RSS
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.
RSS
After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War

Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
RSS
Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests

A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
RSS
Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan

Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.