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This Purim, a space for queer Jews to celebrate their identities — and dance the night away
(New York Jewish Week) — Stuart Meyers grew up in the heavily Jewish Philadelphia suburb of Voorhees Township, New Jersey. Yet, even though he was Jewish, being queer meant that he often felt like an outsider in Jewish spaces.
Fortunately, as an adult, Meyers — a dancer, artist and nightlife events producer — realized that, instead of abandoning one identity in lieu of another, he could create a vibrant space for queer Jews to celebrate both aspects of their identities.
“I didn’t have an experience [growing up] of being able to bridge my queer and Jewish identities — I just was made to feel like they couldn’t coexist,” Meyers, 32, told the New York Jewish Week. “I started to have this desire and longing to understand what it meant to be Jewish and bring these two identities together.”
In 2021, the Bushwick, Brooklyn resident developed “Flaminggg,” a queer Jewish nightlife experience that aims to bring Jews of all gender expressions and sexual orientations together to loudly and proudly celebrate their Jewish and queer identities. (The name, Meyers said, stuck around after he threw his first Hanukkah party. “It was easy to affirm: We are a fiery, bright burning bunch whose light, despite it all, is eternal.”)
Flaminggg parties, of which there have been four so far, include DJ sets that incorporate pop music, house music and Jewish music, as well as drag performances, dancing, conversation and Jewish rituals. Next week, Flaminggg will host “Flamingggtaschen,” its second-ever Purim party on March 4, at 3 Dollar Bill, a queer club in East Williamsburg. These days, the winter holiday, when cross-dressing and role-playing are commonly a part of even traditional festivities, is often associated with queer pride and a celebration of coming out,
“It’s a sensitive thing,” Meyers said. “People who are queer but secular often say, ‘I do not want to be in a Jewish space.’” Some queer Jews had experiences growing up where they didn’t feel like they belonged, while others were unsure of what to expect, he said. Still others have participated in — and not enjoyed — queer Jewish events that are “not sexy” and felt antiquated, he said.
“I think being queer and Jewish is sexy, magnificent and magical and so related and I want to share that,” Meyers said. “That is the driving belief in what I’m trying to create.”
A drag performer at Flaminggg’s Hanukkah party in December 2022. (Afrik Armando)
Meyers believes that Flaminggg is the first intentionally Jewish nightlife experience for queer adult Jews that is unattached to a synagogue or larger Jewish organization. “It felt like no one was doing this kind of programming, that was artistically and thoughtfully making queer Jewish space in a way that was not just a ‘bright fluorescent lights, community hall,’ kind of Judaism, which I feel like a lot of people want to steer clear from because it just doesn’t feel meaningful,” Meyers said, adding: “Those bright overheads don’t flatter a queen’s skin!”
Of course, there are other organizations and companies that create events for LGBTQ Jews, such as Hebro and Jewish Queer Youth. While Meyers has worked with both in the past, they serve different demographics — cisgender gay men and younger adults mostly with Orthodox backgrounds, for instance. New York City synagogues and Jewish spaces like Congregation Beit Simchat Torah and Lab/Shul are also queer-driven, but, again, secular Jews may still be turned off by some of the synagogue and Jewish ritual aspects. (Meyers is also producing and hosting Lab/Shul’s Purim party extravaganza at House of Yes this year, which will feature drag performances, a Purim spiel and a dance party.)
Flaminggg, by contrast, aims to draw a diverse crowd — participants represent all sexualities and genders, and the parties are open to any level of religious observance (or not). Meyers hopes that his events will reach people who have previously not entered Jewish spaces and want to learn more about and celebrate Judaism and queerness in all its forms and nuances.
And, of course, Flaminggg differs from other queer, Jewish events in that it is a nightlife-oriented, night-long party. Quoting Jewish anarchist political activist Emma Goldman during a Zoom interview, Meyers joked: “If I can’t dance to it, it’s not my revolution.”
This year Purim’s party, which is set to run from from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., will include a spiel (a comic retelling of the Purim story), a DJ set and other diverse queer Jewish performances. Meyers expects around 300 attendees.
“I’ve basically been waiting for this Purim party ever since the Hanukkah party ended,” Yochai Greenfeld, a drag performer who performed at Flaminggg’s 2022 Hanukkah party, told the New York Jewish Week.
That event, he added, was “probably one of the best parties of my life.”
“There are a ton of Jewish spaces to party in, but those tend to be somewhat uninviting for queer people to express themselves within those spaces,” said Greenfield, whose drag persona is named “Abbi Gezunt” (Yiddish for “so long as you’re healthy”). “The queer party scene is also mega-oversaturated, and there are tons of different spaces to explore. However, it can sometimes feel a little uncomfortable to express your Jewishness in those spaces.”
Greenfeld added that being around people with similar backgrounds allowed for empowering conversations on the sides of the dance floor, something he said he’d never experienced at other parties.
In addition to nightlife, Meyers has plans to grow Flaminggg into a more robust programming venture. Funded solely through donations and ticket sales, Meyers hopes to keep it that way so as to remain independent from any political or religious agendas. Currently in the process of establishing Flaminggg as its own LLC, Meyers envisions branching out into Shabbat dinners and queer Jewish study groups.
Ultimately, Meyers hopes that through Flaminggg’s events, attendees will feel more ownership over their Jewish identities. “All the Jewish programming I do is for building a deeper and deeper possibility of people coming into a space and going: ‘I’ve never felt so affirmed in being both queer and Jewish,’” he said. “Creating a platform where we can celebrate all of that is really special.”
Flamingggtaschen: A Queer Purim Party is on Saturday, March 4 at 3 Dollar Bill (270 Meserole St.) Get tickets here.
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President Herzog Doesn’t Plan to Pardon Netanyahu, Intends to Pursue a Plea Deal
Israeli President Isaac Herzog speaks during a press conference with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics in Riga, Latvia, Aug. 5, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ints Kalnins
i24 News – Israeli President Isaac Herzog reportedly does not plan to grant Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a pardon, but will instead work to initiate a mediation process to reach a plea deal. The New York Times reported this, citing Israeli two Israeli officials with “direct knowledge of Herzog’s thinking.”
According to the report, Herzog believes that there are many options beyond the choice of granting a pardon to the Prime Minister.
The President believes that his main role is “to foster unity,” therefore, he does not plan to announce whether he approved or rejected Netanyahu’s request. Sources told The New York Times that he would prefer to resolve the issue through negotiation.
Herzog’s office later released a statement on the topic saying, “Herzog sees reaching a plea deal between the parties in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cases as a proper and correct solution.” The statement went on to say that the President “believes that it is right to first exhaust a process that could lead to the formation of an plea deal between the parties, outside the walls of the court.”
Netanyahu formally submitted the petition to President Herzog in November 2025, arguing that terminating the long-standing corruption cases was a “national interest” necessary to end societal divisions and allow him to focus on critical security challenges. The move followed significant public pressure from US President Trump, who has repeatedly urged Herzog to grant the pardon, even threatening to withhold diplomatic meetings until the matter is resolved.
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US-Iran Peace Hopes Fade Despite Araqchi’s Diplomatic Push
Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Peace Missions listen as Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS
Hopes of reviving peace efforts in the US-Israeli war with Iran receded on Sunday as Iran’s foreign minister returned to Pakistan despite the absence of US counterparts after President Donald Trump told envoys not to resume talks.
While Abbas Araqchi continued to shuttle between mediating countries over the weekend, Trump scrapped a visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
US forces removed security equipment from the city, Pakistani government sources said, signalling that any US delegation was unlikely to return for negotiations soon.
Although a ceasefire has paused full‑scale fighting in the conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, no agreement has been reached on terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fueled inflation and darkened the outlook for global growth.
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of global oil shipments, while Washington has imposed a blockade of Iran’s ports.
After holding talks in Pakistan, Araqchi flew to Oman – another mediator in the war – where he met the country’s leader, Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, on Sunday.
They discussed security in the strait and Araqchi called for a regional security framework free of outside interference, according to Iran’s foreign ministry.
Araqchi later returned to Islamabad, Iranian state media reported. Pakistani government sources said he would hold talks with the country’s leadership before heading to Moscow.
IRAN ‘OFFERED A LOT, BUT NOT ENOUGH’, SAYS TRUMP
Speaking in Florida before being rushed out of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, Trump said he canceled his envoys’ visit due to too much travel and expense for what he considered an inadequate Iranian offer.
Iran “offered a lot, but not enough,” Trump said.
An earlier round of talks in Islamabad – in which Vice President JD Vance led the US delegation opposite Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf – ended without agreement.
After the latest diplomatic trip was called off, two US Air Force C-17s carrying security staff, equipment and vehicles used to protect US officials flew out of Pakistan, two Pakistani government sources told Reuters on Sunday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif by phone that Tehran would not enter “imposed negotiations” under threats or blockade, according to a statement from the Iranian government.
He said the United States should first remove obstacles, including its maritime blockade, before negotiators could begin laying the groundwork for a settlement.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S LEADERSHIP IN DISARRAY
Writing on Truth Social before the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump said there was “tremendous infighting and confusion” within Iran’s leadership.
“Nobody knows who is in charge, including them,” he posted. “Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!”
Pezeshkian said last week there were “no hardliners or moderates” in Tehran and that the country stood united behind its supreme leader.
The war has destabilized the Middle East – Iran has struck its Gulf neighbors and conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon has been reignited.
Israel’s military issued new evacuation orders for southern Lebanon on Sunday, ordering residents to leave seven towns beyond the “buffer zone” it occupied before a ceasefire that has failed to bring a full halt to hostilities.
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Trump Was Likely Target of Shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner, US Official Says
US President Donald Trump takes questions from media at a press briefing at the White House, following a shooting incident during the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 25, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
President Donald Trump and officials in his administration were the likely targets of a suspect who fired on a security agent guarding the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday.
The man fired a shotgun at a Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint in the Washington Hilton hotel before being tackled and arrested. Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the dinner.
“It does appear that he, he did, in fact, have set out to target folks that work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” adding that the suspect likely traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago and then to Washington.
The suspect will be charged in federal court on Monday with assault of a federal officer, discharging a firearm and attempting to kill a federal officer, Blanche said, adding he did not know if there was an Iran connection to the attack.
CONDEMNATION OF SHOOTING
Trump told reporters at a late-night White House briefing that he believed he was the target of the attack. He said the Secret Service officer was saved by his bulletproof vest and was in “good shape.”
US Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the officer had been released from a hospital.
ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl reported that Trump called him on Sunday morning and insisted that the White House Correspondent’s Association reschedule the dinner. “It has to happen,” Karl said Trump told him.
Around the world, leaders condemned the attack, and expressed relief that Trump and all present were safe, demonstrating solidarity with the United States. NATO leader Mark Rutte called it an attack “on our free and open societies” and leaders stressed violence had no place in a democracy.
The British embassy, which is preparing for King Charles’ visit to Washington starting on Monday, said in a statement that discussions were taking place on whether the incident may affect planning for the visit. A pre-visit brunch hosted by Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., Christian Turner, was scheduled to proceed on Sunday.
SUSPECT THOUGHT TO BE ‘LONE WOLF,’ TRUMP SAYS
A law enforcement official identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a California resident about 31 years old. Little was immediately known about Allen’s background, but social media postings suggested he was a teacher in Torrance, near Los Angeles.
Washington Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said the suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives. He was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated but it was too soon to say what his motivation was, Carroll said.
Bloomberg reported that Allen purchased a shotgun 8 months ago and a semi-automatic pistol 2 years earlier, citing a law enforcement intelligence profile.
Blanche said the suspect appeared to have checked into the Washington Hilton on Friday. Without naming the person, he said the suspect was not cooperating with investigators.
“There is something unique about the threats against President Trump and his cabinet that is disgusting and it shouldn’t be happening,” Blanche said on “ABC This Week.”
The chaotic events from around 8:35 p.m. raised fresh questions about the security of top US officials, many of whom were gathered in the hotel’s expansive ballroom.
A focus of the investigation is likely to be how the gunman was able to smuggle the weapons into a hotel hosting one of Washington’s biggest black-tie events. Guests entering the lower ballroom area are screened by security, but the lobby and room levels are not secured.
The dinner was attended by many members of Trump’s cabinet and other senior administration officials amid heavy security. It was the first time Trump attended the event as president, having boycotted it in previous years.
The site of the dinner was the scene of an attempt on the life of President Ronald Reagan, who was shot and wounded by a would-be assassin outside the hotel in 1981.
Closed-circuit TV footage released by Trump on Truth Social showed the suspect running rapidly through a security checkpoint, momentarily catching security personnel off-guard before they drew their weapons.
No shots were fired at the gunman who got through two checkpoints before being brought down.
“You know, he charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room. He was moving. He was really moving,” Trump said after the gala dinner was canceled.
Officials believe he is a “lone wolf,” Trump said.
HOW IT UNFOLDED
Video footage shows Trump and his wife sitting at a banquet table on stage in conversation with someone when a commotion at the rear of the ballroom – caused by the noise of gunshots – triggers a ripple of gasps through the room.
People started screaming “Get down, get down!” Many of the 2,600 attendees dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns took cover under tables as security personnel drew their weapons, with some pushing cabinet secretaries to the floor and covering them with their bodies while others formed a protective cordon.
Security personnel in combat fatigues stormed the stage pointing rifles into the ballroom as Trump, his wife Melania and Vice President JD Vance were evacuated. Cabinet members who had been sitting at tables dotted around the vast room were escorted out by their security details one by one.
Trump stayed backstage for about an hour after being hustled from the stage, a source told Reuters. He later said he had not wanted to leave the event, a remark that echoed images of him defiantly pumping his fist after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
In that attempt, Trump was wounded in his upper ear by a 20-year-old gunman, who was shot dead by security personnel.