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First-of-its-kind Israel experience offers young Jewish communal professionals a month in Tel Aviv

TEL AVIV — It sounds like a dream offer: an all-expenses-paid trip to Israel for the full month of January, based in Tel Aviv, the beachside city with warm winter temperatures that inarguably is Israel’s most exciting metropolis.
Even better, participants won’t have to use up vacation days from work for the trip. If all goes according to plan, their bosses will recommend them for the experience, and the month in Tel Aviv will count as professional development.
That’s because this is no beach vacation.
It’s a unique opportunity for early-career professionals working in Jewish organizations to get a career boost while having an immersive Israel experience.
The monthlong professional development program scheduled for January 2024, called the Sullam Israel Residency, offers young professionals in Jewish organizations a chance to enhance their skills while immersing themselves in some of the most vibrant elements of Israeli culture and forging connections with fellow participants and Israelis peers. This first-of-its-kind program, being introduced by Birthright Israel Onward, isn’t just about advancing careers; it’s meant to deepen Jewish identity, foster meaningful connections and cultivate professional growth.
“Jewish communal professionals play a key role in engaging North American Jews with Israel,” said Gidi Mark, Birthright Israel’s CEO. “We hope that giving them a transformative way to experience Israel and bolster their careers with a journey of learning, growth and discovery will deepen their connection to the country and strengthen their ability to serve as a bridge to Israel and its people for years to come.”
A group of philanthropic foundations is funding the pilot program, and the curriculum is being designed by M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education. The focus is on Jewish and Israel education, with the idea of giving participants a comprehensive understanding of Jewish communities’ history, values and contemporary challenges as well as valuable skills to become better professionals in their communities.
Participants will live independently in single rooms in shared apartments in Tel Aviv. Among the key subjects the educational component of the program will tackle: Israeli history, politics, innovation and social diversity; Jewish study, ritual and spirituality, and Jewish peoplehood. The program will also help participants develop dialogue and facilitation expertise to create safe spaces and embrace complexity, and facilitate networking opportunities with Israeli professionals.
The monthlong experience will also include Shabbat retreats and plenty of independent time. So it wouldn’t be a crazy idea to pack a beach towel and sunscreen.
The Sullam residency focuses specifically on Jewish communal professionals. Participants in the first cohort of this selective program must be nominated by their work supervisors or managers and gain acceptance in a competitive application process. Anyone working full-time in Jewish communal service who has been in the field for at least 18 months but no longer than five years may apply. Non-Jews are welcome, too.
The application deadline is Sept. 15.
The funding covers nearly all of participants’ expenses: accommodations, round-trip airfare from select North American cities, educational programming and seminars, meals during educational sessions, Shabbat retreats, basic medical insurance and ground transportation within Tel Aviv. Participants are expected to remain in the field of Jewish communal service after their Sullam experience.
This program is an outgrowth of Birthright Israel, which offers free 10-day Israel trips to Jews ages 18 to 26 designed to strengthen their connections to Israel, their Jewish identity and one another. Since its founding in 1999, Birthright has brought over 800,000 young Jews to Israel from 68 different countries.
Birthright runs numerous follow-up programs through Onward Israel and has facilitated the participation of an additional 20,000 people in various Israel- and Jewish-related internships, academic programs, and fellowships. In addition, more than 1,200 Jewish young adults have participated in Birthright Israel Excel, a 10-week business internship program in Israel.
To apply or recommend an employee for this experience, visit Sullamresidency.com.
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The post First-of-its-kind Israel experience offers young Jewish communal professionals a month in Tel Aviv appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Iranian National Charged in Plot to Subvert US Sanctions Against Islamic Republic

Iranians participating in a memorial ceremony for IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists in downtown Tehran, Iran, on July 2, 2025. Photo: Morteza Nikoubazl via Reuters Connect.
Federal law enforcement officials have arrested an Iranian national after uncovering his alleged conspiracy to export US technology to Tehran in violation of a slew of economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, the US Department of Justice announced on Friday.
For May 2018 to July 2025, Bahram Mohammad Ostovari, 66, allegedly amassed “railway signaling and telecommunications systems” for transport to the Iranian government by using “two front companies” located in the United Arab Emirates. After filing fake orders for them with US vendors at Ostovari’s direction, the companies shipped the materials — which included “sophisticated computer processors” — to Tehran, having duped the US businesses into believing that they “were the end users.”
The Justice Department continued, “After he became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in May 2020, Ostovari continued to export, sell, and supply electronics and electrical components to [his company] in Iran,” noting that the technology became components of infrastructure projects commissioned by the Islamic Republic.
Ostovari has been charged with four criminal counts for allegedly violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR), under which conducting business with Iran is proscribed due to the country’s human rights abuses, material support for terrorism, and efforts to build a larger-scale nuclear program in violation of international non-proliferation obligations. Each count carries a 20-year maximum sentence in federal prison.
Ostovari is one of several Iranian nationals to become the subject of criminal proceedings involving crimes against the US this year.
In April, a resident of Great Falls, Virginia — Abouzar Rahmati, 42 — pleaded guilty to collecting intelligence on US infrastructure and providing it to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“From at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati worked with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers and government officials using a cover story to hide his conduct,” the Justice Department said at the time, noting that Rahmati even infiltrated a contractor for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that possesses “sensitive non-public information about the US aviation sector.”
Throughout the duration of his cover, Rahmati amassed “open-source and non-public materials about the US solar energy industry,” which he delivered to “Iranian intelligence officers.”
The government found that the operation began in August 2017, after Rahmati “offered his services” to a high-ranking Iranian government official who had once been employed by the country’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, according to the Justice Department. Months later, he traveled to Iran, where Iranian agents assigned to him the espionage activity to which he pleaded guilty to perpetrating.
“Rahmati sent additional material relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, US airports, and US air traffic control towers to his brother, who lived in Iran, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence on Rahmati’s behalf,” the Justice Department continued. Rahmati also, it said, delivered 172 gigabytes worth of information related to the National Aerospace System (NAS) — which monitors US airspace, ensuring its safety for aircraft — and NAS Airport Surveillance to Iran during a trip he took there.
Rahmati faces up to 10 years in prison. He will be sentenced in August.
In November, three Iranian intelligence assets were charged with contriving a conspiracy to assassinate critics of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as then US President-elect Donald Trump.
According to the Justice Department, Farhad Shakeri, 51; Carlisle Rivera, 49; and Jonathan Loadholt, 36, acted at the direction of and with help from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an internationally designated terrorist organization, to plot to murder a US citizen of Iranian origin in New York. Shakeri, who remains at large and is believed to reside in Iran, was allegedly the principal agent who managed the two other men, both residents of New York City who appeared in court.
Their broader purpose, prosecutors said, was to target nationals of the United States and its allies for attacks, including “assaults, kidnapping, and murder, both to repress and silence critical dissidents” and to exact revenge for the 2020 killing of then-IRGC Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Iraq. Trump was president of the US at the time of the operation.
All three men are now charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and money laundering. Shakeri faces additional charges, including violating sanctions against Iran, providing support to a terrorist organization, and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Powers Act, offenses for which he could serve up to six decades in federal prison.
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
The post Iranian National Charged in Plot to Subvert US Sanctions Against Islamic Republic first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Kosher Israeli Restaurant Vandalized in Athens Amid Surge in Antisemitic Attacks Across Europe

A man waves a Palestinian flag as pro-Hamas demonstrators protest next to the Greek parliament, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Athens, Greece, May 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
An Israeli restaurant in Athens, Greece, was vandalized on Saturday night in one of the latest incidents amid a surge of antisemitic attacks across Europe, prompting a police investigation into the suspected hate crime.
In a video shared on social media, a group of six individuals can be seen entering King David Burger — a local kosher restaurant that opened just a month ago — scattering pamphlets and spraying black paint across walls, tables, and other surfaces throughout the establishment.
Restaurante israelí en Atenas atacado po pro-palestinos
Otro caso de acoso a una empresa israelí, esta vez en Atenas. El restaurante King David Burger de la capital griega, propiedad de un israelí, fue atacado anoche.
Un grupo de activistas propalestinos llegó al restaurante y,… pic.twitter.com/YGiqLBRNAF
— ITON GADOL es Israel y las comunidades judias (@Itongadol) July 13, 2025
The group of pro-Palestinian activists shouted antisemitic slurs and vandalized the establishment with graffiti, including slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
According to local reports, many Israelis in Athens gathered outside the restaurant after the attack, with some singing “Am Israel Chai” (“The People of Israel Live”) as a show of solidarity.
The restaurant owner urged local authorities in Athens to take swift action and hold the perpetrators accountable.
“It would be a shame for the Israelis to leave Athens,” Zvika Levinson, the restaurant’s owner, told Israel Hayom. “But if authorities don’t act, the situation will not be good.”
Police reportedly told the owner that without clear identification of the individuals in the video, they are unable to make any arrests.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent attack is just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.
When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.
Although local police arrived promptly, a large crowd had already gathered outside the restaurant where the victim had sought shelter.
At first, authorities mistakenly arrested the victim, accusing him of the attack. However, after video footage clarified the situation, they apologized and took him to the nearest hospital.
The post Kosher Israeli Restaurant Vandalized in Athens Amid Surge in Antisemitic Attacks Across Europe first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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NYC Mayor’s Office Accuses Comptroller of Aiding BDS With ‘Withdrawal’ of Millions From Israel Bonds

New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends an “October 7: One Year Later” commemoration to mark the anniversary of the Hamas-led attack in Israel at the Summer Stage in Central Park on October 7, 2024, in New York City. Photo: Ron Adar/ SOPA Images via Reuters Connect
The office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams has accused Comptroller Brad Lander of pushing a political agenda and advancing the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement by withdrawing tens of millions of dollars in city pension funds from bonds issued by the Jewish state.
In a letter to Lander dated July 10 and first shared with the media on Sunday, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro demanded a full accounting of the comptroller’s decision-making regarding the investments in Israel Bonds.
New York City’s holdings in Israel-issued bonds have plunged from “tens of millions of dollars” to just $1.2 million in the Police Pension Fund during Lander’s tenure, reversing a longstanding pattern of reinvestment stretching back to 1974, according to the letter.
Lander subsequently confirmed to The Forward that city pension funds currently hold no investments in Israel Bonds, noting the purchase by the Police Pension Fund was made by a fund manager but has since been sold.
Mastro wrote that Lander’s decisions “appears to be in furtherance of [the] BDS campaign, regardless of the adverse financial consequences for city pensioner.”
The BDS movement seeks to isolate Israel on the international stage as the first step toward its elimination. Leaders of the movement have repeatedly stated their goal is to destroy the world’s only Jewish state.
City records show that Israel Bonds, historically yielding approximately 5 percent annually, outperformed many alternatives, and critics such as Mastro have argued the abrupt exit is financially irresponsible.
Meanwhile, Adams has promoted his own pro-Israel push, noting last month’s formation of the inaugural New York City–Israel Economic Council aimed at boosting trade and innovation with the Jewish state. In a press event, Adams repudiated Lander, saying that the comptroller “was elected to safeguard New York City’s financial future, yet he continues to pander to the antisemitic BDS movement at the expense of taxpayer dollars and our city’s best interests. New Yorkers deserve to know why.”
Lander’s office swiftly defended the move, describing it as consistent with a longstanding policy to avoid foreign sovereign debt, rather than a targeted divestment linked to Israel.
“Lander has never divested,” a spokesperson for Lander said in March, noting at the time that the city continued to hold over $400 million in investments in Israeli companies.
As of May, Lander said city pension funds still held more than $315 million in Israel-based assets, mostly in common stock and some in Israeli real estate investment trusts.
Lander, who is Jewish, claimed that his predecessors made “politically motivated choices” to treat Israel in a more “favorable way” than other countries.
“As a Jew, I am proud that we have these investments in Israel,” Lander told The Forward. “But I’m not allowed to make investments for that reason. They have to make financial sense to be consistent with our policies and my fiduciary duty.”
A representative for the comptroller told the New York Post that Mastro’s accusations are a “cynical effort by the Adams administration to weaponize antisemitism against the highest ranking Jewish elected official in New York City government.”
The battle has reverberated across New York City’s political landscape, tapping into deep divisions over foreign policy, fiscal stewardship, and community allegiance. Adams, running as an independent for reelection this fall, is courting Jewish constituents and warning Lander’s withdrawal of bonds signals “pandering” to anti-Israel sentiment.
Lander stoked outrage among the Big Apple’s Jewish community when he recently aligned with Zohran Mamdani, a progressive firebrand who backs the BDS movement and is running for mayor. Lander’s support for the anti-Israel politician has raised scrutiny regarding his motives in ending investments into Israeli bonds. Zionist advocacy groups and pension experts are demanding transparency, questioning whether the city actually missed out on returns typically delivered by Israel Bonds.
Although Lander has repeatedly affirmed his belief in Israel’s “right to exist,” he has suggested that controversial slogans such as “globalize the intifada” might not be inherently supportive of violence. He has also refused to defend Israel from accusations of committing “genocide” in Gaza, saying that he believes the word is offensive to the Jewish community because it evokes memories of the Holocaust.
Mastro’s letter sets a July 17 deadline for full documentation of Lander’s policy concerning Israel Bonds.
The post NYC Mayor’s Office Accuses Comptroller of Aiding BDS With ‘Withdrawal’ of Millions From Israel Bonds first appeared on Algemeiner.com.