Uncategorized
Michelle Dardashti, 42, rabbi
Michelle Dardashti, the first non-Orthodox Iranian-American pulpit rabbi in the United States, became rabbi at Kane Street Synagogue in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn beginning in June 2022. A self-described “radical pluralist,” she has been supporting the journeys of Jews of all ages and stages, building a community of Jews in their 20s-40s, launching a Rosh Chodesh group that features artistic, literary and contemplative engagement with the new month, and experimenting with a Renewal-style Friday night service called “Kivun.” Before Kane Street, she served as the associate university chaplain at Brown University and the rabbi of Brown RISD Hillel, where she created initiatives for Jews of mixed identity, interfaith justice dinners, the Hillel Initiative on Racial Awareness and Justice and The Narrow Bridge Project, a dialogue group for students seeking to “reach across divides” on Israel. Dardashti lives in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.
For the full list of this year’s “36 to Watch” — which honors leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers who are making a difference in New York’s Jewish community — click here.
How does your Jewish identity or experience influence your work?
As the proud daughter of an American folk singer and teacher and an Iranian-born cantor, I was raised on a brand of Judaism that is multicultural, meta-denominational, musical and global. I’ve been shaped by both my Eastern European and Persian ancestors. I learned so much in the big, suburban, Ashkenazi Conservative synagogues where my father served as hazzan. But it was the Judaism of my home, where my American mom and Iranian dad literally sang in harmony, that stirred my soul and shaped the leader I am today.
My father’s mother, Hoori Edna, came from the ancient Persian capital city of Shushan, where the Purim story unfolds, and when she and my grandfather moved to Israel in the 1960s, they built an Iranian synagogue in Rishon Lezion, called Beit Knesset Shushan Habirah. As a kid, I loved sitting in the small balcony section for women with my savta [grandmother] and learning the different melodies, rhythms and accents I heard in prayer there. But back in the USA, I also loved visiting my mom’s parents in Florida, where “shul” was a day at the pool or playing folk songs on guitar.
Who is your New York Jewish hero?
My mom, Sheila Dardashti. She grew up in Queens and went to LaGuardia High School. She has a master’s in special education and taught in that field for the majority of her career. Throughout her life, however, she’s used music to teach the story of peoples’ striving for freedom, justice and better lives for themselves and those around them.
What’s a fun/surprising fact about you?
Starting at age 6, I sang and performed as part of my family singing troupe, “A Dash of Dardashti.” We weren’t exactly The Partridge Family, but we hit Jewish festivals, synagogues and residential communities throughout North America during winter and summer breaks and sang in 12 different languages. My parents’ passions for Jewish community and storytelling through music came alive for me when we were on stage.
Do you have a favorite inspiring quote?
“A person must traverse a very very narrow bridge… and the most important thing is that they are not afraid.” — Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
What is your favorite place to eat Jewish food in New York?
My parents’ home in Westchester! It’s a mix of Persian (my dad has become quite the tahdig-maker in his retirement) and American (my mom’s cranberry sauce chicken is divine).
How can people follow you online?
Check out Kane Street’s Instagram and Facebook, or sign up for our weekly newsletter, Kane Street Connections.
—
The post Michelle Dardashti, 42, rabbi appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Uncategorized
Some Tankers Cross Strait of Hormuz Before Shots Fired, Ship-Tracking Data Shows
A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, 2026, in Space. EUROPEAN UNION/COPERNICUS SENTINEL-2/Handout via REUTERS
More than a dozen tankers, including three sanctioned vessels, passed through the Strait of Hormuz after a 50-day blockade was lifted on Friday, shipping data showed, before Iran reimposed restrictions on Saturday and fired at some vessels.
Reopening the strait is key for Gulf producers to resume full oil and gas supplies to the world, and end what the International Energy Agency has called the worst-ever supply disruption.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday Iran had agreed to open the strait, while Iranian officials said they wanted the US to fully lift its blockade of Iranian tankers.
Western shipping companies cautiously welcomed the announcements but said more clarity was needed, including on the presence of sea mines, before their vessels could transit.
IRAN RESUMES RESTRICTIONS
The ships that passed through the strait on Friday and Saturday via Iranian waters south of Larak island were mainly older, non-Western-owned vessels and included four sanctioned ships, according to ship-tracking data.
Iran arranged passage for a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships following prior agreements in negotiations, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said.
Other ships have been seen approaching the strait and turning back as Iran said it would maintain strict controls as long as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports.
The UK Navy reported on Saturday that Iranian gunboats fired at some ships attempting to cross the strait.
Some merchant vessels received radio messages from Iran’s navy saying the strait was shut again and that no ships were allowed to pass, shipping sources said on Saturday.
Ship-tracking data showed five vessels loaded with liquefied natural gas from Ras Laffan in Qatar approaching the strait on Saturday morning.
No LNG cargoes have transited the waterway since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.
Hundreds of ships have been stuck in the Gulf since the conflict started and Tehran closed the strait, forcing Gulf oil and gas producers to sharply cut production.
Top producers such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait say they need steady tanker flows and unrestricted passage through the strait to resume normal export operations.
Uncategorized
Trump Greenlights Russian Oil to Ease Strain on Global Markets After War with Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, DC, US, March 27, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
i24 News – The Trump administration has authorized a 30-day emergency waiver allowing the maritime purchase of Russian oil, reversing a hardline stance in an effort to stabilize skyrocketing global energy prices.
The Treasury Department announced Friday that the license for crude and petroleum products will remain in effect until May 16, 2026, responding to intense pressure from international partners struggling with the fallout of the war with Iran.
This policy pivot comes as a surprise after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested earlier this week that no further exemptions would be granted:
“As negotiations with Iran accelerate, the administration seeks to ensure oil availability for those who need it most. We must prevent a total price collapse for consumers while the geopolitical situation remains volatile.”
Ensuring global oil availability is paramount for the US as over 80 energy facilities in the Middle East have been damaged by recent war with Iran. With the November midterm elections approaching, record-high fuel prices at the pump remain a primary vulnerability for the Republican party. By allowing Russian oil back into the maritime flow, the administration hopes to neutralize “pain at the pump” before voters head to the polls.
Uncategorized
UK: Islamist Group Claims to Attack Israeli Embassy with ‘Drones Carrying Radioactive, Carcinogenic Materials’
A UK man has been arrested for allegedly threatening a group of Jews while wielding an ax on Rosh Hashanah. Photo: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons.
i24 News – British police officers in protective clothing were seen investigating a “security incident” near the Israeli embassy in London on Friday, after a jihadist group put out a video showing it launching two drones allegedly carrying radioactive and carcinogenic materials toward the embassy.
“There is an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens and officers are assessing a number of discarded items. As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing. We recognize this may concern local residents and the wider public,” police said in a statement.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claims to have targeted the nearby embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances,” the statement further read. “While we can confirm that the embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens.”
The incident comes amid a steep hike in antisemitic attacks in Britain targeting Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions.
The group that released the video was identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a shadowy entity with suspected ties to Iran. It has already claimed seven attacks against Jewish institutions, including an arson attack in London where four ambulances owned by the Hatzolah charity were torched.