Brown U’s Jewish president turns down Trump’s ‘Compact’ deal for campuses

A second university — like the first helmed by a Jewish woman — has rejected the Trump administration’s offer of special funding in exchange for an array of concessions. Brown University’s president, Christina Paxson, announced the decision on Wednesday, releasing the letter she sent to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and her staff. In the letter, […]

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Kamala Harris on whether Israel committed genocide: ‘We should all step back and ask this question’

Former Vice President Kamala Harris held back from labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide” on Sunday but said it was an appropriate question. “A lot of folks in your party have called what’s happening in Gaza a genocide. Do you agree with that?” correspondent Eugene Daniels asked Harris during an interview on MSNBC’s  “The […]

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‘Jewish donors play into all the stereotypes,’ Charlie Kirk wrote in leaked text messages before his murder

In the days before his murder, Charlie Kirk was frustrated — and he wasn’t hiding it from his friends. The conservative influencer complained in a WhatsApp group that his “Jewish donors” were “playing into all the stereotypes” and said they were pushing him to “leave the pro-Israel cause.” Those messages surfaced and were confirmed as […]

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MIT’s Jewish president rejects Trump’s offer of ‘priority’ funding in exchange for policy changes

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Jewish president, Sally Kornbluth, became the first university leader to reject the Trump administration’s offer to adopt a policy deal in exchange for funding benefits. The administration extended its proposal, titled the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” to nine universities this month that it said were “good actors.” […]

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Minneapolis synagogue targeted with antisemitic, pro-Hamas graffiti on Oct. 7 anniversary

Graffiti targeting “zionists” and praising Hamas was spray-painted on the preschool wing of a Minneapolis synagogue on Tuesday night, the second anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman said she was notified by one of Temple Israel’s neighbors about the vandalism. She said her first reaction was outrage and pain. […]

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Jewish groups welcome ceasefire plan as a step toward a ‘lasting regional peace’

Jewish organizations across the ideological spectrum offered cautious optimism following the announcement of the first phase of a Gaza peace agreement, expressing profound relief at the planned return of hostages living and dead and tentative hopes that the plan might lead toward lasting regional peace. As for what such a last peace might look like, […]

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