News

It was a bad week for political dynasties. In Albany, Governor Andrew Cuomo, the son of the late Governor Mario Cuomo, resigned in disgrace. In Afghanistan, America’s longest war, launched by former President George W. Bush, the son of the late President George H. W. Bush, ended in the most humiliating defeat in American history.

On Thursday, June 10, WCBS Channel 2 hosted the last televised debate between candidates in the Democratic Primary for Mayor before the start of early voting. A significant portion of the time was wasted discussing where people live. Most of the debate focused on serious questions.

 Have you ever heard of Scoop Jackson? Senator Henry Jackson was an American congressman and senator from Washington State. Well known in the ‘70s and ‘80s as a centrist Democrat, he was Israel’s greatest ally in the United States Congress. 

On Thursday, June 3, the Queens Jewish Community Council, the Queens Jewish Link, and the Bukharian Jewish Link sponsored an online forum for candidates for the City Council in the 29^th Council District. Eight of the nine candidates participated; Aleda Gagarin did not respond to the invitation. Ms. Gagarin and her husband Mel, who ran against Grace Meng in last year’s Congressional Primary, have a long history as anti-Israel activists. They have defended the BDS movement, which calls for the destruction of Israel, on free speech grounds. Aleda recently tweeted that she joined the Democratic Socialists of America because they stand up for “oppressed people,” like “the Palestinians.”

“Anti-Semitism is never funny” was the theme this past Saturday night at a rally outside NBC studios in Rockefeller Center, the broadcast home for “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). Some 150 demonstrators were on hand to brace the cold chill and join former Assemblyman Dov Hikind – now head of the Brooklyn-based Americans Against Antisemitism – in denouncing the now infamous joke by comedian Michael Che. The noise seems to not bother the head honchos at the network, as no statement or apology has surfaced. Was it anti-Jewish or simply anti-Zionist is a question on people’s minds. The reality is that the comedian indulged in unwarranted hatemongering that brought out even more Jew-hatred from others. For those unaware, he joked that “Israel is reporting they’ve vaccinated half of their population. I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half.” The joke to many Jews is seriously unfunny and anti-Semitic.