Oct 02, 2026

Jewish News Today: Flydubai Heroes Nominated for Honours, California Recognises Jewish Ethnicity, and Zara Pulls Holocaust-Evoking Costume

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has nominated four passengers who helped subdue the attacker aboard a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv for Israel's highest civilian honour, as new details emerge about the co-pilot's background and security failures. Meanwhile, California has made history by becoming the first US state to formally recognise Jews as an ethnic category in government data collection, and fashion chain Zara has removed a Halloween costume widely compared to concentration camp prisoner clothing.

Flydubai: Heroes to Be Honoured as Investigations Continue

Following the dramatic incident aboard the Israel-bound flydubai flight — in which the captain was attacked and the plane entered a nosedive — Israeli President Isaac Herzog has announced he will recommend all four passengers who intervened receive the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism, according to JNS and the Jewish Chronicle. Herzog commended the four men for acting "without hesitation" to save more than 150 people on board.

The flydubai captain, identified by JNS as Capt. Smit Machchhar, described the ordeal from his hospital bed in the UAE, telling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: "I fought for my life — and the lives of 170 passengers." At a Hoshanah Rabbah Torah study event, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the rescue "a chain of miracles," adding that "the tradition of Jewish heroism tips the scales," according to JNS.

President Donald Trump also addressed the incident, recounting to reporters what he described as an "incredible story" of an Israeli plumber among the passengers who intervened after a pilot allegedly stabbed his colleague, according to JNS. The American Jewish Committee praised those who acted, saying they showed "extraordinary courage."

New questions have emerged around security. The Jüdische Allgemeine reports, citing Israel's Channel 12, that the co-pilot — an Omani national — had reportedly flown to Israel on multiple occasions despite holding a passport that should have barred entry. UAE authorities have opened an investigation, the Forward reports, though the Jüdische Allgemeine notes that the background to the incident remains unclear. The Jewish Chronicle argues in commentary that the emergency landing underscored the security cooperation between Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia enabled by the Abraham Accords.

El Al launched repatriation flights for Israelis stranded in the UAE following the incident, priced at £188 per ticket, with Israir also due to launch a return service at £226, according to the Jewish Chronicle, citing Israel's Transportation Ministry.

California Becomes First US State to Classify Jews as an Ethnicity

In a landmark development for the American Jewish community, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation requiring state agencies to recognise Jewish identity as an ethnic category in official data collection. JTA reports that Jewish groups hailed the law, with David Bocarsly of Jewish California stating: "Hate crime, health, poverty and education data will reflect who Jewish Californians actually are, so we can ensure the best support for our community." The Jüdische Allgemeine confirms California is the first US state to take this step.

JNS notes that Newsom voiced some reservations about the law's implementation, while JTA reports he supported the legislation. Separately, JNS reports Newsom is drawing criticism for what some describe as an "asymmetry" in his signing order — a wide-ranging Muslim holiday bill was signed before more limited legislation protecting Jewish and other religious observances. Critics quoted by JNS said the sequencing "speaks volumes about the direction he is moving as he eyes a 2028 run for the presidency."

Zara Removes Halloween Costume Compared to Concentration Camp Uniform

Fashion retailer Zara has pulled a striped Halloween costume from sale after critics drew comparisons to the clothing worn by prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. JTA notes that Zara has a history of selling and then withdrawing merchandise that evokes Holocaust imagery or Nazi symbols. The Jüdische Allgemeine also covered the controversy, reporting that Zara's Spanish operation came under pressure over the striped garment. No statement from Zara was included in the sources.

ADL Alleges Systemic Exclusion of Jewish Artists from Cultural Institutions

The Anti-Defamation League has released a trio of reports alleging what it calls the "systemic exclusion of Jewish and Israeli artists" across publishing, museums and entertainment, according to the Forward. The reports represent a new direction for the ADL, extending its antisemitism-monitoring work into cultural spaces. No specific findings from the reports were detailed in the supplied sources.

Hamas Bodyguard Planned Attacks in Germany and Austria from UK

A former bodyguard of assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was granted asylum and subsequently British citizenship in the United Kingdom, allegedly planned large-scale attacks in Germany and Austria last year, according to the Jüdische Allgemeine. The report raises serious questions for Jewish communities across German-speaking Europe about the vetting of individuals granted protection in Western countries. No further details about the alleged plot or its current legal status were provided in the source.

Antisemitism in US Schools and Public Life

Pennsylvania state lawmakers held a formal hearing on antisemitism in public schools, with the North American Values Institute telling JNS: "Ultimately, through the continued pressure of legislative action, legal action and strategic communications, we think that we can turn the tide."

In New York, the president of the Rabbinical Council described Mayor Mamdani's plan to combat Jew-hatred as a "disingenuous political maneuver." Rabbi Etan Tokayer told JNS that while security grants and educational programmes are welcome, the mayor must first address what the rabbi characterised as rhetoric from his own office.

A federal judge in New Jersey dismissed a complaint against anti-Israel groups that had protested outside a synagogue, with Judge Katharine Hayden writing that the alleged victims may have interfered with one of the defendants' right to protest, according to JNS.

In Georgia, a man was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and his family unless Hegseth targeted Chabad Jews. JNS reports the defendant allegedly wrote: "If you personally strap a GoPro to your head and clear out a Chabad synagogue with the service rifle, you'll be spared punishment Pete Hegseth."

Senate Confirms Sonderling as US Labour Secretary

The US Senate confirmed Seth Sonderling, grandson of Holocaust survivors, as Labour Secretary. Sam Markstein of the Republican Jewish Coalition told JNS that Sonderling "has made confronting antisemitism and religious discrimination a departmental priority."

Wolf Prize Awarded to Israeli Mathematicians

Israeli mathematicians are among eight laureates of the 2026 Wolf Prize, the prestigious Israeli award recognising breakthroughs in medicine, physics, chemistry and mathematics, according to JNS. JTA separately reports that a Columbia University professor has received the Wolf Prize — sometimes described as Israel's Nobel — in a related development.

Movement for Progressive Judaism Names New UK Chair

The Movement for Progressive Judaism in the United Kingdom has announced that Noeleen Cohen will become its new chair in December, taking over from Dr Ed Kessler, according to the Jewish Chronicle. The appointment is of direct relevance to Progressive congregations across Britain.

NRW Landtag Memorial for Persecuted Jewish Lawmakers

A new memorial site has been inaugurated at the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament in Germany, commemorating members of the Landtag who were persecuted under National Socialism. The Jüdische Allgemeine reports that among those honoured is Werner Jacobi, who was beaten in the street, tortured in the Dortmund prison known as the Steinwache, and sent to a concentration camp. The memorial is titled "Be a Human Being."

Simchat Torah: Dancing Through Difficulty

As communities around the world marked Simchat Torah, the Jewish Chronicle published a personal account of witnessing Soviet Jews defying the KGB outside Moscow's Great Choral Synagogue to celebrate their identity. JNS also published a reflection on why Jews continue to dance on the festival — recounting a story from Holocaust-era Poland of a rabbi who saw the Jewish future in a child beside a Torah scroll. For diaspora communities, the festival carried particular resonance against the backdrop of ongoing conflict and communal anxiety.