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Houston Astros star Alex Bregman celebrated Hanukkah at a local synagogue
(Houston Jewish Herald-Voice via JTA) — One month after lifting the World Series trophy at Minute Maid Park, Alex Bregman was at Houston’s Congregation Beth Yeshurun lifting a candle to lead the Hanukkah blessing.
On the fourth night of the holiday, the Astros star third baseman sat down with hundreds of congregants and talked about a wide range of topics, from his bar mitzvah speech to his favorite Hanukkah gifts, his not-yet kosher line of beef jerky and the potential bar mitzvah of his son.
The evening started with Bregman joining his wife, Reagan, and infant son, Knox, at the front of the sanctuary to light menorah candles with Beth Yeshurun Rabbis Sarah Fort and Steven Morgen, who ended the blessing with the words, “Play Ball!”
The special ceremony rekindled memories from Alex’s own childhood.
“We would go to Temple Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and then we’d come home, invite my cousins over, light the menorah and open up presents,” Bregman said. “It was mostly just family time for us, but it was always a blast.
“My mom would cook latkes, and we still use her recipe to this day. She actually sent it to Reagan, and I think Reagan might make better latkes than my mom, but don’t tell her that.”
Bregman then shared his thoughts for more than an hour in a Q&A with Ari Alexander, a sports anchor on Houston’s KPRC TV news channel.
The program was put together by many in the congregation, including Beth Yeshurun President David Stein and Chair Lori Herzog.
“We pulled everything together in eight days,” Herzog said. “It was a Hanukkah miracle.”
Bregman shared his bar mitzvah speech from 2007, which focused on using his love of baseball to make a difference in the world.
“I hope I have been able to live up to a little bit of what that 13-year-old wanted the older version of me to be,” Bregman said. “He would probably say you still have a lot of work to do and keep going.”
At 28, Bregman, who was drafted by the Astros in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft, has already achieved more than most players: he is a two-time World Series champion and two-time All-Star.
During the Q&A, he answered questions submitted by audience members, including one about his favorite Hanukkah gift growing up.
“When I got a little bit older, it was baseball cards and a Mark McGwire baseball card. When I was younger it was definitely Legos.
“One year during Hanukkah our house was broken into and robbed. The only room they didn’t take anything from was mine because my Legos were spread out across the floor.”
Decades removed from the Legos, Bregman now is a national star and takes his opportunity as a Jewish role model seriously.
“In this position, you have a platform and you’re able to reach a lot of people,” Bregman said. “I want Jewish kids who dream about playing baseball to believe that they can play in the big leagues and live out their dream, too.”
Bregman noted he has not experienced any antisemitism in his baseball journey.
“Growing up, my mom and dad always told me to stand up for what you believe in and to speak up for it,” he said. “I want to stand up for what is right and stand up against hate.
“Personally, I think we all need a little more togetherness in the world and need to be kinder to one another.”
Alex Bregman stayed after the event to sign autographs, take pictures and meet hundreds of kids and adults at Beth Yeshurun. (Daniel Bissonnet/Houston Jewish Herald-Voice)
After the Q&A session, Stein presented the Astros star with several gifts from Beth Yeshurun, including an Astros kippah, a menorah, candles, gelt and an autographed baseball from Rabbis Brian Strauss, Steven Morgen and Sarah Fort.
Beth Yeshurun also had gifts for Knox, including a plush dreidel and a “Future Beth Yeshurun Day School Graduate” onesie. Also presented to Alex and Knox were lifetime memberships to Beth Yeshurun.
“Alex and his family truly set an example of living with Jewish values and serve as incredible role models for us all,” Stein told the JHV.
“We knew we would have a large crowd, and everyone that attended left our sanctuary with feelings of great happiness and pride.”
Beth Yeshurun also presented a $5,000 check to Bregman’s charity, Bregman Cares, which focuses on autism awareness, food insecurity and several other local causes.
“Alex fulfills the mitzvah of tzedakah and tikkun olam through his Bregman Cares foundation,” Stein said. “He is a shining star of not only the Houston community but the Jewish community, as well.”
Bregman threw out a curveball at the end of the evening, asking for the microphone and offering to take pictures with all the kids in attendance, which led to photos, autographs and plenty of high-fives.
“This was a really fun night,” Bregman said. “Hopefully, we can win a few more World Series and celebrate more Hanukkahs together.”
A version of this story originally appeared in the Jewish Herald-Voice, Houston. It is reprinted here with permission.
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Iranian Nobel Laureate Hospitalized Twice After ‘Violent Arrest,’ Say Family
An empty space showing that Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was not present during the award ceremony at Oslo City Hall, Norway, Dec. 10, 2023. Photo: NTB/Javad Parsa via REUTERS
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was taken to the hospital emergency room twice after suffering blows from security forces who arrested her on Dec. 12, her family told the Narges Foundation on Monday.
The human rights activist won the award whilst in prison in 2023, following her three-decade campaign for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.
She was re-arrested on Friday – having been released late last year – after denouncing the suspicious death of lawyer Khosrow Alikordi.
Mashhad prosecutor Hasan Hematifar had told reporters on Saturday that Mohammadi and Alikordi’s brother had made provocative remarks at the lawyer’s memorial ceremony in the northeastern city of Mashhad and encouraged those present “to chant norm‑breaking slogans” and “disturb the peace.”
The family-run Narges Foundation said Mohammadi had made a call to her family late on Sunday.
“Narges Mohammadi said in the call that the intensity of the blows was so heavy, forceful, and repeated that she was taken to the hospital emergency room twice … Her physical condition at the time of the call was not good, and she appeared unwell,” the foundation said in a post on X.
Mohammadi had been released in December last year from Tehran’s Evin prison after the suspension of her jail term to undergo medical treatment.
She told her family she was accused of “cooperating with the Israeli government” and received death threats from security forces, prompting her to request her legal team to file a formal complaint against the detaining security body and the violent manner of her arrest.
There was no immediate comment from the Iranian authorities.
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‘Hero’ Who Disarmed Bondi Gunman Recovers in Hospital as Donations Pour In
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns visits Ahmed al Ahmed, who was identified on social media as the bystander who hid behind parked cars and seized a rifle from one of the gunmen during the deadly shooting at Bondi Beach, at a hospital in Sydney, Australia, Dec. 15, 2025, in this picture obtained from social media. Photo: @ChrisMinnsMP via X/via REUTERS
Donations for a Sydney man who wrestled a gun from one of the alleged attackers during a mass shooting at Bondi Beach have surged past A$1.1 million ($744,000), as he recovers in hospital after surgery for bullet wounds.
Forty-three-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim father-of-two, hid behind parked cars before charging at one of the gunmen from behind, seizing his rifle, and knocking him to the ground.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ahmed’s bravery saved lives.
“What we’ve seen in the last 24 hours was the worst of humanity in a terrorist act. But we also saw an example of the best of humanity in Ahmed Al Ahmed running towards danger, putting his own life at risk,” Albanese told state broadcaster ABC News.
He was shot twice by a second perpetrator, Albanese said.
Ahmed’s family said he was hit in the hand and arm.
Australian police on Monday said a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son carried out the attack at a Jewish celebration on Sunday afternoon, killing 15 people in the country’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years.
HAILED A HERO FOR DISARMING THE GUNMAN
Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, told ABC News in an interview that his son was an Australian citizen and sells fruits and vegetables.
“My son is a hero. He served in the police, he has the passion to defend people.”
“When he saw people lying on the ground and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon,” Mohamed Fateh said.
Jozay Alkanji, Ahmed’s cousin, said he had had initial surgery and may need more.
AHMED PICTURED IN HOSPITAL
Tributes have poured in from leaders both abroad and at home.
Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, said in a social media post he visited Ahmed at St George Hospital and conveyed the gratitude of people across the state.
“Ahmed is a real-life hero,” his post said. “Thank you, Ahmed.” A photo showed Minns at his bedside, and Ahmed propped on pillows with his left arm in a cast.
US President Donald Trump called Ahmed “a very, very brave person” who saved many lives.
A GoFundMe campaign set up for Ahmed has raised more than A$1.1 million within one day. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was the largest donor, contributing A$99,999 and sharing the fundraiser on his X account.
SUPPORTERS THANK AHMED FOR SAVING LIVES
Outside St George Hospital, strangers came to show their support.
Misha and Veronica Pochuev left flowers for Ahmed with their seven-year-old daughter, Miroslava.
“My husband is Russian, my father is Jewish, my grandpa is Muslim. This is not only about Bondi, this is about every person,” Veronica said.
Yomna Touni, 43, stayed at the hospital for hours to offer assistance on behalf of a Muslim-run charity also raising funds for Ahmed.
“The intention is to raise as much money as possible for his speedy recovery,” she said.
($1 = 1.5047 Australian dollars)
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Western Cities Boost Hanukkah Security After Antisemitic Massacre in Australia
Police officers gather at the scene of a shooting incident targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, Dec. 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Izhar Khan
Major cities across the Western world are buttressing security around synagogues and Hanukkah events following an antisemitic massacre at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia over the weekend which claimed the lives of at least 15 people, including a child and a Holocaust survivor, who were attending a celebration of the start of the Jewish holiday.
Police officials said that a father and son opened fire on Jews celebrating the start of Hanukkah, hospitalizing dozens of people in addition to those who were murdered. Investigators told Australian media that they identified the mass shooters as Sajid Akram, 50, was killed at the scene, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, who was in critical condition in a hospital. The younger suspect reportedly came to the attention of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency in 2019 for his ties to a Sydney-based cell of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.
Following the tragedy, several cities have decided to ramp up their security around Jewish sites as Jews celebrate the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah this week.
“At this time, there is no known nexus to New York City, and we are not tracking any specific, credible threats related to Hanukkah events here,” New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch posted on social media. “Out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD has significantly increased security around Hanukkah celebrations, menorah lightings, and Jewish houses of worship across all five boroughs.”
Tisch, who noted that the NYPD has been in “continuous contact with our law enforcement partners in Australia,” explained that “New Yorkers will see an enhanced uniformed presence, specialized patrols, counterterrorism resources, and additional protective measures deployed where appropriate. We are actively following up on tips, leads, and intelligence, and marshalling all available resources to keep New Yorkers safe.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams added that residents will see an extra law enforcement presence to protect Hanukkah events.
“We will continue to ensure the Jewish community can celebrate the holiday in safety — including at public Menorah lightings across the city. Let us pray for the injured and stand together against hatred,” he said on X. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are surging our police presence, and our teams will be visible at menorah lightings and synagogues across the city. We will not let what happened in Sydney happen here.”
In Germany, local law enforcement was taking similar precautions.
“Even though there are currently no concrete indications of a threat to Berlin following the alleged attack in Australia, we remain vigilant and alert,” the Berlin Police said in a statement on Sunday. “The Berlin Police is in close exchange with the security authorities at the federal and state levels and continuously adjusts its measures to the situation. The comprehensive protection of the Hanukkah event this evening at [Brandenburg Gate] has been planned for some time.”
The Berlin Police continued, “In light of the events in Sydney, we will intensify our measures once again and be present there with a reinforced deployment of forces.”
London’s Metropolitan Police similarly said it had increased security but did not elaborate.
“While there is no information to suggest any link between the attack in Sydney and the threat level in London, this morning we are stepping up our police presence, carrying out additional community patrols and engaging with the Jewish community to understand what more we can do in the coming hours and days,” it said in a statement.
Polish police also moved to boost the presence of law enforcement in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack.
“Due to the geopolitical situation and the attack in Sydney, we are strengthening preventive measures around diplomatic missions and places of worship,” a press officer for Poland’s National Police Headquarters told Reuters, explaining this meant “intensified preventive measures in the area of diplomatic and consular missions, religious sites and other institutions related to Israel and Palestine.”
Armed security was doubled at Warsaw’s main synagogue for an event on Sunday evening, when Hanukkah began.
Antisemitism has spiked globally, including in Australia, since the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel. This has included acts of terrorism such as the attack on a UK synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in October.
Before that, two Israeli diplomats about to become engaged were gunned down in Washington, DC in May. Less than two weeks later, a lone terrorist attacked a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, hurling Molotov cocktails into the crowd while yelling “Free Palestine.” In that incident, the perpetrator injured more than a dozen people and killed Karen Diamond, 82.
Commenting on the Bondi attack, Adams described what transpired as “targeted antisemitic terrorism” fueled by “Islamic extremism.”
“It’s exactly what it means to ‘globalize the intifada,’” Adams continued, referring to a controversial phrase echoed by anti-Israel activists that has been widely interpreted as a call for violence against Jews and Israelis. “Words have consequences, and we must condemn the slogans that incite violence and fuel extremism without equivocation.”
Tisch added that “Jewish life will not be driven into the shadows.”
A majority of American Jews now consider antisemitism to be a normal and endemic aspect of life in the US, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Federations of North America.
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.