Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
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At Yeshiva U, ‘accelerated transfer’ for students who feel threatened (JNS) — Yeshiva University has reopened its admissions cycle for undergraduate applicants who feel threatened on other American campuses, including for its honors program. Those applicants have until May 31 to apply. The admissions cycle “has seen students choosing YU over other elite institutions. This trend is expected to continue among transfers,” Yeshiva stated. It added that it is creating new faculty positions to accommodate that growth and is “in active discussions...
(JNS) — House and Senate Republicans slammed U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to pause an arms shipment to Israel and demanded that the administration explain why it failed to notify Congress. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) wrote to the Biden administration asking for answers about the frozen arms deal. “We are shocked that your administration has reportedly decided to withhold critical ammunition to Israel,” the senators wrote. “You promised your commitment to Israel was ironclad,” they added. “Pausing much-needed m...
(JNS) — Half a dozen Middle East experts indicated that it was news to them when JNS drew their attention to a recent phrase that the U.S. Defense Department has published on its website referring to the Gaza Strip as “entirely inside Israel.” “The Gaza Strip, which is about 25 miles long, lies entirely inside Israel and shares a border to the south with Egypt,” C. Todd Lopez wrote on the Pentagon website on Tuesday. “There are three locations along its border where humanitarian supplies could move into Gaza from either Egypt or Israel.” Th...
(JNS) — Israel Defense Forces ground troops on May 8 continued the offensive against Hamas in the Gaza terrorist bastion of Rafah. Soldiers killed an unknown number of gunmen and located tunnel shafts and other underground infrastructure on the 215th day of the war, the army announced. “IDF forces led by the 162nd Division and under the intelligence guidance of the Shin Bet and the Military Intelligence Directorate continue targeted operations in eastern Rafah against Hamas terrorists and the group’s terrorist infrastructure,” the army said. I...
(JNS) - The head of South Africa's second-largest church visiting Israel in solidarity with the Jewish state said Sunday that the South African government is out of sync with the people in its stance on the war with Hamas by supporting a terror organization. The unequivocal remarks by the South African Christian leader against the ruling African National Congress come just weeks before general elections in South Africa, which has emerged as one of Israel's most vocal critics in the world over...
Jerusalem, Israel - "Unprecedented." "Monumental." "Timely." "Powerful." These are just some of the words describing the upcoming Global Prayer for Israel, bringing thousands of Jews and Christians together from all over the world to pray for Israel. With Israel at war, and Christians standing with Israel and the Jewish people at levels that are unprecedented in history, Christians are experiencing the hate and persecution toward Israel and the Jewish people that's more than vicarious, but...
(JNS) - The Biden administration is considering a plan to allow some Gaza residents to resettle in the United States, CBS News reported on Tuesday, citing internal federal government documents. According to the documents, senior officials from various U.S. federal agencies have discussed options for bringing Gazans to the country who have immediate family members who are either American citizens or permanent residents. One option under discussion is the United States Refugee Admissions Program,...
The Jewish National Fund-USA’s Hub and Resource Guide gives a list of organizations fighting anti-Jewish hate on college campuses. The link is https://www.jnf.org/our-work/education-and-advocacy/college-campus-resources. JNF Reporting Tool Kit The site also offers an antisemitism reporting tool kit where you can report any incident of antisemitism straight to your college campus administrator. Local College Chapters JNF also suggests joining your local college chapters to help make a difference: AEPI Students Supporting Israel Israel on C...
WASHINGTON (JTA) — In his first address about the pro-Palestinian protests rocking campuses nationwide, President Joe Biden said “order must prevail” but rejected proposals to bring in federal troops. “Dissent must never lead to disorder, or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education,” Biden said Thursday in the four-minute speech. “It’s basically a matter of fairness. It’s a matter of what’s right. There’s the right to protest, but not the right to cause chaos.” Biden did not announce conc...
Within our community, the Jewish Pavilion and Orlando Senior Help Desk stand as vital pillars of support and assistance for seniors and their families. Together, they offer a wealth of resources and services tailored to meet the diverse needs of elderly individuals, ensuring they receive the care and companionship they deserve. The Jewish Pavilion is dedicated to enriching the lives of seniors in senior living communities and nursing homes through volunteer-led programs and activities. From friendly visits and holiday celebrations to cultural...
Express yourself, May 15 The Holocaust Center will present “Expression Through Art” on Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. Here is an opportunity to embark on a journey of self-discovery through art. Bring personal photos and keepsakes to the Center and facilitators Kelsey and Maddie will help transform your works of art into a “canvas of memories and meaningful connections. Whether you are seeking healing, self-discovery, or an outlet for expression, this session offers a nurturing space to explore and connect with others on a deeper level. Masks a...
(JNS) — Saudi Arabia has decided to normalize relations with Israel and is debating the timing of the announcement, a foreign diplomat familiar with the details told Haaretz on Monday. According to the source cited in the article by the daily’s diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Lis, Riyadh is discussing whether to make the move in the coming weeks or after the U.S. presidential election this November, in which either Democrat Joe Biden will continue to lead the country or his challenger Republican Donald Trump will return to the White Hou...
A new Israeli relocation company, Belong, is offering free concierge support services to 500 Jewish students at Columbia University and at other campuses nationwide embattled by anti-Israel protests and growing antisemitism and violence to help them study in Israel instead. Belong, which opened its doors last month, provides a range of concierge relocation services to immigrants to Israel and to those seeking temporary Israel experiences including study abroad and post-graduate degrees. Belong’s services generally range from free online r...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) — A group of fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina are being celebrated for safeguarding a giant American flag from an anti-Israel mob intent on raising the PLO colors. A GoFundMe page launched for the Pi Kappa Phi students has raised over $485,000 from more than 14,800 donations as of 8:30 p.m. on May 2. The fund aims to “throw this frat the party they deserve” for their stand at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus this week, according to the fundraising site. “Extremists across the country have invaded college...
(JNS) — Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) shared his “disgust” over antisemitic protests on campuses during a meeting with pro-Israel and Jewish students at George Washington University’s Hillel on Wednesday. The senator’s daughter attended the school, located just blocks from the White House and U.S. State Department. “What I am seeing on that campus today is something I never could have imagined,” he said. “Our Jewish students deserve to have a place where they can live and learn without fearing for their safety—starting with university leader...
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Israel’s war cabinet unanimously voted to approve an invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, shortly after Hamas said it had agreed to a ceasefire deal with Israel. The announcements were two landmarks in a whirlwind — and confusing — day of diplomacy and warfare following months of speculation and negotiations. As of Monday night Israel time, both the fighting and diplomacy were ongoing. Israeli officials said the proposal Hamas accepted was different from the one Israel had agreed to. In its statement, the war cabinet said th...
(JNS) - "It all started after I joined the fight on Oct. 7 against Hamas terrorists invading the Israeli communities bordering the Gaza Strip," says Nimrod Palmach, CEO of Israel-is, which partners with producer Stephen D. Smith in the virtual reality "Be the Witness" initiative. Israel-is is an NGO dedicated to improving Israel's image. Part of the "Survived to Tell" project, "Be the Witness" features the stories of five survivors of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre. Participants in the project wear...
(JNS) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli leaders as part of his Middle East tour to Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, his seventh trip to the Jewish state since the current Hamas war broke out on Oct. 7. Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, where they "discussed ongoing efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as part of a hostage deal and emphasized that it is Hamas that is standing in the way of a ceasefire...
(JNS) — Israeli security forces arrested a Palestinian suspect in the April 12 terrorist murder of 14-year-old shepherd Binyamin Achimeir following an overnight raid in the Binyamin region of Samaria. “Overnight, in a joint operation of the Shin Bet, the Israel Police and the IDF, Ahmed Duabsha, 21 years old, a resident of the village of Duma in the Binyamin Brigade [area of deployment], was arrested by the soldiers of the Yamam [Border Police National Counter-Terrorism Unit] and the Shin Bet,” said the statement. Achimeir’s body was found by a...
(JNS) — The University of California, Los Angeles is allowing anti-Israel protesters to block Jewish students from entering the library of the state school in the city’s Westwood neighborhood, according to audio of a phone conversation between a parent and the UCLA police. “Are the protestors allowed to not allow a student who pays tuition access to their class in the library?” the concerned mother is heard asking. Parent @UCLA gave permission to release this audio of her phone call with @UCLAPD as they describe the school›s directive to allow...
(JNS) — A chaotic scene unfolded at the main campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in the Westwood neighborhood late Tuesday night as pro-Israel protesters confronted the pro-Hamas encampment there. There were reports of fights breaking out, resulting in injuries. An unverified video circulating online shows a pro-Hamas mob allegedly beating a Jewish student. According to social media accounts and local reporting, the university and city police were absent from the increasingly violent scene at UCLA. The school on Tuesday d...
(JNS) — As tensions escalate at a Gaza Solidarity Encampment at the University of Pennsylvania, administrators are taking a dialogue and de-escalation approach, possibly because they have no choice. Penn asked the Philadelphia Police Department to dismantle the encampment, but the police refused, the student-run Daily Pennsylvanian claimed on May 2. Police asked that the university first provide proof that the encampment “presents an imminent danger,” reported the paper, citing a source familiar with the matter. If accurate (and the Phila...
(New York Jewish Week) – Columbia University announced Monday that it would be canceling its commencement ceremony following weeks of pro-Palestinian protest, campus turmoil and hundreds of student arrests. Beginning nearly three weeks ago, the pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia sparked a protest movement at dozens of campuses across the country. The Ivy League school, like other colleges, has struggled to contain the demonstrators. “These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community,” Columbia said in a statement Monda...
(JTA) — Dozens of students unfurled Palestinian flags and banners at the main commencement ceremony of the University of Michigan. A single student staged a provocative demonstration during a ceremony at Northeastern University, raising hands stained with red paint as a symbol of violence in Gaza. And a Palestinian student speaker used her speech to lambaste Israel’s war against Hamas at the University of Toledo. Such were the disruptions during the first major weekend of graduation ceremonies to take place amid a sweeping pro-Palestinian pro...
(Israel Hayom via JNS) — Columbia University is facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of failing to keep Jewish students safe amid the wave of anti-Israel protests that have disrupted the Ivy League campus. The anonymous student plaintiff filed the lawsuit on Apr. 29. It acknowledges the right to peaceful protest and open debate at colleges. However, the lawsuit alleges that a number of demonstrations have gone beyond acceptable bounds, “intimidating and harassing Jewish students and faculty members” as well as “inciting demonstrators to en...
