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11 Jewish things to do this Christmas in New York City

(New York Jewish Week) –  Hanukkah may be over, but another time-honored Jewish holiday tradition is just around the corner: So-called “Jewish Christmas,” it’s that special time on Dec. 24 and 25 to eat Chinese food, see a new movie and hang out with friends as the non-Jewish world heads home for the holidays.

From Yiddish performances to bluegrass concerts to special Jewish-Chinese fusion meals, keep scrolling for our ultimate guide for Jews who are spending Christmas in the city this year.  

Christmas Eve

Lebanese Jewish Cooking Class

Join the Lower East Side’s Romaniote synagogue Kehila Kadosha Janina (280 Broome St.) for a Lebanese Jewish cooking class. Rabbi Issac Choua will present a lecture on Lebanese Jews and will talk about the history of the Brooklyn store Sahadi’s, a Lebanese grocery store established in the city in 1895. Tickets for the 1:00 p.m. class start at $10, email museum@kkjsm.org to RSVP. 

Jewish Christmas at Kubeh

The Israeli restaurant Kubeh (464 6th Ave.), dedicated to “lesser-known cuisines of the Middle East,” has devised a special Christmas menu on Dec. 24 and 25, featuring scallion ginger latkes, duck, fried rice and a fortune-filled donut. The pre-fixe meal starts at $65 per person, with the a la carte menu of traditional Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine also available. Find the menu here and make your reservation here.

Wandering Jews of Astoria’s Christmastime with the Jews

The Wandering Jews of Astoria, a pluralistic Jewish group in Western Queens for people in their 20s, 30s and 40s that focuses on social events, is getting together on Christmas Eve for dinner at 5:00 p.m. at vegan restaurant Jujube Tree (35-02 30th Ave., Astoria) and afterwards, a movie at Regal UA Kaufman Astoria. RSVP and find out more information here.

Traditional Jewish Christmas at Mile End Deli

For another Jewish/Chinese fusion meal, head to Brooklyn for a “traditional” Jewish Christmas at Mile End Deli (97 Hoyt St.) on Dec. 24 and 25. At $55 per person, the menu includes hot and sour soup, smoked shiitake bao, crab rangoon, General Tso’s chicken and smoked meat fried rice. Make your reservations here.

“The Gospel According to Chaim”

A new Yiddish drama, “The Gospel According to Chaim,” by Mikhl Yashinsky is the first full-length Yiddish drama written and produced in the U.S. in some 70 years. The story centers around a former Hasid’s attempt to publish a Yiddish translation of the New Testament. Starring Yiddish writer, actor and teacher Yashinsky, Melissa Weisz, Joshua Horowitz and Sruli Rosenberg, the show opens on Dec. 24 at the Theater for the New City (155 1st Ave.) and runs through Jan. 7. Tickets start at $25.

The Matzoball

For those still looking to secure someone for a New Year’s kiss, there’s famously no better way to meet someone than at Matzoball, the long-running Jewish singles party on Christmas Eve. This year, the ball will take place at The DL (95 Delancey St.) on  the Lower East Side. The party starts at 10:00 p.m. on Dec. 24 and will last until 4 a.m. Tickets start at $50, find more information here.

Daniel Kahn will receive the prestigious Adrienne Cooper Dreaming in Yiddish Award this year at Yiddish New York. (Adam Berry)

Yiddish New York Festival

Join klezmer and Yiddish fans from all over the world as they flock to New York City for the annual Yiddish New York festival, this year from Dec. 23-29. The festival, which is headquartered at Hebrew Union College (1 West 4th St.), includes jam-packed days of Yiddish language classes, lectures on Yiddish culture, film screenings, klezmer jam sessions, concerts, original plays and more. In the evenings, there are several special shows and programs, including a 7 p.m. Christmas Eve concert from pioneering klezmer musician Michael Alpert. The full festival pass costs $570 for in-person attendance and $369 for online; find out more information about tickets here and check out the full schedule here.

Christmas Day

Nefesh Mountain at the Jewish Museum

The Jewish bluegrass band Nefesh Mountain is playing two concerts at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Day at the Jewish Museum (1109 5th Ave.), a perfect outing for a young family when work and school is closed. The concert tickets are included with the price of museum admission ($18) and guests have access to view the museum’s exhibits before and after the show, including “The Collars of RBG” and “Mood of the moment: Gaby Aghion and the house of Chloé.” Find more information here.

Stand-Up Comedy at PJ Bernstein’s

On Christmas Day, head to the Upper East Side for some stand-up comedy at Jewish deli PJ Bernstein’s (1215 3rd Ave.), where Jewish comics Harrison Greenbaum, Eitan Levine, Riley Lassin, Ben Kirschenbaum, Rachel Lander and Mikey Greenblatt plan to deliver a night of laughs. Tickets for the 7:00 p.m. event cost $15, with proceeds donated to Magen David Adom, Israel’s Red Cross. Get tickets and more information here.

Joel Chasnoff: “Christmas for the Jews”

Comedian Joel Chasnoff brings back his annual Christmas stand-up showcase: Christmas for the Jews, this year at City Winery (25 11th Ave.) on Dec. 25 at 7 p.m. The lineup also includes Jon Fisch, Ophira Eisenberg and Eli Lebowicz and musician Brian Gelfand on piano. Tickets start at $30, get them here.

Yiddish Princess Reunion

After a decade-long hiatus, Yiddish rock band Yiddish Princess will play a reunion concert at the Bowery Electric (32 Bowery St.) at 9 p.m. Co-founded by Sarah Mina Gordon and Michael Winograd, the band promises a “double guitar onslaught. Drums beating you into submission. Precious analog synths beckoning. And a voice that can shatter ice and coo you into mellifluous bliss.” Tickets start at $25


The post 11 Jewish things to do this Christmas in New York City appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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Peace Meals: Chef José Andrés Says ‘Good People’ On Both Sides of Gaza Conflict Ill-Served By Leaders, Food Can Bridge Divide

Chef and head of World Central Kitchen Jose Andres attends the Milken Institute Global Conference 2025 in Beverly Hills, California, US, May 5, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake.

Renowned Spanish chef and World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder José Andrés called the Oct. 7 attack “horrendous” in an interview Wednesday and shared his hopes for reconciliation between the “vast majority” on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide who are “good people that very often are not served well by their leaders”

WCK is a US-based, nonprofit organization that provides fresh meals to people in conflict zones around the world. The charity has been actively serving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since the Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel. Since the Hamas attack, WCK has served more than 133 million meals across Gaza, according to its website.

The restaurateur and humanitarian has been quoted saying in past interviews that “sometimes very big problems have very simple solutions.” On Wednesday’s episode of the Wall Street Journal podcast “Bold Names,” he was asked to elaborate on that thought. He responded by saying he believes good meals and good leaders can help resolve issues between Israelis and Palestinians, who, he believes, genuinely want to live harmoniously with each other.

“I had people in Gaza, mothers, women making bread,” he said. “Moments that you had of closeness they were telling you: ‘What Hamas did was wrong. I wouldn’t [want] anybody to do this to my children.’ And I had Israelis that even lost family members. They say, ‘I would love to go to Gaza to be next to the people to show them that we respect them …’ And this to me is very fascinating because it’s the reality.

“Maybe some people call me naive. [But] the vast majority of the people are good people that very often are not served well by their leaders. And the simple reality of recognizing that many truths can be true at the same time in the same phrase that what happened on October 7th was horrendous and was never supposed to happen. And that’s why World Central Kitchen was there next to the people in Israel feeding in the kibbutz from day one, and at the same time that I defended obviously the right of Israel to defend itself and to try to bring back the hostages. Equally, what is happening in Gaza is not supposed to be happening either.”

Andres noted that he supports Israel’s efforts to target Hamas terrorists but then seemingly accused Israel of “continuously” targeting children and civilians during its military operations against the terror group.

“We need leaders that believe in that, that believe in longer tables,” he concluded. “It’s so simple to invest in peace … It’s so simple to do good. It’s so simple to invest in a better tomorrow. Food is a solution to many of the issues we’re facing. Let’s hope that … one day in the Middle East it’ll be people just celebrating the cultures that sometimes if you look at what they eat, they seem all to eat exactly the same.”

In 2024, WCK fired at least 62 of its staff members in Gaza after Israel said they had ties to terrorist groups. In one case, Israel discovered that a WCK employee named Ahed Azmi Qdeih took part in the deadly Hamas rampage across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Qdeih was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in November 2024.

In April 2024, the Israel Defense Forces received backlash for carrying out airstrikes on a WCK vehicle convoy which killed seven of the charity’s employees. Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, said the airstrikes were “a mistake that followed a misidentification,” and Israel dismissed two senior officers as a result of the mishandled military operation.

The strikes “were not just some unfortunate mistake in the fog of war,” Andrés alleged.

“It was a direct attack on clearly marked vehicles whose movements were known by” the Israeli military, he claimed in an op-ed published by Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot. “It was also the direct result of [the Israeli] government’s policy to squeeze humanitarian aid to desperate levels.”

In a statement on X, Andres accused Israel of “indiscriminate killing,” saying the Jewish state “needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon.”

The post Peace Meals: Chef José Andrés Says ‘Good People’ On Both Sides of Gaza Conflict Ill-Served By Leaders, Food Can Bridge Divide first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Hamas to Release 10 Israeli Hostages as US-Backed Ceasefire Talks Gain Momentum

People watch a screen on the day Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, who was kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, is released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, in Alexander’s hometown of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, May 12, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

Hamas said it would release 10 Israeli hostages in an effort to reach a ceasefire deal, as growing international pressure mounts on the Palestinian terrorist group to end the 21-month war in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement Wednesday, the Iran-backed terror group said negotiations with Israel had been difficult but reaffirmed its commitment to the talks, while offering no timeline for the hostages’ release.

Hamas “continues its intensive and responsible efforts to ensure the success of the ongoing round of negotiations, striving to reach a comprehensive agreement that ends the aggression against our people, secures the free and safe entry of humanitarian aid, and alleviates the worsening suffering in the Gaza Strip,” the statement reads.

“In its commitment to the success of the current efforts, the movement has shown the necessary flexibility and agreed to release 10 prisoners,” the Palestinian terror group said.

Among the remaining 50 hostages still held in the war-torn enclave, fewer than half are believed to be alive, with 28 reported dead.

Hamas’ latest announcement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week to advance ceasefire efforts focused on securing the release of hostages still held in Gaza.

The US ceasefire plan proposed by Trump sets a 60-day timeline to finalize the details leading to a full resolution of the conflict.

Even though Trump hasn’t provided details on the proposed truce, he said Washington would “work with all parties to end the war” during the 60-day period.

“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he wrote in a social media post last week.

Since the start of the war, ceasefire talks between Jerusalem and Hamas have repeatedly failed to yield enduring results.

Israeli officials have previously said they will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms, and goes into exile — a demand the terror group has firmly rejected.

For its part, Hamas has said it is willing to release the remaining 50 hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.

On Wednesday, Trump expressed optimism that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be reached soon, potentially as early as this or next week. However, he also stressed that no agreement is guaranteed yet.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed similar optimism, saying he believes “we’re closer than we’ve been in quite a while” to securing a ceasefire. He also noted that US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is hopeful that indirect negotiations will take place soon.

According to media reports, the proposed 60-day ceasefire would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in humanitarian aid, and the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, with US and mediator assurances on advancing talks to end the war.

For Israel, the key to any deal is the release of most, if not all, hostages still held in Gaza, as well as the disarmament of Hamas. The terror group, meanwhile, is seeking assurances to end the war as it tries to reassert control over the war-torn enclave.

In earlier efforts, a ceasefire that ended in March brought roughly two months of relative calm and led to the release of 33 hostages in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

After the first phase ended, however, the two sides failed to agree on terms for a second phase, leading Hamas to halt further hostage releases and prompting a resumption of Israeli military action.

The post Hamas to Release 10 Israeli Hostages as US-Backed Ceasefire Talks Gain Momentum first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Jeffries, House Dem Leaders Demand GOP Rep. Randy Fine Apologize For Calling Ilhan Omar a ‘Terrorist’

Florida state Sen. Randy Fine (Source: Reuters)

Florida Republican State Sen. Randy Fine. Photo: Reuters

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sharply rebuked Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) for what he called “bigoted and disgusting” rhetoric directed at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), joining a growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups denouncing Fine’s remarks as overtly Islamophobic.

In a post on X earlier this week, Fine referred to Omar as a “Muslim terrorist,” adding, “The only shame is that you serve in Congress.” The comment came in response to Omar’s criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent address to Congress, which she called “shameful.”

Jeffries, joined by Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, issued a joint statement rejecting Fine’s language as “unhinged, racist, and Islamophobic.” The House Democratic leaders urged him to apologize, saying, “These vile comments have no place in our political discourse.”

Omar, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, thanked her colleagues for standing in solidarity. She called on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) to hold Fine accountable.

“Not only does normalizing this bigotry and violence endanger my life but all Muslims including in Fine’s own district,” Omar posted to her X account. “This type of Islamophobic language demands accountability.”

Fine has not apologized and instead doubled down on his attacks. In a follow-up post, he derided Democratic leadership as the “Hamas Caucus” and responded to backlash with, “Boo hoo.” Speaking to CNN, Fine dismissed criticism of his remarks as “ad hominem attacks” and claimed Democrats were more upset at his tone than at Omar’s earlier comments about Netanyahu, whom she referred to as a war criminal.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has renewed its call for Fine to face formal censure, citing a long record of inflammatory remarks about Muslims and Palestinians. In past social media posts, Fine has suggested deportations and called Palestinians “barbarians,” fueling accusations that his rhetoric goes beyond political disagreement and into outright hate speech.

The controversy arrives amid growing national scrutiny over the rise of incendiary language in politics, particularly as tensions continue to flare over US policy in the Middle East. With calls for accountability mounting, Democratic leaders say Congress must draw a clear line against hate, especially from within its own ranks.

The post Jeffries, House Dem Leaders Demand GOP Rep. Randy Fine Apologize For Calling Ilhan Omar a ‘Terrorist’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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