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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

War In Israel

Eliad Eliyahu Ben Shushan, Mirjam Heutink and Naomi Petel Adle.

Survivors of Hamas attack visit St. Louis, sharing painful memories and grateful testimony

Bill Motchan, Special to the Jewish LightPublished April 5, 2024

Last Oct. 7, everything changed for Naomi Petel Adler and Mirjam Heutink, two residents of Nahal Oz, a kibbutz less than one mile from Gaza. Both women and their families survived the Hamas attack. They visited St. Louis on April 4 to share painful memories...

Palestinian workers transfer the bodies of the volunteers from the World Central Kitchen who were killed from an Israeli airstrike, from Al-Najjar Hospital, to Rafah crossing, in the southern Gaza Strip, April 3, 2024. (Mohammed/Flash90)

Israeli military fires 2 officers in the wake of World Central Kitchen killings: ‘A serious failure’

Ron Kampeas, JTAPublished April 5, 2024

(JTA) — The Israeli military chief of staff fired two officers found to be responsible for the mistakes that led to the killing of seven aid workers with the World Central Kitchen, which deepened a crisis in U.S.-Israel relations. The sackings Friday,...

Palestinians inspect a car of the World Central Kitchen aid organization that was hit by an Israeli airstrike, in Deir al-Balah, the Gaza Strip, April 2, 2024. Photo by Atia Mohammed/Flash90.

IDF chief apologizes for accidental killing of aid workers

Published April 3, 2024

The head of the Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday night issued an official apology for the accidental killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in the Gaza Strip on Monday. “I want to be very clear—the strike was not carried out with...

IDF soldier Shalev Golan

Thousands ask Israel to free soldier held for taking enemy rifle as memento

David Isaac, JNSPublished April 2, 2024

IDF soldier Shalev Golan, wounded while fighting in the Gaza Strip, now sits in jail in Prison 10 near the town of Kfar Yona to wait out legal proceedings against him for having taken a Kalashnikov rifle as a souvenir. The story has been gradually gaining...

People gather around the damaged car used by U.S.-based aid group World Central Kitchen, that was hit by an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 2, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

Israel says its strike killed 7 World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid workers in Gaza

Ron Kampeas, JTAPublished April 2, 2024

(JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s military was responsible for what he called a “tragic” and “unintentional” strike that killed seven workers affiliated with the international aid nonprofit World Central Kitchen...

Rep. Tim Walberg, a Michigan Republican, leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club, Feb. 28, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images)

Michigan congressman says he wasn’t advising nuclear war after telling Israel to approach Gaza ‘like Nagasaki and Hiroshima’

Ron Kampeas, JTAPublished April 1, 2024

WASHINGTON (JTA) — U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg released a statement saying he wasn’t calling for nuclear war after he came under fire for advising Israel to “get it over quick” with Hamas in Gaza, “like Nagasaki and Hiroshima,” the Japanese cities...

Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, speaks at a press conference on the introduction of the Senate ETHICS Act outside of the U.S. Capitol Building, April 18, 2023. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Democrat Senator lambasted for advancing a ‘blood libel’ linking Easter and Israel criticism

Ron Kampeas, JTAPublished April 1, 2024

WASHINGTON (JTA) — A range of Jewish and pro-Israel figures, including Israel’s antisemitism envoy, accused Sen. Jeff Merkley of advancing a “blood libel” for linking Easter to what he called Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza. Merkley,...

St. Louis teens, seeking guidance on antisemitism and how to talk about Israel, now have a new option

St. Louis teens, seeking guidance on antisemitism and how to talk about Israel, now have a new option

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished April 1, 2024

Since Oct. 7, the Jewish Light has been closely following the stories of local teens grappling with the pressing need for guidance in navigating the surge of antisemitism. These young adults are not only seeking education on effectively addressing bigotry...

Shani Louk. Photo by Screenshot/Twitter

Missouri School of Journalism honors photo of body of woman killed by Hamas wins top prize

By Camillo Barone, The ForwardPublished March 31, 2024

This story was originally published in the Forward. Click here to get the Forward's free email newsletters delivered to your inbox. This story has been updated to include new information. A photo of Hamas militants driving the dead body of a German-Israeli...

Political commentators Candace Owens and Ben Shapiro are seen on set during a taping of "Candace" on March 17, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ben Shapiro’s split with Candace Owens reflects how Israel and antisemitism are also dividing the right

Andrew Lapin, JTAPublished March 26, 2024

(JTA) – For years, Candance Owens and Ben Shapiro traveled parallel paths. Both are millennial right-wing culture warriors with social media followings in the millions. And both depart from broader communities that have historically voted Democratic ...

Yakir Hexter.

St. Louis grandfather to share story of his grandson, an IDF hero killed in action

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 26, 2024

A day after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Yakir Hexter and Dovid Schwartz, two best friends, were called up to serve in Gaza. On Jan. 8, the two combat engineers died together in a rocket-propelled grenade attack during intense fighting in southern...

Security Council adopts Resolution 2728 (2024) 14-0 on March 25, 2024 demanding an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan and immediate release of hostages, with Washington abstaining.

U.S. abstains on U.N. Gaza Ceasefire Resolution, Netanyahu fumes

Mike Wagenheim, JNSPublished March 25, 2024

The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that demands a ceasefire for the rest of Ramadan and release of all the hostages held in Gaza. Washington abstained in the 14-0 vote on Monday. As one of the council’s permanent members,...

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