Andrew Lapin

City Hall, Westbrook, Maine, May 28, 2017. (Kenneth C. Zirkel/Creative Commons via JTA)

December 1, 2023, 9:10 am

Town in Maine swaps out Star of David from holiday display

Local Arab organization called for Jewish symbol’s removal, though mayor says move made to not show preference for particular religion

By Andrew Lapin

Elon Musk wears a symbollic dog tag in honor of Israeli hostages onstage during The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2023 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on November 29, 2023 in New York City. (Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images via AFP)

November 30, 2023, 10:04 am

Musk apologizes for endorsing antisemitic post, curses advertisers boycotting X for it

Back from Israel, social media platform owner says any who try to ‘blackmail’ him by withholding ads can ‘go f**k yourself’; suggests some Jewish groups have funded Hamas affiliates

By Andrew Lapin

Leonard Cohen in concert at London’s O2 Arena, September 15, 2013. (Brian Rasic/Getty Images/JTA)

November 29, 2023, 9:52 am

New miniseries to showcase Leonard Cohen’s romance with Marianne

Alex Wolff to portray Jewish music icon during his relationship with his Norwegian muse, the eponymous subject of one of his hit songs

By Andrew Lapin

File: X CEO Elon Musk leaves a US Senate bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 13, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)

November 22, 2023, 6:20 pm

Musk vows to donate revenue ‘associated’ with Gaza war to hospitals, aid orgs

CEO of social media platform X, who has come under fire for endorsing an antisemitic tweet, vague on the type of income to be donated and the organizations that would receive it

By Andrew Lapin

A crowd protests antisemitism in New York City, Oct. 15, 2020. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images, via JTA)

November 19, 2023, 1:19 pm

US Education Dept. opens antisemitism, Islamophobia investigation at 7 schools

Secretary Miguel Cardona says move shows how serious the Biden administration is about protecting students from hatred and discrimination

By Andrew Lapin

'The Little Liar,' the new novel by bestselling Jewish author Mitch Albom, is set in Salonika, Greece, before, during and after the Holocaust. (Jenny Risher/illustration by Mollie Suss via JTA)

November 18, 2023, 4:27 pm

Jewish writer Mitch Albom enters new territory with Holocaust novel ‘The Little Liar’

‘Tuesdays With Morrie’ author returns with a powerful story about how a Greek Jewish boy, known for his honesty, becomes a pathological liar after unwittingly helping the Nazis

By Andrew Lapin

The opening, dreamlike scene of Hot TV's 'Chanshi' was part of the original concept created by Aleeza Chanowitz and her directors, Miki Triest and Aaron Geva (Courtesy Vered Adir/HOT)

November 16, 2023, 12:30 am

European film festivals hit with controversies over Israel-Hamas war

Stockholm International Film Festival walks back invitation to Israeli-American actress Aleeza Chanowitz; in Amsterdam, filmmakers pull their work over pro-Palestinian stance

By Andrew Lapin

Palestinian lawyer-activist Raja Shehadeh reacts during a session on Writing and Resistance, at the Jaipur Literature Festival in Jaipur, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, India, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

November 15, 2023, 6:28 pm

Jewish sponsor withdraws from National Book Awards over ‘planned’ Gaza statement

Publisher Zibby Owens says she pulled out after failing to receive assurances from organizers that winners wouldn’t make speeches that ‘promote pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel agenda’

By Andrew Lapin

Participants in the first post-COVID Birthright Israel trip, after landing in Israel after a year-long hiatus for the organization, on May 24, 2021. (Erez Uzir/Courtesy)

November 14, 2023, 11:38 pm

Birthright nixes December trips over security concerns amid Israel-Hamas war

Spokesperson says tours will resume when situation becomes ‘more stable’; height of COVID-19 pandemic was the only other time trips were canceled

By Andrew Lapin

Screen capture from video of pro-Palestinian students demonstrating at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, November 13, 2023. (X. Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

November 14, 2023, 8:38 am

MIT partially suspends students who occupied building for pro-Palestinian ‘die-in’

Unspecified number of students banned from attending ‘non-academic’ activities; campus Israel Alliance laments full suspension was not imposed; probe into incident ongoing

By Andrew Lapin

Students from Ohio State University Hillel gather to express support and solidarity with Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. (Courtesy of Hillel International via JTA)

November 14, 2023, 8:00 am

Ohio beefs up state university campus security following attacks on Jewish students

Two people punched in face by assailants who reportedly used antisemitic slur; activists steal Israeli flags from Hillel building, shout ‘You support genocide’

By Andrew Lapin

A classroom at a Citizens of the World school in Los Angeles is seen in a promotional video produced by the charter network. (Screenshot via JTA)

November 10, 2023, 11:54 pm

LA charter school housed at synagogue tells 1st-graders about ‘genocide of Palestine’

After Jewish students return home distressed, teachers’ social media posts surface with anti-Israel rhetoric, praise for pupil who suggested Jews ‘find somewhere else to live’

By Andrew Lapin

LAPD officers separate pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian activists outside The Museum of Tolerance, during a private screening of footage showing Hamas's October 7 massacre, Los Angeles, November 8, 2023. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/JTA)

November 9, 2023, 11:41 pm

Rival protesters brawl outside LA screening of Hamas atrocities footage

Pro-Palestinian activists cast footage as ‘Gal Gadot military propaganda video’

By Andrew Lapin

Amanda Silberstein, a Jewish Cornell University student, testifies before the US House on the antisemitism she has experienced on campus; pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters demonstrate behind her, Washington, DC, November 8, 2023. (Screenshot via YouTube)

November 9, 2023, 1:53 pm

At US House antisemitism hearing, anti-Israel protester interrupts Jewish student

Cornell student Amanda Silberstein was disrupted in Congress as she testified how professors, student groups have fueled Jew-hatred on campus following the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre

By Andrew Lapin

A demonstration for Israeli hostages staged by Hillel at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, shortly before a student was arrested for punching a Jewish student and spitting on an Israeli flag at the event, Nov. 3, 2023. (JTA)

November 7, 2023, 5:04 pm

UMass student arrested for punching Jewish student at Hillel vigil

Incident occurs at solidarity event for Israeli hostages held by Hamas terror group in Gaza, follows other cases of antisemitism on college campuses

By Andrew Lapin