Weekly roundup of world briefs

NYC Israeli shawarma spot makes NYT’s ‘Best New Restaurants’ list

By Adi Nirman

(JNS) — Spice Brothers, the Mediterranean restaurant operated by Israeli chef Lior Lev Sercarz, has earned a spot on The New York Times’s “New York’s 14 Best New Restaurants of 2024” list.

Sercarz, born in northern Israel, met David Malbequi, the restaurant’s former co-owner, while working together for renowned chef Daniel Boulud. They opened Spice Brothers in September 2023, but the two eventually parted ways and Lev Sercarz remained to manage the restaurant.

The restaurant, located at St. Marks Place, focuses on street food such as shawarma, falafel and fries, accompanied by “smoky and thick harissa,” according to New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells. Wells recently dubbed chef Sercarz a “spice virtuoso,” further praising the establishment’s tahini sauce: “stone-ground in Israel to Mr. Lev Sercarz’s specifications, [it] tastes as if the sesame seeds had been toasted right in front of you.”

Spice Brothers is among an exciting group of restaurants featured on the New York Times’s prestigious list, which also highlights culinary spots like Borgo, an Italian-inspired restaurant with a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, and Le Veau d’Or, a long-anticipated revival of a classic New York institution. Other standout newcomers include Café Carmellini, offering sophisticated American fare, and Carnitas Ramírez, a vibrant spot for authentic Mexican street food.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

Chief rabbis urge Israelis to pray for rain

(JNS) — The Chief Rabbinate of Israel on Monday called on the public to pray for rain, in the first joint ruling issued since Kalman Ber and David Yosef were voted in as the country’s Ashkenazi and Sephardi chief rabbis, respectively.

“We are in the midst of the month of Kislev and have not yet received the rains of blessing,” the rabbis wrote. “The people in the fields and crops of the land are desperate for water and, unfortunately, there is none.”

“We call on the public in every location to pray and beg Him who blesses the years to have mercy on His people and His land and answer us and rain down upon us dew and rain for blessing,” added Ber and Yosef.

According to their ruling, Sephardim will recite the prayer “God of life, open Thy heavenly treasures” on Shabbat, during the opening of the Torah ark, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays if this is possible for congregants.

Meanwhile, Ashkenazi Jews are called upon to add the words, “Answer us, Creator of the universe,” to the 16th blessing of the Amidah “Standing Prayer.”

Ber and Yosef also called upon all Jewish communities to continue the recitation of chapters of Psalms and the Acheinu (“Our Brothers”) prayer, which calls for the release of captives.

Ber, regarded as a moderate rabbi with many supporters from Orthodox-Zionist communities as well as haredi ones, was elected as chief rabbi on Oct. 31, in a run-off vote against a hardliner, Rabbi Micha Halevi.

Yosef, whose late father, Ovadia, co-founded the Shas Party and became its spiritual leader after serving as chief Sephardic rabbi for 11 years, was elected on Sept. 29 to succeed his older brother Yitzhak as the Sephardic chief rabbi.

The elections, which were initially expected to take place in spring, was repeatedly delayed because of a dispute involving the Chief Rabbinate, the Religious Services Ministry and the High Court of Justice.

Netanyahu testimony postponed due to ‘rare circumstances’

(JNS) — The judges in the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted on Monday the premier’s request to postpone his testimony that was schedule to take place on the following day to Oct. 25, citing “rare circumstances” for their decision.

At the hearing, Netanyahu’s defense attorney asked to explain the reason for the delay behind closed doors.

The prosecution asked that the justification be submitted in writing, to which Netanyahu said, “To the best of my knowledge, [writing on] paper can’t explain to you the reasoning. We must do this behind closed doors.”

The prosecution’s representative Yonatan Tadmor objected, with Netanyahu telling him, “You are objecting to something you have no idea about.”

The Tel Aviv District Court judges accepted Netanyahu’s request and continued the hearing in their chambers, with only Tadmor and the prime minister’s lawyer Amit Hadad present.

Shortly afterward, Judge Rebecca Friedman-Feldman said, “In light of the facts, we agree to the defense’s request and will not hold a hearing tomorrow.”

Israel’s longest-serving prime minister is facing three cases of corruption charges that were first brought against him nearly five years ago.

Netanyahu has denied the allegations against him and denounced them as political persecution by judicial means.

In his opening statement on Dec. 10, Netanyahu focused on what he called the “absurdity” of the cases brought against him, and the timing of the trial, which coincides with Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen, its fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon and the collapse of the dictatorship of Bashar Assad in Syria.

IDF order could kick off big expansion of Judea and Samaria cities

(JNS) — An order signed by IDF Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth on Sunday could kick-start a massive surge in building throughout cities in Judea and Samaria.

The military order—which extends the application of legislation related to urban renewal that was previously only in effect within the Jewish state’s pre-1967 lines to Judea and Samaria—could allow for the building of tens of thousands of housing units in the region’s larger cities such as Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit, Ma’ale Adumim and Ariel.

Municipalities in Judea and Samaria can now approve urban renewal projects through shortened planning procedures that do not require political approval.

Under the framework, construction projects in Judea and Samaria will reportedly also benefit from significant tax benefits under existing laws.

The move was a joint project of the Construction and Housing Ministry, the Defense Ministry and its Civil Administration, the Authority for Urban Renewal, the Israel Tax Authority and other Israeli agencies.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry responsible for civilian issues in Judea and Samaria, told Israel Hayom that normalizing the area is a “critical national task.”

“The most important part of this order is that it creates normalization: One law for Efrat and Ra’anana,” he said. According to Smotrich, the order “will allow for the continuation of urban development in Judea and Samaria, just as it is happening in the rest of the State of Israel.”

Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf said in a statement, “The approval of the order allows companies and entrepreneurs to promote urban renewal and construction projects in Israeli local authorities in Judea and Samaria.

“Judea and Samaria, the birthplace of the Bible, are an inseparable part of the State of Israel,” Goldknopf said, adding that the change will “contribute to strengthening security in all parts of the country and increase the supply of apartments, which will help solve the housing shortage.”

The Jewish population in Judea and Samaria surpassed half a million people, according to a report published almost one year ago. There were 502,991 Jews living in Judea and Samaria as of Jan. 1, according to the report, which cited data from the Interior Ministry.

The 500,000-plus Jews living beyond the 1967 Green Line account for some 12 percent of all Jews in the Jewish state. The natural growth of the Jewish population in Judea and Samaria is expected to result in a population in excess of 600,000 by 2030, 700,000 by 2035 and one million by 2047, the report added.

OU distributes 65,000 reflective belts for walking from synagogue at night

By JNS Staff

(JNS) — Dr. Larry Kraut was walking home from synagogue on a Friday night in 2018 when, “in spite of having the right of way,” he told JNS, “I was struck by an SUV.”

“The injuries were severe and required spinal surgery,” he said, noting that it “came close to being beyond disastrous, with total paralysis from the neck down.”

Following his accident, Kraut and his wife Evelyn—both physicians—began funding reflective yellow belts that synagogue-goers can wear over their clothing. The Orthodox Union’s community projects and partnerships division distributes the belts free of charge to all synagogues that request them. 

In the past six years, the OU has distributed more than 65,000 belts, it told JNS.

Larry Kraut told JNS that he and his wife have funded the initiative out of hakarat hatov, or a sense of gratitude, that his injury didn’t prove disastrous.

“We have received tremendous feedback from communities about how much safer they feel walking home from shul at night wearing these reflective belts,” he told JNS. “No one should have to feel like going to shul, God forbid, puts them at risk of an accident.”

“This is truly a life-saving initiative,” he said.

Man who punched 64-year-old Jewish man in NY sentenced to state prison

(JNS) — Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, announced recently that Perin Jacobchuk, 34, has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in federal prison for assaulting a 64-year-old Jewish man and, concurrently, one-and-a-third to four years in federal prison for attacking a 63-year-old Asian woman.

“Perin Jacobchuk will serve state prison time for committing two, separate, brutal attacks fueled by his prejudices and biases,” Bragg stated. “These hate crimes left both New Yorkers with physical injuries, which they have thankfully fully recovered from. I hope that the resolution of this case can offer the victims comfort in knowing that Jacobchuk has been held accountable.”

Jacobchuk pleaded guilty to both attacks. He has admitted that he performed a Nazi salute at a Jewish man walking in Central Park in Manhattan on Dec. 4, 2022. The Jewish man heard the attacker “using antisemitic slurs and making antisemitic remarks, including ‘kill the Jews,’” per Bragg’s office. “The man walked towards Jacobchuk and verbally confronted him about his offensive behavior. Jacobchuk walked towards him, repeating the same antisemitic remarks and slurs, including ‘kill the Jews.’”

As the Jewish man tried to leave, Jacobchuk followed him riding on a bike and kept making antisemitic comments. He also “punched him in the back of the head, knocking the man to the ground,” per Bragg’s office. “The man suffered a concussion and several injuries, including a broken bone in his right hand, broken left kneecap and damage to his teeth, which required extensive dental work.”

“These injuries made it difficult for the victim to eat, use his hand or put weight on his knee for several months,” the district attorney’s office said.

Jacobchuk also admitted to yelling “go back to China” at a woman and her husband, who are both of Asian descent, on Aug. 15, 2021, on West 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan.

“As he continued yelling anti-Asian remarks at them, he ran up behind the woman, grabbed her shoulders and shoved her to the ground,” per Bragg’s office. “The woman fell onto the concrete staircase of the Ameritania Hotel, hitting her back and legs on the stairs.”

IDF’s 98th Division redeploying from Lebanon to Gaza

(JNS) — The Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday night that after three months of combat against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon, 98th Division forces are redeploying to Gaza.

The move comes after the two-month ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on Nov. 27. Under the terms of the agreement, IDF forces are to gradually withdraw from Lebanon.

“The 98th Division completed their mission in the northern arena last week [Wednesday], after approximately three months of continuous combat against Hezbollah’s terrorist strongholds, and conducting their defensive missions following the ceasefire agreement,” the IDF said.

“The soldiers of the 98th Division are currently preparing for their next mission in the Gaza Strip,” added the military.

The division moved from the Gaza arena to the northern front in late September ahead of the entry of ground forces into Southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

During its time in Gaza, the division led an operation in Khan Yunis from early December to early April.

While in Lebanon, the division dismantled more than 300 Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites.

Soldier killed in Gaza, bringing IDF toll to 819

(JNS) — An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed battling Palestinian terrorists in the southern Gaza Strip, the military announced Tuesday morning.

The slain soldier was named as Maj. (res.) Moshiko Maxim Rozenwald, 35, from Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut.

Last week, three IDF soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza. Staff Sgt. Ido Zano, 20, a combat medic with the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion from Yehud-Monosson; Staff Sgt. Barak Daniel Halpern, 19, a squad commander in the battalion, from Kiryat Ono; and Sgt. Omri Cohen, 19, also a fighter in the Shaked Battalion, from Ashdod.

The same day, the IDF announced the deaths of four soldiers killed in Southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire currently in effect. The slain men were identified as Maj. (res.) Evgeny Zinershain, 43, from Zichron Ya’akov; Capt. (res.) Sagi Ya’akov Rubinshtein, 31, from Kibbutz Lavi; Master Sgt. (res.) Binyamin Destaw Negose, 28, from Beit Shemesh; and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Erez Ben Efraim, 25, from Ramat Gan.

The death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the Gaza ground incursion on Oct. 27 stands at 385, and at 817 on all fronts since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, according to official IDF data.

Additionally, Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, a member of the Israel Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit, was fatally wounded during a hostage-rescue mission in Gaza in June, and civilian defense contractor Liron Yitzhak was mortally wounded there in May.

Advocacy group names Candace Owens Antisemite of the Year

By JNS Staff

(JNS) — U.S.-based advocacy group StopAntisemitism has named conservative American political commentator Candace Owens Antisemite of the Year.

“From defending Hitler’s actions in Germany and mocking Jewish fears over Kanye West’s antisemitic tweets, to claiming Israel forces Muslims into segregated quarters and insinuating Hollywood is run by sinister Jewish gangs, Owens has been rightfully crowned 2024’s Antisemite of the Year,” the organization announced Sunday.

Earlier this year, YouTube suspended the 35-year-old podcaster for antisemitic content over her claim that” Jewish people control the media.” 

Owens, who was let go from The Daily Wire in March over anti-Jewish rhetoric, had called the torturous “experiments” on Jewish and other prisoners by Dr. Josef Mengele during World War II and the Holocaust “bizarre propaganda.”

Her extremists views have led both Australia and New Zealand to deny her entry visas, while her father-in-law has also condemned her remarks.

Owens, who thanked the group for “giving us something to laugh about,” was followed on its top antisemites list by environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who has drawn criticism for her pro-Hamas stances, and popular Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who is accused of echoing Hamas propaganda.

Over 13,500 soldiers treated in rehab since the war started

(JNS) — Over 13,500 injured soldiers and security personnel have entered physical rehabilitation programs during Israel’s multi-front war against Iranian terror proxies in Gaza and Lebanon that started with Hamas’s massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department published the updated data on Tuesday to mark the Day of Appreciation for Wounded IDF Veterans.

More than 1,500 of these soldiers were wounded twice.

Fifty-one percent of the soldiers are between the ages of 18 to 30 and 66% are reservists.

Some 8,500 were admitted for physical injuries, including 287 with head injuries and 87 with severe head trauma. Around 5,200 soldiers were treated for psychological impacts, with mental trauma being the main condition among 3,350 of them. This includes anxiety, depression and adjustment disorders.

Since the Oct. 7 massacre, 19,500 people, including veterans of previous wars, have sought treatment from the Department of Rehabilitation.