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Jewish, Pro-Israel Organizations Mourn Long-Time US Congresswoman Nita Lowey
Then-US Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) speaking at a press conference in Washington, DC, July 29, 2020. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Jewish and pro-Israel organizations mourned the passing of former US Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), who died due to breast cancer at the age of 87 in her home on Saturday.
A statement from Lowey’s family noted that “she was guided by the Jewish core value of ‘Tikkun Olam,’ repairing the world.”
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) called Lowey “an irreplaceable champion of the Jewish people” and “a trusted friend, colleague, advisor, and standard-bearer for the Jewish community and the US-Israel relationship.”
Ted Deutch, the CEO of AJC and a former Democratic congressman, wrote in a statement that during “my time in Congress and after, [Lowey] was an incredible mentor, and I am so fortunate to have witnessed her at work on the House floor, at home, and around the world. She made history as the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and I was proud to work with her to found and co-chair the House Bipartisan Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.”
Deutch added, “Her legacy will live on not only through all the colleagues she mentored and legislation like the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, but also in all the people her work has helped and will continue to help here at home and around the world. Nita loved AJC and the Jewish people, and I hope through our collective efforts, we, too, can help honor her memory.”
Democrat Majority For Israel (DMFI) also sent its condolences. “All of us at DMFI are mourning the passing of Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a trailblazer, a devoted public servant and a champion of the US-Israel relationship,” said Mark Mellman, president & CEO of DMFI.
“She broke barriers as the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee and used her leadership to advance causes she was passionate about including women’s rights, social welfare, and strengthening America’s allies, like Israel,” Mellman continued. “During her distinguished career, she sponsored more than 500 pieces of legislation with more than 400 becoming law, uplifting American families.”
DMFI also noted important legislation regarding Israel that Lowey, who was Jewish, spearheaded. “Near the end of her time in Congress, she shaped and led the passage of the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA). Named in her honor, the legislation provides unprecedented levels of funding for peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians by fostering economic cooperation. DMFI was a proud supporter of this critical legislation.”
Mellamn concluded with a personal note, writing that he “was proud to know Congresswoman Lowey as a client, a friend, a fierce advocate for Israel and for peace.”
In a statement to Jewish Insider, Stephanie Hausner, who was a former intern for Lower and a campaign staffer who is now the chief operating officer of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said, “[Lowey] is one of the strongest champions we’ve ever seen in Congress in terms of support for Israel, in terms of foreign aid and support for Israel.”
“She felt strongly in convictions in support of Israel and would hold firm and encourage others to also see Israel as a place of diversity,” Hausner added. “When she decided not to run again in 2020, I think we as a Jewish community lost a giant, and her shoes — I don’t know that they’ll ever fully be filled.”
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) also mourned Lowey, who the group called “a dear friend and stalwart ally of the pro-Israel community.”
“As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, she was an indefatigable advocate for the necessary resources for the Jewish state to defend itself,” AIPAC emphasized. The pro-Israel organization also pointed out that she “left a legacy for regional reconciliation” with her work on passing the Nita M. Lowey Middle East Partnership for Peace Act.
AIPAC concluded, “We extend our condolences to Rep. Lowey’s family, former colleagues, and many friends throughout the world.”
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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