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Do the Jewish People Know That Our People Never Actually Left the Land of Israel?

An aerial view of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Yossi Klein Halevi, senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, describes how anti-Zionists in academia have systematically challenged the moral basis of the Jewish/Zionist story. He exhorts us, the Jews of the world, to mount a credible defense of our story.

But do we Jews know our own story?

Edward Robinson, a prominent American archeologist of the 1800s, did not think so. Robinson was the first to identify the archeological ruins of Bar’am, a site in northern Galilee near the Lebanese border, as synagogues. The primary structure, built in the third century CE, was still in use in the 13th century.

While Robinson knew the truth 170 years ago, the common understanding, in both the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds, even today, is that the Jews, driven from their home by the Roman capture of Jerusalem in 70 CE, were scattered to all points of the globe, only to truly return to their ancestral home after 2,000 years of wandering.

In that case, who wrote the Jerusalem Talmud? In fact, the writers (including several sages mentioned in the Passover Haggadah) were living in the Holy Land after the destruction of the Temple.

And what about the four additional Jewish revolts that took place after the destruction of the Temple, the last one against Emperor Heraclius in the seventh century CE? How can you have Jewish revolts without Jews?

Moreover, an autonomous Jewish Patriarchate existed until the year 425 CE, more than a century after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Rabbi Lee I. Levine, an American-Israeli archeologist and historian, notes that the Jewish Patriarch enjoyed extensive prestige and recognition, equivalent to that of a king.

The ruins of 100 synagogues built after 70 CE are witnesses to continuing Jewish life in the Holy Land. While a majority are in Galilee, they exist throughout the land. Several were imposing structures with elaborate mosaic floors. Huqoq, a recently excavated synagogue site with magnificent mosaics, dates to the fifth century CE. The mosaics survived because a 14th century synagogue was built over the ruins of the earlier one.

In later centuries, the Jewish population increased and decreased as a function of immigration, natural disasters, pogroms, and disease. While many Jews drifted from one exile to another, others stayed on, joined from time to time by returning exiles. In fact, the Jewish people never left the Middle East, and this brings up another part of the Jewish story often ignored — the story of the Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews.

Seventy-seven years ago, North Africa and the Middle East, outside the British Mandate of Palestine, contained almost a million Jews. With the establishment of Israel, however, they were subject to violent persecution and expulsion. Most ended up in Israel, where today they and their descendants make up more than one-half of the 7.7 million Jews in the country.

Then there is the history of the Jews of Iran, who experienced forced conversion and violent pogroms throughout the 19th century and into the 20th. The 1903 Kishinev Pogrom in Russia received worldwide attention. Who knows about the 1910 pogrom in Shiraz, Iran (then Persia), during which 12 Jews were killed, 50 injured, and the entire community of 6,000 robbed and made homeless?

One more aspect of the Jewish story gets little attention — unlike other nationalisms, modern Zionism was, and still is, a rescue mission. Every Zionist leader from Herzl onwards was aware that millions of European Jews were in imminent physical danger. The fact that modern Zionism arose in the 1880s, with the onset of violent pogroms in Russia, is not a coincidence.

The Jewish story is one of an oppressed people that never stopped inhabiting its ancestral homeland.

Jews in Israel are not colonizers. They are indigenous to the Land of Israel, and to the Middle East. Israel is not a European colonial entity. It is a diverse society and less than 50% of Israeli Jews are European in origin.

Finally, the development of modern Zionism was not an “option.” It was a necessity, a survivalist imperative, progressively compulsory due to increasingly incendiary antisemitism. In some ways, things haven’t really changed since then.

Jacob Sivak, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, is a retired professor, University of Waterloo.

The post Do the Jewish People Know That Our People Never Actually Left the Land of Israel? first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Miami Beach Mayor Threatens to Terminate Lease, Cut Funding to Theater Screening Anti-Israel Film

Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham win the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film for “No Other Land” during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has proposed that the city terminate its lease of an independent, non-profit movie theater and stop funding to the venue because it is showing sold-out screenings of the anti-Israel Oscar-winning film “No Other Land.”

Earlier this month, O Cinema became the first theater in Miami to screen “No Other Land,” a film produced by Israelis and Palestinians that criticizes Israel and the country’s military actions while focusing on the demolition of a small community in the West Bank.

“No Other Land” won best documentary feature film at the 97th Academy Awards on March 2. It has been picked up for distribution in 24 countries but has no distributor in the US, so its filmmakers have been making individuals deals with cinemas, such as O Cinema. It premiered at the Miami Beach theater on March 14 and its screenings this week are sold out. The city of Miami Beach is listed as a supporter of O Cinema on its website.

Meiner is proposing that Miami Beach terminate its lease agreement with O Cinema – which is located on city property on the first floor of Old City Hall – suspend and terminate grant money to the theater, and discontinue any further funding. The Miami Beach City Commission will vote on the resolution on Wednesday.

The mayor’s proposal comes after he sent a letter to O Cinema on March 5, asking its CEO Vivian Marthell to cancel the theater’s screenings of “No Other Land.” He pointed out that Miami Beach has “has one of the largest concentrations of Jewish residents in the United States” and described the documentary as “hateful propaganda.” Meiner also wrote in the letter, obtained by the Miami Herald, that “No Other Land” is “antisemitic” and “a one-sided propaganda attack on the Jewish people that is not consistent with the values of our city and residents.” He asked Marthell “on behalf of the residents of Miami Beach” to reconsider the venue’s decision to screen the film.

“Unfortunately, Jews for thousands of years have heard this antisemitic rhetoric; I am just surprised that O Cinema, utilizing Miami Beach taxpayer funding, would willingly disseminate such hateful propaganda,” Meiner said. “Here in Miami Beach, our city has adopted a strong policy of support for the State of Israel in its struggle to defend itself and its residents against attacks by the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. Airing performances of the one-sided, inaccurate film ‘No Other Land’ at a movie theater facility owned by the city and operated by O Cinema is disappointing.”

The theater ignored Meiner’s letter and proceeded with its screenings of the controversial film.

During their acceptance speech at the Oscars earlier this month, the Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers of “No Other Land” accused Israel of “ethnic supremacy,” occupation, “injustice,” and “the ethnic cleaning of Palestinian people.” They also criticized the US for supporting Israel, claiming it blocks peace between Israel and Palestinians.

Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said the film “amplifies narratives that distort Israel’s image.” He added that “turning the defamation of Israel into a tool for international promotion is not art — it is sabotage against the State of Israel, especially in the wake of the Oct. 7 massacre and the ongoing war.”

The filmmakers of “No Other Land” also made anti-Israel comments on stage when accepting the award for best documentary at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2024. They additionally called on Germany to cease arms exports to Israel. Their comments were criticized by Claudia Roth, Germany’s federal government commissioner for culture and the media, who described the remarks as “shockingly one-sided and characterized by deep hatred of Israel.”

O Cinema’s co-founder and board of directors chair Kareem Tabsch told NPR about Meiner’s threats, saying it “sounds like censorship to me.”

“We’ve always shown films that have sparked real strong sentiments and real strong opinions,” Tabsch added. “Throughout the years, we’ve certainly had vocal audience members or community members who’ve questioned some programming choices … But what we have never encountered is elected officials trying to dictate what we should and should not be showing. That’s certainly a first.”

Marthell shared with the Miami Herald a short speech explaining the theater’s position on the film that will be read at every screening at the venue.

“We understand the power of cinema and its ability to tell stories that matter. Yet, we also understand that some stories, especially those rooted in real-world conflicts, can evoke strong feelings and passionate reactions,” Marthell said. “But let me be clear: our decision to screen “No Other Land” is not a declaration of political alignment. It is, however, a bold reaffirmation of our fundamental belief that every voice deserves to be heard, even, and perhaps especially, when it challenges us.”

The post Miami Beach Mayor Threatens to Terminate Lease, Cut Funding to Theater Screening Anti-Israel Film first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Israel, Azerbaijan Strengthen Strategic Alliance With Gas Exploration Deal Signing in Jerusalem

Israeli Minister of Energy Eli Cohen (right) shaking hands with Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov as Israel and Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR sign a gas exploration license agreement in Jerusalem, March 17, 2025. Photo: Screenshot

Israel and Azerbaijan strengthened their strategic alliance on Monday as Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR, signed a gas exploration license agreement in Jerusalem.

The agreement, expected to strengthen Israel’s energy security, marked the latest development of the Jewish state and the predominantly Shi’ite Muslim country continuing to expand their cooperation and strengthen bilateral ties amid increasing regional tensions.

During a visit to Israel, Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, who also serves as chairman of SOCAR, signed the gas exploration deal with Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure announced on Monday.

Part of a consortium that included British multinational oil and gas firm BP and Israel’s NewMed Energy, SOCAR will now have the right to explore one offshore block in the Mediterranean, with three years to conduct seismic surveys to assess the potential presence of gas reserves.

“The entry of SOCAR and BP is excellent news for the State of Israel,” Cohen said in a statement. “Natural gas is a strategic asset that strengthens our economic and political standing in the world in general and in the Middle East in particular. Therefore, especially these days, we are working to expand natural gas production, for the benefit of the local economy and for exports.”

Meanwhile, Jabbarov referred to the “strategic alliance” between Israel and Azerbaijan while documenting his trip on social media.

In 2023, SOCAR secured the exploration rights via a tender from Israel’s Energy Ministry to drill in Mediterranean fields near the Leviathan field, one of the largest offshore gas discoveries in the world. However, the signing was postponed due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The new exploration licenses will allow access to Cluster I — an area covering approximately 1,700 square kilometers in the northern part of Israel’s economic waters. In a statement, the Israeli Energy Ministry said this area “has hardly been explored in the past in terms of natural resources.”

During his visit, Jabbarov also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and senior business leaders. He is the first Azerbaijani minister to visit Israel since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war.

Last month, Hikmet Hajiyev, the assistant to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments on his second such trip in the last three months.

Azerbaijan’s ties with Israel have long been significant, with the country serving as the Jewish state’s most vital ally in the Caucasus and Central Asia for more than three decades, fostering a partnership that spans energy security, defense, and intelligence.

As of 2019, Azerbaijan supplied over a third of the Jewish state’s oil. Last year, Israel was the sixth-biggest buyer of oil from Azerbaijan, with sales totaling $713 million.

Meanwhile, Baku has acquired advanced Israeli defense systems, including the “Barak MX” missile system and surveillance satellites, and remains a leading buyer of Israeli military hardware, which was crucial in its 2020 war with Armenia.

Last month, Israel and SOCAR struck a major energy deal in which the Azerbaijani state oil company invested heavily in in Israel’s offshore gas fields. The deal made SOCAR a significant stakeholder in the Tamar gas field, which is a major natural gas source for Israel and has turned the country into a gas exporter in the region.

The agreement also marked one of the latest examples of Azerbaijan’s growing influence in the Middle East.

Azerbaijan’s strategic importance stems not only from its economic influence in the region but also from its role at the crossroads of a growing pro-Western bloc countering the regional ambitions of Iran, with which Azerbaijan shares a long border.

The Abraham Accords reshaped regional alliances during US President Donald Trump’s first term, and experts have argued that his current administration could further this shift, with Azerbaijan – a country that shares hundreds of miles of border with Iran while maintaining strong ties with Israel and Turkey – playing a key role in balancing regional power blocs and advancing Trump’s goals for the Middle East.

The post Israel, Azerbaijan Strengthen Strategic Alliance With Gas Exploration Deal Signing in Jerusalem first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Three UK Men Jailed for ‘Heinous’ Antisemitic Kidnapping, Assault of Israeli Music Producer

Itay Kashti. Photo: YouTube screenshot

Three men in the United Kingdom were each sentenced to eight years and one month in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to kidnapping and violently assaulting an Israeli Jewish music producer.

Faiz Shah, 23, from Bradford; Mohammad Comrie, 23, from Leeds; and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20, from Wallington were arrested on Aug. 26, 2024, and were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court in Wales for the abduction and brutal assault of the London-based producer and composer Itay Kashti. Shah and Comrie were both sent to jail while Ogunnubi-Sime was sent to a young offender institution, according to the BBC.

Judge Catherine Richards said the kidnapping and assault in August 2024 was “motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world,” referring to the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East.

“[Kashti] was an entirely innocent, hard-working music producer that you had identified as a victim based on your understanding of his wealth and his Jewish heritage,” Richards said during the sentencing on Friday. “It seems to me that you justified your actions against the victim based on his background, as if he was less worthy of your respect and compassion. That is utterly abhorrent.”

“This is an absolutely horrific crime. It is an enormous relief that Mr. Kashti was able to escape, given that similar abductions of Jews from France to Gaza have ended in murder,” a spokesperson for the British charity Campaign Against Antisemitism said in a released statement. “This is what ‘globalizing the Intifada’ looks like: Jews being subjected to violence motivated by religious hatred. We are grateful to the police in Wales and to the court for taking a stand. This sentence is a message both to prospective perpetrators of such heinous crimes and also to the authorities elsewhere in Britain, who have turned too much of a blind eye to incitement to violence against Jews.”

The Community Security Trust (CST), a nonprofit charity that advises Britain’s Jewish community on security matters also applauded Friday’s sentencing. CST said it has worked closely to support Kashti and his family in the aftermath of the incident, including providing security advice and psychological and emotional support.

“This is a shocking and deeply troubling crime that the police have confirmed also had an antisemitic element due to the victim’s identity as an Israeli Jew,” CST said in a statement on X. “The victim suffered a terrible ordeal in which he was kidnapped, handcuffed, seriously assaulted, and even threatened with death by the perpetrators. In her sentencing remarks, the judge confirmed that all three defendants were motivated by racial and religious hostility in choosing the victim.”

Kashti’s kidnappers lured him to a rented house in rural Wales by using false identities and pretending to be from a music production company that was inviting him to a music recording workshop. They planned to kidnap their victim, extort money from him, and they also tried to source ketamine to drug Kashti, said prosecutor Craig Jones, who added that there was “clear political and religious motivation” to the attack because of Kashti’s Jewish and Israeli identity. Kashti took a taxi from London to the rented house on Aug. 26, 2024, and immediately upon arrival, he and his innocent taxi driver were attacked. The taxi driver was hit in the face but managed to escape while Kashti was chained and handcuffed, and brutally assaulted.

The music producer eventually managed to free himself from the chains, located his phone, and ran to hide in nearby bushes. He called his wife, who then called the police, as did the taxi driver. With the help of a police helicopter, officers found the three suspects hiding in a nearby field. Kashti suffered swollen and bruised eyelids, a swollen nose and bruising to his back, knees and leg and a cut to the scalp, according to BBC.

Kashti said his kidnapping and assault “felt like my own personal Oct. 7,” a reference to the deadly Hamas-led terrorist attacks that took place in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which terrorists murdered 1,200 people and took hundreds of hostages, many of whom remain in captivity.

“I was kicked to the head several times, handcuffed to a radiator, and forced to lie down on the floor,” he said. “I was threatened and told if I were to try and escape, I’d be killed. The awful attack of the 7th of October was flashing through my mind as I lay restrained on the floor in handcuffs. I can’t deny the strong and devastating impact this brutal and unnecessary attack has had on my life. My physical injuries lasted for weeks, and I have been suffering with anxiety, which I have never experienced before.”

DS Gareth Jones, an officer in the case, said the incident “was thoroughly planned and was sophisticated in elements.”

“Securing justice for the victim has been our priority throughout,” he noted. “This sentence today reflects the severity of this offense – and we hope it gives the victim a sense of justice. We thank him for his strength and patience whilst we carried out a thorough investigation into what was an extraordinary crime.”

The post Three UK Men Jailed for ‘Heinous’ Antisemitic Kidnapping, Assault of Israeli Music Producer first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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