French crooner Charles Aznavour loved Jews. A new museum in Armenia will tell that story.

YEREVAN, Armenia ((JR)) — His haunting French rendition of “La Yiddishe Mama” is legendary, as is his spirited performance of “Hava Nagila” in a duet with Algerian Jewish singer Enrico Macias. In 1967, he recorded the song “Yerushalayim” as a tribute to Israel’s Six-Day War victory. Yet Charles Aznavour, a diminutive singer and songwriter later […]

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In first comments on jailed reporter Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Putin says Russia seeks a prisoner exchange

(JR) — Vladimir Putin said Russia hopes to reach an agreement to free Evan Gershkovich, the American Jewish journalist it imprisoned in March. “It is not that we have refused to return them,” Putin told reporters in a produced four-hour news conference on Thursday, referring to Gershkovich and United States Marine Paul Whelan, who has […]

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A rising South African cricket star dedicated an award to Israel. Then he was investigated for hate speech.

(JR) — When 18-year old South African cricket player David Teeger was recognized with a “rising star” honor at a Jewish awards ceremony in October, he dedicated the accolade to Israel. “Yes, I’ve been [given] this award, and yes, I’m now the rising star, but the true rising stars are the young soldiers in Israel,” […]

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Dutch mayor refuses to be photographed with Israeli ambassador at Hanukkah event, setting off media frenzy

(JR) — A Hanukkah celebration in the Dutch town of Enschede took a bitter turn after its mayor refused to be seen near the Israeli ambassador to the Netherlands. Jaap Hartog, chairman of the Enschede synagogue, invited Mayor Roelof Bleker to a celebration of Hanukkah and the synagogue’s 95th anniversary on Monday night. He reserved […]

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Far-right lawmaker Grzegorz Braun shocks Polish parliament by using fire extinguisher on menorah

(JR) — In a shocking display, far-right Polish lawmaker Grzegorz Braun, a well-known antisemitic provocateur, used a fire extinguisher to blow out the candles of a menorah in Poland’s parliament building on Tuesday before calling Hanukkah “Satanic.” Videos from the scene showed white mist from the extinguisher filling much of a chamber in the building […]

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