More than seven inches of rain fell in a matter of hours, leading to flooding and mudslides; causing homes to shift off their foundations and roofs to cave in; and leaving water simply everywhere. Rabbi Shlomo Litvin reported that "the devastation is awful."

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin and his father, Rabbi Avrohom Litvin, of Chabad of Kentucky, drove across the commonwealth on Monday, their car filled with supplies such as portable mattresses, bottled water, cleaning items, gift cards, and more.

They were heading to small towns like Hazard and Whitesburg in eastern Kentucky – some of the poorest parts of the Bluegrass State – to help out in the aftermath of deadly flooding last week that claimed the lives of at least 37 people, including four children.

"It's been a long hard day," Rabbi Shlomo Litvin said. "The devastation is awful."

His father added that "many houses floated away, literally floated. The devastation is very difficult to see."

Late last week, more than seven inches of rain fell in a matter of hours, leading to flooding and mudslides; causing homes to shift off their foundations and roofs to cave in; and leaving water simply everywhere.

More than 1,300 water rescues have been made in recent days and almost all of the missing have been accounted for, according to local officials. Displaced residents are being housed in 15 shelters and two campgrounds at state parks, with more than 10,000 Kentuckian utility customers still without any power.

This is the latest in a series of weather-related disasters to hit Kentucky, where a row of tornadoes in December decimated areas in the western part of the state.

As Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said, "I wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky. I wish I could tell you why areas – where people may not have that much – continue to get hit and lose everything. I cannot give you the why, but I know what we do in response. The answer is everything we can … The damage suffered is enormous and recovery will be a long-term effort. This assistance is critical to our efforts and essential for our people."

Beshear was planning to visit Israel this week but canceled to stay and help his constituents.

Throughout the United States this summer, the weather has been extreme, challenging people, pets, and infrastructure. Another spate of excessive heat is expected in the next few days, with warnings stretching from Texas through the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and New England.

In California, wildfires have burned more than 147,000 acres since the start of 2022, while in other parts of the state, and much of the Southwest, water rationing tightens as the water basin for millions of people continues to dry up for lack of rainwater.

According to Efrat Morin, a professor at the Fredy and Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, "in general, it is known that extreme rain events are going to get more extreme," but with high place-to-place variation.

"This means that the historic 100-year event now has a higher frequency, and the current-day 100-year event is more intense than the historical one," she said. "The increase in extreme events is not only regarding rain but also regarding droughts. It is shown droughts are increasing in their duration and frequency."

Noting that "rain is naturally a highly-variable phenomenon," the professor told JNS, it is hard to "quantify what part of the change is due to global warming and what part is because of natural variability."

Morin said that "from research in our group, about intensive storms in Israel's region, and how would they be at the end of the century compared to the beginning, we found that they will become more concentrated: less total rainfall, higher rain rates, lower coverage area, and shorter duration."

But in other locales, she said, "both rain rates and total rainfall increase."

'Strength of spirit, resilience, and willingness'

While rain and flooding are significant concerns, and can be deadly, the real danger, historically, is the heat, officials sau.

"Extreme heat and humidity is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year," according to the National Weather Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "In the disastrous heat wave of 1980, more than 1,250 people died."

High heat is actually the latest challenge facing storm-weary Kentucky. To alleviate the problem, the state has set up a number of cooling stations to help residents.

According to Avrohom Litvin, the needs on the ground change day by day and for that reason every time they send supplies to the disaster areas they need to take into account what is needed most at that moment.

"The first day the need water, [today] the big need was beds," he said, "next, it's cleaning supplies and clothing. We are reacting to their needs. We've scheduled another truck for later in the week because they are so overwhelmed with having to feed and house people."

Litvin estimates that they've already spent well in excess of $150,000.

Many of the goods that Chabad of Kentucky provides come through its social-service arm, Project Friendship. That division provides clothing, shoes, and household goods to people in need. Some of the goods that they delivered to eastern Kentucky also came from the Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

As the consul general, Anat Sultan-Dadon, told Chabad.org, "We had the privilege of offering our support to the people of Kentucky following the devastating effects of the tornadoes a few months ago and were greatly impressed with the strength of spirit, resilience, and willingness of our neighbors to come together to assist their fellow Kentuckians. As we are watching the current tragic effects of the flooding in Kentucky, we are glad to be able to join Chabad in an initiative to provide some assistance to those currently experiencing difficulty."

While Kentucky's small Jewish community was not impacted by the flood, Jewish organizations are nevertheless pitching in to help. In addition to Chabad and the Israel consulate, Masbia, a kosher soup kitchen based in the Chassidic neighborhood of Boro Park, NY. The organization's disaster relief team, which includes its executive director Rabbi Alexander Rapaport, went down to Kentucky to deliver needed supplies, including bleach and blow-up beds.

According to Shlomo Litvin, this week has been the first time some of the people in eastern Kentucky have ever seen a Jew. "We are the first Jews they've ever met," he said, noting that providing help has no religious boundaries.

"We are needed," said his father. "This is one of the poorest sections of America, they are challenged on a daily basis. We will be back to help."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post Local Chabad offers aid to Kentucky flood victims appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Gerald Teldon, 97, nicknamed himself "Mr. Lucky" after flying more than 60 missions for the US Army during World War II. What he never received, however, were his service medals.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

That changed on July 29, when – surrounded by three generations of his family – the 97-year-old Teldon was decorated with six medals for his service, including an Air Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign with three bronze service stars, National Defense, and a World War II Victory medal.

The ceremony was held at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning in San Antonio, Texas, where several of his grandchildren serve as Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries.

"It was truly the honor of a lifetime to be present when my grandfather, who risked his life countless times to protect the world from tyranny, accepted the medals he earned in World War II," said one of those grandchildren, Rabbi Levi Teldon, who got to pin one of the medals on his grandfather. "The whole family feels so grateful and humbled."

Teldon, who is from Long Island, NY, joined the service in April 1944. He initially applied for the Navy Air Force, but it was over its "Jewish" quota, so he was denied a spot.

Determined to serve his country, Teldon applied for the Army Air Force. While the medical doctor sought to exclude him because of an ear issue, Teldon signed the papers himself and he was in. He served in the 79th Fighter Group, the 85th Fighter Squadron, and 87th Fighter Squadron. He was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in March 1946.

According to his son, Rabbi Tuvia Teldon, the executive director of Chabad of Long Island, NY, his father only began speaking about his military service in the last 20 years.

While the family doesn't know why he never received his medals after the war, once the military was contacted, the rabbi said, they were very receptive to awarding them and plans were made for the ceremony to coincide with his great-grandson's bar mitzvah.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

In an interview last week with Texas Public Radio, the elder Teldon, who now lives in Mexico, reflected on his honor, saying: "I never realized the results of what was happening that I was doing. I was a fighter pilot, and as a fighter pilot, you never see the action that resulted from what you did. And now when I received these medals and they announced what the reasons for the medals were, I was absolutely amazed that I was involved in that. I call myself 'Mr. Lucky.' I mean, to live through 62 missions and live to be 97, you got to have a lot of luck for that."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post Decades after serving, Jewish lieutenant receives World War II war medals appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A television channel in the United Kingdom aimed at members of the Muslim community has been put on notice by Ofcom, which regulates communication outlets there, concerning a program aired last year that contained antisemitic material and violated several of the country's rules of broadcasting.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The program, "20th Hour – Money Power, Islam and a Just Order," on the Ahlebait TV channel on March 21, 2021, featured speakers claiming that antisemitism was created by the founder of Zionism to scare Jews and that Jews have been kicked out of countries for centuries because of money-lending practices.

"During a live current affairs discussion program, several statements were made which amounted to hate speech against and derogatory and abusive treatment of Jewish people," said the Ofcom report, which was released on July 25. "The content was also offensive and not sufficiently justified by the context."

According to Ofcom, "20th Hour" is a live, weekly program for the Shia Muslim community in the United Kingdom hosted by Mohsin Abbas. The episode in question featured two guests: Clive Menzies, who runs a research project and was referred to by the host as an "expert" on the issue; and David Musa Pidcock, who has since passed away, and was the founder and leader of the disbanded Islamic Party of Britain, according to the report.

It was Menzies who claimed that antisemitism is a Jewish invention, saying on the broadcast: "It's worth just noting that antisemitism was created by Theodor [Herzl] at the back end of the 19th century in order to frighten and create the circumstances that would encourage Jews to migrate to Israel, so antisemitism is actually a Jewish creation."

Pidcock was seen on the video nodding and responding positively to Menzies' statements, noted the report. He, too, offered his own hate-filled statements, claiming that Jews have been "expelled from 47 different countries and city-states in the last 1,000 years" because they practice usury (lending money), and that "their antisemitism comes from their actions of impoverishing people and they then respond and then they call it antisemitism but we know that it's because they do and they get punished."

He continued: "And, as Allah says, you know, he will expel … send them to all corners of the world to be an excoriation and a hissing and a booing to wherever he had sent them. So antisemitism comes from debt, not cancelling the debt and usury."

According to the report, during Ofcom's investigation, "Ahlebait said while it agreed the comments made by the guests were antisemitic in nature, this 'does not automatically make them hate speech.' The Licensee said in its view 'the remarks did not promote or justify hatred based on intolerance on the grounds of ethnicity, race, religion or belief.'"

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

In making its ruling, Ofcom said it utilized the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, saying, "… our decision is that this content was clearly antisemitic and an expression of hatred based on intolerance of Jewish people, the broadcast of which had the potential to promote, encourage and incite such intolerance among viewers. It, therefore, met Ofcom's definition of hate speech, which Ahlebait accepted … ."

The Community Security Trust, which oversees security concerns of the Jewish community in the United Kingdom, filed a complaint with Ofcom after the program aired.

"We are pleased that Ofcom agreed, following our complaint, that the antisemitism in this program was completely unacceptable and broke broadcasting rules," said Dave Rich, director of Policy at CST. "It is especially important that Ofcom used the IHRA definition of antisemitism to make their assessment, and the channel has now promised to adopt the definition themselves. We hope this sets an important precedent and sets down a marker for other UK-regulated channels in the future."

 Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post British TV channel breaks rules on airing antisemitic content appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Thousands of people attended a memorial event in Argentina on Monday dedicated to the 85 people killed during the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires. They came to read the names of the victims, recall the harrowing stories from the day and demand justice for the victims.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

On July 18, 1994, at around 10 a.m. local time, a van laden with explosives destroyed the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), a Jewish community center, in Buenos Aires. In addition to those killed, more than 300 others were wounded. No one has ever been tried for the attack, though evidence has long pointed to Iran being behind it.

As attendees waved black-and-white photos of the victims, an alarm was sounded at 9:53 a.m., the exact moment that the bomb detonated 28 years ago. Among those in attendance was US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt.

On social media, she wrote: "Today marks the 28th anniversary of the Iranian-sponsored Hezballah attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. The July 18, 1994 bombing remains the single deadliest anti-Semitic attack since the Holocaust.

"High-level Iranian government officials were directly implicated in the attack, directing Hezballah terrorists to carry it out. Twenty-eight years later, the United States stands with Argentine Jews – and all Argentines – in seeking accountability for the horrific actions of that day," continued Lipstadt. "I am humbled to be in Argentina on the anniversary of the AMIA bombing, to commemorate this somber day of remembrance. The callous murder of civilians cannot stand, and the United States is committed to countering Hezbollah, and Iran's, malign influence."

The Foreign Ministry also called for justice in their social-media post, saying "today, and every day, we are committed to the memory of the victims and to justice."

The Jewish Federations of North America posted that "three decades later, we are still reminded of the vulnerability of our Jewish institutions in North America and around the globe."

The World Jewish Congress posted a three-minute video highlighting the events of the day and the subsequent investigations, noting that "till this day, no one has been prosecuted for the heinous crime. We continue to demand justice."

'Committed to countering Hezbollah and Iran's malign influence'

The AMIA bombing was not the only terror attack against Jews being remembered on Monday.

Across the globe and nearly 20 years later, on July 18, 2012, a bus bombing in Bulgaria targeted a bus full of Israeli tourists. Six people were killed in the attack, including pregnant women, and dozens of others were injured. In September 2020, two Hezbollah terrorists were convicted in absentia for the attack.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

"Ten years ago today, 42 people's vacations turned into a nightmare when a suicide bomber exploded on a bus transferring Israeli tourists to hotels from Burgas Airport in Bulgaria," wrote the group Combat Antisemitism on Instagram. "Five Israelis and one Bulgarian citizen were killed, and more than 30 were injured. May their memories forever be a blessing."

For B'nai Brith Canada, the anniversary of these attacks serves as a springboard to renew calls for the IRGC – Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (RGC) – to be placed on the list of official terrorist entities in Canada. The Quds Force, a division of the IRGC, is labeled as such.

"For too long, the Iranian regime has evaded justice and responsibility for the AMIA attack. Iran continues to be the leading sponsor of international terrorism to this day, making Iran's IRGC a serious public security threat to all Canadians," B'nai Brith CEO Michael Mostyn told JNS. "Today's anniversary should serve as a reminder to our government that Canadians have not forgotten about parliament's commitment to list the IRGC as a terror group, and we will not rest until this promise is fulfilled."

Using a "count-up clock" and a graphic depiction of a man they are calling "Bennie" walking around the Earth, the organization noted that it has been more than four years since Canada's House of Commons voted in favor of adding the IRGC to the terror list. They have also created a petition for Canadians to sign.

"Bennie has walked around the world a mind-boggling 5.2 times since the motion passed," said Mostyn. "Just think about that delay. We find it astonishing. How much longer will it take the government to fulfill its promised action to protect Canadians?"

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price released a statement on Monday commemorating both cases, saying "the two Hezbollah attacks, carried out with Iranian support, devastated hundreds of families."

He noted that justice has not been served in either case.

"The United States is committed to countering Hezbollah and Iran's malign influence. The funding, training, weapons and other support Iran provides Hezbollah support complex and heinous terrorist attacks like these. The callous murder of civilians must not stand," he said.

"With our support, more than a dozen countries across Europe, South America, Central America and the Pacific have issued national level designations, bans or other restrictions against Hezbollah. We urge more countries to take similar measures, which make it harder for the group and its backers in Tehran to threaten peace and security around the globe," Price added.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post Events in Argentina, Bulgaria commemorate Jews murdered in terrorist bombings appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A Canadian resident with ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine took to the stage in Ottawa recently, where expressed his support for arming Palestinians and took aim at the Canadian government for designating groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as "terrorists."

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Speaking on June 3 at the "International League of People's Struggles in Canada" conference, Khaled Barakat sought to blame Israel for Palestinian violence.

"Palestinian resistance are manufacturing missiles today because that's the only way they left us is to have a strong resistance, and those who don't want us to have armed struggle can please tell us how we can achieve our right when we couldn't achieve it by any other means possible," he said. "So really armed struggle is an option Israel chose for us, we didn't choose it."

Barakat lives in Vancouver with his wife Charlotte Kates, who runs Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, which the Israeli Defense Ministry considers a terrorist organization.

During the event, which was held at a city-owned community center, Kates claimed that Jewish groups – calling out B'nai Brith Canada and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs by name – tried to shut down the event because they were hoping to silence the voices of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

She praised a group of six Palestinians who escaped from Israel's Gilboa Prison last September, claiming it showed the "regime of Zionism is not impenetrable … Palestine from the river to the sea is a right we stand with."

The men, who were apprehended within days and were members of either the Palestinian Islamic Jihad or the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, were all serving life sentences for terror attacks on Israelis.

During his talk, Barakat also took aim at the government and its Foreign Terrorist List, which include Hezbollah and Hamas, asking why Israel isn't on it along with Arab groups that have murdered Canadians.

"We challenge the Canadian government, and we say why are you listing, for example, the Popular Front on your terrorist list? What did the PFLP do against Canada or Canadian interests, or commit any crime against Canada here or abroad? Zero. Nothing.

"Yet Hamas is on the terrorist list. We have to ask these questions and mobilize in order to erase this shame – this list is the so-called terrorist list – it has to be abolished. … We aren't going to shy away and say we don't support the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance."

And for what, he added, so Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "can like us?"

Becca Wertman-Traub, director of Research at CIJA said, "We are concerned by remarks made by speakers at the ILPS conference that took place at a venue that is under the jurisdiction of the City of Ottawa. Some of those remarks incite hatred against the Jewish community.

"CIJA and the Jewish Federation of Ottawa will continue to engage directly with the city and ensure in future they apply their own guidelines, and not provide a platform to groups or individuals that have links to organizations that are designated by Canada as terrorists."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Jewish community alarmed after Vancouver activist defends Palestinian armed struggle appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata heralded the growing number of Diaspora Jews who have come to the Jewish state in recent years. Yet if she had it her way, the influx is just beginning.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Speaking at a press conference with Nefesh B'Nefesh co-founders Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart on Monday, she said that more than 100,000 new immigrants have moved to Israel from other countries in the last four years.

"It's a huge achievement," she said, noting that "our destiny is as one people, bound together."

Last year, more than 4,000 Jews from the United States made aliyah. They were among the more than 27,000 Jews worldwide who moved to the Jewish state in 2021, marking a 30% increase in immigration overall.

"I believe we can do even more," stated the minister, noting that Israel expects to end the year "with more than 60,000 olim from around the world."

While in New York City, the minister also took part in the "Celebrate Israel Parade," where tens of thousands came to show their support for the Jewish state.

Tamano-Shata knows what it feels like; she herself came from Ethiopia in 1984 when she was just a toddler.

While it's up to Jews to choose where they want to live, she believes that it is also Israel's job to fulfill an important mission, "continuing with the Zionism movement and motivate Jewish people to go to Israel in bad times, in routine times and in urgent times."

Urgent times mean Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, which has brought thousands of refugees to Israel, as well as an expected upcoming flight of Jews from Ethiopia, where a war is being waged in the area of Tigray. The minister noted that there is a small Jewish community in Tigray that Israel is trying to help, and she believes that all 3,000 Ethiopians with first-level relations in Israel will ultimately be able to come.

She also mentioned that representatives from the Jewish Agency for Israel and the office of Israel's chief rabbi will be going to India in the coming weeks to meet with members of the B'nei Menashe community who claim Jewish ancestry.

"We need to look at each and every Jewish community as an equal," she said, adding that bringing Jews from all over to the Jewish homeland "will be us to the goal we want to achieve. We will together wave the flag of Israel."

Once different communities of Jews – geographically, religiously – are in Israel­, it is vital that they be integrated into the society as a whole, she said, highlighting the importance of education and learning in Hebrew in making that happen.

In the 74 years since the establishment of the State of Israel, she said, "we have built a cohesive society" with a strong infrastructure that includes homes and roads, "but we have to build a strong society, and you can't do that if you build shvatim v'shvatim – "tribe by tribe" – with each living separately as in ancient Israel.

The press conference was held in part to discuss the role of Nefesh B'Nefesh in helping North American Jews make aliyah over the last 20 years and how it has changed.

Fass noted that in the beginning, every family was given a "buddy" designated to call and check on them. For the most part, that is no longer needed as people have their own built-in supports. Also gone are handing out Israeli cell phones as soon as people get off their flights because 20 years later, everyone has their own now.

He also noted that Nefesh is in its fourth stage as it continues innovating programs and expanding its mission. Among the current successes has been the utilization of its center in Jerusalem as a one-stop-shop for Ukrainian refugees making aliyah, where they can meet with representatives of various Israeli ministries for immigration.

One of the new programs set to kick off this summer is a camp for children whose families arrive when school is not in session. The three-week program will pair youngsters with other children who have already made aliyah, in addition to Israeli-born children.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Fass said 125 kids are expected to take part in the inaugural summer session.

While there, the kids will learn some Hebrew, have the chance to make friends and experience a softer landing in a new country while parents are busy setting up their new homes.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The post Aliyah minister: Over 100,000 immigrants moved to Israel in last 4 years appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A security guard at the Columbus Torah Academy in Ohio was arrested last week by local law enforcement for making antisemitic threats online against the school.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

According to media reports, Thomas Develin posted a photo of himself holding a gun with the message, "I'm at a Jewish school and about to make it everyone's problem." He also posted about wanting to shoot the parents picking up their children from school.

"The person who saw it said something, and people need to realize that is incredibly important. Law enforcement can't be everywhere online," said Joel Marcovitch, CEO of JewishColumbus, the local federation arm.

Marcovitch and JewishColumbus board chair Audrey Tuckerman issued a press release on Thursday calling Develin's threat "an act of antisemitism."

"It was a cowardly act of intimidation. It was an attempt to silence our Jewish beliefs. For far too, long Jews have been mentally and physically intimidated online, at schools, universities," they said. "Virulent antisemitic rhetoric breeds extremism and has no place in our community."

Speaking to JNS on Friday, Marcovitch said they were notified by law enforcement a few days ago about the threat and were able to immediately convene representatives from the local day schools, preschools and synagogues to discuss the situation, as well as the communal response.

"What I've been telling people is that 'yes, the guard was part of a company that was hired by the school, however, the systems we have in place, the partnership we have with law enforcement worked this time,'" he said, adding that the relationships that local officials have with the Jewish community were critical in this instance.

According to Marcovitch, the Columbus Jewish community has an annual budget of $6 million, yet allocates more than $1 million each year for security measures. Part of that funding is used by communal institutions to pay for private security guards since local police departments do not have the staff available to be onsite during operating hours.

However, given the current situation, in the near future, local police will be on hand at Columbus Torah Academy to provide security. School officials did not respond to a request for comment at press time.

That was likely reassuring to parents, including one who told JNS that while the news that the security guard had made threats was "terrifying," she believed that school officials and local law enforcement are doing all they can to protect the students.

"For a security guard at a Jewish school to allegedly make deadly, terroristic threats is unthinkable. First and foremost, we are thankful that no lives were taken," said a post on Twitter from the regional office of the Anti-Defamation League. "This is yet another sobering reminder that antisemitism left unchecked breeds extremism and violence. Antisemitism has no place in Columbus, Ohio, or anywhere."

"Secure Community Network has been coordinating closely with JewishColumbus as part of our ongoing partnership with the Federation and community," said SCN national director and CEO Michael Masters.

"We are grateful for the swift, effective efforts by local, state and federal law enforcement. [The] arrest is a clear reminder of the importance of coordinated, comprehensive security programs undertaken in collaboration with law enforcement and the community. While the quick actions of all parties prevented a potential incident, we are reminded of the need to be vigilant every day."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

 Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Security guard at Columbus Jewish school arrested for online antisemitic threats appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Antisemitic graffiti was found outside of several high schools in the Toronto area last week, days after students at a middle school used a Nazi salute in class.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

On a March 2 social media post, Chief James Ramer of the Toronto Police Service said: "Today, we received three reports of antisemitic graffiti outside of schools" in different Toronto police districts. "We are investigating, and our specialized hate-crime unit is engaged. Hate crimes are a top priority of the Toronto Police, and we are committed to combating hate in our city." Central Technical High School, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts and Malvern Collegiate Institute – appeared to be connected.

"Nearly identical antisemitic graffiti was reported outside of the three schools and appears to have happened overnight. We are working with TPS to provide any help as they continue to investigate these completely unacceptable incidents," the school district posted online.

In a letter to parents, Central Technical's principal Anne Chirakal wrote that "we take great pride in our school as a welcoming, safe and inclusive place, so this is not only very upsetting, particularly for those in the Jewish community, but a completely unacceptable incident."

Noah Shack, vice president GTA, at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said: "We appreciate that the schools' administrations, school boards/TDSB and Toronto Police Service have handled each incident swiftly and seriously. We remain committed to supporting school boards across the province to develop and deliver proactive antisemitism education to stop this alarming trend.

"It must be noted that the recent antisemitic incidents seen across schools in the GTA are unacceptable, and representative of a larger trend of rising levels of antisemitism and Jew-hate globally," he told JNS. "Hate crime does not impact only the targeted individuals or groups. It attacks the very fabric of our society and the values we share."

An estimated 189,000 Jews live in the greater Toronto area, representing some 3.8% of the total Toronto population. Still, in 2020, Jews were the target of 34% of all hate crimes in the city, according to statistics from the Toronto Police.

"Toronto has experienced an alarming rise in hate crime, with a 51 percent spike in 2020, and it is essential for police and schools to have the resources to address this deeply concerning trend," said Stack. "We are grateful that the City of Toronto and Ontario's Ministry of Education have allocated resources to combating antisemitism and all forms of hate crime. Proactive education will ensure that the next generation develops an understanding of antisemitism as a means stemming out hate from the roots, but is also essential that the entire community show no tolerance for hate crimes of any kind; we must enforce that hate has no place in our schools, our city, our society."

The antisemitic graffiti comes amid a spate of anti-Jewish incidents at Toronto schools. Over the last few weeks, students at several different middle schools have performed Nazi salutes in front of their classmates and, in at least two instances, Jewish teachers.

And in December, the Toronto District School Board considered censuring a board member who spoke out against a district employee who was sharing antisemitic and anti-Zionist materials with educators during Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Several principals have already said they are beefing up educational programs on the Holocaust and antisemitism. While that's a good first step, some feel more needs to be done.

Michael Mostyn, CEO of B'nai Brith Canada, noted that "in addition to increasing education about the Holocaust and antisemitism in the schools' curriculum, a broader culture shift is required within the TDSB. This includes zero tolerance for antisemitism among students and staff, alongside education."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

 Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The post Spate of antisemitic graffiti found on Toronto-area schools appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.