלט
Paris inaugurates Shimon Peres Square honoring former Israeli president and prime minister
Peres’ son: 'This is closure; my father forged the strategic ties with France, which to this day remains a partner of Israel'
Tamar Sebok, Paris | 08:43 | 02.19.26
סיום קורס לוחמות מפקדות טנקים
Senior rabbis urge Netanyahu to halt plan to integrate women into Armored Corps frontline roles
Religious Zionist leaders warn that integrating women into frontline combat roles in the Armored Corps will harm operational readiness and deter Torah-observant soldiers
Shilo Freid | 08:02 | 02.18.26
Warming by candlelight: how Kyiv’s Jews endure a winter of war
As Russian strikes cripple Ukraine’s energy grid, Kyiv’s Jewish community relies on generators to keep schools open and protect children and the elderly from freezing temperatures
Edward Doks, Vesty | 06:20 | 02.18.26
העדלאידע בירושלים
Everything you need to know about Purim 2026
Purim falls this year on March 2–3; When is Shushan Purim, why is it celebrated and where? What are the four main commandments associated with Purim? 
Itzik Tessler | 21:19 | 02.17.26
הפוסט של צבא קנדה
Canadian military apologizes for omitting Jews from Holocaust Remembrance Day post
Following criticism from Jewish groups, Canadian Armed Forces admit wording failed to accurately reflect historical reality of Jewish genocide
Itamar Eichner | 19:10 | 02.17.26
אולסקי, ברגר-מורן וקלארק
Hidden pregnancies, miraculous births: the untold story of the Auschwitz babies
Three Jewish women sent to Auschwitz in 1944 hid their pregnancies from the Nazis, survived forced labor camps and death trains, and gave birth just before liberation — now their 80-year-old children recount the miracle that saved their lives
Itamar Eichner | 09:56 | 02.17.26
הבובה עם מגן דוד על הפנים
Jewish community outraged after Israel effigy 'executed' at Andorra carnival
At Andorra’s annual Carnestoltes carnival, an effigy in Israel’s colors with a Star of David was put on mock trial, hanged, shot and burned — the first time Jewish symbols were used in the tradition
Itamar Eichner | 17:40 | 02.16.26
Jewish service members pray while wearing tefillin
Beyond borders: The Jewish soldiers serving America in uniform
More than 15,000 Jews serve in the US military today; rising pride and rising pressures since Oct. 7; global Jewish solidarity in uniform; a historic Miami gathering strengthens faith, identity and connection to Israel
ynet Global | 17:24 | 02.16.26
עודד רביבי, מנכ"ל אנו – מוזיאון העם היהודי
'Oct. 7 highlighted museum’s mission': ANU CEO reflects on first year in position
Oded Revivi reflects on leading the Museum of the Jewish People through war, rising global antisemitism and expanded educational initiatives, as ANU broadens outreach to security forces, immigrants and Jewish communities abroad
Yogev Israeli | 17:13 | 02.16.26
מחאות פרו-פלסטיניות "קץ לרצח העם" בכיכר הרפובליקה פריז צרפת
'Anti-Zionism is a new form of antisemitism': French minister unveils sweeping crackdown
Aurore Bergé, France’s minister for gender equality and the fight against discrimination, arrives in Israel for a two-day visit amid strained bilateral relations, touting a forthcoming law against anti-Israel hatred in an exclusive interview with ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth
Tamar Sebok, Paris | 10:17 | 02.16.26
דוד זיני
Why a handshake became a national anxiety
A reserve duty reunion sparks a wider debate over 'shomer negiah,' the Shin Bet handshake controversy and the clash between halakhah, human dignity and democratic norms in Israel’s public sphere — asking whether fear or trust will shape society
Rabbi Dr. Sharon Zeude Shalom | 04:36 | 02.16.26
בית הדין הרבני בתל אביב
Rabbinical courts adopt first protocol to protect sexual assault and domestic violence survivors
New rules mandate separate waiting areas, escorts and minimal contact with alleged offenders during testimony after years without uniform safeguards
Shilo Freid | 12:33 | 02.15.26
נשיא רומניה לשעבר, ניקולאה צ'אושסקו, וחברים
'Chicken coops and farms for Jews': how Israel paid Communist Romania for Aliyah
Newly revealed documents and testimonies expose the political and economic mechanism that enabled about 400,000 Romanian Jews to immigrate to Israel through quiet agreements, indirect deals and years of covert activity
Itamar Eichner | 10:48 | 02.14.26
זירת פיגוע בית כנסת מנצ'סטר בריטניה
UK court sentences ISIS supporters to 37 and 26 years for plot targeting Jews
Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many Jews as possible, a court heard, with the judge saying they came very close to carrying out the attack
Reuters | 23:59 | 02.13.26
Why are extremists unhappy? These are Maimonides' secrets to a good life
Author Jeffrey Katz was a classic New York lawyer, but a chance encounter with a book by Maimonides changed his life, and now he wants you to change too: 'Any person can mold themselves into any kind of person they want to be'
Yaniv Pohoryles | 21:49 | 02.13.26
הנשיא הרצוג ורעייתו בביקור בבית ספר בסידני
Australia’s Jews confront new reality after Bondi Beach massacre
Two months after a deadly Hanukkah attack in Sydney, Jewish leaders accuse Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of political hesitation as President Isaac Herzog arrives in a show of solidarity
Yair Kraus | 12:02 | 02.13.26
The Covenant Confirmed
Parashat Mishpatim: slavery and work
Torah portion redefines slavery by linking it to the Hebrew root for work and divine service, teaching that labor is not humiliation but a human mission — and that true freedom lies in choosing whom and what we serve
MIchael Eisenberg | 06:32 | 02.13.26
עברי לידר מתראיין אצל ג'ייק גיליס בפודקאסט "סבבוש"
From Pittsburgh to Israel, American oleh shares Israeli culture with global audience through podcast
Jake Gillis, who moved to Israel from Pittsburgh, hosts Israeli artists in English on his podcast to make local music accessible to American Jews, arguing that since October 7 much of Israeli music has reflected hope, endurance and a drive for renewal
Yaniv Pohoryles | 21:50 | 02.12.26
הדיון בוועדת העלייה והקליטה
Lawmakers: Immigration Ministry funds meant for new immigrants, not religion-state agendas
The Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee convened after a ynet report found most ministry funds go to ultra-Orthodox and religious groups, with MKs warning of biased criteria and messages that immigrants are 'not Jewish enough'
Itamar Eichner | 21:05 | 02.12.26
Real Estate & Architecture
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