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Thousands Attend Kosherpalooza Food Festival in a Show of ‘Jewish Unity and Pride’
An attendee at Kosherpalooza 2024 hugging an IDF soldier as part of the “Hug a Chayil” interactive part of the kosher food and beverage festival on May 30, 2024. Photo: Provided
More than 4,000 people gathered to show support for the kosher food and beverage industry in New Jersey on Thursday at the second annual Kosherpalooza, which held a deeper significance this year amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Attendees who bought tickets for the all-day, interactive food festival at the Meadowlands Expo Center had their pick of food and beverages from 150 vendors who were exhibiting at the show. Ticket holders had the opportunity to taste — and sometimes buy — a plethora of kosher options from pancakes to cured meats to root beer.
There were also 14 live food demonstrations — including one by Israeli singer Gad Elbaz, who showed how to make his Moroccan fish — eight panel discussions, a “paint and sip” corner, interactive games like a hot sauce challenge and a blind taste test, and a meet and greet and book signing with cookbook authors.
Guests attending Kosherpalooza 2024. Photo: Shmily Treger
A common sentiment expressed by exhibitors and attendees was the feeling of “unity” in the room, while outside a war continued raging in Israel and Gaza and antisemitism reached record-high levels in both the US and around the world.
Support for Israel and the Jewish community was evident throughout Kosherpalooza. Borough Park native Mishael Niyazov attended the event wearing a sweatshirt that featured the message “Free Our Hostages” on the front and back, referring to those abducted during the Hamas terror group’s Oct. 7 invasion of southern Israel. Yoni Cohen from YJC Trade, which imports products from Israel, returned home three days ago from fighting as an IDF reservist in Gaza and then traveled to the United States for 48 hours to host a booth at Kosherpalooza, featuring Max Brenner chocolates and an assortment of halva and techina from Halva Kingdom. He traveled back to Israel on Thursday night.
“I think after Oct. 7, we are really facing now the reality that we only have each other for support and to rely on,” Ben Gingi, an Israeli baker and Instagram influencer, told The Algemeiner. “[Kosherpalooza] to the Jewish community is like a big hug at the moment and giving a lot of stability. It’s beautiful.”
“With everything that’s going on, whenever there’s an opportunity for Jewish people to come together and celebrate something that makes us distinctly Jewish, like our adherence to kosher, it’s a reason to celebrate achdus [togetherness] and Jewish pride,” added Adam Goodfriend, the creator of AGoodFriend.co, a cook-at-home meal kit that is like a kosher version of HelloFresh.
Mishael Niyazov, an attendee at Kosherpalooza 2024, wearing a sweatshirt that draws attention to the Israeli civilians being held hostage by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: Shmily Treger
In the middle of the Meadowlands Expo Center, Kosherpalooza organizers had set up an area where attendees could “Hug a Chayal,” which is the Hebrew word for soldier. Four active lone soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who recently returned from fighting in the Israel-Hamas war, attended Kosherpalooza to embrace visitors and also talk about their experiences with whoever asked. The pop-up was organized by Kosherpalooza in collaboration with Nevut, a nonprofit organization founded in 2017 that helps IDF lone soldiers and veterans with their mental health and wellbeing throughout their military service and also when they return to civilian life.
“What it’s going to give the soldiers [being at Kosherpalooza] more than anything is knowing that people care,” said Ari Abramowitz, executive director and co-founder of Nevut, which means “to navigate” in Hebrew. Abramowitz grew up in Monsey, New York, and was called up as a reservist in the IDF after the Oct. 7 attacks. He has already served twice in Gaza since the start of the war. Nevut helped thousands of soldiers travel to Israel to fight for Israel after Oct. 7, and Abramowitz spoke with The Algemeiner about his recent service in the IDF, lone soldiers returning home with post-traumatic stress disorder, and how being at Kosherpalooza helps the soldiers tremendously.
“Where there’s no unity it really breaks apart a nation and this [Kosherpalooza] is bringing us together, seeing so many different walks of life coming together in a room and knowing at the same time that soldiers are on the front lines defending for us — so we can be free and live life,” he said. “Every one of the soldiers that lost their lives [in the war], it was in order so all of us can be free today and be together. It tears me up inside to speak about it, but they would be very sad to see us broken. But to see all of us together living life, and to be able to live what they defended, is the biggest thing.”
Brooklyn resident Stephanie Neta Benshimol attended Kosherpalooza on behalf of the Hostage and Missing Families Forum wearing a dress that featured a large Star of David and the names of Israelis — civilians, hostages, and soldiers — who were all impacted by the Oct. 7 attacks. Benshimol, who is Israeli and American, also carried a large Israeli flag and flyers with pictures of the hostages who have been held captive by Hamas terrorists since Oct. 7.
She told The Algemeiner that Kosherpalooza is a display of “Jewish unity” that is crucial now more than ever as Israel continues its war against Hamas terrorists. “We all have to be united together, no matter what. Israel is am echad, lev ehad [one nation, one heart],” she added. “That’s the only way we are going to win. No matter what your view is in politics, we need to be in this together. Keep talking about the hostages. Spread awareness. Don’t forget the second Holocaust that happened to the nation of Israel.”
Stephanie Neta Benshimol attending Kosherpalooza 2024 wearing a dress that features the names of the Israeli victims and hostages from Oct. 7. Photo: Shmily Treger
Gitty Halberstam, the creator and owner of the coffee liquor Misceo (which means “to brew” in Latin), agreed “100 percent” that it’s important to show solidarity right now for fellow Jews, whether its for businesses, entrepreneurship, or the Jewish community as a whole.
“We have companies here from all different walks of Jewish life, and the Jewish food and wine beverage industry is so diverse and so large and still everyone is here to help each other and be here together,” she told The Algemeiner.
Miss United States Addison Grace Hadley also attended Kosherpalooza and afterwards shared on Instagram that she left the event “smiling with a VERY full belly.” The Nashville native was a nanny to three Jewish children while studying in graduate school and after falling in love with the Jewish culture, decided to convert to Judaism.
“I met so many new friends, tried so many delicious new foods, and had some deeply meaningful conversations with inclusive, genuine people about faith, about food, about culture, about my conversion journey — even got to chat Hebrew name choices with a delightful group of new gal pals!” added the Nashville native. “The highlight of today (though there are SO many choices!) was receiving an invitation to celebrate Shabbat with some of our new friends — the #kosherpalooza family is warm, welcoming, and inviting, and I love them all.”
The post Thousands Attend Kosherpalooza Food Festival in a Show of ‘Jewish Unity and Pride’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire
Explosions send smoke into the air in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
The spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing said on Friday that while the Palestinian terrorist group favors reaching an interim truce in the Gaza war, if such an agreement is not reached in current negotiations it could revert to insisting on a full package deal to end the conflict.
Hamas has previously offered to release all the hostages held in Gaza and conclude a permanent ceasefire agreement, and Israel has refused, Abu Ubaida added in a televised speech.
Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have hosted more than 10 days of talks on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce in the war.
Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on a call he had with Pope Leo on Friday that Israel‘s efforts to secure a hostage release deal and 60-day ceasefire “have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas.”
As part of the potential deal, 10 hostages held in Gaza would be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. In exchange, Israel would release a number of detained Palestinians.
“If the enemy remains obstinate and evades this round as it has done every time before, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or the proposal of the 10 captives,” said Abu Ubaida.
Disputes remain over maps of Israeli army withdrawals, aid delivery mechanisms into Gaza, and guarantees that any eventual truce would lead to ending the war, said two Hamas officials who spoke to Reuters on Friday.
The officials said the talks have not reached a breakthrough on the issues under discussion.
Hamas says any agreement must lead to ending the war, while Netanyahu says the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed and its leaders expelled from Gaza.
Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Over 250 hostages were kidnapped during Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught.
Israel responded with an ongoing military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.
The post Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel
People hold images of the victims of the 1994 bombing attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) community center, marking the 30th anniversary of the attack, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Irina Dambrauskas
Iran on Friday marked the 31st anniversary of the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires by slamming Argentina for what it called “baseless” accusations over Tehran’s alleged role in the terrorist attack and accusing Israel of politicizing the atrocity to influence the investigation and judicial process.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the anniversary of Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, which killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.
“While completely rejecting the accusations against Iranian citizens, the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns attempts by certain Argentine factions to pressure the judiciary into issuing baseless charges and politically motivated rulings,” the statement read.
“Reaffirming that the charges against its citizens are unfounded, the Islamic Republic of Iran insists on restoring their reputation and calls for an end to this staged legal proceeding,” it continued.
Last month, a federal judge in Argentina ordered the trial in absentia of 10 Iranian and Lebanese nationals suspected of orchestrating the attack in Buenos Aires.
The ten suspects set to stand trial include former Iranian and Lebanese ministers and diplomats, all of whom are subject to international arrest warrants issued by Argentina for their alleged roles in the terrorist attack.
In its statement on Friday, Iran also accused Israel of influencing the investigation to advance a political campaign against the Islamist regime in Tehran, claiming the case has been used to serve Israeli interests and hinder efforts to uncover the truth.
“From the outset, elements and entities linked to the Zionist regime [Israel] exploited this suspicious explosion, pushing the investigation down a false and misleading path, among whose consequences was to disrupt the long‑standing relations between the people of Iran and Argentina,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
“Clear, undeniable evidence now shows the Zionist regime and its affiliates exerting influence on the Argentine judiciary to frame Iranian nationals,” the statement continued.
In April, lead prosecutor Sebastián Basso — who took over the case after the 2015 murder of his predecessor, Alberto Nisman — requested that federal Judge Daniel Rafecas issue national and international arrest warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over his alleged involvement in the attack.
Since 2006, Argentine authorities have sought the arrest of eight Iranians — including former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who died in 2017 — yet more than three decades after the deadly bombing, all suspects remain still at large.
In a post on X, the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA), the country’s Jewish umbrella organization, released a statement commemorating the 31st anniversary of the bombing.
“It was a brutal attack on Argentina, its democracy, and its rule of law,” the group said. “At DAIA, we continue to demand truth and justice — because impunity is painful, and memory is a commitment to both the present and the future.”
31 años del atentado a la AMIA – DAIA. 31 años sin justicia.
El 18 de julio de 1994, un atentado terrorista dejó 85 personas muertas y más de 300 heridas. Fue un ataque brutal contra la Argentina, su democracia y su Estado de derecho.
Desde la DAIA, seguimos exigiendo verdad y… pic.twitter.com/kV2ReGNTIk
— DAIA (@DAIAArgentina) July 18, 2025
Despite Argentina’s longstanding belief that Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah terrorist group carried out the devastating attack at Iran’s request, the 1994 bombing has never been claimed or officially solved.
Meanwhile, Tehran has consistently denied any involvement and refused to arrest or extradite any suspects.
To this day, the decades-long investigation into the terrorist attack has been plagued by allegations of witness tampering, evidence manipulation, cover-ups, and annulled trials.
In 2006, former prosecutor Nisman formally charged Iran for orchestrating the attack and Hezbollah for carrying it out.
Nine years later, he accused former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner — currently under house arrest on corruption charges — of attempting to cover up the crime and block efforts to extradite the suspects behind the AMIA atrocity in return for Iranian oil.
Nisman was killed later that year, and to this day, both his case and murder remain unresolved and under ongoing investigation.
The alleged cover-up was reportedly formalized through the memorandum of understanding signed in 2013 between Kirchner’s government and Iranian authorities, with the stated goal of cooperating to investigate the AMIA bombing.
The post Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Jordan Reveals Muslim Brotherhood Operating Vast Illegal Funding Network Tied to Gaza Donations, Political Campaigns
Murad Adailah, the head of Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, attends an interview with Reuters in Amman, Jordan, Sept. 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Jehad Shelbak
The Muslim Brotherhood, one of the Arab world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movements, has been implicated in a wide-ranging network of illegal financial activities in Jordan and abroad, according to a new investigative report.
Investigations conducted by Jordanian authorities — along with evidence gathered from seized materials — revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood raised tens of millions of Jordanian dinars through various illegal activities, the Jordan news agency (Petra) reported this week.
With operations intensifying over the past eight years, the report showed that the group’s complex financial network was funded through various sources, including illegal donations, profits from investments in Jordan and abroad, and monthly fees paid by members inside and outside the country.
The report also indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood has taken advantage of the war in Gaza to raise donations illegally.
Out of all donations meant for Gaza, the group provided no information on where the funds came from, how much was collected, or how they were distributed, and failed to work with any international or relief organizations to manage the transfers properly.
Rather, the investigations revealed that the Islamist network used illicit financial mechanisms to transfer funds abroad.
According to Jordanian authorities, the group gathered more than JD 30 million (around $42 million) over recent years.
With funds transferred to several Arab, regional, and foreign countries, part of the money was allegedly used to finance domestic political campaigns in 2024, as well as illegal activities and cells.
In April, Jordan outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s most vocal opposition group, and confiscated its assets after members of the Islamist movement were found to be linked to a sabotage plot.
The movement’s political arm in Jordan, the Islamic Action Front, became the largest political grouping in parliament after elections last September, although most seats are still held by supporters of the government.
Opponents of the group, which is banned in most Arab countries, label it a terrorist organization. However, the movement claims it renounced violence decades ago and now promotes its Islamist agenda through peaceful means.
The post Jordan Reveals Muslim Brotherhood Operating Vast Illegal Funding Network Tied to Gaza Donations, Political Campaigns first appeared on Algemeiner.com.