Weekly roundup of world briefs

JewBelong to put up antisemitism awareness billboards during holidays

(JNS) — December 2023 had the highest number of antisemitic incidents of any month last year, the Anti-Defamation League reported. The activist group JewBelong is attempting to make sure that doesn’t repeat itself this month.

To that end, as of Dec. 9, the nonprofit organization is placing billboards on main roads near four airports in the United States: Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Illinois, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona.

They will read: “If you think turbulence is scary, try wearing a Jewish star.” They are projected to reach around 19 million travelers this holiday season.

“The Jewish community is only 2 percent of the entire country so we need to work extra hard to break through to the wider American public,” said JewBelong co-founder Archie Gottesman. “Since so many people head to the airport during this season, what better way to get our message out there? It is outrageous that Jewish people are scared because of senseless growing antisemitism. Good Americans know this.”

JewBelong has run nearly 800 billboards across the United States, some of which have been vandalized, reaching more than 2 billion people, according to the organization.

Louisiana officials urge court to allow Ten Commandments in schools

(JNS) — Louisiana officials are urging a federal appeals court to uphold a law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms.  

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Louisiana Solicitor General Ben Aguiñaga, with the support of nonprofit law firm Becket, asked on Tuesday the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to remove a temporary pause on the law.

“As we have illustrated in our briefs, there are numerous ways for our schools to constitutionally implement the law,” Murrill said. “And this should not be controversial: as the Supreme Court has said, the Commandments have historical significance as one of the foundations of our law.”

H.B. 71, which would require the display of the Ten Commandments in schools as well as a context statement explaining the history of the Commandments in American public education, was signed into law by the governor on June 19. It was scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. 

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit later in June against Louisiana in federal district court to stop the law from being implemented. A judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana temporarily paused the law on Nov. 12 in response to the ACLU lawsuit. 

“If the ACLU had its way, every trace of religion would be scrubbed from Louisiana’s public square,” Joseph Davis, senior counsel at Becket, said. “Thankfully, our Constitution says otherwise: Louisiana is allowed to acknowledge every aspect of our history and culture — including the Ten Commandments.”  

The court has scheduled oral arguments in the case for Jan. 23, 2025.

Austin stresses ‘close consultation’ with Israel on Syria

(JNS) — Washington is “closely monitoring events in Syria, supports a peaceful and inclusive political transition, and will continue the mission to prevent ISIS from re-establishing a safe haven on Syrian territory,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz in a phone call on Wednesday.

The Pentagon chief stressed the importance of “close consultation” between the two allies on events in Syria, according to the Pentagon readout of the call provided by Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

Austin also highlighted the potential of the Nov. 26 Israel-Lebanon ceasefire to foster conditions for “lasting calm” and enable residents on both sides of the border to safely return to their homes.

Austin reaffirmed that the United States is working closely with international partners to support the agreement’s implementation.

He also reiterated Washington’s commitment to securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, including Americans captured during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Additionally, he encouraged the Israeli government to continue efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The defense secretary concluded by reaffirming the United States’ “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security.”

Trump named ‘Time’ magazine Person of the Year

By JNS Staff

(JNS) — U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year on Thursday, in recognition of his stunning political comeback and a campaign in which he overcame a felony conviction and assassination attempts to return to the helm of American leadership.

“For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year,” the magazine wrote.

The magazine, which has bestowed the annual award for the last 97 years (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999), awarded Trump the title in 2016 after his first presidential victory, in keeping with a quarter-century tradition of honoring new presidents.

The news magazine noted that while in some years the selection was difficult, this year it was unquestionably not.

“Since he began running for President in 2015, perhaps no single individual has played a larger role in changing the course of politics and history than Trump,” Time said. “On the cusp of his second presidency, all of us—from his most fanatical supporters to his most fervent critics—are living in the Age of Trump. Trump is once again at the center of the world, and in as strong a position as he has ever been.”

Jewish alderman calls for completion of Chicago budget vote before Shabbat

(JNS) — Chicago Alderman Debra Silverstein has called for an important city budget vote scheduled for Dec. 13 to be completed before her Shabbat observance begins.

“I want to officially document my religious requirements for the City Council meeting this Friday,” Silverstein stated in a letter sent to the Mayor’s office and the Chicago City Council. “My religious observance will require me to leave City Hall by 3:00 PM at the latest.”

“In order to discharge my legislative obligations, I need the budget vote to be completed by that time,” she added. “I ask that the meeting begin on time and that the budget votes be taken first so that due consideration is given to the religious needs of Jewish legislators and members of the public who are watching.”

Silverstein said that “voting on a budget for the City of Chicago is one of the most important works of the public body.” 

The City Council’s approval of the 2025 budget is expected to face a “very close vote,” according to WGN9.

“It is vital that all City Council members are given the opportunity to debate this issue and cast their vote in order to represent all of our diverse communities,” the alderman stated.

Adam Sandler teases possible July release for ‘Happy Gilmore 2’

(JNS) — Actor Adam Sandler teased a possible release date and celebrity appearances for the upcoming Netflix sequel to his 1996 golf comedy “Happy Gilmore” during a recent appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show.”

“I don’t know 100 percent, but I think around July,” Sandler said on Dec. 6. “Not July 4, but we’re trying to get it done in time for July. You never know what’s going to happen. We’re just finishing today.”

Sandler also revealed appearances by rapper Eminem and retired golfer Jack Nicklaus in the sequel. 

He added that Eminem “said a million things we can use and a million things that we’re glad we have him on tape.”

“I know Eminem for a long time, and he’s a great guy,” he said. “He came in and was funny as hell. I think we just hung out a day with Eminem, and he just shot and shot, and it was insane.”

Original film cast members Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald and Ben Stiller will also return.

“We’ve got a lot of good stuff, and we just want to make sure that it all comes together and keeps it going from start to finish, and that’s the goal,” Sandler said. “We’re definitely nervous, but we feel some sort of confidence.”

Trump nominee for economic role is Jewish, pro-Israel author, national security adviser

(JNS) — President-elect Donald Trump announced earlier in the week that Jacob Helberg, a member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and national security author and adviser, is his nominee for undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment.

“In this role, Jacob will be a champion of our America first foreign policy,” Trump stated. “He will guide State Department policy on economic statecraft, promoting America’s economic security and growth and American technological dominance abroad.”

“Jacob is a successful technology executive, has the knowledge, expertise and pragmatism to defend America’s economic interests abroad and always puts America first,” Trump added.

Helberg wrote that he is “deeply honored and humbled” by Trump’s trust. “President Trump’s historic landslide election gave new hope and strength to the American people and was a reminder that brighter days are ahead—both at home and abroad,” he wrote.

In July, Helberg, who is Jewish, told JNS that “President Trump is by far the most pro-Israel president in history.”

“Anyone who cares about Israel recognizes that. He moved our embassy to Jerusalem, recognized the Golan Heights, signed the historic Abraham Accords to help strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance structure in the Middle East, instituted a maximum pressure campaign against Iran and, at every step of the way, always had Israel’s back,” he told JNS.

“In the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre and in the rise of antisemitism on college campuses across the U.S., I have no doubt that President Trump’s support for Israel will be just as resolute,” he told JNS at the time.

Two-thirds of women surveyed feel impact of Jew-hatred, Hadassah finds

(JNS) — Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Jewish women surveyed by Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, reported that antisemitism had impacted their work, lives or relationships, according to new data released by the organization on Tuesday. 

Survey results also found that 62 percent said they had felt physically or psychologically unsafe.

“Every day, Jewish women are suffering in silence, isolation and fear as they live in the shadows of hate,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, national president of Hadassah. 

In addition, 52 percent said they had hidden being Jewish, 33 percent said they had experienced hate due to their Jewish or Zionist identity and 22 percent said they had been excluded from groups or events because of their identity.

Schwartz called the responses a “call to action for us all.”

“We must urgently strengthen policies against rising antisemitism and empower our communities to rise up, together, and confront hatred in every form,” she said. 

Two Gaza rockets strike open areas in southern Israel

(JNS) — Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired two rockets at southern Israel on Wednesday morning, setting off sirens in several towns and villages along the border.

The rockets struck open areas, per the Israel Defense Forces, causing no damage.

The IDF’s year-plus-long offensive in Gaza has greatly curbed rocket fire, although terrorists in the enclave still intermittently target the Jewish state.

Last week, the Israeli Air Force intercepted one rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip.

On Nov. 21, terrorist forces in Gaza launched a rocket at the border community of Kerem Shalom, triggering sirens in the kibbutz, located at the Gaza-Israel-Egypt border near the crossing of the same name. The rocket was successfully intercepted, causing no injuries or damage.

A rocket from Gaza set off sirens in Kibbutz Erez on Nov. 13, impacting in an open area. No injuries were reported. The community is located less than a mile from the Strip’s northern border and is the namesake of the Erez Crossing.

On Nov. 25, the Israeli military reported that Abd el-Halim Abu Hussein, the head of rocket operations for Hamas’s Western Jabalia battalion, was among several terrorists killed in an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza city. He was responsible for numerous rocket and mortar attacks against Israeli civilians, as well as against Israeli forces in Gaza.

Bomb threat against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green results in fatality

(JNS) — A bomb threat “for Palestine” directed at U.S. Congress Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s home in Rome, Georgia, on Monday afternoon, resulted in an accident that claimed the life of a bystander. The threat, which authorities suspect originated from a Russian IP address, is now under federal investigation.

The Rome Police Department received an email with the subject line “For Palestine,” claiming a pipe bomb had been hidden in Greene’s mailbox. The message, which ended with “VIVA VIVA PALESTINA,” threatened to detonate the alleged device over the weekend or upon the mailbox being opened.

As law enforcement rushed to respond, a member of the Rome Police bomb squad, driving a personal vehicle, was involved in a fatal collision. Tammie Pickelsimer, 66, was leaving a private lot when her vehicle was struck on the driver’s side by the officer’s 2015 GMC Sierra. Pickelsimer was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries.

Rep. Greene expressed her sorrow on social media, stating, “I’m heartsick right now. An innocent woman died today in an auto accident involving a member of the Rome Police bomb squad who was responding to the threat at my home. These violent political threats have fatal consequences. It’s an undue strain on our law enforcement who must treat them seriously.”

The bomb squad, upon investigating Greene’s residence, determined there was no active threat. The case has since been handed over to the FBI.

Israeli intelligence missed Hamas’s rehearsal for Oct. 7

By JNS Staff

(JNS) — A large-scale dress rehearsal by Hamas for its Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel was missed by Israeli intelligence agencies, Hebrew media reported on Tuesday.

Information regarding the drill was obtained from a Hamas protocol recovered by Israeli forces in Gaza and was confirmed by captured Hamas prisoners and senior Israeli security officials, according to Channel 12 News. 

The drill was orchestrated and overseen by Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, and involved Hamas operatives assembling at designated points, primarily mosques. Following the exercise, Hamas’s Supreme Military Council concluded it was a “great success” and that Israel’s failure to detect it had confirmed the group was ready to carry out a surprise attack.

There have been a series of recent disclosures regarding the intelligence failures that led up to the Oct. 7 massacre. For example, reports indicate that the Israel Defense Forces had knowledge of Hamas’s plan to take 200 hostages weeks before the attack, but failed to act on this information. Additionally, critical IDF intelligence systems were reportedly down on the morning of the attack, further compromising Israel’s preparedness.

In April, Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate, announced his resignation, becoming the first senior figure to step down over the Oct. 7 failures. In September, Brig. Gen. Yossi Sariel, who served as commander of the IDF’s Unit 8200 intelligence branch, became the second intelligence officer to step down.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has also frozen two IDF promotions pending an investigation into the intelligence lapses.

Three Breslov Chassidim shot on the way to Joseph’s Tomb

(JNS) — Three Israeli men were shot and lightly wounded on their way to pray at the Joseph’s Tomb compound overnight Tuesday, according to Hebrew media reports.

The three men, members of the Breslov sect of Chassidic Judaism, had entered Nablus (Shechem) in Samaria after driving through an Israeli military checkpoint and fled after being fired on, later seeking medical attention at Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, where police subsequently detained them.

“A report was received that during the night, gunfire was directed at an Israeli vehicle that broke through a checkpoint and illegally entered the city of Nablus in the Samaria Brigade’s area. The vehicle exited the city, and its occupants sought medical attention independently. The incident will be investigated,” the IDF spokesperson said, as quoted by Kikar HaShabbat.