Lee Zeldin

Illustrative: Rep Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks in support of LGBTQ high school students, March 21, 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

June 7, 2019, 6:25 am

Ilhan Omar joins newly formed black-Jewish congressional caucus

Minnesota Democrat, who has been accused of trafficking in anti-Semitic tropes, becomes member of bipartisan group aiming to combat white supremacism

By Josefin Dolsten

Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Mich., flanked by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., launches the black-Jewish caucus at the annual American Jewish Committee Global Forum in Washington D.C. on June 3, 2019. (AJC via JTA)

June 4, 2019, 6:15 am

US lawmakers launch congressional black-Jewish caucus

Group from both parties will work to bring African-Americans and Jews together to back hate crimes legislation and combat white supremacy

By JTA

Members of Congress arrive before the start of the 116th Congress and swearing-in ceremony on the floor of the US House of Representatives at the US Capitol on January 3, 2019, in Washington, DC. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

May 16, 2019, 1:46 pm

US Republicans launch bid to force House vote on BDS

Controversial bill meant to oppose the anti-Israel boycott is held up in part because Democrats say it poses a threat to First Amendment free speech protections

By Ron Kampeas

Students protest at an anti-Israel demonstration at the University of California, Irvine. (Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/JTA)

March 26, 2019, 10:00 am

Senate Republicans to introduce two bills against anti-Semitism

One resolution highlights racist nature of questioning Jewish loyalties; some fear the second, which targets ‘discriminatory anti-Israel conduct,’ could impact freedom of speech

By JTA

Lee Zeldin, left, and Ilhan Omar have been feuding on Twitter over Omar’s support of the boycott Israel movement. (Wikimedia Commons via JTA)

February 1, 2019, 11:51 pm

Can a feud in Congress between Jewish and Muslim lawmakers be solved over tea?

Jewish Republican Lee Zeldin and Muslim Democrat Ilhan Omar have been sparring over Twitter in recent days, but a hateful voicemail might bring them together

By Ben Sales

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., left, Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., and other freshmen members of the House of Representatives walk to the Senate side to speak about the government shutdown on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

January 24, 2019, 3:50 am

Colleagues downplay impact of BDS-supporter Ilhan Omar on top House committee

Jewish Democrats say the Muslim Congresswoman, who backs Israel boycotts, will not influence the key Foreign Affairs Committee on the issue; Omar vows to focus on human rights

By Ron Kampeas

Rep. Chris Smith holds an award he received at the 36th annual Bet El gala dinner in New York, Dec. 2, 2018. Joining Smith, from left, are Dr. Joseph Frager, Duvi Honig and Pete Hegseth, co-host of “Fox and Friends.” (Courtesy of American Friends of the Bet El Yeshiva Center)

December 5, 2018, 5:50 am

At NY gala supporting Israeli settlements, plenty of love for Trump to go around

The profile of Beit El rose when the past president of its American Friends group, David Friedman, was named US ambassador to Israel

By Josefin Dolsten

US Rep. and US Senate candidate Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is interviewed after rallying supporters at a get-out-the-vote canvass launch at a Nevada State Democratic Party field office on November 4, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rosen is trying to unseat Republican Dean Heller in a tight Senate race. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images via JTA)

November 7, 2018, 1:02 am

12 Jewish (or Jewish-adjacent) races to watch in US midterms

In several key races Jewish candidates and Jewish issues will be central to which party wins and loses when the votes are counted

By Ben Sales

Jewish Republican Congressional candidates running in the 2018 midterms, from left: David Kustoff from Tennessee, Lena Epstein from Michigan, and Naomi Levin and Lee Zeldin from New York. ((Illustration by Lior Zaltzman/Getty Images/via JTA)

October 17, 2018, 8:53 am

A guide to the Jewish Republican House candidates in the 2018 midterm elections

From pro-Israel stalwarts and Trump endorsees Lee Zeldin and David Kustoff, to long-shot activists and even conspiracy theorists in blue districts

By Ron Kampeas

Iranian students protest at the University of Tehran on December 30, 2017.
Students protested in a third day of demonstrations, videos on social media showed, but were outnumbered by counter-demonstrators. (AFP PHOTO / STR)

January 2, 2018, 9:07 pm

Iranian protesters win bipartisan support in Congress

One senator urges Trump to remove Iran from travel ban to send a tangible signal of US support

By Eric Cortellessa

Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin attends a reception at the Hamptons International Film Festival 2016 in East Hampton, New York, on October 8, 2016. (Matthew Eisman/Getty Images for Hamptons International Film Festival via JTA)

November 28, 2017, 7:24 pm

Jewish congressman defends having Bannon headline fundraiser

Lee Zeldin touts controversial former Trump aide’s pro-Israel credentials, says he has gotten a ‘bad rap’

By JTA

Thousands of immigrants and supporters join the Defend DACA March to oppose the President Trump order to end DACA on September 10, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (David McNew/Getty Images/AFP)

September 13, 2017, 4:19 am

Mostly lost amid outcry, Jewish Dreamers also facing expulsion from US

Number of Jews living in US under program for young immigrants is ‘not huge but not negligible,’ says one activist, reflecting diverse makeup of cohort fighting deportation

By Ron Kampeas

August 16, 2017, 8:49 pm

Jewish GOP congressman defends Trump’s response to Charlottesville

Lee Zeldin says the president was correct in ‘acknowledging the fact that criminals on both sides showed up for the purpose of being violent’

By Eric Cortellessa

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) 2015 Policy Conference, March 2, 2015 in Washington, DC. (photo credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images/AFP)

June 29, 2017, 9:48 pm

AIPAC leaders meet PM, highlight ‘dissident, discordant voices’ in US over frozen Western Wall deal

NY Congresswoman Nita Lowey urges Netanyahu to honor original agreement for permanent pluralistic prayer area

By Eric Cortellessa and TOI staff

President Donald Trump, left, with senior adviser Jared Kushner during a meeting in Rome with Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy, May 24, 2017. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

June 23, 2017, 11:39 pm

Lawmakers urge Trump to appoint White House Jewish liaison

Administration reportedly not planning to fill position; anti-Semitism monitor in State Department also not appointed

By JTA