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Why Have Jews Migrated and Assimilated?
Yemenite Jews walking through a desert, near Aden, before being airlifted to Israel, November 1949. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
There are very different reasons why Jews have always migrated, and many have assimilated. When we feel insecure, some of us just sit the crisis out. Others just move on to more welcoming or financially more promising situations. The present is no different, but here are two examples from the past.
In 1985, I became the rabbi of the Western synagogue off the Finchley Road in Central London. I had previously been the Rabbi of Giffnock Synagogue in Glasgow and Principal of Carmel College. In 1984, I went with my family on a sabbatical to Israel. Much as I loved Israel, I could not fit into its political world, and so I joined the Western in 1985. Unlike most of the other synagogues in London, this one was independent.
The Western had a long and noble history of independence going all the way back to its initial establishment in 1761 as a private minyan started by Wolf Liepman. He had migrated during the eighteenth century and chose to live outside the main Jewish communities in the East End of London. Hence its name “The Western.”
As it grew, it acquired its own burial ground in Brompton Road. Over the years it continued to grow. I chose the Western synagogue because it was independent. I knew that I didn’t have to worry about the politics of the United Synagogue and the Chief Rabbinate. It was a very special, warm, and genteel community, with its own social and educational center. Although most of its members were not so Orthodox in practice, they were very attached to its traditions.
By the time I arrived, the Jews of the West End area were moving further north to where the major Jewish communities of London are today. And so, after a few years, we entered into negotiations with other declining communities in the West End, to get together. Eventually the Western relinquished its independence to merge with Marble Arch, which was part of the United Synagogue. And that was when, after seven very happy and rewarding years, I resigned rather than come under the United Synagogue.
As soon as I arrived at the Western, I had been asked to deal with a very delicate problem. Its Brompton Road Cemetery had been filled completely by the beginning of the 20th century. The synagogue had been approached by developers to sell its disused burial ground which would be turned into residential buildings and would have made a great deal of money for the community. Initially the Western approached the Chief Rabbinate of Israel who agreed, on the grounds that one could move graves if it was to holier ground (in Israel).
English law required that to do this would need to have the approval of relatives of all those buried in the cemetery. The Western had all the documentation and was able to track down the relatives of the 280 bodies buried there. To everybody’s surprise, they discovered that there was not one family buried in that cemetery with Jewish descendants. They had all married out.
We were ready to go ahead, when the Chief Rabbi and the Beth Din stepped in and asked us to stop. The Western had no obligation to accept their authority or opinion. But we chose to listen to their advice. They argued that there remained a significant number of other redundant and historical Jewish burial sites across the United Kingdom. If any one of them transferred bodies to Israel for real estate development, this might begin a wave of such transfers, which would look very bad in the eyes of what was and still is an atmosphere of prejudice against Jews.
The idea of moving bodies for financial gain would be used by antisemites to prove how materialist the Jewish people were.
In contrast, my first job in the Rabbinate was in Glasgow in 1968. Giffnock was a growing, independent, dynamic, and warm community of a thousand souls. With strong religious and secular roots, Glasgow itself was a community of nearly 15,000 Jews with eight significant functioning synagogues and a few other smaller communities, built primarily by refugees from Lithuania. I enjoyed the community and life in Scotland immensely.
Since then, the Jewish population has dropped to around about 2,000. Under a pro-Palestinian Scottish government, life for Jews is not what it was. Some have indeed married out . But many have simply moved on to enrich other communities and countries. Wherever you go in the Jewish world today from Canada, the US, Australia, and Israel, to name only the largest, you will find colonies of positively committed former Glaswegians.
October the 7th and its horrific aftermath has had a huge impact. For some it confirmed their alienation from Jews and Judaism. But others realized that the Jewish people remain marked for prejudice and hatred — and that the only response is to strengthen their identity and commitment, to stand up and be counted as Jews.
We Jews have always moved on. This past year, some have moved to Israel, others have moved away. Communities rise and fall. Many have been destroyed. Who remembers that Otranto and Bari at the boot of Italy, a thousand years ago, were the most vibrant Jewish communities in Europe? Will the Diaspora now go like them, or will Israel ensure we thrive and do not disappear?
When these wars are over, I strongly believe that a new generation will do better than the past to restore our days of old. There is much to be optimistic about, despite the almost universal pathology of irrational hatred. But we are often our own worst enemies, and we must sort ourselves out first before we turn to the rest of the world. There are plenty of reasons for optimism this year.
The author is a writer and rabbi, currently based in New York.
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US Congress Pushes to Designate Muslim Brotherhood as a Terrorist Organization
US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaking at a press conference about the United States restricting weapons for Israel, at the US Capitol, Washington, DC. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Members of the US Congress are moving quickly to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as an official terrorist organization.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced on Tuesday that he will reintroduce an updated version of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act.
“In the coming days, I will be circulating and re-introducing a modernized version of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which I have been pushing for my entire Senate career,” he posted on X/Twitter. “The Muslim Brotherhood used the Biden administration to consolidate and deepen their influence, but the Trump administration and Republican Congress can no longer afford to avoid the threat they pose to Americans and American national security.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday asking US President Donald Trump to open an investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood, saying that the group maintains “a documented history of promoting extremist ideologies.”
“Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE all declared the Muslim Brotherhood an FTO [foriegn terrorist organization] over a decade ago, and France is considering its own action. Following suit would help the US disrupt the Muslim Brotherhood’s ability to recruit and finance terror around the globe,” Moskowitz wrote on X/Twitter.
The push to proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood gained momentum last month, when the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) organized a meeting to help members of Congress develop “strategies to ban the growing threat of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States,” the research group said in a press release.
“The Muslim Brotherhood appears to be the intellectual inspiration behind all Islamist groups (and their jihadist offshoots) that operate today, such as ISIS, al Qaeda, and Hamas,” ISGAP wrote in a 2023 report. “Sunni jihadist groups are grounded in the firm ideological roots that key MB [Muslim Brotherhood] ideologues pioneered in the last century.”
Hamas, the internationally designated terrorist group that has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades and perpetrated the largest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust with its invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, is a Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. Both Cruz and Moskowitz noted that Hamas is a “branch” and an “affiliate” of the global Islamist movement.
While several countries in the Middle East have already classified the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, the United States has yet to do the same, despite several attempts by Congress over the years. During Trump’s first term in office, officials in both the White House and Congress took initial steps toward sanctioning the group’s international branches, but a formal designation was never finalized.
US lawmakers believe they have identified multiple pathways to economically cripple the internationally designated terror organization. Congress could combat the Muslim Brotherhood by designating it a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) or placing it on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list. Both options would levy heavy penalties on the group through methods such as freezing its assets or sanctioning its leadership.
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Iranian FM Meets Hezbollah Leader in Beirut as Tehran Tries to Ramp Up Support for Weakened Terror Proxy
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi lays a wreath as he visits the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, June 3, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem in Beirut on Wednesday, as Tehran moves to bolster its weakened terror proxy and maintain its presence in Lebanon.
During their meeting, Qassem expressed gratitude to the Islamist regime in Iran for its regional influence and “steadfast support of Palestinian resistance factions.”
According to local media, he also emphasized his commitment to Lebanon’s “progress, stability, sovereignty, and the expulsion of occupation from its territory.”
The Iranian-backed terrorist group has been struggling to maintain its political grip in Lebanon as it continues to reel from the devastating consequences of its war with Israel — a conflict that erupted after Hezbollah expressed “solidarity” with Hamas following the Palestinian terrorist group’s invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
As part of his trip to Beirut, Araghchi also met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri — a key Hezbollah ally.
During those meetings, the top Iranian diplomat stressed the importance of bilateral relations between the two countries and reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to providing economic, political, and social support through enhanced cooperation.
“I expressed my full support for Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and reconstruction in light of Israel’s occupation,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X. “Our goal and hope is to open a new chapter in our centuries-old relationship, built on mutual respect and shared interests.”
سررتُ بالعودة إلى بيروت الجميلة. خلال اجتماعاتي مع الرئيس، ورئيس مجلس النواب، ورئيس الوزراء، ووزير الخارجية، أعربتُ عن دعمي الكامل لاستقلال لبنان وسيادته وسلامة أراضيه وإعادة إعماره في ظل الاحتلال الإسرائيلي.
هدفنا وآملنا هو فتح صفحة جديدة في علاقتنا الممتدة لقرون، والمبنية على… pic.twitter.com/Gnv2sQeNaA
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 4, 2025
For his part, Aoun emphasized the importance of dialogue in “resolving differences” and highlighted post-war reconstruction as a top priority for his government.
According to local media, Araghchi also said that Iranian companies are prepared to contribute to the country’s post-war reconstruction efforts.
Since Lebanon’s US-backed army commander took office earlier this year and a new cabinet with reduced influence for Hezbollah was established, the terrorist group has faced mounting calls for disarmament as the new government seeks to assert full control over the country’s territory.
In November, Lebanon and Israel reached a US-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended a year of fighting between the Jewish state and Hezbollah. Under the agreement, Israel was given 60 days to withdraw from Lebanon’s southern border, allowing the Lebanese army and UN forces to take over security as Hezbollah disarms and moves away from Israel’s northern border.
Although Jerusalem has withdrawn most of its ground forces since the war ended, Israeli officials have said it will retain control of five strategic positions in the south of the country until the Lebanese army demonstrates it can maintain security there.
Last fall, Israel decimated much of Hezbollah’s leadership and military capabilities with an air and ground offensive, which ended with the ceasefire.
Tens of thousands of residents in northern Israel were forced to evacuate their homes last year due to relentless attacks from Hezbollah, which expressed solidarity with Hamas amid the Gaza war.
Last month, the Lebanese government and the Palestinian Authority reached an agreement to disarm all 12 Palestinian refugee camps across Lebanon. Both leaders pledged that Palestinian factions would refrain from using Lebanese territory as a launchpad for attacks against Israel and that all weapons would be placed under government control.
The post Iranian FM Meets Hezbollah Leader in Beirut as Tehran Tries to Ramp Up Support for Weakened Terror Proxy first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Former MLB All-Star Accuses Ocasio-Cortez of ‘Virtue Signaling,’ Weak Reaction to Colorado Antisemitic Attack
Law enforcement officers work at the scene, after an attack that injured multiple people in Boulder, Colorado, US, June 1, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
Former Major League Baseball player and World Series champion Kevin Youkilis lambasted US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Tuesday for her reaction to the violent antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday night.
On Monday, Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a post on X she was “horrified” by the attack in which a dozen people were injured at an event organized to raise awareness for the hostages abducted from Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and still held by the US-designated terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. The firebombing took place on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.
“My heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country,” the lawmaker wrote in her post on X. “Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.”
Youkilis — a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, who formerly played for the Boston Red Sox — responded to Ocasio-Cortez’s post by accusing her of ignoring those who are calling for “intifadas” — a reference to periods of rampant Palestinian terrorism targeting Israelis — in her district and throughout New York City.
“Jews are targeted with violence and it’s the same virtue signal post time and time again,” he posted on X. “What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.”
In the comments section on his post, Youkilis said Ocasio-Cortez should “confront the radical mobs chanting for intifadas in NYC.” Youkilis added: “That would be brave leadership, but we know politicians, on both sides of the aisle, shy away in fear of losing votes and power.”
“Prove me wrong and show what she has done to combat antisemitism in her district?” he later said in response to one user on X who attempted to defend the lawmaker. “You have no response because there has been zero action.”
Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged by US authorities with throwing Molotov cocktails and using a flamethrower to target those who attended the pro-Israel event on Sunday night. Among those injured in the attack were two elderly people who were hospitalized with severe burns. Soliman, who lives in Colorado Springs, told investigators that he wanted to “kill all Zionist people,” according to court documents. He was charged with attempted murder, assault, and a federal hate crime. Federal authorities said Soliman was in the country illegally since he overstayed a tourist visa and an expired work permit.
Soliman’s wife and five children were taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials “for expedited removal,” the White House said in a post on X on Tuesday.
Youkilis was drafted by Boston in 2001 but made his major league debut in 2004, the year Boston won its first World Series in 86 years.
The post Former MLB All-Star Accuses Ocasio-Cortez of ‘Virtue Signaling,’ Weak Reaction to Colorado Antisemitic Attack first appeared on Algemeiner.com.