National

Bloomberg: I opposed the Iran deal, but the way Trump left it was wrong

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg speaks at a rally in New York City, Jan. 15, 2020. (Scott Heins/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (JTA) — We ran a story last week on where the top seven Democrats running for president stood on Iran policy. Try as we could, we could not pin down a position for Mike Bloomberg, the former New York mayor who was not included in the last debate,… Read more »

Pelosi-led congressional delegation visits Krakow Jewish center

WARSAW, Poland (JTA)  — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the Jewish community center in Krakow along with a congressional delegation and received honorary membership. The bipartisan delegation led by Pelosi visited JCC Krakow on Tuesday after visiting the site of the former Auschwitz Nazi camp and touring the Auschwitz… Read more »

Most American adults don’t know 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, survey finds

Jews wearing Star of David badges in the Lodz Ghetto in Poland. (Jewish Chronicle/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

(JTA) — Half of American adults are unaware of basic facts regarding Nazism and the Holocaust, including the number of Jews who were killed and how Nazis came to power. Those are some of the findings of a new study by the Pew Research Center released on Tuesday, about… Read more »

Despite warnings, the far right was a no-show at Richmond pro-gun rally. So a Jewish food festival went on as planned.

Thousands of pro-gun rights protesters assembled outside the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Jan. 20, 2020. (Ron Kampeas)

RICHMOND, Va. (JTA) — Hedy Lapkin’s boyfriend wanted to attend the pro-gun rally in this capital city, but she had reservations. “My boyfriend has a lot of guns,” Lapkin, 79, said of her 83-year-old boyfriend. “He said, ‘You want to go to the rally?’ I said, ‘Are you out… Read more »

Employees become owners at Chicago’s beloved kosher barbecue restaurant

Bryan Gryka, the chef and general manager of Milt's Barbeque for the Perplexed, will now be a controlling owner of the kosher restaurant. (Courtesy of Gryka)

CHICAGO (JTA) — A group of longtime employees is taking ownership of Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed, the popular kosher restaurant here that has been donating its profits to support local charities for seven years. Within months of opening in 2013, Milt’s menu of home-smoked meats and barbecue dishes… Read more »

Hank Azaria says he will no longer voice Apu on ‘The Simpsons’

(JTA) — Hank Azaria said he will no longer voice the character of Indian convenience store manager Apu on “The Simpsons.” Azaria has been the thickly accented caricatured voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, manager of the show’s Kwik-E-Mart convenience store, for 30 years. “All we know there is I won’t… Read more »

Biden mocks Trump’s claim to speak against anti-Semitism

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Joe Biden mocked President Donald Trump’s claims to speak out against anti-Semitism, saying the president is dividing the country and turning a blind eye to white supremacists. “President’s talking about how he’s worried about anti-Semitism,” Biden told The New York Time’s editorial board in an interview… Read more »

Where the top 7 Democratic candidates stand on Iran

From left to right: Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg. (Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The post-debate analysis this week focused largely on the ongoing spat between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. While we hope they can sort that out soon, the debate featured something else more relevant to JTA readers: Everyone on stage thought that President Donald Trump made a… Read more »

Trump adds Alan Dershowitz to his impeachment team

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Alan Dershowitz, the constitutional scholar, will join President Donald Trump’s impeachment defense team. “Professor Dershowitz will present oral arguments at the Senate trial to address the constitutional arguments against impeachment and removal,” New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman quoted Trump’s legal team as saying on Friday.… Read more »

Mike Pence to attend Holocaust forum in Israel

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Vice President Mike Pence will attend a conference on the Holocaust in Israel. The White House announced Wednesday that Pence and his wife, Karen, would attend the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, in Jerusalem on Jan. 23. This year’s conference coincides… Read more »