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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

Becca Near, serves as the Central States Regional Development Director for United Hatzalah of Israel

What I witnessed in Israel changed me forever: The hidden heroes of United Hatzalah

Becca Near, Special To The Jewish LightPublished March 24, 2025

Last month, I had the immense honor of visiting Israel and spending time with our United Hatzalah volunteers on the ground. United Hatzalah is an Israeli volunteer-based emergency medical services organization, which provides free service throughout Israel. It...

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 25, 2024. Credit: Courtesy of Sen. Rubio's Office.

Netanyahu, Rubio discuss Gaza war, ‘unwavering’ US support for Israel

JNS StaffPublished March 23, 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Sunday. The call was focused on “regional developments, including releasing the hostages and the resumption of fighting...

Freed Israeli hostages Aviva Siegel, Keith Siegel, Yarden Bibas, Yair Horn, Yocheved Lifshitz and Sasha Trufanov hold a protest calling for the end of the war and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, March 18, 2025.

Former hostages decry return to war as Netanyahu says further talks will happen only ‘under fire’

By Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished March 19, 2025

Former Israeli hostages are speaking out against Israel’s renewed military campaign in Gaza, warning that continued fighting puts those still in captivity at risk. At a protest in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, freed hostage Yarden Bibas condemned the...

A Palestinian walks past graffiti and the rubble of buildings, ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Israeli strike kills Islamic Jihad spokesman

JNS StaffPublished March 18, 2025

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Iranian terror subsidiary in the Gaza Strip, confirmed on Tuesday evening “with great pride and honor” that its spokesman Naji Abu Saif, known as “Abu Hamza,” was killed in Israeli strike that day. The terror group...

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a residential building in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip March 18, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

Israel vows to escalate strikes if Hamas refuses to release hostages

JNS StaffPublished March 18, 2025

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Tuesday that Hamas will face intensified military action unless it releases all remaining hostages. “The murderous Hamas needs to understand: If they do not release all our hostages, our blows will...

Smoke rises during Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on October 31, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Ceasefire ends as Israeli bombs strike Gaza

Ben Sales, JTAPublished March 17, 2025

(JTA) — Israeli warplanes bombed Gaza overnight, bringing an end to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire after two months. Israeli leaders announced that they ordered the strikes after Hamas would not agree to frameworks for a hostage deal proposed by Israeli...

US President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi arrive to speak at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2025. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

US Justice Dept. launches ‘JTF 10-7’ to prosecute Oct. 7 terrorists

By Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished March 17, 2025

A U.S. Justice Department task force will seek redress for victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in the latest Trump administration move aimed at demonstrating support for Jews and Israelis. The task force, announced Monday by Attorney...

"October 8" documentary now playing in St. Louis, plays Jewish Film Festival in April

“October 8” documentary now playing in St. Louis, plays Jewish Film Festival in April

Jordan Palmer, Chief Digital Content OfficerPublished March 17, 2025

The documentary “October 8,” now playing in St. Louis, explores the surge of antisemitism following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Directed by veteran filmmaker Wendy Sachs, a former "Dateline" producer, the film highlights how it has spread across...

US launches fresh strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen

JNS StaffPublished March 17, 2025

The United States’ military operation against Houthi terrorists in Yemen continued throughout the day on Sunday, as the Iranian-backed militia group launched fresh attacks on U.S. aircraft carriers in the Red Sea. U.S. Central Command, which oversees...

The family of Edan Alexander, an American held captive in Gaza, protests for his release in December 2024 in New York City. (Alon Kaplun)

Hamas says it would release Edan Alexander and bodies of 4 dual-national hostages

Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished March 14, 2025

Hamas has agreed to release Edan Alexander, the last known American hostage held in Gaza, along with the bodies of four other dual-national hostages. The move comes as part of ongoing negotiations to end the Israel-Hamas war. Israel has not accepted the...

Children and their teachers and parents dressed up for Purim, some as Batman in honor of the slain Bibas brothers, at the Gabrieli Carmel School in Tel Aviv, March 13, 2025.(Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Children in Israel and beyond are dressing as Batman for Purim to honor the slain Bibas brothers

Philissa Cramer, JTAPublished March 13, 2025

For over a year, an image of the Bibas family in Batman pajamas symbolized the global call for their return from captivity in Gaza. This Purim, children in Israel and beyond are dressing as Batman for Purim to honor Ariel Bibas, the 4-year-old who was...

Or Garti takes a selfie with her campers at Camp Ben Frankel.

War weary kids find summer sanctuary near St. Louis, but will they get to return?

BY ELLEN FUTTERMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEFPublished March 11, 2025

Once again, Camp Ben Frankel is asking the St. Louis Jewish community for its help. Last summer, the camp launched an emergency fundraising campaign to try to bring up to 17 Israeli children affected by the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas...

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