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Why Every Jew Should Vote in the World Zionist Congress Election
People stand next to flags on the day the bodies of deceased Israeli hostages, Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas, and her two children Kfir and Ariel Bibas, who were kidnapped during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, are handed over under the terms of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Feb. 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
My journey began with my grandparents, whose extraordinary lives shaped everything I stand for today.
My grandfather, a Moroccan Jew, was a courageous figure in the French Resistance, fighting to liberate the Jewish people during World War II. After the war, he played a pivotal role in the founding of the State of Israel, and served as a soldier in the Israeli army.
Though he was immensely proud of everything he had done for Israel, he carried a deep longing in his heart for his family abroad. His desire to reunite with them led him to leave Israel, and come to America.
My grandmother, a Hungarian Jew, was sent to Auschwitz at just 17-years old. During her time there, she was forced to work for Dr. Mengele, but it was her unshakable belief in God that helped her survive.
After the war, she spent time in a Swedish Displaced Persons camp, then returned to Hungary to discover that most of her family had been lost. Despite this tragedy, she had two siblings living in New York. Starting anew, she worked collecting rent in Manhattan before meeting my grandfather. Together, they built a home on the Upper West Side, grounded in their faith and belief in Judaism.
Their survival was not just a matter of circumstance — but of faith. They instilled in our family the importance of knowing who we are, where we come from, and standing strong in our beliefs. My father, who was president of our community synagogue, taught me to always fight for what is right, to never be ashamed of who you are, and to let my inner light shine despite opposition.
Fast forward to today — and I am a proud mother of seven children. Every morning, I wake up with the same fire that was instilled in me as a child. My goal is simple: how can I help my fellow Jews, my friends, my family, my community, and the world around me? How can I be a light?
I believe that our actions, our names, and the light we share with the world are what we are truly remembered for. While raising my family, I served on Jewish organizational boards to secure the future of Israel and Jewish life, and run a children’s accessories business that promotes Jewish values, giving back to those in need through donations to less fortunate and sick children in Israel.
October 7, 2023, was a pivotal moment. While I had always known antisemitism existed, I had never witnessed such a brutal form of it until that day. My husband and I felt compelled to take action. In response to the destruction and hatred, we decided to bring holiness to the very places where we were attacked.
With the help of great rabbis, we launched a project to write Torah scrolls at the Nova site where the Jewish people were meant to be destroyed. The project grew, and with it, our mission: to show that no matter how much hatred we face, we will always rise again in faith and light.
The bond between Jews abroad and our brothers and sisters in Israel is built on love, solidarity, and unwavering support. While they defend their homes and spiritual lives, we stand beside them, ensuring they never feel alone.
Our voices and unity give them strength, and it is our sacred duty to be their unwavering support. This is more than a moral obligation — it is a deep spiritual connection that compels us to stand together, now and always.
Throughout history, when faced with destruction, the Jewish nation has always found a way to rise. We do not respond with violence but with Torah, acts of kindness, and emunah (faith) in Hashem (G-d). This mission drives me every day — to ensure that future generations understand how to be a light in the world, to fight with kindness, and to stand firm in their Jewish identity.
This is why my mission is so clear: we must teach our future generations how to be that light — how to live with fire, to fight with kindness, and to be the peacekeepers in the world. We’re not here for war; we’re here for love, peace, and to embody our role as children of God. In doing so, we will always remain the light in the darkness.
This is why the World Zionist Congress (WZC) is so critical. It provides a voice for American Jews who care about Israel. By participating in the upcoming WZC election, we have the power to strengthen Jewish identity, support Israel, and ensure our voices are heard. This is why I am running — to amplify our collective voice, to bring awareness, and to ensure we stand strong together.
Every single person must vote this March. Our engagement is crucial in showing Israel that we are by their side — always. It is our shared responsibility to take action, to stand up for our people, and to secure a thriving future for Israel and the Jewish nation. Vote in the WZC elections and be a part of history. Our unity is our strength, and together, we will always rise.
Bari Erber is a highly successful entrepreneur, product designer, a mother of seven, and a passionate philanthropist. She is running on the Aish Ha’am slate for the World Zionist Congress in order to better represent American Jewry and the Jewish people.
The post Why Every Jew Should Vote in the World Zionist Congress Election first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Says It Has Replaced Air Defenses Damaged in Israel War
The S-300 missile system is seen during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 17, 2024. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Iran has replaced air defenses damaged during last month’s conflict with Israel, Iran’s Defah Press news agency reported on Sunday quoting Mahmoud Mousavi, the regular army’s deputy for operations.
During the conflict in June, Israel’s air force dominated Iran’s airspace and dealt a heavy blow to the country’s air defenses while Iranian armed forces launched successive barrages of missiles and drones on Israeli territory.
“Some of our air defenses were damaged, this is not something we can hide, but our colleagues have used domestic resources and replaced them with pre-arranged systems that were stored in suitable locations in order to keep the airspace secure,” Mousavi said.
Prior to the war, Iran had its own domestically-made long-range air defense system Bavar-373 in addition to the Russian-made S-300 system. The report by Defah Press did not mention any import of foreign-made air defense systems to Iran in past weeks.
Following limited Israeli strikes against Iranian missile factories last October, Iran later displayed Russian-made air defenses in a military exercise to show it recovered from the attack.
The post Iran Says It Has Replaced Air Defenses Damaged in Israel War first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Calm Reported in Syria’s Sweida, Damascus Says Truce Holding
Members of Internal Security Forces stand guard at an Internal Security Forces’ checkpoint working to prevent Bedouin fighters from advancing towards Sweida, following renewed fighting between Bedouin fighters and Druze gunmen, despite an announced truce, in Walgha, Sweida province, Syria, July 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Karam al-Masri
Residents reported calm in Syria’s Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a US envoy signaled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented.
With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze. Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, “paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate.”
Reuters images showed interior ministry forces near the city, blocking the road in front of members of tribes congregated there. The Interior Ministry said late on Saturday that Bedouin fighters had left the city.
US envoy Tom Barrack said the sides had “navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities”. “The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process,” he wrote on X.
Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said there was an uneasy calm but the city’s residents were struggling with a lack of water and electricity. “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded,” he said by phone.
Another resident, Raed Khazaal, said aid was urgently needed. “Houses are destroyed … The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital,” he said in a voice message to Reuters from Sweida.
The Syrian state news agency said an aid convoy sent to the city by the government was refused entry while aid organized by the Syrian Red Crescent was let in. A source familiar with the situation said local factions in Sweida had turned back the government convoy.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel sent urgent medical aid to the Druze in Sweida and the step was coordinated with Washington and Syria. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shi’ite Islam. Some hardline Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical.
The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.
Residents of the predominantly Druze city said friends and neighbours were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia.
Sharaa on Thursday promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people.”
He has blamed the violence on “outlaw groups.”
While Sharaa has won US backing since meeting President Donald Trump in May, the violence has underscored the challenge he faces stitching back together a country shattered by 14 years of conflict, and added to pressures on its mosaic of sectarian and ethnic groups.
COASTAL VIOLENCE
After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the defense ministry in Damascus last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarization of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida.
He also said Israel would protect the Druze.
The United States however said it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days.
A Syrian security source told Reuters that internal security forces had taken up positions near Sweida, establishing checkpoints in western and eastern parts of the province where retreating tribal fighters had gathered.
On Sunday, Sharaa received the report of an inquiry into violence in Syria’s coastal region in March, where Reuters reported in June that Syrian forces killed 1,500 members of the Alawite minority following attacks on security forces.
The presidency said it would review the inquiry’s conclusions and ensure steps to “bring about justice” and prevent the recurrence of “such violations.” It called on the inquiry to hold a news conference on its findings – if appropriate – as soon as possible.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on July 18 it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people.
Reuters could not independently verify the tolls.
The post Calm Reported in Syria’s Sweida, Damascus Says Truce Holding first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Pope Leo Calls for End to ‘Barbarity of War’ After Strike on Gaza Church
Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yara Nardi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Pope Leo called for an end to the “barbarity of war” on Sunday as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza.
Three people died and several were injured, including the parish priest, in the strike on the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City on Thursday. Photos show its roof has been hit close to the main cross, scorching the stone facade, and shattering windows.
Speaking after his Angelus prayer, Leo read out the names of those killed in the incident.
“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population,” he said.
The post Pope Leo Calls for End to ‘Barbarity of War’ After Strike on Gaza Church first appeared on Algemeiner.com.