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A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Israel News

Lacrosse is catching on in Israel, where 300-400 children and teens are now playing the sport. (Courtesy of the Israel Lacrosse Association)

Lacrosse is on the rise in Israel, as its men’s national team enters the world championship ranked 7th 

JACOB GURVIS, JTAPublished June 15, 2023

(JTA) — Days after Israel’s under-20 soccer team shocked the world with a third-place finish in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, another one of the country’s national teams is looking for international glory — this time in a sport played by few in...

Nadav Tamir

J Street Israel CEO visits St. Louis with update on what’s ‘happening on the ground’ in Israel

Bill Motchan, Special To The Jewish LightPublished June 14, 2023

Nadav Tamir, the executive director of J Street Israel, visited St. Louis on June 13 to speak on the topic of “Israel at a Crossroads.” Tamir was previously Israeli consulate general to New England and advisor to the late Israeli President Shimon...

Israel's under-20 men's soccer teams celebrates winning third place at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in La Plata, Argentina, June 11, 2023. (Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Israel wins third place at U-20 World Cup

JUAN MELAMED, JTAPublished June 12, 2023

LA PLATA, Argentina (JTA) — Israel won third place in the U-20 World Cup on Sunday, capping a historic run in its first-ever appearance at the tournament by beating South Korea 3-1. Local Jews and Israeli visitors made up a large portion of the crowd...

Protester files police report filed against Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman in NYC

Ron Kampeas, JTAPublished June 4, 2023

(JTA) — An Israeli protester following Simcha Rothman on the streets of New York and chiding him for his role in advancing a proposal to overhaul Israel’s judiciary filed a police report against the lawmaker after he rushed her and wrested away her...

Jonathan Pollard sits down for a tell-all-interview

Jonathan Pollard sits down for a tell-all-interview

Published May 31, 2023

In this week’s “Wine with Adam,” host and CEO of Israel Innovation Fund Adam Scott Bellos is joined by ex-spy Jonathan Pollard in an exclusive tell-all interview. Jonathan Pollard was sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for giving highly confidential...

Menachem Begin and Zbigniew Brzezinski play chess at Camp David on Sept. 9, 1978. Photo: Jimmy Carter Presidential Library

This week in Israeli history: June 1-7

CENTER FOR ISRAEL EDUCATIONPublished May 31, 2023

June 1, 1941 — Farhud Pogrom Strikes Iraq’s Jews Two days of anti-Jewish riots break out in Baghdad, Iraq, during the holiday of Shavuot. The violence kills 180 Jews, wounds more than 240 others, destroys 100 Jewish houses and damages more than 500...

Ofir Akunis. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Israeli minister cancels LA speech due to protests and ‘bad vibes’

BEN SALES, JTAPublished May 31, 2023

(JTA) — An Israeli government minister canceled a speech in Los Angeles in the face of a protest, in part over what the local Israeli consul described as “bad vibes.” Ofir Akunis, Israel’s science and technology minister and a member of Prime...

Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, revered haredi leader in Israel, dies at 100

Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, revered haredi leader in Israel, dies at 100

JACKIE HAJDENBERG, JTAPublished May 30, 2023

(JTA) — Hundreds of thousands of mourners crowded into Bnei Brak Tuesday for the funeral of Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, head of the Lithuanian Ponevezh Yeshiva and one of the most influential religious leaders in Israel. In addition to running the yeshiva,...

32-year-old Meir Tamari slain just outside community near Jenin.

Father of two killed in shooting as West Bank violence continues

Yaakov Ort, CHABAD.ORG/NEWSPublished May 30, 2023

A 32-year-old father of two young children was murdered today in a terrorist shooting outside Hermesh, a community in the northern Samarian region of Israel. A manhunt was launched by security forces to apprehend the attackers. Meir Tamari’s car...

Henry Kissinger

Kissinger denies holding back resupply during Yom Kippur War

Published May 30, 2023

(May 30, 2023 / JNS) Henry Kissinger, who served as national security advisor and secretary of state during the Nixon and Ford administrations, denied that he intentionally delayed critically needed military supplies to Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur...

Israeli health ministry calls out Elon Musk for sharing ‘fake news’ on COVID-19

Israeli health ministry calls out Elon Musk for sharing ‘fake news’ on COVID-19

GABE FRIEDMAN, JTAPublished May 30, 2023

(JTA) — Israel’s health ministry tweeted that Elon Musk was engaging with “fake news” regarding COVID-19 data, the third Israeli government ministry to comment on the Twitter owner’s views in recent weeks. Musk had replied to a tweet from...

Israel players celebrate after beating Japan at the FIFA U-20 World Cup at Mendoza Stadium in Mendoza, Argentina, May 27, 2023. (Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Israel advances to second round of men’s under-20 World Cup with dramatic last-minute defeat of Japan

JUAN MELAMED, JTAPublished May 30, 2023

BUENOS AIRES (JTA) — In its first-ever appearance in the tournament, Israel’s under-20 men’s soccer team advanced to the second round of the FIFA U20 World Cup with a last-minute goal against Japan on Saturday. Israel was an underdog going into...

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