Maccabee Task Force

An Israeli tourist shared a touching moment with a Japanese flight attendant who went out of her way to explain her love for Israeli and modest knowledge of Hebrew during the flight. At a time when so many Israelis and Jews around the world feel isolated, moments of humanity and allyship like this remind us that friendship, and real human experiences always rises above hate. 🇯🇵❤️🇮🇱 🎥: hillelathlan

Just days ago Spain condemned Israel over Itamar Ben-Gvir's inappropriate conduct towards Gaza flotilla activists — actions which drew widespread criticism from within Israel. Days later, footage from Bilbao Airport showed Spanish police clashing with returning flotilla activists and supporters, with officers seen striking and dragging protesters as several people were detained. Israel’s Foreign Ministry demanded an explanation from Madrid over the treatment of the activists. European governments often rush to condemn Israel in maximal terms while applying far more leniency towards their own use of force. Human rights standards should be universal — not selectively enforced when Israel or Jews are involved.

A recent JNS opinion piece raises serious questions about the General Union of Palestine Students chapter at San Francisco State University — the same group that recently hosted Mahmoud Khalil. The concern is not simply that GUPS is anti-Israel. The broader General Union of Palestinian Students has long been described as the PLO’s transnational student organization, and Congress has formally recognized the PLO’s long history of terrorism and violence under U.S. law. Students should not have to wonder whether student organizations operating openly on campus have historical or organizational ties to movements linked to terrorism and the glorification of violence. Universities have a responsibility to ensure that campuses remain places for education and dialogue — not platforms for extremism.

A video circulating from CCNY’s “People’s Graduation” shows an event that appeared less like a celebration of academic achievement and more like a political rally centered on radical activism. One speaker appeared to defend Tarek Bazrouk, who was sentenced in federal court for hate crimes after repeatedly assaulting Jewish victims at Israel/Hamas war related protests in New York. The same speaker also praised former CCNY SJP president Hadeeqa Malik, who was suspended and barred from CUNY campuses after highly publicized controversy surrounding her campus activism. The most troubling message was broader than any one person: the framing of universities as training grounds for radical activism. Graduation should mark the beginning of students’ contribution to society, not the normalization of extremism, intimidation, or hate masquerading as justice. 🎥: stustudio_insta

The U.S. Treasury Department has removed UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese from its sanctions list. This move comes after a federal judge temporarily blocked the sanctions last week. Albanese has repeatedly faced accusations from U.S. officials and watchdog groups of antisemitism and extreme bias against Israel. This decision likely means Albanese will be able to enter the United States and will no longer be barred from engaging in banking within the country.

After an Israeli flag was burned during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Hamburg, Germany, the city responded by raising an Israeli flag over City Hall in solidarity. At a time when both Jewish symbols and Israelis themselves are increasingly targeted across Europe, gestures like this matter. Burning flags and intimidating Jewish communities is unacceptable, and leaders willing to stand against it publicly deserve recognition. Hamburg sent a clear message that antisemitic intimidation will not go unanswered. 🎥: middleast24

In Jerusalem, Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze marched side by side calling for peace, coexistence, and human dignity. While extremists work to divide people by religion and identity, moments like these remind the world that partnership and shared humanity are stronger than hate. The future of peace will be built by people willing to stand together. 🎥: blackjewishmagic

During testimony before Australia’s Royal Commission on Antisemitism, Rabbi Menachem Dadon described what it's like for Jews walking through Sydney on Shabbat: antisemitic abuse is commonly hurled their way, even when they're with their children. “Free Palestine” and “F*** Jews” are two typical things a Jewish family will hear as they walk to Temple. Rabbi Dadon, whose daughter was wounded in the Bondi terror attack in December, explained that Jews are now forced to explain the hatred they hear in public to their kids. No child should grow up an environment where they are subject to unchecked bigotry in the streets. When hatred toward Jews becomes routine in public spaces, societies have a responsibility to confront it and combat it.

Holocaust and October 7th denialism are part of the same dangerous effort to erase Jewish suffering, distort history, and strip Jews of credibility when they’re attacked. Fatah official Qadura Fares accusing Israel of exaggerating the Holocaust and fabricating October 7th documentation with “unscrupulous” filmmakers is not political discourse, it’s extremist propaganda. The atrocities of October 7th were documented by survivors, victims, first responders, medical professionals, Hamas bodycam footage, and countless eyewitnesses. Attempts to rewrite or deny those crimes should be condemned everywhere, especially by anyone claiming to support peace or human rights.

The murder of Albert Itzkowitz, a longtime member of Queens’ Jewish community and former kosher bakery owner, has left many New Yorkers shaken and heartbroken. As investigations continue, Jewish communities across the city are once again confronting the painful reality of rising fear and insecurity. Every act of violence targeting or impacting Jewish communal life must be taken seriously and investigated fully. Albert was a father, grandfather, business owner, and community member. May his memory be a blessing.

Holocaust and October 7th denialism are part of the same dangerous effort to erase Jewish suffering, distort history, and strip Jews of credibility when they’re attacked. Fatah official Qadura Fares accusing Israel of exaggerating the Holocaust and fabricating October 7th documentation with “unscrupulous” filmmakers is not political discourse, it’s extremist propaganda. The atrocities of October 7th were documented by survivors, victims, first responders, medical professionals, Hamas bodycam footage, and countless eyewitnesses. Attempts to rewrite or deny those crimes should be condemned everywhere, especially by anyone claiming to support peace or human rights.

At the University of Texas at Austin, MTF Fellow Gaia hosted a special gathering alongside fellow Maccabee Task Force Israel trip alumni, reconnecting students with their tour guide and giving them the opportunity to reflect on their shared experiences in Israel. Events like these help strengthen community, deepen relationships, and keep students connected to the people and experiences that shaped their understanding of Israel long after the trip ends.

Harvard’s recent symposium on antisemitism highlighted a reality Jewish students across campuses have been warning about for years: antisemitism is not a relic of the past, it is a present-day crisis shaping Jewish life at universities today. Speakers discussed both Harvard’s historic struggles with antisemitism and the growing challenges Jewish students face navigating hostility, exclusion, and intimidation on campus. Universities cannot claim to value diversity and inclusion while failing to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination. Real leadership means confronting antisemitism directly, not minimizing it when it becomes politically inconvenient.

Shalev Ben Yakar says he was violently assaulted in London’s Golders Green neighborhood late at night by a group of men as he was speaking to friends on the phone in Hebrew. Shalev was hospitalized with injuries to his face, neck, and back in what police are investigating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime. This is the same neighborhood where two Orthodox Jewish men were stabbed at a bus stop last month. No one should fear being attacked for speaking Hebrew, wearing a kippah, or simply existing openly as a Jew. As antisemitic violence continues rising around the world, silence and excuses only make these attacks more common. Jewish communities deserve safety, protection, and the same basic freedoms every other community expects.

A synagogue is a sacred space. A church is a sacred space. A mosque is a sacred space. A temple is a sacred space. They all must be protected from harassment and violence.

The shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego is horrific. No one should fear being attacked while praying, gathering with their community, or bringing their children to a house of worship. Authorities are investigating the attack as a possible hate crime after three people, including a security guard, were killed by the gunmen — who later took their own lives. At a moment when religious communities across the country increasingly feel vulnerable, violence targeting people because of their faith must be condemned clearly and without hesitation. Jewish communities understand this fear all too well. Solidarity against religious hatred and political violence cannot be selective. We mourn for the victims, stand with San Diego’s Muslim community, and pray for the injured and their families.

In the southern Lebanese town of Al-Khiyam, roughly 4.5 kilometers from Israel’s northern border, the IDF says it uncovered a Hezbollah weapons cache, command center, and tunnel network beneath a children’s clothing store. Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization backed by Iran, has long been known to embed military infrastructure within civilian areas across southern Lebanon. Operating from within civilian populations allows Hezbollah to both shield its activities and increase the likelihood of civilian harm when conflict erupts. When weapons caches and tunnel systems are placed beneath civilian sites, it is civilians who ultimately pay the price. At the same time, Hezbollah can exploit civilian suffering in an effort to demonize Israel. Terror groups should never be allowed to hide behind the people they endanger.

A new UCLA antisemitism report is urging the university to strengthen anti-discrimination policies, adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and discourage faculty participation in academic boycotts targeting Israel. The report comes amid ongoing scrutiny of UCLA’s handling of antisemitism allegations following the post-October 7 campus unrest. Last year, the federal government froze approximately $584 million in UCLA research funding while investigating claims that Jewish students and faculty were not adequately protected on campus. The recommendations reflect a growing recognition that universities cannot effectively confront antisemitism without clearly defining it and consistently enforcing protections when Jewish students are targeted.

Voices like Nuseir Yassin’s challenge popular anti-Israel narratives and remind people that history in the Middle East is far more complex than slogans shared online. As an Arab who grew up in Israel his perspective reflects life experiences that are often ignored in academic and activist spaces. Real coexistence can begin when the realities about history, identity, and the future can be discussed without being shouted down. No one should be silenced for refusing to follow a narrative that demonizes Israel just for existing. Those who refuse to coexist often express their intolerance outright. We won’t let them win.

“Pro-Palestine” protestors swarmed a restaurant owned by Iranian refugee Navid Badiei in downtown Toronto. The mob taunted staff through the window of the restaurant, who proudly held up the Lion and Sun flag. We stand with Iranians against the Islamic Republic regime, which funds terror globally and continues to execute and repress civilians in Iran. 🦁 ☀️