Connect with us

RSS

Simchat Torah 2024: We Will Dance Once More

The personal belongings of festival-goers are seen at the site of an attack on the Nova Festival by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel. Photo: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun

A full year has passed since Simchat Torah on October 7, 2023. A full year has passed since the attempted genocide of our people.

This holiday — typically marked by celebrations as communities gather to dance and sing to honor the Torah and complete the reading cycle — ended with a horrific massacre that stole the joy from us, leaving deep wounds that will never fully heal.

The brutal slaughter that took place was not just a sadistic attack on innocent lives — it was an attack on the very essence of who we are as a people. Men, women, and children were targeted simply for being Jewish, for living their lives and for celebrating their faith.

As Simchat Torah approaches once again, we find ourselves in a profoundly different place. We take a moment to remember the countless lives lost — those whose futures were tragically cut short and the families left behind to bear the weight of unimaginable grief.

While we will still gather to celebrate this year, the carefree joy that typically defines this holiday will be replaced by a more solemn spirit. We will dance and sing with a profound sadness in our hearts as we honor those we lost, and pray for the swift recovery of the injured and for the safe return of the hostages. Yet this year, we will also unite as a nation to reaffirm our resilience and strength as a people.

Indeed, the past year has been a testament to the extraordinary resilience we have seen emerge from our remarkable nation.

While the massacre sought to break our spirit, it did the opposite. It instead strengthened our determination. With unmatched heroism, our brave boys and girls have sacrificed so much to defend our people. Many of them still in their teenage years, have stood on the front lines of Israel’s Defense Forces, putting their lives at risk to protect our people and our homeland. They are an inspiration to us all and have shown the world what true courage looks like.

Similarly, the global Jewish community has been a source of immense strength, reminding us that no matter where we are in the world, we are all part of one extended family. From the heartfelt prayers to the material aid sent to help Israel’s residents, the message is clear: we are in this together. The bonds of kinship that unite us as Jews have never been stronger, and this support has been vital, providing strength and solace to those who need it most.

This Simchat Torah, we may not experience the same joy that we once did, but we celebrate nonetheless because to refrain from marking the occasion would signify defeat. And we will not be defeated.

By coming together to celebrate, we affirm to ourselves and the world that our faith, unity, and hope for the future remain unshaken. In fact, they burn brighter than ever. No matter how dark the world may seem, the light of the Jewish people — both here in Israel and across the Jewish world — will continue to shine through.

Despite the hardships of the past year, we remain unbroken and united in our unwavering commitment to continuing to forge a secure and prosperous future for ourselves and for generations to come.

On this Simchat Torah, and on every Simchat Torah, we will honor the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish people, knowing without doubt that we will dance once more, stronger and more resolute than ever before.

Yaakov Hagoel is the Chairman of the Executive of the World Zionist Organization. He was formerly acting chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel.

The post Simchat Torah 2024: We Will Dance Once More first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Continue Reading

RSS

Teachers Unions Across US Under Fire for Alleged Antisemitism

National Education Association president Becky Pringle leads hundreds of demonstrators in chants during a rally to end US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, in Washington, DC, US, on, June 9, 2025. Photo: Allison Bailey/NurPhoto via Reuters Connect

Teachers unions across the United States have come under intense scrutiny from both Jewish activists and federal lawmakers for allegedly promoting antisemitic ideas and fostering a hostile environment toward their Jewish members.

The US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, for example, has opened an investigation into the National Education Association (NEA), the nation’s largest teachers union, over allegations that its policies and materials discriminate against Jewish members.

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), the committee’s chairman, sent a letter late last month to NEA President Becky Pringle demanding documents tied to what he described as “antisemitic content” in the union’s 2025 handbook and its decision to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) over its support for Israel.

“The NEA’s 2025 handbook … contains passages and priorities that are hostile towards the Jewish people,” Walberg wrote, citing language that he said downplays the uniquely Jewish suffering of the Holocaust and promotes lessons on the so-called Palestinian “nakba,” the Arabic term for “catastrophe” used by Palestinians and anti-Israel activists to refer to the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948.

In July, the NEA refused to adopt as policy a ban on the ADL voted for by the group’s Representative Assembly during an annual conference.

“The National Education Association stands firmly for every student and educator, of every race, religion, and ethnicity, and we unequivocally reject antisemitism,” the NEA told JNS in response to Walberg’s letter. “We have fought against all kinds of hate, including antisemitism, throughout our history and remain focused on ensuring the safety of Jewish students and educators.”

The congressional probe comes as teachers unions across the country face mounting criticism from Jewish educators and civil rights advocates who say the organizations are failing to protect them, and in some cases are actively fostering hostility.

In Massachusetts, the Zionist Organization of America filed a sweeping civil rights complaint last week against the Massachusetts Teachers Association, accusing the organization of creating a discriminatory environment. The filing cites union-distributed images and posters viewed as antisemitic, including one showing a dollar bill folded into the shape of a Star of David and another reading “Zionists [Expletive] Off.” Some Jewish educators say they have already left the MTA over its stance.

In New York, meanwhile, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has come under fire from its own Jewish members for their responses to antisemitic incidents in schools. The criticisms stem in part from an incident at Hillcrest High School, where a Jewish teacher was reportedly forced to lock herself in an office during an anti-Israel protest. Union critics also blasted the UFT for endorsing New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a supporter of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel who has been accused of antisemitism.

“How can we feel safe? When our teachers get attacked, our union says little and does nothing. When our protected rights are infringed upon, our union says little and does nothing. When they need us, they pretend we matter, and when they don’t, they ignore our concerns,” Moshe Spern, head of the United Jewish Teachers caucus, said last week at an “End Jew Hatred” rally, according to the New York Post.

Spern noted that more than 150 teachers are moving to cancel their union dues in protest.

Continue Reading

RSS

Iran’s Executions in August Jump 70 Percent Compared to Previous Year as Rights Groups Warn of Troubling Surge

Illustrative: A February 2023 protest in Washington, DC calling for an end to executions and human rights violations in Iran. Photo: Reuters/ Bryan Olin Dozier

The Islamic regime in Iran accelerated its execution machine last month, killing at least 152 prisoners according to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

The figure represents a surge of 70 percent compared to the 94 executions conducted in August 2024.

While Hengaw has identified 148 of those killed last month, four individuals remain unknown. Two people killed include Roozbeh Vadi, alleged to have engaged in “espionage for Israel,” and Mehdi Asgharzadeh, an alleged ISIS member. Iran executed at least five women for murder and one woman on drug charges.

According to Hengaw, two or more of the executions took place in public in Beyram and Kordkuy, cities in the country’s southern and northern provinces, respectively.

On Monday, the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) released a report of human rights violations in Iran during August, noting that the number of executions had increased 40 percent compared to June and July, bringing the total execution count to 837 for the year. In comparison, the Islamic regime executed 930 people for the entire year of 2024.

HRANA broke down last month’s executions by charges, finding 87 drug offenses, 60 murder charges, two rapes, one for security offenses, and one person’s offenses are unknown. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, during the first half of 2025, nearly half of Iran’s executions targeted those convicted over drugs.

Iran killed one person on the charge of “corruption on earth,” which translates from the Koranic term “mofsed-e fel-arz” (مفسد فی الارض), a vague concept that Islamic judges have often applied toward political dissidents, alleged spies, or religious converts.

One tool that HRANA identifies Iran regularly deploying in its judicial system is forced confessions.

“Extracting forced confessions from political and ideological defendants, followed by broadcasting them on state television, is one of the regime’s routine practices against its opponents,” the human rights group stated. “In 2024, HRANA documented 28 cases of forced confessions. This month as well, Iran’s state television aired the forced confessions of a group of Christian converts.”

HRANA also found 73 arrests last month for citizens speaking out about their political views and beliefs; in addition, the state sentenced 27 people to 658 months in prison, 132 months of exile, and 130 lashes for speech offenses.

United Nations spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani warned last week that the human rights situation in Iran could be even worse than documented figures suggested.

“The high number of executions indicates a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants,” Shamdasani said. “Public executions add an extra layer of outrage upon human dignity … not only on the dignity of the people concerned, the people who are executed, but also on all those who have to bear witness”

Shamdasani warned that “the psychological trauma of bearing witness to somebody being hanged in public, particularly for children, is unacceptable.” She argued that the death penalty “should never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday announced the capture of eight people accused of aiding Israel’s Mossad espionage agency. During Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June, police arrested as many as 21,000 individuals.

Australia announced the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador on Aug. 26, giving the diplomat seven days to leave following the discovery that the Islamic regime had directed antisemitic terrorism against the country’s Jews.

“These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community.”

Mike Burgess, director general of Australia’s security agency, said “they’re just using cut-outs, including people who are criminals and members of organized crime gangs to do their bidding or direct their bidding,”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Aug. 24 that “they want Iran to be obedient to America. The Iranian nation will stand with all of its power against those who have such erroneous expectations … People who ask us not to issue slogans against the US … to have direct negotiations with the US only see appearances … This issue is unsolvable.”

Continue Reading

RSS

Belgium Ties Palestinian State Recognition to Hamas Exit, Hostage Release, Imposes Sanctions on Israel

People take part in pro-Hamas protest in Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 11, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has announced that Brussels will recognize a Palestinian state at this month’s United Nations General Assembly if the Hamas terrorist group is removed from power in Gaza and all remaining hostages are freed.

“Belgium will recognize Palestine during the joint initiative of France and Saudi Arabia,” the top Belgian diplomat said in a post on X on Tuesday, calling the move a “powerful political and diplomatic signal.”

Prévot’s announcement came after Prime Minister Bart De Wever warned that recognizing a Palestinian state would be “pointless and even counterproductive” without strict conditions in place.

“Hamas must disappear completely, there must be a credible Palestinian Authority, an agreement must be reached on borders, and Israel must receive security guarantees. Without that, recognition makes no sense,” De Wever said last week.

Ahead of this month’s UN gathering, the Belgian declaration marks a conditional pledge to recognize a Palestinian state, provided there is mutual recognition of Israel in the Arab world, democratic elections in “Palestine,” and an agreement on final-status talks between the two parties.

Belgium is the latest country to join the initiative to recognize a Palestinian state, alongside France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and others — a move sharply criticized by US and Israeli officials as a “reward for terrorism.”

Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad has previously praised the increasing Western support as “the fruits of Oct. 7,” citing the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“The fruits of Oct. 7 are what caused the entire world to open its eyes to the Palestinian issue,” the terrorist leader said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

However, Prévot has pushed back against such accusations before, insisting that this initiative does not support or condone terrorism.

“Incidentally, recognition is not at all a reward for the horrific terror of Hamas. On the contrary, it’s about recognizing a state, not a government. And certainly not a terrorist group,” Prevot said in an interview with De Standaard on Sunday.

In his statement, Prévot also announced a package of 12 sanctions targeting Israel and Hamas, including a ban on imports from Jewish communities in the West Bank, entry bans on “two extremist Israeli ministers … and Hamas leaders,” and a review of public procurement policies with Israeli companies.”

“Given the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine … and the violence committed by Israel in violation of international law … Belgium was compelled to take decisive measures to increase pressure on both the Israeli government and Hamas terrorists,” the Belgian diplomat wrote.

“It is not about punishing the Israeli people but about ensuring their government respects international and humanitarian law and taking steps to try to change the situation on the ground,” Prévot continued.

He also affirmed that Belgium will continue advocating within the European Union for the suspension of all cooperation with Jerusalem, including the Association Agreement — a pact governing the EU’s political and economic ties with the Jewish state.

“Belgium will recognize Palestine … to preserve the prospects for a two-state solution and to condemn Israel’s expansionist intentions through its settlement programs and military occupations,” Prévot said.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2017 - 2023 Jewish Post & News