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Thousands of Jews gather in Times Square to ‘Shine a Light’ on antisemitism
(New York Jewish Week) — Thousands of New Yorkers gathered in Times Square on Monday night to watch as performers, social media stars and elected officials celebrated the second night of Hanukkah while bringing awareness to the growing frequency of antisemitism.
The event, called “Shine a Light on Antisemitism,” was co-hosted by a range of Jewish groups, including UJA-Federation of New York, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League.
It featured appearances from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and comedian Ariel Elias. Rapper Nissim Black and the cast of National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s “Fiddler On The Roof in Yiddish” performed.
Sharing the outdoor stage with a Hanukkah menorah and multiple elected officials, James called antisemitism “a malignant cancer” that must be wiped out.
Hochul, who said she has always supported the Jewish community, denounced “antisemitism in all of its forms.” The governor just introduced multiple initiatives to combat hate in New York, including a new unit in her office, stronger education programs and millions of dollars in security funding for synagogues.
As we light the @JCRCNY Menorah in Times Square, we send a clear message to the world that we are proud to stand with our Jewish neighbors!
New York wouldn’t be what it is today without our Jewish community. We’ll always support Jewish New Yorkers & stand up to antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/jeVhLVIFV5
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) December 20, 2022
Elias, who had a video go viral after someone threw a beer can at her while she was performing in a comedy club, spoke about how the incident ultimately felt antisemitic.
“What I was talking about was being Jewish and growing up in Kentucky,” Elias said. “But because antisemitism doesn’t always look the way it used to, it took a long time for me to connect the dots when it first happened.”
UJA-Federation CEO Eric Goldstein told the New York Jewish Week that putting on an event like this in a public place is important in order to show that Jews are standing up to antisemitism.
He added that “a really important piece of this is to live [a] proudly public, happy Jewish life.”
“Crisis shouldn’t define us,” said Goldstein, who also spoke at the event. “The goal here is not to simply have sound speeches, but to celebrate Hanukkah. This is a time to get together in celebration.”
The event, called “Shine a Light on Antisemitism,” was co-hosted by a range of Jewish groups. (Photo courtesy Jewish Community Relations Council of New York)
“Shine a Light” is an initiative of more than 80 North American Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, calling itself “a platform for organizations, companies, individuals and institutions to unite in shining a light on antisemitism in all its modern forms.”
The New York Police Department reported that antisemitic attacks in the city in November 2022 were up by 125% when compared to the same month last year.
A report from the Anti-Defamation League counted 2,717 antisemitic incidents across the country in 2021 — a 34% increase from the previous year, and the highest since it began tracking in 1979.
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The post Thousands of Jews gather in Times Square to ‘Shine a Light’ on antisemitism appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Trump Curious Why Iran Has Not ‘Capitulated’ Amid US Military Buildup, Says Witkoff
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff delivers a press conference upon the signing of the declaration on deploying post-ceasefire force in Ukraine, during the so-called ‘Coalition of the Willing’ summit, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Jan. 6, 2026. Photo: Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS
US President Donald Trump is curious as to why Iran has not yet “capitulated” and agreed to curb its nuclear program, as Washington builds up its military capability in the Middle East, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated,’ because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated,’ but why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff said during an interview on Saturday with Fox News’ “My View with Lara Trump,” hosted by the president’s daughter-in-law.
“Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do’? And yet it’s sort of hard to get them to that place.”
Trump has ordered a huge buildup of forces in the Middle East and preparations for a potential multi-week air attack on Iran. Iran has threatened to strike US bases if it is attacked.
IRAN DENIES SEEKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS
The United States wants Iran to give up enriched uranium which Washington says can potentially be used to make a bomb, as well as stop supporting terrorists in the Middle East and accept limits to its missile program.
Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful but it is willing to accept some curbs on it in return for the lifting of financial sanctions. It rejects tying this to other issues such as missiles and support for armed groups.
“They’ve been enriching well beyond the number that you need for civil nuclear. It’s up to 60 percent [fissile purity],” Witkoff said. “They’re probably a week away from having industrial, industrial-grade bomb-making material, and that’s really dangerous.”
A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that Iran and the United States still have differing views over sanctions relief in talks.
Witkoff also said he has met at Trump’s direction with Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, son of the shah ousted in Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. He did not provide further details of the meeting.
Pahlavi, who lives in exile, served as a rallying figure for some of Iran’s opposition during anti-government demonstrations last month in which thousands of people are believed to have been killed, the worst domestic unrest since the revolution era.
Earlier in February, Pahlavi said US military intervention in Iran could save lives, and urged Washington not to spend too long negotiating with Tehran’s clerical rulers on a nuclear deal.
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US-Iran Talks Expected Friday if Iran Sends Nuclear Proposal Soon, Axios Reports
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
United States negotiators are ready to hold another round of talks with Iran on Friday in Geneva if they receive a detailed Iranian proposal for a nuclear deal in the next 48 hours, Axios reported on Sunday, citing a senior US official.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
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Khamenei Designates Larijani to Lead Iran’s Affairs During Protests, Military Threats
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani speaks after meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Aziz Taher
i24 News – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reportedly assigned significant authority to former Revolutionary Guards commander and longtime political figure Ali Larijani in response to rising US and Israeli military threats, as well as nationwide unrest, according to a report by The New York Times.
The newspaper cites Iranian officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards, and former diplomats, noting that Khamenei has issued detailed instructions on succession and emergency decision-making should he be targeted in a potential strike.
Larijani, currently a top national security official, has been tasked with managing state affairs, overseeing the crackdown on protests, coordinating sensitive nuclear discussions with Washington, and liaising with allied nations including Russia, Qatar, and Oman.
“Larijani has been entrusted with responsibilities that cover both domestic security and international relations, effectively acting as Khamenei’s right-hand man during this period of heightened tension,” the report states.
Officials say Khamenei has prepared multiple layers of succession for key political and military positions and delegated powers to a close circle of confidants. While Larijani is not considered a likely successor to the Supreme Leader due to insufficient religious credentials, he is described as one of the regime’s most trusted crisis managers.
Iran has reportedly placed its armed forces on high alert, deployed missile systems near Iraq and in the Persian Gulf, and intensified military exercises. Special forces, intelligence units, and Basij militia battalions are prepared to deploy to major cities to suppress unrest and monitor suspected foreign operatives if conflict escalates.
The move comes amid continued diplomatic engagement over Tehran’s nuclear program. Despite ongoing negotiations, officials say Iran is operating under the assumption that a U.S. military strike is “inevitable and imminent.”
According to the report, Larijani tops the list of emergency successors, followed by Parliament Speaker General Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, with former president Hassan Rouhani also named as a potential fallback in extraordinary circumstances.