Another German ‘mess’ has some crying foul and others keeping quiet

“Deutschland 2021,” Germany 2021. That was the final, chilling line of German-Jewish rock singer Gil Ofarim, whose personal Instagram testimony about being discriminated against by a Westin hotel in Leipzig because he was wearing a Star of David pendant virally shocked the Jewish world. Read more

Macron’s clear French victory underscores unease with Le Pen’s extremist baggage

The Jewish establishment across France and Europe breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday as President Emmanuel Macron cruised to re-election, earning 58% of the vote against Marine Le Pen’s 42%. Read more

A shaken German Jewry opens arms to Ukrainian Jews

The inauguration of a Torah scroll at the newly refurbished Beth-Zion synagogue in former east Berlin on Sunday was supposed to kick off with a cheerful, musical street procession. Read more

Complex interplay of French patriotism and Jewish identity behind Éric Zemmour’s presidential run

Many nicknames and adjectives have been thrown around to describe the new talk of the French town, Éric Zemmour, the French journalist turned presidential candidate: brilliant, knowledgeable, extremist, racist, far-right, provocateur, and, perhaps the most catchy: the “French Trump.” Read more

Who is Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s new foreign minister?

Annalena Baerbock’s career as the first female foreign minister in Germany was introduced to the Jewish community with a Jewish-inspired hiccup. Read more

Germany’s new ‘traffic light’ government signals worry for German Jews

Germany’s “traffic light” government, led by new Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), was sworn in on Wednesday under the banner “dare to make progress.” Jewish leaders, activists and analysts, however, fear that the coalition will make less progress in strengthening Israel-German ties. Read more

‘Good riddance, Merkel,’ says Jewish-German newspaper publisher

Rafael Korenzecher, publisher of the conservative Germany Jewish monthly, Jüdische Rundschau, does not spare any nicety in his parting words to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose successor will be determined after the German federal elections on Sept. 26. Read more

Meet Ashraf Jabari: The Palestinian populist

With a mask resting below his mouth, which just took in its third or fourth cigarette of the last hour, Palestinian reformer and businessman Asharf Jabari said he hasn’t received the COVID vaccine yet. Read more

Behind the Bundestag’s vote against banning the political arm of Hezbollah

The scene out of the German Bundestag (Parliament), with its transparent dome shining light overhead to symbolize democracy—the “new Germany”—might as well have taken place in the rowdy Knesset, where MKs are known to talk over each other and trade nasty barbs. Read more

In the cafes of Paris, French Jews open up on antisemitism and their future in Europe

My trip to Paris to canvas the mood of French Jews began in the idyll of an Israeli-owned restaurant, Balagan, near the famed Louvre art museum. Read more

Anti-Israel vote in the German Bundestag spurs criticism of Germany’s mixed Israel policies

The Free Democratic Party has challenged the federal government to reverse anti-Israel German voting patterns at the United Nations. Read more

Jewish supporters of Germany’s far-right AfD see party as means to counter antisemitism

At a nondescript community centre in the city of Wiesbaden on Sunday, dozens of Jews got together to officially form the Jewish faction of the rising right-wing political party in Germany: Alternative for Deutschland (AfD)…writes Orit Arfa/JNS. Read more

What ordinary Palestinians are saying about the Israeli election

Near the entrance to the city of Ariel in the heart of Samaria lies an Arab strip mall of sorts, where Jews and Palestinians alike can get fruits and vegetables, a car wash, pet supplies, hummus, and falafel. Read more

The 2015 Israeli election video wars

Forget pollsters. These days, to get a sense of an Israeli politician’s popularity among the electorate, the place to go is his or her Facebook and YouTube video portals. Read more