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WHAT’S DRIVING THE AMERICAN JEWISH CONVERSATION |
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Today: Nike apologizes for ‘never again’ snafu • The Muslim mayoral hopeful running second to Cuomo • Supreme Court may allow publicly funded religious school • and much more. |
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President Donald Trump focused on antisemitism in his first 100 days, while his administration cut funding to Jewish groups. (Getty) |
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Trump’s first 100 days: A Jewish timeline
President Donald Trump’s first 100 days brought a dizzying mix of crackdowns, controversies, and contradictions for American Jews — from aggressive action against campus antisemitism to troubling alliances with far-right figures. This morning, my colleague Arno Rosenfeld highlights the seminal moments of these first few months.
Why it matters: Trump’s focus on fighting antisemitism has reshaped federal policy: suspending grants to universities like Harvard and Columbia, deporting foreign students tied to anti-Israel protests, and pushing billions in expedited military aid to Israel. But many Jewish groups warn the administration is exploiting Jewish concerns and weaponizing antisemitism to erode democratic norms and silence dissent.
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Clockwise from top left: Morgan Ortagus, Stephen Miller, Steve Witkoff, Laura Loomer and Howard Lutnick. (Getty) |
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The most influential Jews in Trump’s first 100 days | Jared Kushner once ruled the inner circle — but today, it’s Steve Witkoff, Laura Loomer, Stephen Miller and others steering major initiatives, from deporting pro-Palestinian student protesters to negotiating a Gaza ceasefire and a possible Iran nuclear deal. Here’s a guide to who’s who. Go deeper ►
Opinion | I wrote the book on Hitler’s first 100 days. How closely is Trump following it? “Trump is succeeding on one front with terrifying parallels to Hitler in 1933,” writes historian Peter Fritzsche. “He has created a growing sense of uncertainty in America — uncertainty about the direction of government; the endurance of mandated changes; the dangers of speaking up; the fickleness or depth of his own popular support; and whether the future could possibly see a restoration of stability.” Read his essay ►
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The Forward’s Jacob Kornbluh interviews Zohran Mamdani, a New York City mayoral candidate. (Courtesy) |
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Elsewhere in politics…
Zohran Mamdani is Muslim, a critic of Israel and the war in Gaza, and he has surged to second place in the Democratic primary to be the next mayor of New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. Over a bowl of chicken soup at a Manhattan diner, Mamdani explained to our senior political reporter, Jacob Kornbluh, why he believes he’ll win over Jewish voters. Go deeper ►
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney secured a full term Monday night, a major comeback for his Liberal Party after a surge in support fueled by President Trump’s increasingly hostile approach toward Canada. We break down his views on antisemitism and Israel. |
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Pro-Palestinian supporters march near Barclays Center Monday night in Brooklyn. (Getty) |
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Itamar Ben-Gvir… Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right minister who is wrapping up a controversial trip to the U.S., was on Capitol Hill Monday, where he met with four Republican members of Congress. (Jewish Insider, JTA)
Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the anti-war group Code Pink, was among a group of protesters who confronted Ben-Gvir inside the Capitol, calling him a racist and a war criminal. Benjamin, who is Jewish, also said Ben-Gvir was “destroying Judaism with your hate” and “hurting my religion.” (X)
A few dozen pro-Palestinian protesters, closely monitored by a heavy police presence, marched from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center toward Chabad headquarters Monday night to denounce last week’s assault on a woman by pro-Israel demonstrators, but were stopped short of their destination, with one arrest reported. Last week’s demonstrators were there for Ben-Gvir, who spoke in Crown Heights on Thursday. (New York Times)
Opinion | In Ben-Gvir and Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, there are two exemplars of incompetence and intemperance, argues Robert Zaretsky.
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Israeli soldiers salute after placing the flag on the graves of fellow soldiers at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on Monday, ahead of Yom HaZikaron. (Getty) |
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Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, begins at sundown.
The latest… Ronen Bar, head of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency, announced he will resign on June 15, following escalating tensions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose attempt to dismiss him has pushed the country toward a constitutional crisis. (Guardian)
The IDF said that recent airstrikes in Gaza killed three senior militant figures, including a Hamas operative responsible for leading the Oct. 7 attack on Kibbutz Kissufim. (Times of Israel)
Israel deported a longtime European Union citizen who is married to an Israeli and has three children, reportedly because she works for UNRWA, the recently banned UN agency for Palestinian refugees. (Haaretz)
An update from yesterday: Switzerland’s youth fencing team issued an apology Monday, after causing a diplomatic stir by turning away from the Israeli flag during the medal ceremony at the European championship in Estonia two days earlier. (Times of Israel)
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WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY |
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A temporary billboard from Nike was meant to inspire runners at Sunday’s London Marathon. (Noa Magid) |
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👟 Nike apologized after billboards featuring the phrase “Never Again” appeared along the London Marathon route on Sunday, explaining that the slogan, intended to encourage runners “to push past what they think is possible,” was part of a broader campaign that also included messages like “Remember why you signed up for this” and “This is bloody tough.” (JTA, X)
🍎 Vandals spray painted “F— Jews,” “Jews work here” and a swastika on the exterior wall of an Applebee’s in Miamisburg, Ohio. Police are investigating. (JTA)
🪦 Officials are searching for those responsible for digging up the grave of a 17th century rabbi in a Damascus tomb in an apparent effort to find buried artifacts. (Times of Israel)
🎒 The Supreme Court is set to hear a case Wednesday that could potentially see the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school, and one that “is faithful to the teachings of Jesus.” (AP, NPR)
What else we’re reading ► Fox News captures Jewish viewership amid perceived bias from other media against Israel (Jewish Insider) … The story behind a violin built by a prisoner at Dachau (AP) … A Jewish baking tradition rises in the age of Instagram (NPR). |
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Our Rukhl Schaechter teaches you how to chat about spring in Yiddish — including a proverb about a pig in your garden. |
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Thanks to Louis Keene, Jacob Kornbluh and Talya Zax for contributing to today’s newsletter, and to Julie Moos for editing it. You can reach the “Forwarding” team at editorial@forward.com. |
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