As wildfires rage across California, Jewish communities are grappling with devastating losses, with synagogues, schools, and homes reduced to ashes. The fires, which have forced over 130,000 people to evacuate, have already destroyed nearly 1,900 structures from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena. Among the hardest-hit areas is Pacific Palisades, where the Palisades Fire the most destructive in Los Angeles history leveled entire neighborhoods, including Jewish institutions.

American actor Adrien Brody won Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama at the Golden Globes on Sunday for his powerful portrayal of Hungarian Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor László Tóth in The Brutalist. The film, which follows Tóth’s life after surviving the Holocaust and emigrating to the United States, was one of the biggest winners of the night, also taking home Best Drama Film and Best Director for Brady Corbet.

With less than two weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration, his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has traveled to Doha, Qatar, to advance negotiations aimed at securing the release of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. Speaking at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Witkoff expressed optimism about the talks, stating: “I believe they’re doing an excellent job in Doha. I’m hopeful that by the [Jan. 20] inauguration, we’ll have positive news to share on behalf of the president.”

The number of Druze in Israel applying for citizenship has reached historic highs, marking a major shift in the community’s relationship with the State of Israel. Driven by the war with Hamas and Hezbollah and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, more Druze from the Golan Heights are seeking to formalize their status as Israeli citizens. According to data collected by Shomrim, the percentage of Druze in the Golan Heights holding Israeli citizenship has now reached 20%, double the rate at the start of the 21st century.