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Embattled North Carolina Lawmaker Losing Support in Droves Following Attacks on Israel, Zionists
Raleigh City Council member Mary Black speaking at a rally and anti-Israel activist Rania Masri holding a “Freedom for Palestine” sign. Photo: Screenshot
A member of the Raleigh City Council in North Carolina who has come under fire for regularly attacking Israel and Zionists received a major blow to her re-election bid this week, with the local Democratic Party opting to endorse her opponent as the embattled lawmaker continued to receive backlash from Jewish and progressive leaders.
Following two recent reports by The Algemeiner, Mary Black came under increased scrutiny from the media, community members, and fellow Democrats for spending a disproportionate amount of time lashing out at the Jewish state, despite her job having no apparent responsibilities concerning Middle Eastern affairs.
Amid the uproar, the Wake County Democratic Party — who endorsed Black in 2022 — came under pressure not to endorse Black this year.
On Monday, the Wake County Democratic Party — which includes Raleigh — endorsed Black’s opponent, Mitchell Silver, who is a former New York City Parks Commissioner and Raleigh Chief Planner. Political insiders tell The Algemeiner it is now unlikely Black will be re-elected even as an incumbent in this nonpartisan election.
A local columnist explained, “In a county and city that vote heavily Democratic, the party’s endorsements will guide many voters. That’s especially true this year when a presidential and gubernatorial election will bring a wave of voters to the polls who are unfamiliar with local officials and issues.”
There is widespread agreement that Black won her seat in 2022 in large part based on the endorsement of the party.
Nonetheless, Black dismissed the importance of being passed over by the party.
“I’m actually kinda happy to not be endorsed by the dems this time [sic],” she posted on social media. “That means I can talk shit without fear … I can be a menace now.”
Local Jewish and Democratic leaders told The Algemeiner that they were both “thrilled” and “relieved” that the party did not endorse Black.
“The caucus is thrilled to see that the Wake County Democratic Party shares our belief that Mitchell Silver is the most qualified candidate for District A. Mitchell will continue his long track record of delivering results for Raleigh,” said Conner Taylor, 2nd vice chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party Jewish Caucus.
Rabbi Eric Solomon of Beth Meyer Synagogue, the largest congregation in Raleigh, added that he was “relieved that the Wake County Democratic Party did not endorse Council Member Mary Black, a city councilor who exploited her position of power to incite against her district’s Jewish community.”
Dr. Adam Goldstein, a local Democratic leader, told The Algemeiner, “It’s reassuring to see the Wake County Democratic Party endorsing mainstream candidates who will represent all Democrats in the county, who will listen and respect all constituents, and who will unite rather than divide the party.”
This sentiment was shared by Raleigh Democrats and residents who spoke to The Algemeiner.
Black has alienated many voters and members of the Jewish community by working closely with a pro-Hamas activist and spending much of her time in office attempting to have the Raleigh City Council pass a divisive, anti-Israel, one-sided Gaza ceasefire resolution. After several attempts, the resolution did not pass.
The pressure on the Wake County Democratic Party not to endorse Black came from residents and prominent Democratic leaders. Last week, the North Carolina Democratic Party Jewish Caucus told The Algemeiner they endorsed Silver. About the same time, Solomon publicly endorsed Silver in a widely read and shared social media post. In addition, a group of more than 20 prominent Democrats wrote a letter asking the Wake County Democratic Party “not to endorse between Democrats in local elections in Raleigh this fall.” Both Silver and Black are Democrats.
The Algemeiner has reported extensively on Black’s troubling posts made on Threads, a social media platform similar to X/Twitter. Black has publicly used the antisemitic slur “zios,” a term that was originally deployed by far-right extremists and has more recently been used by activists on the progressive far left.
The day Silver was endorsed by the Wake County Democratic Party, Black shared on social media: “If threads [sic] costs me the election that’s kind of a flex tbh [to be honest].” Suggesting she may lose the election, Black posted, “I’ve limited my potential to serve my community just to have the folks I’ve served turn their backs on me. Like ouch. But also this was expected and an excellent end to this social experiment I call being in elected office.”
Hours before the Silver endorsement was made public, Black declared on Threads that being electable “has never been on my agenda.”
Black has been accused of trivializing the Holocaust, implying that Israel has treated the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews and comparing politics in Raleigh to “Nazi Germany.”
Speaking to The Algemeiner, Taylor of the Jewish caucus referred to Black’s social media posts as “unsettling,” “bizarre,” “unprofessional,” and “unbecoming of an elected official.”
As reported last week, Taylor explained to The Algemeiner that the Jewish community is concerned about much more than Black’s support for a ceasefire resolution. “For many of Raleigh’s Jews, I think the real turning point, that really galvanized the Jewish community, was her [Black’s] very close working relationship with Rania Masri.”
The Algemeiner was the first to report that in November, Masri spoke at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, declaring that Oct. 7 — when Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists invaded southern Israel and perpetrated the biggest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust — “was a beautiful day.” Masri expressed pride and admiration for Hamas and their paragliders and went on to “demand the eradication of Zionism.” In addition, Masri posted a video on Facebook that called Hamas fighters “heroes.”
In March, Masri asked her Facebook followers to vote for Black for “Best Politician in Wake County.” In June, a smiling Masri attended Black’s campaign kickoff event.
Taylor explained the “betrayal” felt by the Jewish community observing Black and Masri’s close working relationship, seeing Black pose for photographs with Masri, speak on a panel with the pro-Hamas activist, speak at a fundraiser with Masri standing behind her, and speak at a local rally standing with the controversial figure.
“A very important piece of context here,” Taylor shared, “is that Mary Black, in District A, represents the heart of Raleigh’s Jewish community. Two large synagogues are there … Many, many Jewish Democrats who voted for Mary Black in 2022 then had to see their member of City Council — who was supposed to be representing all of her constituents, including her Jewish constituents — openly embracing a woman [Masri] who has said that the rape and murder of Jews is a beautiful thing.”
“Many, many people in the Jewish community in Raleigh, over the past year, have been dismayed with how divisive the City Council has become,” he added. “There have been members of the City Council that have become hyper focused on issues happening thousands of miles away that the City Council has no ability to impact, to the neglect of local issues — things like schools, things like housing, things like transportation. In general, the Jewish community is really searching for, and supportive of, Raleigh-focused candidates for City Council, like … Silver.”
Taylor explained the enthusiasm that the statewide Democratic Party Jewish Caucus has for the candidacy of Silver.
“He’s a Raleigh-focused candidate. He is not campaigning on solving issues in Yemen or Gaza or Tibet or Ukraine,” Taylor argued. “He is focused on Raleigh, North Carolina … He is really a phenomenal candidate. He helped draft Raleigh’s 2030 comprehensive plan.”
However, Black is not the only member of the Raleigh City Council who has raised alarm bells among the local Jewish community. Solomon also expressed strong concerns to The Algemeiner about the Wake County Democratic Party endorsing Christina Jones, another member of the council who is also seeking re-election.
Raleigh City council members Mary Black, right, and Christina Jones. Photo: Screenshot
“By endorsing Council Member Christina Jones, whose behavior has been just as abhorrent as Mary Black’s, the Wake County Jewish community’s worst fears were confirmed,” the rabbi said. “Namely, that the local Democratic Party supports candidates who obsessively and singularly criticize Israel. Christina Jones has done precious little to honor the trauma the Raleigh Jewish community is experiencing while she continues to embrace outspoken, violence-urging, pro-Hamas organizers like Rania Masri who infamously called Oct. 7 ‘a beautiful day.’”
Last week, Black took to Threads to dismiss concerns she is antisemitic as “funny.”
The day before the Wake County Democratic Party endorsed Silver, Black wrote on Threads: “What am I even fighting for? To be harassed? To be left unsupported? To be humiliated?? To be denigrated? Literally why am I even here? I hate it here. No Truly.”
Peter Reitzes writes about issues related to antisemitism and Israel.
The post Embattled North Carolina Lawmaker Losing Support in Droves Following Attacks on Israel, Zionists first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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United Nations ‘Condemns’ Israel for Responding to Houthi Attacks, Decries ‘Escalation’ of Violence
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks to members of the Security Council during a meeting to address the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, at UN headquarters in New York City, New York, US, April 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
In its latest salvo against the Jewish state, the United Nations (UN) condemned Israel for executing retaliatory strikes against the Houthi terror group in Yemen.
“The Secretary-General condemns escalation between Yemen and Israel,” Stéphanie Tremblay, a UN spokesperson, said in Thursday statements on behalf of UN Secretary General António Guterres.
“The Secretary-General is gravely concerned about intensified escalation in Yemen and Israel. Israeli airstrikes today on Sana’a International Airport, the Red Sea ports and power stations in Yemen are especially alarming. The airstrikes reportedly resulted in numerous casualties including at least three killed and dozens more injured” Tremblay added.
On Thursday, Israel launched a barrage of missile attacks on Houthi bases in Yemen, provoking international outrage. Israel targeted a major airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, and power stations, locations the Jewish state claims were used by the terror group to sneak in both Iranian weapons and high-ranking Iranian officials.
On Friday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an airstrike aimed at Ben Gurion airport, claiming that the attacks were carried out in retaliation against Israel’s targeting of Sana’a International airport.
The Israeli strikes followed days of Houthi missile and drone launches towards the Jewish state’s airspace. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked the Jewish state in the year following the Oct. 7 slaughters in Israel. Officials associated with terrorist organization claims that it will continue to attack Israel until the so-called “genocide” in Gaza ceases.
In reference to the strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned.”
Israeli officials have long accused the UN of having a bias against the Jewish state. Last year, the UN General Assembly condemned Israel twice as often as it did all other countries. Meanwhile, of all the country-specific resolutions passed by the UNHRC, nearly half have condemned Israel, a seemingly disproportionate focus on the lone democracy in the Middle East.
Weeks following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, the UN adopted a resolution calling for a “ceasefire” between Israel and the terrorist group. The UN failed to pass a measure condemning the Hamas atrocities of Oct. 7.
In June, the UN put Israel on its so-called “list of shame” of countries that kill children in armed conflict. Israel is considered to be the only democracy on the list.
The post United Nations ‘Condemns’ Israel for Responding to Houthi Attacks, Decries ‘Escalation’ of Violence first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli Jets Attack Syria-Lebanon Border Crossings to Stop Arms Amuggling
Smoke billows after an Israeli Air Force air strike in southern Lebanon village, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from northern Israel, Oct. 3, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Jim Urquhar
Israeli jets struck seven crossing points along the Syria-Lebanon border on Friday, aiming to cut the flow of weapons to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in southern Lebanon.
Israeli troops also seized a truck mounted with a 40-barrel rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, part of a haul from various areas that included explosives, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and AK-47 automatic rifles, the military said.
The commander of the Israeli Air Force, Major General Tomer Bar, said Hezbollah was trying to smuggle weapons into Lebanon to test Israel’s ability to stop them.
“This must not be tolerated,” he said in a statement.
Under the terms of a Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement, Israel is supposed to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon in phases while unauthorised Hezbollah military facilities south of the Litani River are to be dismantled.
However, each side has accused the other of violating the agreement, intended to end more than a year of fighting that began with Hezbollah missile strikes on Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza.
On Thursday, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon called for Israeli forces to withdraw, citing what it said were repeated violations of the deal.
Israel, which destroyed large parts of Hezbollah’s missile stocks during weeks of operations in southern Lebanon, has said it will not permit weapons to be smuggled to Hezbollah through Syria.
Israel has also conducted attacks against the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen in recent days and pledged to continue its campaign against Iranian-backed militant groups across the region.
The post Israeli Jets Attack Syria-Lebanon Border Crossings to Stop Arms Amuggling first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Mila Kunis Says Husband Ashton Kutcher And Their Children Helped Her Embrace Judaism: ‘I Fell in Love With My Religion’
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis at the 9th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on April 16, 2023. Photo: Cover Media via Reuters Connect
Actress Mila Kunis began embracing and feeling proud of her Jewish heritage when she met her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, and even more so after having children, she told Israeli activist and author Noa Tishby this week.
“For me, it happened when I met my husband,” the “Goodrich” star, 41, said of her former “That ’70s Show” costar, 46, who she has been married to since 2015.
Although Kutcher is not Jewish, he was a follower of Kabbalah and was frequently photographed visiting the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles when he was married to actress Demi Moore from 2005-2013. Their wedding was also reportedly officiated by a Kabbalah Centre teacher. It remains unclear if he continues to follow Kabbalah. Nevertheless, Kunis joked that Kutcher is Jewish “by choice,” not by lineage, and that his interest in Judaism sparked Kunis to reconnect with her Jewish roots.
“I fell in love with my religion because he explained it to me,” said Kunis, who voices Meg Griffin on the Fox animated series “Family Guy.”
Kunis made the comments while joining Tishby to light candles on Thursday for the second night of Hanukkah. The two joined forces as part of Tishby’s “#BringOnTheLight campaign,” which is an eight-part video series on YouTube dedicated to spreading the message of Jewish resilience, pride and unity throughout the Jewish holiday.
Kunis and Kutcher together have two children — daughter Wyatt, 10, and son Dimitri, 8. The actress was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine, and moved to the United States at the age of eight. She told Tishby that she did not adhere to any Jewish traditions while growing up. “I always knew I was Jewish but I was told to never talk about,” she said. “I think because I was in a country that didn’t allow for religion.” The “Bad Moms” star added that her children also helped her tap into the religious side of Judaism.
“I was raised culturally Jewish. So for me, it’s a culture,” she said. “And as I had kids, and my kids very much identity with the religion aspect of it, I was like, ‘Oh, I guess we’re doing Shabbat and the candles. And there are so many beautiful traditions.”
“I never lit Hanukkah candles until I had kids,” she further noted.
When Kunis lit the menorah with Tishby for the second night of Hanukkah, they called Kutcher for some help. Both women were unsure if they needed to light the candles from left to right or from right to left, and asked Kutcher for guidance.
Kunis also talked about being raised with a lot of Jewish guilt and superstition. Listing another things that are culturally Jewish about her, she shared, “I have a fear of not having enough food and my fear of somebody being hungry. The worst thing my kids can say to me is, ‘I’m hungry.’”
“Food fixes everything. You’re tired, eat some food. You’re cranky, eat some food,” she joked. “A health person would say, ‘This is unhealthy and you’re doing something wrong.’ And I understand. I’m working on it. But it’s just something that is embedded in me.”
The post Mila Kunis Says Husband Ashton Kutcher And Their Children Helped Her Embrace Judaism: ‘I Fell in Love With My Religion’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.