All posts tagged: Jewish

Three people charged over arson attack on Golders Green Jewish charity ambulances | UK News

Three people charged over arson attack on Golders Green Jewish charity ambulances | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

Three people have been charged over an arson attack on Jewish volunteer ambulances in Golders Green, north London. Four ambulances from Hatzola, a volunteer-led ambulance service, were destroyed in the early hours of 23 March. Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19, both British nationals from Leyton, have been charged with arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered. A 17-year-old boy, a dual British and Pakistani national from Walthamstow, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with the same offence. The group, who were all arrested on Wednesday at different locations in East London, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. While an investigation was launched by Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP), the incident has not been declared as terrorism. Separately, two men aged 45 and 47, arrested last Wednesday, have both been released on bail until later in April. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams, who leads policing in North West London said a “bespoke policing plan” has been deployed at vulnerable areas across London, including …

Six charged with hate crime after allegedly attacking Jewish student from University of Pittsburgh

Six charged with hate crime after allegedly attacking Jewish student from University of Pittsburgh

Published by Sam Flores

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday that six men from around the Pittsburgh-area have been charged after it says they attacked a Jewish student from the University of Pittsburgh in 2024.  The six were charged by a federal grand jury with violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, obstructing justice and conspiring to obstruct justice. … Source link

An ancient Jewish historian’s description of Jesus was so positive, critics called it fraudulent  – OpentheWord.org

An ancient Jewish historian’s description of Jesus was so positive, critics called it fraudulent  – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

Jesus teaching on the Mountain by Sealino, Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 159 | An ancient Jewish historian’s description of Jesus was so positive, critics called it fraudulent FOLLOW OUR PODCAST ON (search opentheword): PODCAST NOTES: ESPAÑOL: Was Josephus’ Description of Jesus, a Glowing Declaration or a Grudging Admission? One of the more compelling statements by ancient historians on the existence of Jesus was made by Josephus, a Jewish General and historian who died in 100 AD. In his book, Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus wrote: “And in this time, there was a certain Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man, for he was a doer of incredible deeds, a teacher of men who receive truisms with pleasure. And he brought over many from among the Jews and many from among the Greeks. He was [thought to be] the Christ. And, when Pilate had condemned him to the cross at the accusation of the first men among us, those who at first were devoted to him did not cease to be …

On Passover, some Sephardic Jews revisit not only the story of their ancestors, but also their Ladino language

On Passover, some Sephardic Jews revisit not only the story of their ancestors, but also their Ladino language

Published by Sam Flores

(The Conversation) — When Passover arrives each spring, Jewish families around the world gather at their tables to retell a story passed down for thousands of years. At ritual dinners known as Seders, they recount the Exodus, the biblical story of the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt – asking questions, singing songs and explaining the meaning behind symbolic foods like matzo. In the United States, most Seders move between English, Hebrew and Aramaic, which was once the lingua franca of much of the ancient Middle East. In some homes, another language joins the table: Ladino, a form of Judeo-Spanish that Jews carried across the Mediterranean after being expelled from Spain in 1492. Multilingualism has long been part of Jewish tradition. For Sephardic Jews who spent centuries in Ottoman and Muslim lands after their forced exodus from Spain – or Sepharad, as it is called in Hebrew – Ladino has played a central role at Passover. For many families today, the holiday provides a rare opportunity to hear the now-endangered language spoken aloud – a …

An arson attack leaves Britain’s Jewish community feeling vulnerable

An arson attack leaves Britain’s Jewish community feeling vulnerable

Published by Sam Flores

LONDON (AP) — British police hunted three suspects on Tuesday over an arson attack on a Jewish charity’s ambulances and pledged to step up security around a community that feels increasingly at risk. The blaze in Golders Green, a London neighborhood with a large Jewish population, consumed four ambulances belonging to the volunteer organization Hatzola Northwest. Oxygen cylinders on the vehicles exploded, breaking windows in an adjacent apartment block. Also shattered was the community’s shaky sense of security, already strained by wars in the Middle East and what many say is soaring hatred of Jews. “We’re feeling vulnerable,” said Damon Hoff, president of the Machzike Hadath Synagogue, where the ambulances were parked. Some of the building’s stained-glass windows were damaged in the blast. “We know what’s going on,” Hoff said. “Nobody’s eyes are closed. We’re living through wars. There’s multiple fronts, and Britain is a part of it, and our community is a tiny little part of a very, very big world.” The UK Jewish community has deep roots Britain’s Jewish community is long-established but …

Kanye West responds to calls for festival ban – as he offers to meet UK Jewish community | UK News

Kanye West responds to calls for festival ban – as he offers to meet UK Jewish community | UK News

Published by Daniella Wilson

Kanye West, the rapper whose previous antisemitic comments have led to calls to ban him from an upcoming UK festival appearance, has offered to meet the British Jewish community. The US star, who now calls himself Ye, has written a letter in which he says he must “show change” – an update to an apology he made in the Wall Street Journal in January. It follows the huge backlash to Wireless Festival announcing him as headliner for the event in London in July. Several sponsors have pulled out and there have been calls for the government to deny West entry to the UK. “I’ve been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly,” the rapper said. “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through music. “I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen. I know words aren’t enough – I’ve have to show change through my …

Two British men arrested over Golders Green arson attack on Jewish charity Hatzola’s ambulances | UK News

Two British men arrested over Golders Green arson attack on Jewish charity Hatzola’s ambulances | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

Two British men have been arrested in connection with the Golders Green arson attack on four ambulances by a volunteer-run Jewish charity. The suspects – aged 47 and 45 – were arrested on Wednesday morning at addresses in the north west London and central London areas respectively. They were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and both men have been taken to a London police station where they currently remain in police custody. Image: Firefighters tackling the blaze in Golders Green. Pic: PA Officers are carrying out searches at the two addresses, understood to be in areas near Kilburn and Kings Cross. The arrests are linked to the ongoing investigation into an arson attack on four ambulances run by Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer-led service, at around 1.35am on Monday. Metropolitan Police said CCTV footage showed three hooded individuals pouring accelerant on the parked vehicles adding that the investigation “very much remains active”. Image: The burnt-out ambulances. Pic: AP The fire happened right next to the Machzike Hadath Synagogue, in Golders Green, …

Belgium deploys soldiers to protect Jewish sites and combat crime – POLITICO

Belgium deploys soldiers to protect Jewish sites and combat crime – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“That’s why we are taking these measures. We have to ensure the security of these specific places for the Jewish community. We must do everything we can to prevent attacks on people and also to stop all the attacks … [on Jewish] buildings,” he added. “Our job is to protect everybody.” As for whether soldiers will do a better job of providing security than police, Belgium’s Defense Minister Theo Francken told POLITICO: “They are not replacing anything — this is in addition to the police force. The police force remains the first responder … and has the responsibility for the public domain in Belgium. But we have to do more because there are threats to the Jewish community.” Before soldiers were deployed, police protected the Israeli embassy in Brussels, as seen March 24, 2026. Speaking on the sidelines of the same event, Francken added that he would address the rules of engagement for the soldiers in parliament next week. Belgium previously debated deploying troops to combat drug crime last year, and will move ahead with …

UK police probe possible Iran link after Jewish charity ambulances set on fire

UK police probe possible Iran link after Jewish charity ambulances set on fire

Published by Sam Flores

LONDON (AP) — Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire early Monday in London in what British police are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime. Detectives are working to determine whether a claim of responsibility from a group with alleged links to Iran is authentic. Though it has not been classified as a terrorist incident, counterterror officers have been put in charge of the investigation. No one was injured in the nighttime attack, which shattered windows in nearby homes and left the vehicles charred shells. “We are pursuing all lines of inquiry, including an online claim of responsibility by an Islamist group who have claimed other attacks across Europe and have potential Iranian state links,” said Mark Rowley, chief of London’s Metropolitan Police. Religious and political leaders condemned what Prime Minister Keir Starmer called a “horrific” attack. “Antisemitism has no place in our society and it’s really important that we all stand together at a moment like this,” said Starmer, who met Jewish community leaders at 10 Downing St. on Monday …