The Jew News Review - February 10, 2024
Shabbat shalom from sunny Palm Springs!
It’s been one hell of a week. Whether you like it or not, the political madness here in the USA marches onward toward the inexorable matchup between a disgraced former President and an aging current President. Uncle Joe may have dodged an indictment bullet from his handling of secret documents, but he took a few body blows in the form of cheap shots from a politically motivated report. Be that as it may, Dems are in full spin mode defending against the latest questions around Biden’s mental acuity and ability to perform at the Presidential level. And these headlines overshadowed the absolute chaos that is now tearing apart the Republican Party, now controlled by the orange turd and MAGA world. We have serious issues on our southern border, and Republicans have decided to oppose their own fix in order to kowtow to the orange turd which means another 11 months of chaos on the border and millions more asylum seekers overwhelming the system. But even worse than the immigration issue itself is the civil war being mounted by Texas and right wing nut jobs to ignore the Supreme Court and arm every citizen with an AR15 rifle. Oy.
In the midst of this lunacy we get to indulge this weekend in one of the few truly remaining cultural events that taps into our innate desire to be part of something larger than our social media accounts and personal, tribal bubbles we all tend to inhabit. I’m speaking of course about Super Bowl LVIII!!!! This Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup of the Kansas City Chiefs versus the San Francisco 49ers is set to be the most expensive ever, with suites at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas going for up to $2.5 million, and a seat in the nosebleeds hovering around $6,000. And what a show it should be! On the field tomorrow night, two dominant teams face off in a heavyweight clash for the ages, with the greatest quarterback of his generation aiming for a third title in five years. Then, of course, there’s all the off-the-field excitement. Las Vegas baby! Usher! Taylor Swift! Chicken wings! It really doesn’t get much better. So, indulge everyone. Enjoy the spectacle, the bloated advertisements for things you will never buy, the razzle dazzle of Rush at halftime, and whatever cheesy snacks you might have on hand for friends and family. It’s a great day to celebrate something that brings us all together instead of tearing us apart.
Now, what about the news of the Jews? I know what you must be thinking by now: What’s taking so long to get to the good stuff? Enough already with your Super Bowl and political blathering. Ok, ok, ok. Here then, for your edification, is your weekly smorgasbord of superbly selected semitic stuff from sources such as The Forward, JTA, The Times of Israel, Haaretz, Nosher, Kveller, and Jewish Boston to name a few. Enjoy!
Latest on the war …
PM says IDF must operate in Rafah, but will let civilians evacuate first - Amid US alarm, Netanyahu says it’s ‘impossible to achieve war goal and leave 4 Hamas battalions’ in southern Gaza city; Sinwar ‘out of contact’ for 10 days; numerous gunmen killed
President Joe Biden will require that countries receiving U.S. military aid not impede the delivery of humanitarian aid during war, per a Thursday security memorandum that does not specifically mention Israel. “I’ve been pushing really hard, really hard to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza. There are a lot of innocent people who are starving — but innocent people — or in trouble and dying,” Biden said in a Thursday press conference. “And it’s got to stop.”
35 Israeli human rights groups have called for an immediate ceasefire in a new joint statement, writing that Israel must “allow unfettered entry and delivery of humanitarian aid and goods into and throughout Gaza,” and “Hamas must unconditionally release all people taken hostage on Oct. 7.”
The Minneapolis City Council overrode Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the war. Frey, who is Jewish, said he supports calls for a ceasefire, but had concerns about the resolution, in part because of rising antisemitism.
Progressive members of Congress who have spoken out against the war in Gaza have received record-high donations since the outbreak of war, per a new report.
The stabbing that injured a Palestinian American man in Austin last weekend met the definition of a hate crime, authorities said.
Following backlash, prosecutors dropped charges against two Northwestern students who published a spoof of the university’s student newspaper that lambasted the school’s approach to Israel and the war.
“Israelis were dehumanized in the most horrific way on Oct. 7,” U.S. Secretary State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, as he wrapped up his seventh visit to the country since the attacks. “The hostages have been dehumanized every day since. But that cannot be a license to dehumanize others.”
The Ireland-Israel women’s basketball antisemitism controversy, explained. A qualifying match for a European basketball tournament turned into an international controversy when Ireland’s team snubbed Israel’s pregame, after an Israeli player called the Irish team antisemitic without providing evidence; the Ireland squad then refused to shake hands after Israel won the game by more than 30 points. “Sports need to bring together and bridge,” said Israel’s coach, critiquing the other team’s actions. Read the story ➤
Jews deliver mixed messages to Biden: Scores of Jewish New Yorkers tried to block President Biden’s motorcade Wednesday. They held signs that called the war in Gaza a genocide and urged the president to call for a ceasefire. About three blocks away, a humbler Jewish cadre delivered a strikingly different message. Their signs said, “Thank you Biden,” and “Thanks for being the good guy.” The demonstrations around the president’s three-day fundraising trip to New York — his first visit to the city since Oct. 7 — revealed the Jewish community’s division over the war as it enters its fifth month. Read the story ➤
French President Emmanuel Macron presided over a somber ceremony in Paris on Wednesday to honor the 42 French nationals murdered during the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.
How the war in Gaza hurt McDonald’s sales: The company this week blamed lower-than-expected revenue on the conflict in the Middle East. The drop in sales is apparently tied to a McDonald’s franchise in Israel donating meals to Israeli soldiers, which sparked outrage in the Arab world and a movement to boycott McDonald’s. McDonald’s franchises in Arab countries have tried to set themselves apart from the Israeli franchise with public statements supporting Palestinians in Gaza. Read the story ➤
That’s all I have time for today! Enjoy the big game this weekend, and remember, let’s stay safe out there!
Brad out.