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Schumer Urges US Justice Department to Probe Arson Attack Against Shapiro as Possible Antisemitic Hate Crime
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) holds a press conference in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, April 23, 2024. Photo: Annabelle Gordon / CNP/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) on Thursday urged the Justice Department to launch a federal investigation into the recent arson attack against Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a fellow Democrat, as a possible hate crime motivated by antisemitism.
In a letter addressed to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Schumer argued that the arson attack targeting Shapiro, who is Jewish, left the Pennsylvania governor’s family in “anguish” and warned that it could serve as an example of “rising antisemitic violence” within the United States. He stressed that a federal investigation and hate crime charges may be necessary to uphold the “fundamental values of religious freedom and public safety.”
“While the Shapiro family slept inside, the suspect allegedly set their home ablaze, causing extensive damage and leaving lasting anguish not only for the victims, but for Americans across the country,” wrote Schumer, who is also Jewish. “The suspect has since been charged with attempted homicide, terrorism, and aggravated arson.”
Additionally, Schumer cited search warrants signed by Pennsylvania police that said the suspect, 38-year-old Cody Balmer, targeted Shapiro’s official residence over the governor’s vocal support for Israel and “visible embrace” of Judaism. The senator argued that evidence surfaced by authorities might reveal an “antisemitic motivation” on behalf of the suspect, necessitating a vigorous federal response.
“These statements — in conjunction with the timing of the attack during Passover, Governor Shapiro’s visible embrace of his Jewish faith, and the context of rising antisemitism globally and across the country — raise serious concerns about antisemitic motivation,” Schumer added. “While the local district attorney has not yet filed hate-crime charges, he acknowledged that Governor Shapiro’s religion appears to have factored into the suspect’s decisions.”
Schumer called on Bondi to exercise “full weight of our civil-rights laws” in pursuing the investigation, underscoring the necessity of ensuring that no individual or public official “be targeted because of their faith.”
Shapiro’s residence, the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, was set ablaze on Sunday morning, hours after the governor hosted a gathering to celebrate the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Shapiro said that he, his wife, and his children were awakened by state troopers knocking on their door at 2 am. The governor and his family immediately evacuated the premises and were unscathed.
Corporal Benjamin Forsythe of the Pennsylvania State Police said in a warrant to obtain the devices of the suspect, Balmer, that he set fire to Shapiro’s residence over the alleged ongoing “injustices to the people of Palestine” and his Jewish faith.
According to the warrant, Balmer called 911 prior to the attack and told emergency operators that Shapiro “will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” and demanded that the governor “stop having my friends killed.”
The suspect continued, telling operators, “Our people have been put through too much by that monster.”
Balmer later revealed to police that he planned to beat Shapiro with a sledgehammer if he encountered him after gaining access into his residence, according to authorities.
He was subsequently charged with eight crimes by authorities, including serious felonies such as attempted homicide, terrorism, and arson. The suspect faces potentially 100 years in jail. He has been denied bail.
Shapiro, a practicing Jew, has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel. In the days following Hamas’s brutal slaughter of roughly 1,200 people across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Shapiro issued statements condemning the Palestinian terrorist group and gave a speech at a local synagogue. The governor also ordered the US and Pennsylvania Commonwealth flags to fly at half-mast outside the state capitol to honor the victims.
Shapiro’s strident support of the Jewish state in the wake of Oct. 7 also incensed many pro-Palestinian activists, resulting in the governor being dubbed “Genocide Josh” by far-left demonstrators.
Bondi condemned the attack targeting Shapiro. However, Bo she has not clarified whether she plans on opening a federal case against the suspect, saying that her office is doing “anything we can to help convict the person that did this and keep them behind bars as long as possible.”
The post Schumer Urges US Justice Department to Probe Arson Attack Against Shapiro as Possible Antisemitic Hate Crime first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Netanyahu Escalates Attack on Australia’s Albanese as Jewish Group Urges Calm
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference, in Jerusalem, May 21, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday stepped up his personal attacks on Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese over his government’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state, saying Albanese‘s political record had been damaged forever.
Diplomatic ties between Australia and Israel have soured since Albanese‘s center-left Labor government last week announced it would conditionally recognize Palestinian statehood, following similar moves by France, Britain, and Canada.
The decision prompted Netanyahu to launch a personal attack on Albanese, and he doubled down on his condemnation in an interview to be broadcast on Sky News Australia.
“I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of this Hamas terrorist monsters,” Netanyahu said, after describing Albanese earlier this week as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
Sky News Australia released the comments ahead of the broadcast of the full interview on Thursday at 8 pm (1000 GMT).
Albanese on Wednesday played down Netanyahu‘s criticisms, saying he did not “take these things personally” and that he treated the leaders of other countries with respect.
Last week, Albanese said the Israeli prime minister was “in denial” about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel has been waging a military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry in separate letters sent on Wednesday to both leaders urged them to discuss differences through diplomacy rather than public posturing.
“We write to express our deep dismay and concern at the recent ‘war of words,’” the letters said.
“If things need to be said publicly, they should be said using measured and seemly language befitting national leaders. Australia and Israel are mature democracies, and their governments need to act accordingly,” the council said.
Israel this week revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority after Albanese‘s government canceled the visa of an Israeli lawmaker over remarks it considered controversial and inflammatory.
Israel’s military announced the first steps of an operation to take control of Gaza City on Wednesday, calling up tens of thousands of reservists despite many of Israel’s closest allies calling for it to reconsider.
The offensive began after Hamas-led terrorists stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 more hostage. Israel is currently considering a new ceasefire proposal.
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Iran Holds Military Drills After Big Losses in War With Israel
An Iranian missile is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in Iran, Aug. 20, 2025. Photo: Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
Iran on Thursday launched its first solo military exercises since its June war with Israel, state media reported, seeking to reassert an image of strength after suffering heavy losses.
Navy units of Iran‘s regular armed forces fired missiles and drones at open water targets in the Indian Ocean under the “Sustainable Power 1404” drill, state television reported.
“These drills take place around a month after the Iran-Russia drill under the name Casarex 2025 which took place in Iran‘s northern waters [Caspian Sea]. The Sustainable Power drills … are in Iran‘s southern waters,” state TV said.
Israel attacked Iran in a 12-day air war which the United States briefly joined, pounding key nuclear installations and killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Israel largely destroyed Iran‘s air defenses during the war and much of its stockpile of ballistic weapons is believed to have been damaged by Israeli strikes.
Since then, the Islamic Republic has said it is ready to counter any future attacks.
“Any new adventure by the enemy will be faced with a strong slap,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike Iran again if it revives nuclear facilities including uranium enrichment plants.
Tehran suspended negotiations with Washington aimed at curbing the country’s nuclear ambitions after the Israeli and US airstrikes. Iran denies any intent to develop atomic bombs.
Iran believes the moment for “effective” nuclear talks with the US has not yet arrived, its top diplomat said on Wednesday, though Tehran would not completely cut off cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
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Jewish Comedian Jeff Ross Cooks in One Man Show on Broadway
Jeff Ross in his one-man show on Broadway.
Jeff Ross is best known for roasting celebrities like Tom Brady, making jokes that some could interpret as mean. But his one man show on Broadway, Take a Banana for The Ride, shows a lot of heart.
Ross describes cutting brisket as part of his family’s kosher catering business, having a big Jew-fro, and losing all his hair in one week due to alopecia. He also described having surgery and going through chemo, thankfully recovering from stomach cancer.
He jokes that he could roast himself because he has thick skin. Ross is his middle name, and his last name is Lifschultz.
Ross calls comedy his superpower, and it certainly is. He talks about his uncle, Murray, liberating a concentration camp and how he was bullied and took karate lessons and became the second youngest black belt in America.
He jokes that Jesus was the only Jewish carpenter, and another joke about him is the edgiest in the show, which is far less profane than his roasts. The title of the show comes from his grandfather, Jack, who told him to take the yellow fruit with him on his bus trips from Brooklyn to Manhattan to do standup comedy.
Ross mentions his friend told everyone on a text chain to get a colonoscopy, and when he got one, a stage III tumor was found. He had surgery and seven inches of his colon was removed. Ross also reads a love letter his father wrote to his mother. While Ross is funny, with his usual excellent timing, that he would choose to show such vulnerability is remarkable. He even speaks of two birth defects.
Pictures of his relatives come up behind him, as well as the three comedy pals he lost in recent succession, Jewish comics Gilbert Gottfried and Bob Saget, as well as Norm Macdonald. He makes a joke about his sister, Robyn, that some might find surprising and you’ll want to hear about a surprising gift he got from his father for Hanukkah. He says the first comedy writing he did was a card he wrote to his mother to try to cheer her up when suffering from leukemia. Marsha would die when her son was 14, and his father died when he was 19.
Ross speaks of going to Boston University, where he starred in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Comedy likely saved Ross at a time of sorrow, and he regrets that his parents never got to see him perform — but says they gave him the gift of humor.
Ross has a funny song about all the things Jews created, including Hollywood, kugel, and cosmetic surgery.
At the end of the show, Ross goes out to people in the audience who are dealing with hardships, insults them and gives them a banana. Ross delivers a performance that is hilarious, warm, and worthy of an award, which I expect he will win. It’s only running for eight weeks and it is worth seeing not only because of Ross’ star-power, but because of his humanity.
Judging only from his roasts, one would think Ross was as cold as ice. But it’s a revelation to see this other side of him. And while he doesn’t have kids, it’s clear he loved one dog that passed away and another that is still alive. Ross reveals he wears a ring made from a bolt of a Nazi U-Boat.
Take a Banana For The Ride is a Jewish story, but also a universal one that is heartwarming, inspiring, and surprising. Don’t miss it! And just like you stay to watch the credits at the end of a movie, there’s a surprise at the end of his show.
The author is a writer based in New York.