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Jewish caricature in Ukrainian Christmas tradition resurfaces at New Jersey church, drawing criticism

January 16, 2026January 16, 2026Sara Wood

It had all the trappings of a conventional Christmas pageant: the three wise men, Christmas carols, and children dressed as angels. But there was a twist: This pageant, performed on Sunday in New Jersey, also included a Hasidic Jewish caricature, carrying a sack of coins and dancing with the devil. Earlocks swaying, the character called […]

After synagogue arson, Jackson’s Jews find solidarity, and complexity, at interfaith prayer service

January 16, 2026January 17, 2026Sara Wood

JACKSON, Mississippi — Days after their synagogue was burned in an arson attack, dozens of Jews in this city stood for prayer in a communal service. The interfaith prayer event at the Thalia Maria Hall in downtown Jackson, billed by Mayor John Horhn as an “All-City Call to Prayer and Action,” had been planned as a […]

Tulsa’s Jewish community pushes back on Oklahoma Jewish charter school proposal

January 15, 2026January 15, 2026Sara Wood

Leaders of Tulsa’s Jewish community are publicly pushing back against a proposal to open a publicly funded Jewish charter school in Oklahoma, saying the plan was developed without meaningful local input and could destabilize existing Jewish institutions. In a joint statement released this week, senior figures from Tulsa’s synagogues, Jewish day school and community organizations […]

Deborah Lipstadt has second thoughts about tying Jackson synagogue arsonist to ‘Globalize the Intifada’

January 14, 2026January 14, 2026Sara Wood

As news broke over the weekend of an arson attack that heavily damaged the only synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, a few prominent individuals connected the culprit to pro-Palestinian activism. “This is a major tragedy. But it’s more than that,” Deborah Lipstadt, formerly the State Department’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, wrote on the social network […]

Militant pro-Israel group Betar US to halt NY operations after settlement with state attorney general

January 13, 2026January 14, 2026Sara Wood

The militant pro-Israel group Betar US has agreed to halt its operations in New York in a settlement with state Attorney General Letitia James, whose office found that the group had committed a “campaign of violence, harassment, and intimidation against Arab, Muslim, and Jewish New Yorkers.” The settlement announced Tuesday followed a months-long investigation into […]

Rubble of Pasadena synagogue destroyed in wildfire is vandalized with anti-Zionist graffiti

January 13, 2026January 13, 2026Sara Wood

The remains of a synagogue in southern California destroyed in last January’s Eaton wildfire were vandalized over the weekend with anti-Zionist messages. The rabbi of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and the Anti-Defamation League decried the vandalism as antisemitic. “The vandalism of the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center is antisemitism — full stop,” ADL […]

He sold a house to Justin Bieber. Now this LA investor has given Chabad $100M to build one of the world’s largest Jewish centers.

January 13, 2026January 14, 2026Sara Wood

A Los Angeles real estate investor known for selling homes to celebrities has donated a $100 million office tower to Chabad, the global Orthodox Jewish outreach movement, to create what is slated to become one the world’s largest Jewish centers. Alon Abady and his wife, Monique, transferred the 16-story, 300,000-square-foot complex at 9911 W. Pico […]

Oklahoma board to vote on application for religious Jewish charter school, teeing up potential battle

January 13, 2026January 15, 2026Sara Wood

A Jewish education group seeking to create the nation’s first publicly funded religious Jewish charter school took its case to Oklahoma’s charter school board Monday, reviving a high-stakes constitutional battle over whether government money can be used to run faith-based public schools. The National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation, founded by Peter Deutsch, a […]

A century before Trump targeted Somalis, Jews faced the politics of blame

January 13, 2026January 16, 2026Sara Wood

As President Donald Trump ramped up his rhetoric against Somali immigrants in Minnesota and ordered a surge in immigration enforcement because Somalis took part in a social-service fraud scheme, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back. “’When a fraud takes place, when a crime takes place, you investigate it, you prosecute it, you charge it. You […]

Jersey City’s outgoing Jewish mayor Steven Fulop signs antisemitism orders as ‘guardrails’ for his successor

January 13, 2026January 17, 2026Sara Wood

As he leaves office after nearly 13 years, Jersey City’s Jewish mayor Steven Fulop is leaving his successor “guardrails” he hopes will help protect the city’s Jewish community. Fulop, who has served as Jersey City’s mayor since 2013, signed two executive orders on Dec. 22: one banning the city from participating in efforts to “boycott, […]