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After their synagogue is vandalized, Porto Jews brace for antisemitism during Israel-Hamas war
(JTA) — Gabriel Senderowicz woke up on Wednesday to see his synagogue in Portugal’s small coastal city of Porto was vandalized overnight.
Black graffiti scrawled over the white gate to the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue read “Free Palestine” and “End Israel Apartheid.” The largest synagogue on the Iberian Peninsula and among the largest in Europe, Kadoorie serves a tight-knit community of about 1,000 Porto Jews, including many with familial ties to Israel. The graffiti was removed the same day and no arrest has been made.
Porto has braced for flaring tensions as the brutal and rapidly escalating Israel-Hamas war splits communities around the world. Since Hamas militants rampaged Israeli towns on Saturday, more than 1,400 Israelis and nearly 2,700 Palestinians have been killed. Israel declared a complete siege on the enclave and hundreds of thousands have fled south ahead of an expected ground invasion.
European leaders have increased security around synagogues and Jewish neighborhoods to prepare for antisemitic threats in the wake of the conflict. A spate of incidents last week across the globe included a vandalism campaign that marked Stars of David on apartment buildings where Jews lived in Berlin and a rally in Australia that included “gas the Jews” chants.
Senderowicz, who is president of the Jewish Community of Porto, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that many Porto Jews anticipate becoming the most prominent target for antisemitism in their country. The community has visibly flourished in recent years, growing from about 40 Jews in 2012 to roughly 1,000 today. Though Porto and Lisbon have similarly-sized Jewish populations, Porto has the largest synagogue and more Jewish institutions, including a Jewish museum, a Holocaust Museum and several kosher restaurants.
Senderowicz said he was not surprised by the appearance of graffiti on his synagogue. He expected some form of retaliation after a vigil for victims of the Hamas attack the previous night, which drew about 400 people to Porto’s city hall. The building was illuminated in the colors of the Israeli flag.
The synagogue was also vandalized in 2021 by a left-wing German group that accused Porto Jews of being “fascists.”
For many members of the community, the Hamas assault hit close to home. One Israeli resident of Porto had a niece at the Tribe of Nova music festival near the Gaza Strip, where she was among the 260 people murdered by Hamas gunmen. Another Israeli who lives in Porto was called in for reserve duty, leaving his wife and children behind. Senderowicz himself has a cousin and an uncle currently serving in the Israeli army.
After discovering the graffiti on Wednesday, Senderowicz met with representatives of the city’s Catholic and Muslim communities about protecting against violence.
“We met in the city hall to make sure that the relationship between our communities is safe, it’s solid,” he told JTA. “This doesn’t have consequences for our relationship.”
Nonetheless, the community is prepared for a spike in antisemitic threats. Porto police have reinforced their presence around the synagogue and other Jewish institutions, while Jewish leaders are avoiding in-person events. Senderowicz canceled attending a conference in Zagreb this week, both for security reasons and to support the Jews in his city.
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The post After their synagogue is vandalized, Porto Jews brace for antisemitism during Israel-Hamas war appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Trump Announces India and Pakistan ‘Agreed to a Full and Immediate Ceasefire’
US President Donald Trump attends the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, April 21, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Leah Millis
i24 News – US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. “Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” he posted on social media. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the ceasefire, saying Saudi Arabia and Turkey also played an important role in facilitating the deal.
The ceasefire follows weeks of clashes and cross-border missile and drone strikes triggered by a gun massacre of Indian tourists last month.
New Delhi has blamed jihadists from the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist organization. Pakistan denies the charge.
Dozens of civilians have been killed on both sides.
The post Trump Announces India and Pakistan ‘Agreed to a Full and Immediate Ceasefire’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Latest Columbia Scandal Sees Over 65 Students Suspended, Including Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Daughter
Pro-Palestinian protesters are detained by NYPD after taking part in a demonstration at Butler Library on the Columbia University campus in New York, U.S., May 7, 2025. REUTERS/Dana Edwards
i24 News – In the latest antisemitism scandal at the prestigious New York institution, Columbia University suspended dozens of students and barred from campus alumni and others who took part in a chaotic and violent anti-Israel incident inside the school’s main library earlier in the week.
On May 7, the mask-clad mob forced its way into the library, injuring two public safety officers in the process. Once inside, they vandalized property, adorning the premises with Palestinian flags, scrawling “Columbia will burn” on a glass case, and declaring the library a “liberated zone.”
Some 75 protesters were arrested after refusing to comply with police directives, including Ramona Sarsgaard, daughter of Hollywood A-lister Maggie Gyllenhaal and actor Peter Sarsgaard.
The Ivy League university in Manhattan declined to say how long the disciplinary measures would be in place, saying only that the decisions are pending further investigation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said his office will review the visa status of those who participated in the library takeover for possible deportation.
The post Latest Columbia Scandal Sees Over 65 Students Suspended, Including Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Daughter first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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US, Iran to Hold 4th Round of Nuclear Talks on Eve of Trump’s Gulf Tour
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi looks on before a meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 26, 2024. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
i24 News – The United States and Iran will hold a fourth round of nuclear talks Sunday in Oman, officials said, just ahead of a visit to the region by President Donald Trump.
Trump, who will visit three other Gulf Arab monarchies next week, has voiced hope for reaching a deal with Tehran to curb its nuclear program that would avert an Israeli military strike on Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities that could ignite a wider war. He has refused, however, to rule out military action in the event the talks come to naught.
Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said that Oman, the mediator in the talks, had proposed Sunday as the date and both sides accepted it.
“Negotiations are moving ahead and naturally, the more we advance, the more consultations we have, and the more time the delegations need to examine the issues,” he was quoted as saying by regime media. “But what’s important is that we are moving forward so that we gradually get into the details.”
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s personal friend serving as his globe-trotting negotiator, will take part in the talks.
American and Iranian representatives voiced optimism after the previous talks that took place in Oman and Rome, saying there was a friendly atmosphere despite the two countries’ decades of enmity.
However the two sides are not believed to have thrashed out the all-important technical details, and basic questions remain.
The post US, Iran to Hold 4th Round of Nuclear Talks on Eve of Trump’s Gulf Tour first appeared on Algemeiner.com.