Jewish News Today: Belgrade Attacker Planned Munich Jewish Museum Strike, Swastika Vandals Hit Brooklyn School Buses, and Australia Tightens Chanukah Security

A week of antisemitism news spanning three continents has brought fresh concern to the Jewish diaspora: the teenager shot dead by police in Belgrade after attacking the Israeli embassy had also planned a strike on the Jewish Museum in Munich, swastikas were sprayed onto yeshiva school buses in Brooklyn, and Australian authorities have announced heightened security for Chanukah following last year's deadly attack at Bondi Beach. Separately, tens of thousands marched against antisemitism in Peru, and a UK court heard a high-stakes legal challenge over the proscription of Palestine Action.

Belgrade Attacker Targeted Munich Jewish Museum

The 18-year-old terrorist shot dead by police in Belgrade last Wednesday — after he attempted to attack the Israeli embassy shouting "Allahu Akbar" — had also planned an attack on the Jewish Museum in Munich, according to the Jüdische Allgemeine. The revelation significantly widens the scope of the alleged plot and will intensify scrutiny of security arrangements at Jewish cultural institutions across Germany. No further details about the Munich plan were available in the sources.

Swastika Vandalism on Jewish School Buses in Brooklyn

Yeshiva school buses in Brooklyn were vandalised with swastikas, according to reporting by JNS and JTA. "In Mayor Mamdani's New York City, Jewish schools, synagogues and now even the buses that carry our children are being targeted with hate," Moshe Spern of United Jewish Teachers told JNS. The incident comes as antisemitic crime figures in New York have drawn scrutiny ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, with the Republican challenger for state Attorney General accusing incumbent Letitia James of turning "a blind eye" to such crimes, a charge James denies. New York Jewish leaders rallied to James's defence, according to the Forward and JTA.

Australia Increases Security Ahead of Chanukah

Australian authorities are heightening security for Chanukah events this year, JNS reports. The move follows the Bondi Beach Chanukah massacre in December 2025, during which only a handful of general-duty police officers were on duty. No further operational details were provided in the source.

Palestine Action Proscription Challenged in UK Supreme Court

The UK Supreme Court heard arguments in a legal challenge to the government's proscription of Palestine Action, the Jewish Chronicle reports. The group told the court that fewer than one per cent of its demonstrations met the legal definition of terrorism. The Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust submitted that lifting the proscription would "re-arm and revitalise a sinister and dangerous movement." The court's decision is pending.

IHRA Definition in UK Schools Faces Legal Challenge

A legal challenge has been launched against the UK government's acceptance of a recommendation that schools adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, the Jewish Chronicle reports. The recommendation came from Sir David Bell's major review of antisemitism in education. The Good Law Project is behind the challenge, according to the JC, and has drawn criticism from pro-Israel commentators. A co-director of the charity Safe to Learn, writing in the JC, argued that "no-one in education can be a bystander on antisemitism" and that it should be treated as a safeguarding issue.

Tens of Thousands March Against Antisemitism in Peru

A large march against antisemitism took place in Peru, bringing together tens of thousands of participants including evangelical Christians and leaders of the country's local Jewish community, JNS reports. The demonstration is notable both for its scale and for the interfaith coalition behind it.

170,000 Applications for German Citizenship from Nazi Persecution Survivors and Descendants

Germany has received 170,000 applications for citizenship from Nazi persecution survivors and their descendants under the country's reparations provisions, according to the Jüdische Allgemeine. The largest share of applicants — approximately 45 per cent since 2023 — comes from Israel, according to official statistics cited by the paper. The figure underlines the enduring legal and emotional ties between the Jewish world and Germany, and the scale of generational trauma still working its way through official channels.

US Midterms: Jewish Angles on Election Day

Tuesday's US midterm elections carry several significant storylines for the Jewish community. In Michigan, the contest to replace Haley Stevens — whose endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed was covered in yesterday's article — has drawn national attention. The American Jewish Committee's chief condemned antisemitism from both the political left and right ahead of the vote, JNS reports. Experts quoted by JNS said Democratic Party leadership is trying to "make an example" of Stevens for prioritising principle over party. Alyza Lewin of the Combat Antisemitism Movement told JNS: "They want to make sure that nobody else dares to put principle ahead of party. That's why I think they're being particularly nasty."

In New York City, Mayor Mamdani drew criticism after backing an international dockworkers' strike against arms shipments to Israel, according to JNS. The mayor said "New Yorkers stand with" dockworkers in 22 countries, though no New York ports joined the action.

Death of Mumbai Jewish Leader Solomon Sopher

Israel is mourning the death of Solomon Sopher, described by JNS as a leader of Mumbai's Jewish community. Israeli ambassador to India Reuven Azar wrote on X: "His contribution to India's Jewish heritage will be remembered for generations." The loss of a prominent figure in one of Asia's small but historic Jewish communities will be felt well beyond India's borders.

Indiana ACLU Sees Jewish Lawyers Resign Amid Antisemitism Concerns

Four attorneys, including prominent legal director Kenneth Falk, have resigned from the ACLU of Indiana amid controversy over the incoming executive director and concerns about the organisation's approach to free speech and allegations of antisemitism, according to the Forward. The departures represent a significant rupture within a civil liberties institution with a long history of Jewish involvement.

Israel's Post-Election Landscape

President Isaac Herzog has begun formal consultations with Knesset factions following the receipt of official election results, JNS reports, starting — unusually — with smaller parties. Coalition negotiations remain uncertain: Netanyahu told JNS that "the public in Israel does not want a government that depends on Ra'am and the Joint List — parties that support terrorism and reject the existence of the Jewish state," while the Israeli opposition has backed Gadi Eisenkot and vowed to act on what it describes as a "clear" Knesset majority. JNS also reports mounting election fraud allegations in Arab towns, with witness reports of intimidation in the Galilee and claims of voter bribery in the Negev being probed by Shin Bet alongside suspected foreign interference.

Sources

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