New York
Protesters gathered outside Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue during an event hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh, a nonprofit facilitating Jewish immigration to Israel, chanting “Death to the IDF,” “Globalize the intifada,” and “Resistance is glorious.”
The demonstration, organized by PAL-Awda NY under the banner “No Settlers on Stolen Land,” drew about 200 participants who heckled and physically intimidated Jewish attendees, marking a vitriolic targeting of a house of worship despite the Gaza ceasefire. No arrests were made. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani condemned the rhetoric while criticizing the event as a misuse of “sacred space” to promote international law violations, prompting backlash from Jewish leaders. Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams called the chants “vile” and planned a visit to the synagogue, while Governor Kathy Hochul labeled it a “blatant attack” on the Jewish community.
New York City hosted its inaugural municipal celebration of Sigd, the Ethiopian Jewish holiday, at City Hall’s rotunda, marking the first such event sponsored by a U.S. city government. The gathering highlighted the rich history and traditions of the Beta Israel community, including a daylong fast, communal prayers led by kesim priests, and a symbolic pilgrimage evoking the ancient ascent to Jerusalem. Attendees, numbering about 100, included Ethiopian Jewish leaders like Batia Eyob-Serrette, city officials such as Jewish Deputy Mayor Fabian Levy, and representatives from the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. The commemoration, timed for the 29th of Cheshvan, complemented private family observances and aimed to elevate awareness of Ethiopian Jewish heritage amid rising global threats. Sigd, meaning “prostration” in Ge’ez, became an official Israeli holiday in 2008, reflecting the community’s resilient connection to Torah and Zion.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed Assembly Bill A7613B into law, establishing an alternative pathway for certified public accountant licensure in New York that requires only 120 college credit hours, two years of professional experience, and passage of the CPA exam, rather than the traditional 150 credits. This measure, backed by the New York State Society of CPAs, addresses a critical shortage of accountants amid national efforts to modernize entry requirements. The New York State Education Department will define qualifying experience types—such as supervised public accounting or related roles—within 180 days of enactment, with the pathway effective by mid-2026. The law aligns New York with 20 other states adopting similar reforms, potentially saving candidates thousands in tuition while maintaining ethical standards.
New York City Councilwoman Nantasha Williams plans to introduce a bill Tuesday proposing pay raises for council members, the mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and borough presidents, mirroring the 16% compounded cost-of-living adjustment recently granted to municipal workers over five years. The legislation, backed by about 30 cosponsors, would increase council salaries from $148,500 to approximately $172,500. The move comes after outgoing Mayor Eric Adams failed to convene a required quadrennial commission to review elected officials’ compensation, potentially bypassing standard procedures. Sources indicate a vote could occur at the council’s final 2025 meeting on December 18, though legal experts warn it risks violating the City Charter’s prohibition on salary hikes during lame-duck periods in election years.
U.S.
Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced her resignation from Congress, effective January 5, 2026, following a public feud with President Donald Trump over her advocacy for releasing Jeffrey Epstein–related files. In a four-page statement and video posted on X, Greene cited personal attacks, death threats, and Trump’s withdrawal of endorsement as reasons for stepping away. Trump responded on Truth Social, calling her resignation “great news for the country” and accusing her of using plummeting poll numbers to avoid a primary challenge. The move narrows the GOP’s slim House majority to 219–213, triggering a special election in her northwest Georgia district, rated “Solid R” by the Cook Political Report.
U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie, a Clinton appointee, dismissed the federal criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday, ruling that interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan was unlawfully appointed to the Eastern District of Virginia post. Halligan, a former Trump defense attorney with no prosecutorial experience, secured Comey’s September indictment for false statements and obstruction related to 2020 congressional testimony on the FBI’s Russia probe, and James’s October charges for mortgage fraud over a misrepresented home purchase. Currie found Halligan lacked authority under the Appointments Clause and federal law limiting interim terms to 120 days without district court reappointment, rejecting Attorney General Pam Bondi’s retroactive ratification attempt. The dismissals, without prejudice, allow potential refiling but may face statute of limitations issues in Comey’s case. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called it a “technical ruling” by a “partisan” judge shielding Trump’s foes, while Bondi vowed an immediate appeal to hold both accountable.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to evaluate designating specific chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under 8 U.S.C. 1189 and Specially Designated Global Terrorists under 50 U.S.C. 1702 and Executive Order 13224. The order, in consultation with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, requires a joint report within 30 days assessing chapters in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan for their alleged roles in funding terrorism, including Hamas support and rocket attacks on Israel post–October 7, 2023. Within 45 days of the report, Rubio and Bessent must take appropriate actions if designations are warranted, aiming to freeze assets, impose travel bans, and disrupt operations threatening U.S. national security. The White House fact sheet emphasized countering the Brotherhood’s transnational network, which it claims fuels destabilization. This fulfills a long-standing Republican priority, with bipartisan legislation pending in Congress.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a $1 billion investment in advanced security screening technology for TSA checkpoints at airports nationwide, marking the largest such upgrade in over a decade. The initiative, unveiled during a press conference at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on November 22, focuses on deploying updated X-ray scanners for luggage, advanced imaging technology for passenger screening, and enhanced training programs for TSA officers. The rollout, timed ahead of peak holiday travel, will begin in the coming months at major hubs including Las Vegas, with expanded K-9 units to detect explosives. The investment follows the recent 41-day government shutdown, during which Noem also distributed $10,000 bonus checks to exemplary TSA workers who served without pay.
Seth E. Salver, a 35-year-old Orthodox Jewish accountant and longtime council member, was sworn in as mayor of Bal Harbour, Florida, on November 19, succeeding Jeffrey Freimark in the affluent Miami-Dade County village known for its luxury resorts and Jewish community. Elected to the council in 2014 at age 26, Salver has served as vice mayor since 2016, focusing on fiscal responsibility, infrastructure improvements, and public safety. The ceremony at Village Hall marked a historic milestone, as his father, Isaac Salver, mayor of neighboring Bay Harbor Islands, administered the oath—the first time in Florida history that a father and son have simultaneously held mayoral offices. The event drew community leaders, including Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner, another Orthodox Jewish official, highlighting the region’s Jewish representation in local government.
Israel
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed an airstrike in Beirut’s southern Haret Hreik neighborhood on Sunday eliminated Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s de facto military chief of staff and second-in-command after Secretary-General Naim Qassem. Tabatabai, 58 and a veteran since the 1980s, commanded elite forces in Syria and Yemen, orchestrated post–October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, and led rearmament efforts violating the November 2024 ceasefire and UN Resolution 1701. The precision strike, using over 20 munitions on an apartment building, also killed four associates. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Tabatabai as a “mass murderer” responsible for Israeli and American deaths, vowing to prevent Hezbollah’s resurgence. Hezbollah confirmed the losses and held funerals in Beirut, calling the attack “treacherous.” No civilian casualties were reported.
Ruth Haran Herzman, a Holocaust survivor and respected educator who endured the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri, died Saturday at age 90 after a lifetime of resilience and community service. Born in Romania, she escaped Nazi persecution as a child and immigrated to Israel, where she dedicated decades to family therapy, social work, and fostering Jewish life in southern communities. On that fateful Simchas Torah morning, Haran was alone in her Be’eri home when terrorists knocked on her door; she hid for 14 hours amid rocket barrages and gunfire, later recounting the terror as reliving the “absolute evil” of her youth. Her son, Avshalom Haran, 70, was murdered by Hamas gunmen, while seven relatives—including daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—were abducted; five were freed after 50 days in late 2023, and her son-in-law Tal Shoham returned in February 2025 after 505 days in Gaza. President Isaac Herzog eulogized her as a “beacon of courage and humanity,” noting her survival of “two holocausts” and unwavering spirit.
The Israeli cabinet approved a historic plan on Sunday to facilitate the full immigration of the Bnei Menashe community, a group of approximately 7,000 Jews from northeastern India’s Manipur and Mizoram regions, who trace their ancestry to the biblical lost tribe of Menashe. The initiative, proposed by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Immigration Minister Ofir Sofer, allocates 90 million shekels for flights, conversion classes, housing, and integration support, addressing family separations after two decades of partial aliyah that brought about 4,000 members to Israel. Under the decision, 1,200 immigrants will arrive by the end of 2026, with the remaining 5,800 completing relocation by 2030, primarily settling in northern cities like Nof HaGalil to bolster the Galilee region’s demographics and economy. The Bnei Menashe, recognized by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate in 2005, will undergo streamlined conversion processes to maintain religious standards. This completes a long-standing effort to integrate the community, which has contributed to Israeli society through labor and military service.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir dismissed former Operations Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk from reserve duty on Sunday, citing his role in the intelligence and operational failures preceding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages. Basiuk, who led the directorate during the assault and resigned in July 2025 after his tenure ended, was formally discharged from the IDF, ending his military career. The decision stems from an external probe by Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman, which criticized inadequate internal investigations into the events. Zamir also removed former Military Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva—who resigned in August 2024—and former Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman from reserve service, along with former signals intelligence Unit 8200 commander Brig. Gen. Yossi Sariel, who stepped down in September 2024. Zamir censured current Intelligence Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, and Navy chief Vice Adm. David Sa’ar Salama, though they retain their positions.
WORLD
A Melbourne magistrate ruled on Monday that Angelo Loras, 35, acted out of untreated schizophrenia rather than antisemitism when he set fire to the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on July 3, 2025, while about 20 worshippers were inside praying. Loras pleaded guilty to arson and recklessly endangering life after dousing the entrance with gasoline and igniting it, causing flames to engulf the door but no injuries as congregants escaped unharmed. The court heard testimony that Loras, who has a history of mental health issues including delusions, targeted the synagogue amid a psychotic episode, not religious hatred. Loras received a four-month prison sentence, fully served on remand, plus 200 hours of unpaid community work and a mandatory treatment order for ongoing psychiatric care. The Jewish community expressed relief at the resolution but renewed calls for enhanced security at places of worship amid rising incidents.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski summoned Israel’s ambassador on Monday to protest a Yad Vashem social media post that Warsaw deemed misleading and historically inaccurate. The post, shared on X on Sunday, stated that “Poland was the first country where Jews were forced to wear a distinctive yellow badge in order to isolate them from the surrounding population,” referencing the November 10, 1939, Nazi decree in occupied Poland. Sikorski criticized the omission of German occupation, arguing it falsely implied Polish authorities enacted the measure, and urged Yad Vashem to repost with clarification. Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan responded that the institution presents “historical realities of Nazism and WWII, including countries under German occupation,” emphasizing the linked article specifies German orders. The Auschwitz Memorial echoed the criticism, noting similar language issues. This incident reflects ongoing Polish sensitivity to Holocaust narratives, where Warsaw has long objected to attributions of Nazi crimes to the Polish nation. Prime Minister Donald Tusk also condemned the post, highlighting strained bilateral ties amid broader European debates on historical accountability.
President Donald Trump unveiled a 28-point draft peace plan for Ukraine and Russia, aiming to end the nearly three-year war through immediate concessions and long-term security arrangements. The proposal, verified by U.S. and Ukrainian officials, requires Ukraine to cede full control of Crimea and the Donbas regions—Luhansk and Donetsk—to Russia, despite Kyiv retaining a third of the latter territory, and permanently renounce NATO membership while capping its military at 600,000 personnel. In exchange, Russia would agree to a non-aggression pact with Ukraine and NATO, withdraw forces to pre-February 2022 borders in contested areas, and face reinstated global sanctions plus a coordinated military response if it reinvades. Amnesty for war crimes would apply to all parties, and Ukraine must hold elections within 100 days of signing, monitored by a Trump-chaired Peace Council including European and Russian representatives. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the framework as providing “full security guarantees” and economic incentives for reconstruction, allowing Russia to rejoin global trade. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a Thanksgiving deadline from Trump, called it a “difficult moment” but vowed constructive alternatives, with Geneva talks yielding revisions that removed some Russian demands like veto power over EU accession. European allies proposed a counter-plan softening territorial losses and emphasizing human rights, while critics like Sen. Mark Warner labeled the original draft a “historically bad deal” akin to Munich appeasement. Russia welcomed the basis for negotiations, signaling potential progress amid stalled front lines.