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| WHAT’S DRIVING THE AMERICAN JEWISH CONVERSATION |
| | Today: Why some American Jews are moving to Canada • Suspect arrested for attacking Jewish students • Debating Hitler’s artistic talents • and much more. |
| | | | | |  | Students on the Harvard campus Wednesday, as the Trump administration escalated attacks on the university. (Getty) |
| Harvard vs. Trump
The fallout continues for Harvard after it refused to meet the demands set by the Trump administration in the name of fighting antisemitism. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is threatening to ban Harvard from accepting international students, who currently account for over 27% of Harvard’s enrollment. (CNN)
The IRS has started making plans to revoke the university’s nonprofit status, with a decision expected soon. (CNN)
Harvard’s resistance to the government’s demands has emboldened some students to go there. One incoming freshman said he’s “incredibly proud” to “be a part of an institution that’s willing to stand up for what it resolves itself to do.” (Wall Street Journal)
A suspect in the attack on two Jewish DePaul University students has been arrested and is now facing several charges, including two counts of hate crimes. (ABC 7)
Opinion | The presidents of Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford and Wesleyan have all pushed back in recent days against demands from the Trump administration. “It’s poignant, and illuminating, that Jewish university presidents are demonstrating more chutzpah in the face of this government onslaught than some of their counterparts,” writes our Nora Berman. Read her essay ► |
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| | | |  | Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Wednesday at the Kremlin with Sasha Troufanov, a freed Russian-Israeli hostage from Gaza. (Getty) |
| As new U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee arrives in Israel to begin his post (with dogs in tow), the country’s foreign minister said it plans to keep troops in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon indefinitely.
The hostages… Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a militant group in Gaza that coordinates with Hamas, released a video Wednesday of Rom Braslavski, a 21-year-old Israeli hostage. It was the first footage of him since his capture on Oct. 7; it was unclear when the video was filmed. (CNN)
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with three former Israeli hostages with Russian ties Wednesday at the Kremlin, where he gave credit for their freedom to Russia’s relationship with the Palestinians and praised Hamas’ “humanitarian act” of releasing them. (Times of Israel)
Trump expanded adviser Adam Boehler’s role, naming him special envoy for hostage response, a month after critics called out Boehler for meeting directly with Hamas officials. (Axios)
Rescued hostage Noa Argamani was one of more than a dozen Jews on Time magazine’s 100 “Most Influential” list this year. The writeup on her was penned by Doug Emhoff, the former second gentleman. (JTA)
Iran diplomacy… Israel planned to strike Iranian nuclear sites as early as May, but was waved off by President Trump in favor of negotiating a deal, according to administration officials. (New York Times)
After “constructive” talks this past weekend, the second round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran is set for Saturday in Rome. (AP)
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| | |  | Sarah Resnick, right, a Jewish woman from New York, moved to Winnipeg over concerns about the American political climate. (Courtesy) |
| Eyeing an escape route in the Trump era, these American Jews are moving to Canada
🇨🇦 Americans, including many Jews, toyed with the idea of moving abroad during President Donald Trump’s first term. But now, with increasingly hardline policies affecting immigration, education, and free speech — and fears of authoritarian tendencies — some say the moment feels more urgent. “It’s a really complicated situation, because the Jews are not being targeted by the administration,” said Heather Segal, an immigration lawyer based in Canada. But some see resonance with German pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous “First they came for…” reflection.
Marci Shore, a Yale professor who moved to the University of Toronto, said “I’m a neurotic Jew. The lesson of 1933: You get out sooner rather than later.”
Zoom out: Canada has seen waves of Jewish immigration before, from Holocaust survivors to American draft dodgers. Some see this moment as another chapter in that long story.
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| | |  | | |  | A painting of Neuschwanstein Castle, a watercolor signed A. Hitler, up for auction in 2015. (Getty) |
| Was Hitler a good painter?
“The capability to create good art implies some deep understanding — of the world, of the human condition, of beauty. And imagining that Hitler could tap into the depth of the human experience is uncomfortable,” writes our Mira Fox, who takes a deep dive into his artwork. Go deeper ►
Related: A new film depicts Hitler as a young artist who slides into antisemitism. |
| | WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY |
|  | Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks outside his official residence after an arson attack damaged his home on the first night of Passover. (Getty) |
| ✡️ Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro declined to discuss the motive of the suspect who set fire to his home on Passover and may have targeted him over his positions on Israel and Palestinians. No one was injured in the fire, which caused extensive damage. “I don’t know if our Seder plates,” and other ritual items brought from home to the governor’s mansion, “were damaged, melted, destroyed in the fire," Shapiro said. (Jewish Insider, Politico)
👑 Lebanon banned Disney’s live-action Snow White from theaters because it features Israeli actress Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Gadot’s 2017 Wonder Woman was similarly banned in the country. (Variety, Times of Israel)
🇳🇱 At a Holocaust memorial event next week, Amsterdam officials plan to formally apologize to the Jewish community for the city’s role persecuting Jews during the Holocaust. (Algemeiner)
🎭 Actor Ben Platt said his Jewish identity is “not defined” by Israel, drawing attention to the divide between him and his influential family. His mom, Julie Beren Platt, is the chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, and his brother Jonah is the host of a popular show covering Israel and Jewish pride. (JTA)
🍽️ Raif Rashed, a survivor of the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival, opened a Druze restaurant in New York City, and is hoping to get it kosher certified. (Jewish News)
🏀 Danny Wolf, the American-Israeli basketball star who led the University of Michigan to the Sweet 16, is entering the NBA Draft. Wolf, a playmaking seven-footer, is currently projected as a mid- to late-first round pick. (X)
What else we’re reading ► Railways were essential to carrying out the Holocaust – decades later, corporate reckoning continues (The Conversation) … Christian movie studio crowdfunds hit movies (New York Times) … Former star of The Bachelor enjoyed his first Passover, and gefilte fish (Hey Alma). |
| | |  | In case you missed it: I sat down with Julie Moos, our interim editor-in-chief and editor of this newsletter, to talk about what makes a great Forward story, how Nazis ended up living in luxury in West Virginia during the Holocaust, and why reporters should “get the name of the dog” during an interview. |
| Thanks to Louis Keene for contributing to today’s newsletter, and to Julie Moos for editing it. You can reach the “Forwarding” team at [email protected]. |
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