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Brandeis U president apologizes for ad calling school ‘anything but Orthodox’
(JTA) — Brandeis University’s president has apologized to the school’s Orthodox Jewish student group for a university ad that called the school “anything but Orthodox.”
The two-page spread, which appeared in The New York Times Magazine last week, drew the ire of Orthodox Jews and others on social media, who called it offensive.
Days after the ad appeared, leaders of the Brandeis Orthodox Organization, a student group, said in a statement that they were “hurt and disappointed to see something like this coming from our university.” They added that Brandeis has been a place where Orthodox Jews “could comfortably grow and succeed” and that the ad was “unacceptable and antithetical to Brandeis’ values.”
The school initially defended the ad — which was headlined, “Brandeis was founded by Jews. But, it’s anything but Orthodox.” — as “a play on words meant to highlight Brandeis’ unique story and history of innovation.”
But in a letter sent to the Orthodox group late last week, the school’s president, Ronald Liebowitz, wrote that the school did not intend to offend Orthodox Jews but that “Cearly, the execution of this ad missed the mark.” He noted that he had met with members of the group last week.
“Brandeis is committed to providing a rich and open experience for you, our Orthodox students, and to combat rising antisemitism that affects all Jews,” Liebowitz wrote in the letter, which was posted to Twitter by Rabbi David Bashevkin, an Orthodox educator, and confirmed as accurate by a leader of the Brandeis student group.
“I am especially sorry that members of Brandeis’ Orthodox Jewish community, in particular, were hurt by the ad,” Liebowitz wrote. “You play a key role in our ongoing success: You bring energy, intelligence, and creativity to our Jewish community, to student life more broadly, and to the rigor of the academic experience that Brandeis offers.”
Matt Shapiro, the student group’s president, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he appreciated the apology.
“I’m really happy and grateful to see that the university was willing to recognize the hurt they caused and apologize for it,” he told JTA. “I appreciate that Brandeis has been a wonderful place for Orthodox students to thrive for many years, and to me, this signifies their ongoing support and commitment to our community.”
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The post Brandeis U president apologizes for ad calling school ‘anything but Orthodox’ appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Report: ICC’s Khan Goes on Administrative Leave Amid Sexual Misconduct Probe
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan speaks during an interview with Reuters in The Hague, Netherlands, Feb. 12, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
i24 News – Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan has stepped down temporarily as an investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct by United Nations investigators is nearing its final phase, Reuters reported on Friday citing sources from the international court.
Khan allegedly forced sexual intercourse upon a member of staff on multiple occasions, the Wall Street Journal reported last week, linking the allegations to Khan’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant.
A statement is expected later today announcing that Khan is going on administrative leave, according to a source in the prosecutor’s office.
The post Report: ICC’s Khan Goes on Administrative Leave Amid Sexual Misconduct Probe first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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US and Israel-Backed Aid Group to Start Work in Gaza by End of May
Trucks carrying aid line up near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, February 1, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
i24 News – A US-backed humanitarian organization will start work in Gaza by the end of May to deliver aid to the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave while ensuring the jihadists of Hamas do not loot the supplies.
Israel has been at war since against the Palestinian jihadist group since its cross-border attack on October 7, 2023 that left over 1,200 Israelis dead and saw over 250 others taken captive.
That plan was initiated by Israel with the support of the US administration of President Donald Trump and involves private companies transporting aid into Gaza to a limited number of secure distribution sites in Gaza’s south. At the distribution sites, the humanitarian assistance would be delivered to aid groups to hand out to civilians.
The operation will be run by the newly created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, while US security firm UG Solutions and US-based Safe Reach Solutions, which specializes in logistics and planning, would be involved, it is understood.
The GHF said Israel has agreed to expand the number of distribution sites “to serve the entire population of Gaza, and to find solutions for the distribution of aid to civilians who are unable to reach a SDS location.”
The post US and Israel-Backed Aid Group to Start Work in Gaza by End of May first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Trump Admin Reportedly Working on Plan to Move 1 Million Gazans to Libya
US President Donald Trump attends the Saudi-US Investment Forum, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder
i24 News – The US administration of President Donald Trump is working on a plan to permanently relocate as much as one million Gazans to Libya, according to reports in US media.
NBC News cited “five people with knowledge of the matter” as saying the plan was in advanced enough stages to be discussed with Libyan leadership.
In exchange for resettling Gazans, the administration would release to Libya billions of dollars of funds the US froze more than a decade ago, the report added.
For the Palestinians, the financial incentives would include housing and academic scholarships, it is understood.
The vast North African country has faced devastating instability for the past 14 years, following the outbreak of civil war and the toppling of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Two rival governments—one in the west, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and another in the east under Khalifa Haftar—are vying for power.
Since the report came out, unnamed State Department sources have cast doubt on its accuracy.
The post Trump Admin Reportedly Working on Plan to Move 1 Million Gazans to Libya first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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