Search focused on the Middle East

7+ min ago (916+ words) The ancient symbol of the menorah is well known around the world, and some would argue more Jewish than the Star of David. It's certainly more biblical." "You shall make a lampstand of pure gold," God told Moses according to Exodus 25:31, when giving His instructions for building the tabernacle. Each piece was described in detail, according to the pattern shown to Moses on Mount Sinai. God's directions were very precise:" That's seven branches altogether, three on each side, and one in the middle. So how did the Hanukkah menorah, now known as a hanukkiah, suddenly get nine branches?" The answer is to do with the significance of the number 8 in the Hanukkah holiday, with the ninth being the "shamash" or "servant light" with which the other eight candles or lamps are lit. The reason eight is so central to Hanukkah…...

10+ min ago (39+ words) After gunmen targeted Jewish families celebrating Hanukkah at Sydney's Bondi Beach, 15 families lost loved ones and 27 remain hospitalized - they need immediate support following Australia's deadliest shooting since 1996 Support all victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack...

18+ min ago (258+ words) An Israel Police officer identified a Palestinian Arab vehicle in Gush Etzion that had committed a traffic violation and stopped it for inspection.During the inspection, after the officer exited his vehicle, the driver fled the scene. In response, the officer fired toward the vehicle. No injuries were reported.The driver managed to flee from the area.IDF and Israel Police forces are currently operating in the area and conducting searches to locate the suspect and the vehicle. Gush Etzion: Police officer shoots at fleeing vehicle that committed traffic violation An Israel Police officer identified a Palestinian Arab vehicle in Gush Etzion that had committed a traffic violation and stopped it for inspection. During the inspection, after the officer exited his vehicle, the driver fled the scene. In response, the officer fired toward the vehicle. No injuries were reported. The…...

25+ min ago (359+ words) ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 802 Deputy Editor Amanda Borschel-Dan is the host of The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, What Matters Now, Friday Focus and The Reel Schmooze podcasts, and heads up The Times of Israel's features. David Horovitz is the founding editor of The Times of Israel. He is the author of "Still Life with Bombers" (2004) and "A Little Too Close to God" (2000), and co-author of "Shalom Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin" (1996). He previously edited The Jerusalem Post (2004-2011) and The Jerusalem Report (1998-2004). Newly discovered dashcam footage shows one of the examples of ordinary citizens willing to take on the attackers. Boris and Sofia Gurman confronted the father and son gunmen after the murderous pair parked their ISIS-flag-draped car. Both Gurmans were shot dead. We hear other moving stories of valor. In the wake of the attack " the…...

39+ min ago (223+ words) MK Michael Biton sent a message of solidarity and support to the Jewish community of Australia following the deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, in which 15 Jews were murdered and many others wounded. "All the people in Israel are expressing support and love for the Jewish community of Australia," Biton said. The Knesset member noted that he had recently returned from a visit to Jewish communities in Melbourne and Sydney, praising their strong connection to Israel. "We just came back from these amazing communities in Melbourne and Sydney. We saw how supportive they are of Israel, how Zionist they are, and their deep commitment to Jewish life, to Israel, and to Israel's security - including their children who served here in the army," he said. Addressing the aftermath of the attack, Biton acknowledged the pain felt by Australian Jewry....

40+ min ago (53+ words) 'In those weekly demonstrations where they scream "Globalize Intifada" - well you saw "globalize intifada" in action last night,' says Chabad emissary and President of the Rabbinical Council of Australia, Rabbi Nochum Schapira. 'We"re not canceling Hanukkah - we have to add light' 'We"re not canceling Hanukkah - we have to add light'...

42+ min ago (69+ words) A preliminary investigation found that the police officer exited his squad car and attempted to stop the vehicle, which veered and tried to ram him. The officer fired at the driver, who managed to flee. Police later clarified that the incident was criminal and not nationally motivated. Police: Attempted ramming in Gush Etzion criminal in nature, not terrorism Police: Attempted ramming in Gush Etzion criminal in nature, not terrorism...

55+ min ago (1259+ words) ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 802 New videos have emerged of unarmed bystanders who sought to thwart the gunmen in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah terror attack and paid for their heroism with their lives. The chilling footage shows how the terrorists " father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram " were almost stopped before they began their killing spree on the Jewish gathering in Sydney, Australia, which left at least 15 dead. In one video, published from dashcam footage, an older couple is seen tussling with Sajid as he emerges from a vehicle that is draped with an Islamic State flag. The couple, who were shot dead by the terrorists, have been named in Australian media as Boris and Sofia Gurman, 69 and 61, Russian-Jewish immigrants who lived in the neighborhood. It was not clear if they were heading to the Hanukkah event or just happened to…...

55+ min ago (757+ words) ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 802 Reuters " US President Donald Trump sued the BBC for up to $10 billion in damages over edited clips of a speech that made it appear he directed supporters to storm the US Capitol, opening an international front in his fight against media coverage he deems untrue or unfair. Trump accused Britain's publicly owned broadcaster of defaming him by splicing together parts of a January 6, 2021, speech, including one section where he told supporters to march on the Capitol and another where he said "fight like hell." It omitted a section in which he called for peaceful protest. Trump's lawsuit alleges the BBC defamed him and violated a Florida law that bars deceptive and unfair trade practices. He is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the lawsuit's two counts. The BBC said it would defend the case and…...

1+ hour, 8+ min ago (496+ words) Employees across the region report high levels of AI use and engagement at work, but job security and skills development are emerging as stronger priorities than pay growth, according to new research from PwC Employees across the Middle East are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day work while placing growing importance on job security and skills development, according to new findings from PwC's Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2025. The survey, which drew responses from 1,286 employees across the region, indicates that the Middle East workforce is leading global peers in AI adoption and confidence with emerging technologies. Three-quarters of respondents said they had used AI tools in their jobs in the past 12 months, compared with 69 per cent globally. Nearly a third reported using generative AI tools on a daily basis. Almost half of employees in the region,…...