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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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Israel Says Missile Launched by Yemen’s Houthis ‘Most Likely’ Intercepted
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addresses followers via a video link at the al-Shaab Mosque, formerly al-Saleh Mosque, in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
The Israeli army said on Saturday that a missile fired from Yemen towards Israeli territory had been “most likely successfully intercepted,” while Yemen’s Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the launch.
Israel has threatened Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement – which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Gaza – with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist.
The Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group was responsible for Saturday’s attack, adding that it fired a missile towards the southern Israeli city of Beersheba.
Since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade.
Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.
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Iran Holds Funeral for Commanders and Scientists Killed in War with Israel
People attend the funeral procession of Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists and others killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2025. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Large crowds of mourners dressed in black lined streets in Iran’s capital Tehran as the country held a funeral on Saturday for top military commanders, nuclear scientists and some of the civilians killed during this month’s aerial war with Israel.
At least 16 scientists and 10 senior commanders were among those mourned at the funeral, according to state media, including armed forces chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Revolutionary Guards commander General Hossein Salami, and Guards Aerospace Force chief General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Their coffins were driven into Tehran’s Azadi Square adorned with their photos and national flags, as crowds waved flags and some reached out to touch the caskets and throw rose petals onto them. State-run Press TV showed an image of ballistic missiles on display.
Mass prayers were later held in the square.
State TV said the funeral, dubbed the “procession of the Martyrs of Power,” was held for a total of 60 people killed in the war, including four women and four children.
In attendance were President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior figures including Ali Shamkhani, who was seriously wounded during the conflict and is an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as Khamenei’s son Mojtaba.
“Today, Iranians, through heroic resistance against two regimes armed with nuclear weapons, protected their honor and dignity, and look to the future prouder, more dignified, and more resolute than ever,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who also attended the funeral, said in a Telegram post.
There was no immediate statement from Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since the conflict began. In past funerals, he led prayers over the coffins of senior commanders ahead of public ceremonies broadcast on state television.
Israel launched the air war on June 13, attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders as well as civilians in the worst blow to the Islamic Republic since the 1980s war with Iraq.
Iran retaliated with barrages of missiles on Israeli military sites, infrastructure and cities. The United States entered the war on June 22 with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
TRUMP THREAT
Israel, the only Middle Eastern country widely believed to have nuclear weapons, said it aimed to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons.
Iran denies having a nuclear weapons program. The U.N. nuclear watchdog has said it has “no credible indication” of an active, coordinated weapons program in Iran.
Bagheri, Salami and Hajizadeh were killed on June 13, the first day of the war. Bagheri was being buried at the Behesht Zahra cemetery outside Tehran mid-afternoon on Saturday. Salami and Hajizadeh were due to be buried on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would consider bombing Iran again, while Khamenei, who has appeared in two pre-recorded video messages since the start of the war, has said Iran would respond to any future US attack by striking US military bases in the Middle East.
A senior Israeli military official said on Friday that Israel had delivered a “major blow” to Iran’s nuclear project. On Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that Israel and the US “failed to achieve their stated objectives” in the war.
According to Iranian health ministry figures, 610 people were killed on the Iranian side in the war before a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday. More than 4,700 were injured.
Activist news agency HRANA put the number of killed at 974, including 387 civilians.
Israel’s health ministry said 28 were killed in Israel and 3,238 injured.
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Pro-Palestinian Rapper Leads ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant at English Music festival
Revellers dance as Avril Lavigne performs on the Other Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
i24 News – Chants of “death to the IDF” were heard during the English Glastonbury music festival on Saturday ahead of the appearance of the pro-Palestinian Irish rappers Kneecap.
One half of punk duo based Bob Vylan (who both use aliases to protect their privacy) shouted out during a section of their show “Death to the IDF” – the Israeli military. Videos posted on X (formerly Twitter) show the crowd responding to and repeating the cheer.
This comes after officials had petitioned the music festival to drop the band. The rap duo also expressed support for the following act, Kneecap, who the BCC refused to show live after one of its members, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – better known by stage name Mo Chara – was charged with a terror offense.
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