Jewish News Today: AIPAC Ends Candidate Endorsements, UK Schools Antisemitism Report Welcomed, and Iran Threat Looms Over Israeli Election

With Israel's election five days away, the Jewish world is absorbing a cluster of significant developments: AIPAC has announced a fundamental shift in how it operates in American politics, the UK's Chief Rabbi has welcomed a landmark report on antisemitism in British schools, and Israeli military planners are on heightened alert as Iran threatens escalation ahead of the October 27 vote.

AIPAC Abandons Direct Campaign Contributions and Endorsements

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has announced it will no longer make direct campaign contributions or endorse candidates, according to reporting by both the Forward and the Jüdische Allgemeine. Instead, AIPAC says it will focus on mobilising individual donors. The move marks a significant strategic shift for one of Washington's most prominent pro-Israel lobbying organisations. Neither source explains what prompted the change at this particular moment, and no AIPAC official is quoted giving a reason.

For Jewish diaspora communities in the United States, the decision raises immediate questions about how pro-Israel political influence will be channelled in future election cycles, particularly as the Michigan Senate race — in which Israel and antisemitism have become flashpoints — enters its final days.

Michigan Senate Race: Jewish Voters Courted from Both Sides

The contest between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed continues to revolve heavily around Jewish concerns. At the race's final televised debate, Rogers said some "Jewish Democrats" are "literally afraid" of El-Sayed, according to the Forward. Meanwhile, the Forward and JTA both report that the El-Sayed campaign has hired a Jewish outreach director — consultant Lenore Goldman — as part of a push to win undecided Jewish voters in the race's closing weeks.

UK Chief Rabbi Welcomes Schools Antisemitism Report

Following yesterday's coverage of a landmark review finding rising antisemitism in English schools — including Nazi salutes and gas chamber taunts — JNS reports today that the UK's Chief Rabbi has commended the report. No further detail on the Chief Rabbi's specific remarks is given in the source, but the commendation signals broad communal backing for the review's findings and, implicitly, for action by authorities. For British Jewish families with children in state schools, the report and its reception represent a rare moment of institutional acknowledgement of a problem that Jewish community organisations have long documented.

University of Pittsburgh Antisemitism Review: New Admission

A spokesman for the University of Pittsburgh now says the school's campus antisemitism working group did speak to at least some Jewish students and community members beyond those formally in the group, the Forward reports. The clarification follows earlier questions about whether Jewish voices had been adequately consulted in the process. The university has not fully addressed the scope of that consultation, and the Forward's report leaves the picture incomplete.

Iran, Israeli Elections, and the Threat of Attack

With polling day on 27 October approaching, the security backdrop is intensifying. JNS reports that the Israeli military is on high alert, with a former Israeli intelligence officer telling the outlet that the IDF's heightened readiness reflects lessons learned from past failures. The Jüdische Allgemeine reports separately that Israeli combat aircraft have apparently simulated a possible strike on Iran, with dozens of jets and tanker aircraft flying over Syria and Iraq in the direction of the Iranian border earlier this week.

In an exclusive interview with JNS, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that "the only way to guarantee the future of Israel is to remove the Iranian regime," adding that he has ordered the IDF and Mossad to pursue that objective. Netanyahu also told JNS that US President Donald Trump shares his view that toppling Tehran's leadership is the only way to end the nuclear threat. The Jüdische Allgemeine also cites a New York Times report that US and Israeli forces are working on concrete plans for potential new strikes against Iran.

Hamas has added to the pre-election tension: the Jüdische Allgemeine reports, citing Ynet, that senior Hamas figures have threatened a further attack modelled on 7 October, stating they are prepared to carry one out. Netanyahu, for his part, warned in a separate interview cited by the Jüdische Allgemeine that Iran and its allies want him to lose the election and may attempt to interfere in it.

Australian Car-Ramming Attack: Suspect Is Anti-Israel Activist

An Australian politician has lost both legs following a car-ramming attack, JNS reports. The suspect who was arrested is described by JNS as an anti-Israel activist whose past social media posts are now facing scrutiny. JNS does not name either the politician or the suspect, and the source does not characterise the attack as antisemitic. The detail about the suspect's anti-Israel social media history is, however, being noted in Jewish news coverage as a matter of concern.

Giessen, Germany: Netanya Partnership Signs Removed

In the German city of Giessen, signs indicating the town's twin-city relationship with the Israeli city of Netanya have been removed from three locations, the Jüdische Allgemeine reports. The Giessen-Netanya Partnership Association suspects a political motive behind the removals and describes the incident as a possible expression of hostility toward the Israeli partnership. No suspect has been named and no authority has confirmed the motive. For Germany's Jewish community, the episode fits a broader pattern of visible symbols of German-Israeli friendship coming under pressure.

US Teacher Union Report: Antisemitism Found in K–12 Classrooms

A report from the US House of Representatives Education Committee has found evidence of antisemitism and what it calls "radical activism" in K–12 classrooms and within the largest US teachers' union, JNS reports. Committee chair Rep. Tim Walberg is quoted as saying: "Parents send their children to school to learn reading, writing and math, not to be taught to hate Israel or embrace radical political causes." The findings add to a growing body of institutional reports — in both the UK and the US — documenting antisemitism in educational settings.

Tulane University: Disputed Campus Talk on Gaza

Student groups at Tulane University are set to host a talk accusing Israel of "weaponising" disease in Gaza, JNS reports. Eveline Shekhman of the American Jewish Medical Association is quoted in the report calling on future physicians to "follow evidence, not perpetuate inflammatory allegations that echo centuries-old antisemitic tropes." The event has not yet taken place and the content of the planned talk is characterised only through JNS's coverage and Shekhman's response.

Tennessee Man Sentenced for Arson and Hezbollah Support

A 28-year-old man from Tennessee has been sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for arson and for attempting to aid Hezbollah by providing information on Israeli government members, JNS reports. The same individual set fire to a Tennessee nonprofit centre in 2019, causing more than $1.2 million in damage, according to JNS. The case is a reminder that Hezbollah-linked threat activity is not confined to the Middle East.

Jewish Federations Commit $35 Million to Counter Antisemitism

Jewish Federations of North America is spending $35 million to hire 100 people dedicated to expanding its response to antisemitism, JNS reports. Shira Hutt, the organisation's executive vice president, told JNS: "The response to the Oct. 7 attacks created a real moment of reckoning." The investment represents one of the largest single organisational commitments to combating Jew-hatred in recent memory, and will directly affect community infrastructure across North America.

IDF Detains NY Democratic Candidate and Activists in West Bank

The IDF detained New York Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander and dozens of other activists during a West Bank olive harvest trip, JTA reports. Lander was participating in an effort to protect Palestinian olive growers from settler violence. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, speaking in Budapest according to the Forward, called for decisive action against violent settler attacks in the West Bank as olive harvest tensions mount, backing senior IDF commanders on the issue.

Malaysia Bans Waze for Government Employees

Malaysia's government has banned Waze for government employees because of the navigation app's Israeli origins, JNS reports. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged Malaysians to switch to a locally developed alternative. The directive takes immediate effect. The move is the latest instance of an Israeli-developed technology product becoming a target of state-level boycott action.

Israel Joins Pacific Islands Forum

Israel has been accepted as a partner of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Jewish Chronicle reports. Israel submitted its application during Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's visit to Fiji in June. The development is a modest but notable expansion of Israeli diplomatic ties in a region where it has historically had little presence.

Palestine Poppy Creator: New Scrutiny in the UK

The Jewish Chronicle reports that Abdul Qader Ismail — a Green Party member, NHS paediatrician, and co-proposer of the party's "Zionism is racism" policy, who also created the "Palestine Poppy" — wrote a book for teenagers stating that crucifying "fornicators" can be a "blessing from Allah," and shared a post describing Israel as a "cancer." The revelations are likely to intensify pressure on the Green Party over the vetting of members involved in its Israel-related policy positions.

Herzog Convenes Global Jewish Leaders

Israeli President Isaac Herzog brought together approximately 100 participants from 17 countries at the second "Voice of the People" gathering, JNS reports. The session explored artificial intelligence tools, community growth and new leadership models. The gathering is intended to connect Jewish leaders who operate outside established institutional frameworks.

Sources

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